Uncategorized Archives - Accelerate Adviser Solutions

For years, paraplanners were known as the people who turned adviser notes into compliant reports and quietly made sure everything stacked up when the regulator came knocking. Essential? Absolutely. Visible? Not always.

That role hasn’t disappeared, but it has evolved, and for advisers, that evolution matters.

Not just report writing anymore

There was a time when paraplanning was largely reactive. The adviser would hold the client meeting, pass over notes, and a suitability report would appear… Structured, compliant, and ready to go.

Today, paraplanners are far more involved earlier in the process. Among a host of other tasks, they often:

Help sense-check strategies
Flag risks before they become issues
Ask the “what if?” questions that strengthen recommendations

Paraplanners now act as a technical sounding board, as someone who can challenge constructively, stress-test a plan, and quietly ask, “Have we covered this properly?” (usually at exactly the right moment).

That shift changes everything.

Why the shift?

Regulation Keeps Raising the Bar

With Consumer Duty and increasing scrutiny around client outcomes, advice must be clearly justified and demonstrably in the client’s best interests. It’s no longer just about suitability, it’s about evidence.

Paraplanners play a central role in making sure files are robust, reasoning is clear, and advice stands up under review.

Technology Has Changed the Game

Planning tools and automation have removed much of the repetitive admin. But rather than replacing paraplanners, this has elevated them.

Freed from routine tasks, paraplanners now focus on higher-value work: deeper analysis, scenario modelling, and quality control.

All of which strengthen adviser confidence and most importantly, client outcomes.

Clients Expect More

Clients want clarity, personalisation, and reassurance. They want to understand why a recommendation works for them.

Paraplanners help translate complex planning into structured, coherent advice that clients can engage with but without oversimplifying the detail that makes it robust.

What This Means for Advisers

Modern paraplanning delivers real, day-to-day impact:

More consistent, defensible advice
Stronger, clearer files
More time to focus on clients and growth

For newer advisers, working alongside an experienced paraplanner can also accelerate technical confidence by providing support without the pressure of having to know everything on day one.

For established firms, it creates scalability without compromising quality.

Looking ahead

Paraplanning is no longer a back-office function. It’s a strategic partner within modern financial planning - analytical and increasingly integral to delivering good client outcomes.

For advisers who embrace that shift, the benefit is clear: better advice and a more sustainable business model.

It’s the approach we see making the biggest difference in the firms we support. Paraplanning isn’t just about producing reports, but about strengthening advice at every stage of the journey.

Because it’s often paraplanning that ensures the advice stands up when it truly counts.

As a paraplanner, I read adviser reports every day. And I have the same test: ‘Would my mum understand it?’

If the answer is no, something has gone wrong.

Not because the advice is poor, not because the planning isn’t robust, definitely not because my mum’s not very bright!

…But maybe because the writer’s trying a bit too hard - the message has been lost among technical terms and intimidating language.

Who are these reports really for?

Paraplanning can be described as technical. Highly detailed. Even a bit dry.

And yes, it is technical and detailed. It should be accurate and precise. But dry? It doesn’t have to be.

Somewhere along the way, advice reports became long, wordy, and full of jargon.

Big words. Long sentences. Endless paragraphs in a sea of words.

Written to sound professional, not always to be understood.

And the irony is this: these reports are written for clients.

If a client needs a dictionary, something’s gone wrong

Clients don’t want to feel stupid. They want clarity.

This is where the trust is built: through helping clients understand, not baffling them with big words and complex concepts.

Clients want to know:

What should I do?
Why should I do it?
How will it help me?

If a report can’t answer those questions clearly, it doesn’t matter how technically perfect it is.

Simple writing is harder but better

Clear writing isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s actually about having respect.

Respect for your client’s time.
Respect for their understanding.
And of course, for the advice itself.

The best reports I see:

Use short sentences and plain English
Break ideas into small chunks
Say things once and say them clearly

They’re not written to impress or show off what we know. They try to explain.

There’s room for creativity in paraplanning

Paraplanning doesn’t have to be boring. I think you can be both technical and creative.

In fact, a bit of creativity can make technical ideas easier to understand.

I love a creative analogy:

A DC pension is a piggy bank, a DB is a promise from your old boss, and who could forget the IHT fruit tree?

