What does it take to build a career that genuinely changes people's lives?
For David Sharp, LIBF Learner and Financial Adviser at holmfield. Wealth Management, the answer started with getting properly qualified.
We sat down with David to talk about what drives his career, what drew him to LIBF, why he'd recommend our qualifications to any aspiring financial adviser, and – in his own words – why financial advice is something that can benefit absolutely everyone.
A career built around people
David's career has always been driven by helping people get to where they want to be.
That drive found its natural home in financial advice. "In the day job, we plan out and map what people's ambitions are, and then we talk through and implement practical applications to get them where they want to be financially."
His clients range from people who have spent 40 years in the same job and are now stepping into retirement, through to business owners and entrepreneurs with very different financial pictures. "The needs and requirements are totally different across both," he says, "but they're just as valid for each." No two days look the same, and for David, that variety is precisely what makes the role so rewarding.
Why everyone should access financial advice
"I don't think it's a wealthy versus the others thing. Financial advice genuinely helps everyone." David adds, "You don't have to be super wealthy to take financial advice. Some of the people that will benefit from it the most are people that haven't got vast amounts of wealth. It's more important that every pound is spent in the most efficient way to give them a sustainable lifestyle."
For those who worry about the cost, David reframes the question entirely. "Anyone that thinks they don't have enough money to pay for a financial adviser should be asking themselves the question: what's the cost of not doing it? At what point did you last review your full finance blueprint? Because if it was 30 years ago, it could be outdated now."
What difference does a qualification make?
David talks with genuine enthusiasm about what pursuing professional qualifications has meant for his practice and the subsequent impact his new skills has on the clients he works with.
"Becoming more qualified works hand in hand with being more regulated, and I think both of those things are a good thing for client outcomes."
The way he thinks about his work has shifted too. "The biggest difference is that when I was unqualified, you focus very much on 'this is the problem, this is the solution.' Whereas I think, as a byproduct of the way LIBF trains and develops you, you take a wider view approach on everything you're dealing with. That is definitely something I wouldn't have done if I hadn't gone through that training programme."
David holds the Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA) and the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP), and has since gone on to complete the Certificate in Long Term Care and Later Life Planning (CertLTCP) and the Certificate in Regulated Equity Release (CeRER) – each one opening up new ways to support clients at different stages of their lives. David is also working his way towards Chartered status.
What sets LIBF apart
For David, choosing LIBF wasn't just about gaining letters after his name. It was about becoming a better adviser.
"One of the things I've always liked with LIBF is they're not a tick box exercise. When you're studying, you go down the route of 'here's the framework, what we are trying to get you to become more competent in – now go away and apply that.' So when you're in the real world, you've actually got a well thought out process of supporting clients."
That approach addressed something David had been mindful of going into study. "The thing I was concerned about was being told 'this is the answer, that's the way you do it' – because that isn't real life."
The opportunity ahead
David sees a real and growing need for qualified advisers who are equipped to help people from all walks of life.
"We're at this beautiful moment in history where we have huge advancements in technology accompanied with some traditional mechanisms in place. The implementation of financial advice, the solutions that are available to clients and the cost are all going to become a lot more accessible over the next few years, which can only be a good thing."
And on what it takes to meet that opportunity well: "The more training, development, exposure to different scenarios that you get, the better adviser you'll be, and you will naturally develop the skills to be able to support a whole wide range of people."
David's advice to anyone considering the financial advice path
"I would recommend it for somebody that's a self-starter that wants to go and learn to be a good quality adviser. If you want to be the best adviser you can be, I would recommend going down the route of LIBF."
If a career in financial advice feels like the right path for you, LIBF's professional education courses, including the Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA), are designed to build skilled, confident advisers who can make a real difference to the people they work with.
Try our online programmes that fit around your commitments
That’s the best thing about LIBF – managing studying alongside work. It was structured in a flexible way that I meant if I wanted to get ahead, I could. If I fell behind, I could catch up."
Sonny Kurmi
Financial Adviser