In conversation with advisers: Where should the initial focus be - costs and client planning?

clock • 1 min read

Partner Insight: Flora Maudsley-Barton, managing director of Parsonage Financial and Kerry Nelson, managing director of Nexus Financial met in London recently to discuss the topic of costs and client planning.

In the first video of the series (see above), Flora Maudsley-Barton and Kerry Nelson talk to Julian Marr, Editor of Professional Adviser about their passion for financial planning and what to focus on when a client walks through that ‘proverbial door.'

Kerry Nelson says: "One of the things you need to look at is whether the proposition is scalable, as your client bank builds up, and their own finances build, you want a proposition that moves with them as well."

In-house or outsourced?

Nelson believes it is almost impossible to do everything for the client in-house, a point she reached several years ago: "I had a realisation that I couldn't do everything on my own, as something would ‘give.' It also doesn't help you as a business and the client at the end of the day, because it puts them at risk if something happens to you."

Maudsley-Barton is open about the idea of outsourcing, as a means of helping the client further [as part of their investment solution]: "We start with what is going to be the easiest way to help the client - if it is an outsourced single-fund solution and we can get that for the client at a low cost, so that is an option for the client."

Ultimately, Nelson thinks it is important to ‘keep things quite straightforward for yourself.'

Nelson says: "I am very passionate about investment, but there are only so many hours in the day… going forward, it is important to have a clear strategy: how it's going to work for you and your client's business, before you start that proposition."

 

Please visit Adviser Points of View, a site created by Incisive Media (publisher of Professional Adviser) in partnership with Architas.

More on Investment

Woodford IM hits back at FCA's enforcement action including £46m in fines

Woodford IM hits back at FCA's enforcement action including £46m in fines

WIM said it 'strongly disagrees' with the regulator's decision

Cristian Angeloni
clock 05 August 2025 • 3 min read
Regulator bans and fines Neil Woodford and Woodford IM £46m

Regulator bans and fines Neil Woodford and Woodford IM £46m

Woodford has appealed the decision to the Upper Tribunal

Cristian Angeloni
clock 05 August 2025 • 3 min read
Darius McDermott: The line between resilience and risk

Darius McDermott: The line between resilience and risk

'Trump has, for the most part, chickened out'

Darius McDermott
clock 29 July 2025 • 5 min read

In-depth

Polling high – should advisers bank on Reform UK holding on?

Polling high – should advisers bank on Reform UK holding on?

Nigel Farage-led party's policies would likely mean big tax changes if Reform came into power

Isabel Baxter
clock 30 July 2025 • 7 min read
Financial planning 'badly' needed PFS £1m talent pledge – what next?

Financial planning 'badly' needed PFS £1m talent pledge – what next?

Considerations include representation, showing not telling, and small business support

Jen Frost
clock 29 July 2025 • 6 min read
ChatGPT is changing how clients find advisers

ChatGPT is changing how clients find advisers

Prospective clients using AI tools to find financial advisers

Sahar Nazir
clock 17 July 2025 • 6 min read