Signs it’s time to leave your position and become a self-employed financial adviser

Working for the wrong company can make you feel trapped and isolated – but if you’re feeling frustrated in your current position, perhaps it’s time to start a new chapter in your career and become a self-employed financial adviser. Maybe you don’t feel as if you are getting the chance to write enough business in your current role, perhaps you are seeking a better work/life balance or maybe you are craving the freedom that comes with being your own boss. Whatever is driving you, one thing’s for sure: life is too short to be stuck in a job you hate!

To be a successful self-employed financial adviser, you need to really take charge of your professional life and be eager to work hard to advance your career and reach your personal goals. However, for the right person with the right amount of drive and ambition, the rewards can be huge. Deciding whether to leave your employed job to become a self-employed adviser is a big decision, so if you find yourself frequently thinking about making the leap and becoming self-employed, read on for five sure-fire signs it’s time to set up on your own… 

You prefer being your own boss

Do you find being micromanaged frustrating? Or perhaps you want more control over your business, your clients and the type of financial advice you give? If you want to make your own decisions and are tired of answering to someone else, it could be a sign that you would enjoy a self-employed role. As a self-employed financial adviser, you get the final say on everything. You no longer have to run things past a co-worker or answer to your boss – in fact, the only people you need to answer to are your clients. So if you are disciplined, motivated and passionate about building strong relationships with your clients and providing the best possible advice, you could find that you flourish as a self-employed financial adviser.

You want more flexibility

If you’re feeling restricted working 9-5, becoming self-employed could give you the flexibility you crave. Without a doubt, one of the biggest benefits of being a self-employed financial adviser is the flexibility in your working life. As a self-employed adviser, your schedule is entirely up to you and you can decide when you want to work as well as when you need to take time off. Sick of the commute and would rather work from home? No problem. Or perhaps you’re an early bird who is most productive first thing in the morning? As long as you continue to meet the needs of your clients, when you’re self-employed, you aren’t a slave to 9-5 and can choose your own working hours. And that’s not all: this flexibility also means that you’ll be able to focus on the areas you wish to develop, such as spending time with clients and providing excellent advice, so you can become the adviser you really want to be.

You want a better work/life balance

If you currently feel like you’re being pulled in all directions, it could well be time to make a change. Work/life balance comes hand in hand with flexibility as one of the biggest benefits of being a self-employed financial adviser. For starters, because you can take time off when you want, you’ll have greater control over your work/life balance – so if you’ve got an important conference you want to attend or if you need to take time off for your child’s nativity play, the ball is in your court. A better work/life balance can also lead to improved mental wellbeing, and you can have more control over your stress levels, too. For example, if you’re working from home, you can take a break when you need to or pop outside for some fresh air to clear your head. This freedom to make your own decisions often increases productivity – which means a more successful business and happier clients, too!

You want the chance to write more business

If you feel frustrated about how much business you are currently writing, it could be a sign that you’re ready to move on. As a self-employed adviser, it’s up to you how you spend your time, which means you can choose to dedicate yourself to building up your client base and nurturing leads. By providing genuine, sound advice, you’ll be able to build a strong network of contacts through repeat business and word-of-mouth so that you can continue to grow your business over time by delivering exceptional service to your clients. What’s more, because of the flexibility of working from home, you might also be able to offer a more reasonable pricing structure. The industry has changed, and as people do their own research and become more cost-conscious, it’s really important to be competitive – and by being self-employed, you can provide a competitive and efficient service that really works for your clients so you can continue to win new business.

Don’t want to go it alone?

When you start out as a self-employed adviser, there are two options available: you can either go it alone or choose to join a wider network such as 2plan Wealth Management. 2plan is a national financial advice firm at the forefront of the competitive self-employed financial advice market. With over 200 professional advisers spread across the UK, 2plan aim to set new standards for the industry by empowering advisers and adviser firms to do what they are best at with maximum support and minimum risk. What’s more, each of 2plan’s registered individuals benefits from an enhanced level of service, including access to an experienced central paraplanning team, a wide range of branded marketing collateral, technology and client servicing, management and more. 

The benefits of joining 2plan as a self-employed adviser

By joining 2plan, you can have the best of both worlds: the option to work in a supportive culture with access to top training programmes, whilst still having the autonomy to manage your own business. If you’re a self-employed adviser who’s driven and eager to advance your career, 2plan can help you to achieve your business and personal goals. 

Here are just a few of the benefits on offer:

• Ongoing training and development with the 2plan training academy
• Highly attractive and competitive business splits so you can offer your clients fantastic deals
• Software including the latest technology so you can save valuable time and focus on getting in front of your clients
• Compliance and regulatory services so you can be confident that your business is fully compliant
• A unique electronic sales and business submission process 
• Back-office support, marketing and branding support and IT security  

If that wasn’t enough, being part of a strong parent brand such as 2plan can also add weight to your own reputation. And with so much support on offer, you’ll be able to free up your time so you can write new business and nurture your existing client relationships.

Ready to get started?

If you want to make the leap and become a self-employed financial adviser, contact Recruit UK today to find out all about the roles we are currently working on with 2plan.