For some advisers, the biggest obstacle is not the reality of the work but how it is seen from the outside. Samantha Bickford (pictured top right), mortgage specialist at Clarity Wealth Management, said public perceptions are often shaped by distance from day-to-day practice. “I think the idea of financial services being overly corporate or intimidating comes from a lack of visibility into what the industry really is,” she said.
“When people hear ‘financial services,’ they imagine suits, jargon, and pressure! But in reality, there’s so much variety. I came into the industry in my late twenties with no financial background and quickly realised it’s much more about people, problem-solving, and helping clients achieve real goals. We just don’t showcase that side enough.”
Bickford said the working environment in the mortgage and protection space is often far more flexible than the stereotypes suggest, particularly for advisers running their own business.
“It’s actually very flexible and people-focused,” she shared. “I run my own business, and while it’s busy, it’s also incredibly rewarding. The mortgage and protection side of the industry is all about human connection, helping people buy homes and secure their financial futures. It’s not the corporate, suit-and-tie world people imagine. There’s far more autonomy now, with hybrid working, supportive networks, and firms that genuinely value work-life balance.”
Stress remains a concern for many outside the industry, and advisers do not deny the pressures of managing deadlines and lender processes. But for Bickford, better structures, communication and support networks have changed how brokers cope with the workload.