The Bearded IFA

About The Bearded IFA

Welcome to The Bearded IFA — honest conversations about money, business, leadership, life, and everything in between. Hosted by Rob Lewis, better known as The Bearded IFA, this podcast goes beyond pensions, investments, and financial planning. Drawing on years of experience as an Independent Financial Adviser, business owner, entrepreneur, and active member of the local community, Rob sits down with inspiring business owners, leaders, professionals, and changemakers to uncover the stories behind their success. Expect real conversations, practical insights, lessons learned, challenges overcome, and plenty of laughs along the way. From building businesses and managing money to leadership, personal growth, community impact, and navigating life's twists and turns, no topic is off limits. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, professional, aspiring leader, or simply someone who enjoys hearing authentic stories from interesting people, The Bearded IFA offers valuable insights and thought-provoking discussions from people who have been there and done it. Pull up a chair, grab a coffee, and join the conversation. The Bearded IFA — where money meets life, business meets people, and every story has something to teach us. 🎙️🧔🏻♂️

Publisher

Robert Lewis

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Jun 2026

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | What Does It Really Mean to Become a B Corp?

   What actually is a B Corp and why are more businesses choosing to become one? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I’m joined by Laura Hothersall from Truth, an independent consultant who helps businesses of all sizes and industries through the B Corp certification process. This one is also personal for me, as Laura played a central role in helping Celtic Financial Planning become a B Corp. We talk about what B Corp actually means, what businesses are assessed on, and why it goes far b...

2. 

   14 Oct 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | Business in Trouble? Why Asking for Help Early Can Change Everything

   What happens when a business starts to struggle — and how much difference can early action really make? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I’m joined by Jessica Barker, Associate Director at Xeinadin, to talk about insolvency, administration and the importance of business owners reaching out for support before problems become impossible to ignore. It’s a difficult subject, but an increasingly important one. Jessica explains that businesses rarely get into serious trouble overnight. M...

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | Are Financial Advisers Doing Enough Due Diligence?

   How do financial advisers prove that the platforms and investment solutions they recommend are genuinely right for their clients? And is simply reviewing a handful of providers really enough anymore? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I’m joined by Tony Peters from Due Diligence Solutions, a specialist who has spent more than a decade helping financial advice firms independently review platforms, discretionary fund managers and their wider investment propositions. Tony started his ca...

4. 

   30 Sept 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | Why Strong Branding Builds Trust, Customers & Better Businesses

   What actually makes a brand work — and how much does good marketing really influence whether someone chooses your business? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I’m joined by Jane Entwistle from Entyce Creative, a marketing agency that works predominantly with established businesses, either complementing an existing marketing function or effectively becoming the outsourced marketing department. From social media and websites through to branding, strategy, content and everything in betw...

5. 

   23 Sept 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | Are We Ready for the Huge Opportunities Coming to North Wales?

   What does good project management actually look like — and are we doing enough to prepare local people for the huge projects coming to North Wales? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I’m joined by Ian Wainwright from Non Fluff Project Management, a highly experienced project management specialist with more than 35 years in the profession. And Ian’s career has involved some seriously significant projects. From major rail infrastructure through to helping convert UK airspace radar syst...

6. 

   16 Sept 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | How Do You Scale a Marketing Agency Without Losing Your Way?

   Do you really know who your ideal client is — and when was the last time you checked? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by James from JG Consulting, who works with marketing agencies to help them scale, develop and navigate an industry that continues to change at an incredible pace. James brings a fascinating perspective to the conversation, having moved from the world of large corporates to setting up and running his own consultancy. We talk about what agencies need to g...

7. 

   2 Sept 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | Capturing People, Not Pixels with Gavin J Priest

   What makes a great portrait in a world where almost any image can now be created, or completely transformed with AI? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by professional portrait photographer Gavin J Priest to explore his journey through an industry that has changed enormously during his career. Gavin takes us right back to the beginning, sharing how his interest in photography developed as a youngster and the path that eventually led him to become an established and respect...

8. 

   26 Aug 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | Google Ads: Are You Wasting Your Money?

   How much money are businesses wasting on Google Ads without even realising it? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Dan Roberts, co-founder of Three Clicks Digital, for a fascinating conversation about Google Ads, PPC, entrepreneurship and the rapidly changing world of digital marketing. Dan and his two co-founders came from agency backgrounds and kept seeing the same problems: account managers stretched across too many clients, generic campaigns, a lack of communication ...

9. 

