The Century Plan

In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning , Sarah and Dennis are joined by Annabel Veysey and Dr Katie McBride from Shift Happens. Annabel and Katie are close friends, but they bring very different perspectives to the same question: why do so many capable people feel overwhelmed by modern life? Annabel sees this through a very practical lens. She builds support systems for people who are ov...

In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning , Sarah and Dennis are joined by Toby Swallow, health coach, ageing disruptor and former world champion powerlifter. Toby first joined us on our previous podcast, The Century Plan , where we explored the parallels between planning for your financial future and planning for your future health. This time, we invited him to join us around the table. Ov...

We sat down with architect Caroline Shortt for a conversation that covered far more ground than we expected. Caroline shares her journey from early entrepreneurial experiences to building her own practice, Barc Architects, and the work she now does designing beautifully considered homes for her clients. We also touched on her love of Italy, including the appeal of trulli in Puglia, something that...

In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning , we're joined by Mike Hesketh. Mike's career has taken an unusual path, from training as a dentist and serving in the Royal Navy alongside the Royal Marines, through to building and selling a successful dental practice, and now working with practice owners through Hesketh Healthcare . But this conversation goes far beyond career milestones. We expl...

We're joined at the table by Abraham Okusanya. Abraham grew up in Nigeria before getting a scholarship to study in the UK, a turning point that changed the course of his life. Today, he runs a business responsible for managing over £13bn of client assets. But this conversation doesn't follow a straight line from A to B. We start much earlier. With childhood memories of money, sitting around the ta...

What happens when you walk away from a successful career and start again in mid-life? In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning , Dennis cooks a Turkish feast while we sit down with marketing leader and entrepreneur Paul Mills. After years in senior corporate marketing roles, Paul chose to leave the security of employment and build his own business, working with companies as a fractional ma...

What happens when the person who planned everything for you dies at 38? In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning , we sit down with Emma Gray, founder of Rainbow Hunting, former wills and probate solicitor, and widow. Over Dennis's Japanese black cod with miso, we talk about grief, preparation, and the emotional handrails that matter when life changes overnight. We explore: What grief real...

Lunch with Lee Spencer: Rowing Oceans, Climbing Mountains, and Finding Purpose In the first episode of A Taste of Financial Planning , hosts Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele sit down for lunch with former Royal Marine, world record-breaking ocean rower and author, Lee Spencer . Over a Caribbean-inspired lunch and a bold glass of Syrah, Lee shares the remarkable story of how he became The Rowing Marine...

"You are good enough. You do know enough. You just need to start." For the final episode in our summer series, we're joined by the brilliant and refreshingly honest  Holly Mackay , CEO of Boring Money , to talk about the real barriers to financial confidence — and why money is never just about the numbers. We dive into: – Why women still feel "rubbish with money" – The behavioural edge female inve...

In our second special summer episode of  The Century Plan , we step outside the world of finance, but only just. Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele are joined by Toby Swallow , a former world champion powerlifter turned strength coach, who now calls himself a health pension planner . His mission? Helping people build the physical reserves they'll need for a longer, more independent life. We explore the...

In the first of our summer specials, we're joined by Dr. Daniel Crosby - psychologist, behavioural finance expert, and author of  The Soul of Wealth . Daniel's work invites us to rethink wealth not as a number, but as something deeply connected to our values, our behaviour, and our vision of a meaningful life. We explore: Why we often know the right thing to do with money, but still don't do it Th...

In this season finale of  The Century Plan , we wrap up our exploration of what often holds people back from engaging in financial planning. Throughout this season, we've tackled several common barriers and uncovered ways to overcome them. Here are some key factors we discussed: Difficulty connecting with our future selves : Many people struggle to envision their future and prioritise present desi...

In this episode, Sarah throws out a challenge to Dennis: Is financial planning actually worth it? Is she about to regret her question!?  But it has to be addressed, because there are some who think it's a waste of time—believing pensions won't be there when they retire, their business or property will fund everything, or they'll just keep working. But are these assumptions really true? In our late...

