When an employer pushed qualifications that "didn't speak" to him, Cole Gunning made a decision that would change everything: He chose his own path.
"If it's meant to be, it's up to me," says Cole, a self-employed financial planner who self-funded his CeMAP and DipFA qualifications through LIBF (Part of Walbrook Institute London). Rather than waiting or following the crowd, he took control of his professional development, and it's transformed how he helps his clients today.
His story challenges everything we're told about playing it safe and waiting for the 'right opportunity'. It's about taking control, going against the grain, and proving that sometimes the best investment you'll ever make is in yourself.
Can you tell us about your background in financial planning?
I was an assistant manager for a major high street bank. It led the way into going into financial advice simply because I couldn't give advice in the retail environment and I wanted to be able to make a difference to my clients. The main thing that led me to being self-employed was the feeling of empowerment in wanting to do what I wanted to do, ultimately, when I had an interview for joining the network I'm part of, one of the questions they posed to me was, "what will you do if you can't join us?" I said, "I would just go do it on my own anyway. It's always been a personal goal and a dream to do what I do, and ultimately that naturally goes to self-employed."
What does your typical day look like as an independent financial planner?
So a typical day for me, is very untypical. I like to plan my day like most people do and 98% of the time it never goes to plan. I'll have a structure of what I need to do. You know, the usual things of meeting with clients perhaps for reviews, making reports for them, and dealing with new business but weird and wonderful things can always join the schedule for the day and then ultimately be a case of me prioritising these into how they need to be actioned to best benefit my clients
What drove you to self-fund your professional qualification journey?
So the qualifications that I've studied with the LIBF is, CeMAP, and also DipFA, Diploma for Financial advisers. The main thing that made me want to self-fund my journey instead of waiting for employer support was: this is my path. I believe in the ethos of: if it's meant to be, it's up to me. So I wanted to make that happen. I also found that some of the employers I worked for at the time were very much pushing other avenues, and when I'd initially looked at that, the study material didn't speak to me and LIBF did. Whether they were going to fund that or not wasn't really a concern because that was the path I chose to go down and ultimately, in the future, it’s to benefit me.
So yeah, that's why I chose to self-fund and make it happen.
Does Cole's story inspire you to study with LIBF?
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CeMAP is the first step to becoming a qualified mortgage adviser
- DipFA first step to becoming a qualified financial adviser
How important is it to invest in your own education and development?
So my view on investing in your own education development is ultimately - what can be more rewarding than that? When you make these things happen, you can see the difference it makes in your life and your work. It can be something that's just going to give you stronger knowledge in subjects you haven't looked at before. Ultimately it's incredibly rewarding to pursue your own paths and invest in your own time, and do your own processes and then see it pay off in the future. You can look back and say, "I did that."
How has taking control of your own professional development shaped your career?
Taking control of my own development when comparing how that shaped my career. I think ultimately it gave me that initial drive to know what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. So when I did fall into my position now of being a financial adviser, I knew how I wanted to obtain my clients, look after them and make a difference.
I think the main benefit it has given me is, I'm not like everybody else. I've gone down different avenues to get to where I am. I feel like I'm looking after my clients in a different way, which obviously I've seen was a better way.
What advice would you give others thinking about self-funding their professional qualifications?
Advice that I'd give to someone who's hesitant about funding their own journey, whether it's, following this process I've followed or not, would be to lay down what is holding you back. If it's financial purposes
I would say the reward in the future will always pay off, compared to what you're hesitant about now, you'll look back and you will never regret that you made that decision.
Why is it important for career development to be willing to go against the grain?
I think it's important to be willing to go against the grain, whether it's in personal development or many things in life. How is anybody going to notice things improving or being different if everybody does the same? I can compare to my current workspace with my peers they've gone through different avenues to get to where they are to me.
Ultimately it just provides a better experience for everybody because there are different things we can take from each other, for ourselves, clients, and business alike as well.
Are you ready to challenge the status quo?
The learning experience with LIBF was very supportive, with clear goals and markers to be achieved throughout the programme. This really helped me stay on track with my studying."
Julie Soar
Mortgage and Protection Adviser
What role does your driven mindset play in making professional development decisions?
The role my mindset plays in my professional development decisions, is ultimately one of tenacity and just going for it. I like to think that echoes into my job role as well. I think one of the key things is doing the right thing for everybody, myself and clients alike.
The whole aspect of just going for it and going against the grain slightly can still create better outcomes as long as you've got the, conviction to go for it, which I'm sure I do. I feel like I've developed that and earned that, through studying through the LIBF.
How did you remain confident when choosing a different route from your peers?
