Nathan Fryer, founder of outsourced paraplanning firm Plan Works, is partnering with experienced paraplanner Siân Davies Cole, to grow the firm’s outsourced service to financial planners.
The firm re-launches with the two directors as from today – 3 September 2020 – and is the first stage of plans to grow the business over the next few years, the pair said.
Nathan established Plan Works in 2013 and has effectively run it as a one-man operation until now. Siân will be joining the business as a partner and director. The firm recently moved to new offices in Nutfield, Surrey, but Siân will work remotely from Bristol.
Nathan says: “I had got to the stage where I was happy with the business as it was and needed a fresh pair of eyes and added stimulus to help take it to the next level. So I advertised a position and was very pleased when Siân responded, as she brings a wealth of experience and expertise not just as a paraplanner but in running teams and in business operations and procedures implementation.” Although Nathan and Siân haven’t worked together previously, they met through their mutual involvement in the Paraplanner Assembly organisation where they had both run sessions at the national gathering.
Alongside the range of services already offered by the firm – suitability report writing, technical and financial planning advice guidance, platform due diligence and working with advice firms on their central investment propositions – it will now be able to expand its specialist paraplanning services on tax vehicles such as EIS and VCTs and other more complex tax planning, as well as capitalising on Siân’s experience of designing operational procedures and implementing systems and back-office software, to offer a consultancy service to help financial planning firms enhance their efficiency and service to clients.
Nathan adds: “Plan Works has been built on quality and integrity, working with advice firms that have the client very firmly at the centre of everything they do. It is that quality of firm that we will continue to work with.
“Bringing a partner into the business enhances decision-making, balances the running of the business and allows for greater focus on quality and development.”
On the business’ growth plans, Siân said the intention was to first bed-in the new partnership and then look at what resources were needed. “We intend to grow organically, through referrals, which tends to generate the right kind of business for a firm of our size and we’ll likewise grow the business one member of staff at a time, probably starting with an administrator as support for Nathan and me as the paraplanners.”