Our latest episode of The Century Plan  explores a key question: How much does financial planning actually cost? And just as importantly, what value do you get in return? Financial planning fees can sometimes seem unclear—hourly rates, fixed fees, percentages, subscriptions—so in this episode, we provide clarity. We explain how different charging models work, what to consider when choosing a plann...

In this episode of The Century Plan, we discuss five essential steps to improve financial situations as the new year begins. Emphasising the importance of budgeting, understanding state and workplace pensions, creating a financial life pack for loved ones, and visualising retirement goals. The conversation highlights practical tips and strategies for effective financial planning, encouraging you t...

Which is more important: looking after your future health or your future wealth? In this week's episode of The Century Plan , we explore why the two are deeply interconnected. Whether it's your health or your finances, working with a professional can offer invaluable guidance, support, and accountability. We're joined by nutritional therapist Claire Thomas , who shares how she helps her clients ac...

In this special episode, Dennis Hall provides his thoughts on the announcements from the Budget on the 30th October. Whilst some of the most feared things didn't happen, there were plenty of significant changes. We focus on: Capital Gains Tax Inheritance Tax Pension taxation The freeze on income tax and fiscal drag And how the changes will affect your financial plan. Listen now for a balanced and...

Co-founder of purpose led financial planners Six Degrees, Katherine Waller, joins us on this episode. We invited Katherine on to talk about our shared approach to financial planning and to delve into how she helps people get the best financial outcomes.  In this episode we explore: The importance of emotional intelligence in financial planning Vulnerability and trust in client relationships How li...

When the financial planner met the accountant. In this episode we invite consultant CFO, NED and board adviser, Rob Nicholls to give us an accountant's perspective on how to achieve a sustainable financial future. Do Dennis and Rob see eye to eye is there a clash of perspectives? We cover: The connection between business success and personal finance. The importance of passive investing Automating...

How much time do you think you spend doing nothing? A recent Duolingo poll revealed that UK adults spend an average of 26 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 doing... well, nothing! That's about 12 hours a week. Think about it—moments like: Watching TV Waiting for the kettle to boil Waiting for a delivery Scrolling aimlessly online In this season of The Century Plan podcast, we're exploring what's really holding us back....

The Century Plan is back!  After a summer of planning and preparation, we're thrilled to launch Season 4 of our podcast, where we move from theory to practice. This season, we're tackling the big question: How can we inspire people to take action on the insights we've been sharing? And more importantly, what's holding us back? In our first episode, we dive into a challenge we all face—connecting w...

In our season finale, Sarah and Dennis address some kickback received on a social media post highlighting the issues we all face as a society when it comes to funding our retirement. And why we're trying to help people avoid sleepwalking into retirement regret. We discuss why it's so important to be aware of the pitfalls and how we can take some simple steps to improve our financial future. We cov...

In the penultimate episode of Season 3, Sarah and Dennis discuss the importance of reviewing premiums and checking charges on financial contracts. We receive annual alerts when our car and home insurance is due for renewal. But our life assurances and savings plans tend to run quietly in the background. The direct debit leaving the account each month without much thought. Why aren't we paying more...

In this episode of The Century Plan, Sarah and Dennis are pleased to welcome guests, Dr Tommy Perkins and Dr Ed Cantelo from the Medics Money podcast. With over 1 million downloads, the hosts of Medics Money podcast, Tommy and Ed are empowering doctors, dentists and other professionals to make better financial decisions. The team at Yellowtail Financial Planning have worked with Tommy and Ed for t...

In this episode of The Century Plan, Dennis and Sarah are pleased to welcome their guest, Professor Sarah Harper CBE.   Sarah is a world-renowned scientist and Clore Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford. She's a fellow at University College and Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and she was appointed CBE for services to demography in 2018. Sarah's written books i...