Volatility could be mid-flight turbulence, or a cruise over choppy seas. Whatever the conditions, the destination stays the same.

These aren’t just fluffy analogies; they’re deliberate communication tools that clients can relate to.

Creativity helps clients get it. And if clients can understand it, hopefully they’ll trust it.

A few rules I live by

When I’m writing reports, I always ask myself:

What does this actually mean?
Can this be simplified?
Would my mum understand this?

Short words, short sentences and short paragraphs rule! Clarity always beats clever.

As paraplanners, our job is to make the advice real and relatable (as well as technically spot-on!).

We don’t need longer reports.
We don’t need intimidating words.
And we certainly don’t need more jargon.

We need more respect, more empathy and more clarity for the reader (+ a bit more creativity!).

If a client can explain their advice to someone else, we’ve done our job properly.

And if my mum would understand it? Even better.

After a year of hard work and purposeful action, we are absolutely thrilled to announce that Accelerate is officially B Corp Certified!

This milestone is not just a badge; it’s a testament to who we are and the future we are committed to helping build. We are now finally listed in the official B Corp directory. We can’t wait to join the global conversation with likeminded companies who are using their business as a force for good.

Learn more: The UK B Corporation Movement

What This Means to Us

Becoming B Corp Certified represents a pivotal moment in our journey; one grounded in values and purpose.

From the moment we launched in 2023, we have focused on delivering exceptional service while operating responsibly. Significantly, over the past year we have doubled in size and expanded our capabilities... And now, we officially recognise ourselves as a business that meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability!

We assessed every aspect of our business, provided evidence of positive impact, and legally embedded our commitment to purpose alongside profit. This achievement reflects our belief that success is about more than financial growth. It’s about the contribution we make to people, communities, and our planet.

Emily and Matt spearheaded the journey from the very beginning. They have championed the B Corp movement as it aligns with what Accelerate undoubtedly values:

Building a business that drives positive change

Thank you for your curiosity and tenacity throughout the project!

Why B Corp Matters Now More Than Ever

Accelerate joins a growing movement of companies reinventing business for the benefit of all people and our shared planet. The UK B Corp community is the largest and fastest growing in the world, with over 2,600 companies spanning a wide range of industries. These include The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, Tony’s Chocolonely, The Big Issue, Finisterre, Elemis, and Sipsmith Gin.

B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, recognises Accelerate for meeting robust, verified standards across key areas, including:

Governance
Workers
Community
Environment
Customers

In a world facing an ongoing climate crisis and widening social inequality, businesses must step up more urgently than ever.

This Is Just the Beginning

We’re incredibly proud, a little mind-blown, and most of all, excited about what comes next. Matt says: “When we received the news that we had done it, it marked a huge moment not just for me, but for the whole team. This is because of the work we put in and the realisation of what it means for Accelerate. It’s given me a massive boost of motivation and a strong sense of positivity about what we can achieve in 2026!”

We look forward to connecting with fellow B Corps, learning from this community, and continually challenging ourselves to do better.

Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, says:

“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community — from start-ups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that positive impact is possible in any sector. Welcoming Accelerate Adviser Solutions is an exciting moment for the Financial Services industry. B Lab UK and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased that Accelerate is paving the way for a new way of doing things.”

As we reach the end of another busy and rewarding year at Accelerate, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together. 2025 has been a year of growth, celebration, learning and continued excellence, both as a team and in the service we deliver to our clients.

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Team Growth & New Beginnings

We expanded our team significantly this year, welcoming three fantastic new colleagues:

January: Lily joined us as our Financial Administrator, strengthening the operational and financial backbone of the business.
April: Ed came onboard as a Paraplanner, bringing fresh insight and experience.
July: Rachel joined us as a Paraplanner, adding even more strength and energy to the team. She settled in quickly, brought great ideas to the table, and has already made a real difference to how we support each other and our clients.

Learning, Exams & Professional Development

A big part of what makes Accelerate stand out is our commitment to constant learning, through formal study and keeping up with evolving legislation and industry changes.

This year we celebrated several exam successes:

Lily passed R05 in May.
Emily passed R05 in January and R02 in July, continuing her fantastic progression through the diploma pathway.

Alongside exam success, the whole team has worked hard to remain up to date with the significant legislative changes that 2025 has brought, ensuring the advice we support remains accurate, compliant and forward-thinking.

