Financial Planner Life Podcast

Welcome to The Financial Planner Life Podcast. Financial Planner Life is an independent podcast, that share stories from financial planners from across the profession.

Host Sam Oakes covers an intimate and honest account of what it’s really like to work in the financial planning industry. Guests share their stories of success, failures, and learnings, as well as what to expect from a career in the industry.

The podcast covers a multitude of topics, from mindset and motivation, health, and wellbeing all the way to diversity and inclusion.

Hear directly from St. James’s Place Partners and Advisers as they share their career journeys, experiences, and perspectives on the financial advice profession.

Episode 4 - Adele & Victoria Cable

Adele Cable changed career at 53, convinced she was nearly on the ‘scrapheap’. Victoria Cable started at 23, convinced nobody would trust someone her age with their finances. Together they've built a practice worth £2.8 million in three years, and Victoria's own business is already valued at £400,000 after just a year and a half.

Sam is joined by an extraordinary mother-and-daughter duo from Advanced Wealth Management at St James's Place to share exactly how they got here, what they've learned, and why the age question that puts so many people off financial planning is completely irrelevant.

From Adele's career in corporate sales at Xerox and HP, to Victoria starting as a bag carrier watching her mum in client meetings, to becoming the top 0.01% of advisers at SJP for protection advice, this is a story about what happens when you back yourself, find the right environment, and build something that genuinely changes people's lives.

 

Watch the episode here

 

 

  • Episode 1

    Gee Foottit

    Sam Oakes welcomes back Gee Foottit, who leads the St James's Place Academy, the longest running adviser training programme in the profession, for a look at what has changed for 2026 and why the numbers coming out of it now shape the whole market.

    Watch now
  • Episode 2

    Samantha Wood

    In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Samantha Wood, founder of Wood Mitchell Financial Planning and a Partner at St. James’s Place.

    Samantha’s career began in the British Army, where she progressed from soldier to officer and developed the discipline, leadership and adaptability that would later shape her career in financial services.

     

    Watch now
  • Episode 3

    Natalie Cheesman

    Natalie Cheesman, a St. James's Place partner running her own financial planning firm, joins Sam Oakes for this episode to talk about leaving mortgage advice for financial planning.

    This is an episode for mortgage advisers thinking about a move into financial planning, for planners in their first few years building a client bank from scratch, and for anyone who has faced a serious health setback and wondered how to come back from it.

    Watch now
  • Episode 4

    Adele & Victoria Cable

    Adele Cable changed career at 53, convinced she was nearly on the ‘scrapheap’. Victoria Cable started at 23, convinced nobody would trust someone her age with their finances. Together they've built a practice worth £2.8 million in three years, and Victoria's own business is already valued at £400,000 after just a year and a half.

    Watch here

Gee Foottit

Sam Oakes welcomes back Gee Foottit, who leads the St James's Place Academy, the longest running adviser training programme in the profession, for a look at what has changed for 2026 and why the numbers coming out of it now shape the whole market.

Watch now

Samantha Wood

In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Samantha Wood, founder of Wood Mitchell Financial Planning and a Partner at St. James’s Place.

Samantha’s career began in the British Army, where she progressed from soldier to officer and developed the discipline, leadership and adaptability that would later shape her career in financial services.

 

Watch now

Natalie Cheesman

Natalie Cheesman, a St. James's Place partner running her own financial planning firm, joins Sam Oakes for this episode to talk about leaving mortgage advice for financial planning.

This is an episode for mortgage advisers thinking about a move into financial planning, for planners in their first few years building a client bank from scratch, and for anyone who has faced a serious health setback and wondered how to come back from it.

Watch now

Adele & Victoria Cable

Adele Cable changed career at 53, convinced she was nearly on the ‘scrapheap’. Victoria Cable started at 23, convinced nobody would trust someone her age with their finances. Together they've built a practice worth £2.8 million in three years, and Victoria's own business is already valued at £400,000 after just a year and a half.

Watch here