The way I've maintained my confidence while choosing a different avenue to my peers is just thinking about my own personal goals It's good to hear what other people are doing and, take some, snippets and titbits from that. Ultimately thinking about my own personal end goals is where this path gets me to, and knowing that other avenues can potentially get there, but take longer or not be right, just reinforce the idea that I'm on the correct path and just to stay in my lane.
What attracted you to LIBF when researching qualification providers?
The main thing that attracted me to the LIBF when looking at what avenues I can take from learning areas. Was the comparison to other avenues. I was with an employer that was very much pushing a specific avenue, and when I was looking at the study materials and starting to look at exams, the material just wasn't speaking to me. So naturally I wanted to see what other avenues were there, I could immediately feel like all the study material and everything else that comes from being a member of the LIBF spoke to me and I could see how I could apply it in the future, or even now, when I was studying.
That just reinforced I was making the right decision and just to continue down that path.
How important was it to choose qualifications that teach skills you can apply immediately?
I'm a massive advocate for these avenues that can provide you with skills and knowledge that you can apply straight away, good example of the LIBF is through case studies in the exams, or even just in the studying.
If you're studying to be a financial adviser and you come out the other end remembering lots of answers to things. Great, but that's not going to help you with your personal skills and learning how to come to the right conclusions for clients. I felt like the studying material and everything that came with LIBF set me up for that straight away and gave me confidence.
I would wholeheartedly, strongly recommend the LIBF to anyone considering studying for any of the qualifications. I actively do all the time, because it's real, you get real life examples that you can apply, in the real world with real people. It's a supportive environment so the forums you can join, the individual coaching you can acquire is incredible as well as looking over past papers. I just feel like I couldn't have got to where I am without it and it's really empowered me."
What role has your LIBF qualifications played in providing a holistic client service?
The role that the LIBF has performed in helping me to make that holistic piece for helping my clients was just through the vast array of case studies that are available, and study material.
I feel really empowered that it's in my back pocket. So if it did come up in conversation at any point, I'm there and ready to answer any questions the clients may have.
How has the DipFA impacted your career?
The DipFA impacted my career in the most amazing way possible. Ultimately, it got me my Level Four qualification, which will open the door to a variety of avenues. It didn't mean that it just lands me in a job role there and then, but it opens the door.
If you can show an employer or a network that you have put yourself through these qualifications and got there, it shows so much resilience and independence already that they just know that you are hopefully going to be a fantastic candidate moving forward.
How has the CeMAP impacted your career?
The CeMAP qualification impacted my career brilliantly. It made all advice that I can provide my clients more holistic. I found that previously I was meeting with clients to talk about pensions and investments and they would always steer away from talking about property and mortgages and everything in between.
I just found that by having that qualification and being able to provide a bigger picture for them, it unlocks more doors for helping them and ultimately from a business point of view, making more money as well.
What do you find most rewarding about providing a holistic service to your clients?
I think the most rewarding part about being able to help clients with that holistic approach of linking in my CeMAP qualification with DipFA is just being able to see real life differences. A real life example would be I met some clients to help them with pensions and investments and in conversation, found out they're about to lose their home because their interest only mortgage had come to the end of its term and they'd almost just decided "okay, my house is going to be taken from me." And by having that additional knowledge in my back pocket and being able to calmly and confidently discuss their case with them, they believed they could keep their home through looking for a new product and ultimately I saved their house with them. There's nothing more rewarding than that. No money in the world can replace being able to save someone's home.
What advice would you give others looking to self-fund their professional development?
The main thing I would say to someone considering self-funding their professional development is if there's nothing stopping you, don't stop yourself, just apply and go for it. The reward pays off in the long run. Not necessarily just monetary wise, but through what you will gain personally and professionally as well.
If you're already considering at this point, it's the path to go down. It also gives you a degree of independence from the get go. Because you're not relying on other people to pay back these funds if you're going to leave the role and things like that.
Would you recommend LIBF to others?
I would wholeheartedly, strongly recommend LIBF to anyone considering studying for any of the qualifications. I actively do all the time, because it's real, you get real life examples that you can apply, in the real world with real people. It's a supportive environment so the forums you can join, the individual coaching you can acquire is incredible as well as looking over past papers. I just feel like I couldn't have got to where I am without it and it's really empowered me. If anyone's looking at avenues to take, that is the one I would look into first of all.
Take control of your own professional development
Cole's journey proves that taking control of your professional development can transform not just your career, but the lives of the clients you serve. By choosing his own path through CeMAP and DipFA, he built the confidence and holistic expertise that sets him apart - and it's made all the difference to his clients too.
Ready to take control of your own path? Explore LIBF's DipFA and CeMAP qualifications and discover your potential today.
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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