"Many of the candidates we spoke to needed help to make the step from a support or admin role across to advising clients for themselves."
Just Wealth, the financial advisory arm of national mortgage broker firm Just Mortgages, says it has held conversations with a number of qualified people who feel trapped in support roles and would like to set up their own businesses.
The Academy aims to provide the skills and support required for individuals to establish themselves as financial advisers and, for many, to step out of the shadow of their current role. This includes wealth advisers who no longer want to be a part of a corporate, as well as existing self-employed advisers who do not have a large, established client base and often are lacking in new leads or clients.
David Magee, head of wealth at Just Wealth, said: “Having the right knowledge and qualifications is just one part of running a successful business. Many of the candidates we spoke to needed help to make the step from a support or admin role across to advising clients for themselves.
"The fast-track academy was specifically created to provide all the help advisers’ needed in the crucial areas of marketing, lead-generation and client management while also giving them the freedom to offer holistic financial advice and recommend whichever product the adviser believes is best for the client. Importantly one of the most important components to our Fast Track Academy is the focus we provide around the client journey and the ability to ask clients appropriate and relevant questions.
“Client acquisition is the foundation of a successful business but is often the most daunting for a new financial adviser and anecdotally we are told the main reason advisers are afraid to strike out on their own. Referrals to Just Wealth advisers from our parent business Just Mortgages have been increasing steadily throughout the first half of the year which is a main driver for the launch of the academy. We have clients looking for wealth advice and need more advisers to fill the gap.”
