So then, New Blood: No Wrong Path has come and gone… and what an event it was.
As the latest addition to the lang cat litter, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect – but I’m pleased (and slightly surprised) to say I was completely blown away. Perhaps I shouldn’t be admitting this, given I now work in financial services, but my overall knowledge of the industry – and financial planning in particular – wasn’t exactly extensive. Luckily for me, this event took place on my third day in the job. Perfect timing!
The core focus of the event was to provide information on financial planning as a profession and challenge pre-existing misconceptions. This was done by dismantling the tired clichés that still cling to financial planning – such as every financial planner being a bald white male, or that you need to be some kind of mathematical wizard to succeed.
And yes… I’ll hold my hands up – I absolutely fell into that bracket (the misconceptions bit, not the bald white male). I genuinely thought you had to be good with numbers to be a financial planner (rookie mistake, I know).
But New Blood: No Wrong Path taught me valuable lessons about what financial planning really involves and the skills that actually matter. And no, before you ask, I’m not being bribed to say this – although bribes are very much welcomed.
Initially, on event day, I realised just how well-balanced the attendees were. A real mix of advice professionals, financial planners, industry and students. It created a lively, welcoming buzz around the venue, and I was genuinely surprised by how good the atmosphere was throughout the day.
One of my biggest takeaways was just how important people skills are to the financial planning profession. The ability to ask open questions and build relationships and trust with clients is crucial to the role. The phrase “my clients tell me things they wouldn’t tell anyone else” came up more times than I could count, and that alone says a lot. On top of that, I learned that the best financial planners strike a balance between practical skills, technical skills, and technical knowledge. It’s not one or the other – it’s all three.
Financial Planning: LIVE was, quite simply, phenomenal. It offered insight into what a real meeting with a financial planner looks like, breaking down the process in a way that was both simple and effective. Being able to watch this unfold in real time was, in my opinion, the magnum opus of the event.
That being said, I loved the rest of the content too. The set-up in Hall Two, with a bespoke agenda for the students and newbies in the room, using Silent Disco style headphones to give the audience a more intimate experience with the speaker. Delivering the talks in this way did a great job of keeping everyone (me included) engaged. Every speaker on the day was brilliant, and I wasn’t alone in thinking that.
Towards the end of the event, a poll was carried out among the younger attendees and those newer to the profession asking whether they would consider a career in financial planning. A whopping 88% said yes. If that doesn’t demonstrate the value of events like this, I’m not sure what does.
Overall, as someone brand new to both the lang cat and the financial services industry, New Blood couldn’t have been better. It combined practical demonstrations with honest insight from advice professionals, and I can confidently say I’d 100% go again (no bias and not just because that’s part of the job description). I’m already looking forward to our next event. Roll on the next one.
Jamie Borthwick is marketing and events executive at the lang cat