   19 Aug 2026

   The Bearded IFA Diaries | When Life & Work Become Too Much with Tracy Bevan

   Mental health isn't something we leave at the door when we arrive at work. In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Tracy Bevan from Healthy Minds Matter CIC for an open and thought-provoking conversation about mental health, pressure, resilience and the role employers can play in supporting their people. We explore the pressures people face both inside and outside the workplace, and how those pressures can ultimately affect wellbeing, relationships and our ability to perform...

10. 

    12 Aug 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Scaling with Purpose: Ola Abdul on Building Fundment

    What does it take to build one of the UK's fastest-growing fintech businesses without compromising on service or culture? In this extended episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Ola Abdul, Founder and CEO of Fundment, for a fascinating conversation about entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership in the financial services industry. Ola shares his journey from spotting an opportunity in the adviser platform market to creating Fundment—a technology business designed to m...

11. 

    5 Aug 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Why Every Child Needs Creative Problem-Solving Skills

    How do we prepare children for jobs that don't even exist yet? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Hayley Laidlaw-Wilson, co-founder of Sniff and Snails, a business on a mission to inspire the next generation of innovators, creators and problem-solvers. Together with her brother, Hayley has developed hands-on kits, educational resources and engaging content that help children build essential STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) skills while chal...

12. 

    29 Jul 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Growing to 50+ Staff: Business Lessons with Glyn Jelley

    What does it take to grow a professional services business from the ground up to a team of more than 50 people? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Glyn Jelley, Founder and Managing Director of Summit Chartered Accountants, for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership and building one of the region's leading accountancy firms. Glyn shares the story of his career, what inspired him to establish Summit, and the challenges that come with growing...

13. 

    22 Jul 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | From Aspiring Lawyer to Law Firm Founder

    What does it take to leave the security of employment and build a law firm from the ground up? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Emily Littlehales, founder of Celtic Law, an award-winning specialist law firm providing expert advice in Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Probate and Trusts. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, Emily made the bold decision to focus on a specific area of law, choosing not to offer services such as conveyancing or li...

14. 

    15 Jul 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Protecting Your Reputation in a Digital World

    What is Public Relations... and why does every business need to understand it? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Anthony Bullick, Managing Director of the award-winning Outwrite PR, to demystify the world of public relations and explain why it's about far more than simply getting your name in the newspaper. We explore the role PR plays in building trust, protecting reputations and helping businesses communicate effectively with clients, the media and the wi...

15. 

    9 Jul 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Why Customer Experience Beats Customer Service

    Is great customer service enough anymore? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Rhian Anstey, Region Director at Insight6, to explore one of the biggest differentiators for any successful business: customer experience. Too often, businesses focus solely on customer service, but as Rhian explains, true customer experience goes much further. It's every interaction, every touchpoint, every emotion and every impression a client has from the moment they first discov...

16. 

    1 Jul 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Bringing Morbid to Life with Michael Roberts

    How do you take an idea that's been years in the making and finally bring it to the screen? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I'm joined by Michael Roberts, actor, filmmaker and founder of Take The Cask Productions, to discuss the exciting journey behind Morbid—a comedy sitcom centred around the day-to-day lives of a funeral directors. With the second pilot episode now released, Michael shares the inspiration behind the series, where the original idea came from, and why ...

17. 

    24 Jun 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Starting at 19: Lucy Gittins' Journey into Financial Services

    How do you start a career in financial services when you're just 19 years old? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I sit down with Lucy Gittins, the first Apprentice Administrator at Celtic Financial Planning, to discuss her journey into the financial services profession and what life is really like working within a busy firm of Independent Financial Advisers. Lucy shares her honest experiences of joining the industry, balancing work with studying for her NVQ qualification...

18. 

    17 Jun 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | David Roberts: Don't Lose Your Why

    What separates good businesses from great ones? In this episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I sit down with David Roberts, one ofm North Wales' most respected business leaders. David's portfolio of roles includes Business Coach, Non-Executive Director, Chairman, and Chair of the Institute of Directors (IoD) North Wales, giving him a unique perspective on what drives business success. Our conversation explores the vital role that business coaches can play in helping entrepreneurs, ...

19. 

    10 Jun 2026

    The Bearded IFA Diaries | Ben Currie: From a Broken Spine to British Champion

    What does it take to rebuild your life when you've been told your racing career might be over? In the very first episode of The Bearded IFA Diaries, I sit down with professional motorcycle racer and former British Supersport Champion, Ben Currie, to discuss an incredible journey of determination, resilience and success. Ben opens up about how he got started in professional motorcycle racing, the sacrifices required to compete at the highest level, and the reality of living ...

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.