Team Days & Celebrations

This year featured two brilliant team days, full of laughter and a whole load of memories:

April Team Day – Brunch, Games & Karaoke

We kicked off spring with brunch, team games and some brave karaoke performances. A great chance to reconnect and welcome our newer teammates.

September Team Day – Electric Bikes at Rutland Water

A beautiful ride around Rutland Water on electric bikes, complete with a pub lunch pit stop. The day wrapped up with a quiz and games which were competitive as always...

Awards & Professional Recognition

2025 has been an exceptional year for recognition within the profession:

Professional Paraplanner Awards – July

The team attended the ceremony at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London after being nominated for three awards. While we didn’t take home a win, our Head Paraplanner Steph Tennant was Highly Commended in the Paraplanner of the Year category - an outstanding personal and team achievement.

Chartered Status Graduation – October

Several team members travelled to Central Hall Westminster to celebrate Stephanie’s graduation, marking her achievement of Chartered Status. This is a huge milestone representing expertise, professionalism and dedication to the highest standards.

PFS Awards – October

Later that month, Steph and Matt attended the Personal Finance Society Awards at the Sea Containers Hotel in London.

We are thrilled to share that Steph won the PFS Paraplanner of the Year 2025 Award! This is a prestigious and well-deserved recognition of her leadership, technical excellence and contribution to the profession.

Clients, Growth & Feedback

It’s also been a strong year for business growth:

We welcomed multiple new clients, reflecting the growing reputation and trust in our services. Not only has our client base expanded, but the calibre and diversity of the new relationships we’ve formed demonstrate the strength of our offering and the value we strive to consistently deliver.
We are lucky enough that our fantastic clients continue to provide us with excellent feedback, recognising the quality and care that define our work.

As a team, we have upheld our commitment to keeping clients happy as well as the team thriving and the business growing steadily.

Looking Ahead

With new people joining the team, award wins to celebrate, plenty of learning and a growing list of amazing clients, 2025 has been a bit of a whirlwind in the best possible way. It’s been a year full of progress, laughs, teamwork and those little moments that remind us why we love what we do.

As we head into 2026, we’re excited to keep the momentum going by supporting IFAs so they can do their best work, giving clients an experience that genuinely makes their day easier and creating time for themselves. This will be done by continuing to build a team that has fun, works hard and lifts each other up, whilst maintaining a commitment to the exceptional standards at our core.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year. Here’s to a brilliant 2026 with more wins, more good energy, and more chances to do what we do best together.

PFS Awards 2025

Earlier this year, Steph took a bold step and entered the prestigious Personal Finance Society Awards.

They are a true celebration of excellence across the financial planning profession. Not long after, we received the exciting news that she had been shortlisted for the Paraplanner of the Year award, a remarkable achievement in itself and a testament to her expertise. Steph was then invited to write and submit a detailed financial plan as part of the final stage of the awards process – she soon learnt it was a rigorous assessment and that it would be reviewed by the judging panel before the winners would be announced at the selected venue.

With great excitement, Steph and Matt travelled to London to attend the glittering awards ceremony at the stunning Sea Containers Hotel in London. The setting was truly spectacular (see our featured image!) and there was an electric atmosphere as the industry’s best came together to celebrate.

The best in the industry

It was also a brilliant opportunity to connect with others in the profession. A huge congratulations to all the other winners and shortlisted candidates!

These accomplishments open fantastic opportunities not just for Steph, but for our whole team and the advisers we support. Her commitment, professionalism, and hard work make a real difference and we’re extremely lucky to have her.

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re feeling so proud and energised for what 2026 will bring. It’s been a busy, rewarding year, and we couldn’t have done it without the continued support of our clients. Thank you, all.

We’re very pleased to announce that Rachel Connell has joined Accelerate as our newest Paraplanner!

Rachel comes to us with trusted experience in the industry and a reputation for being meticulous, professional, and an absolute pleasure to work with. From meeting through the industry and following our early conversations, it was clear she would be the perfect fit for both our team and our clients.

She joins Steph, Matt, and Ed on the paraplanning team and is already making a strong impact with her methodical approach and calm confidence. We know she’s going to be a brilliant asset as we continue to grow.

Welcome to the team, Rachel — we’re delighted to have you with us!

On 17^th July, Professional Paraplanner held their ninth annual awards ceremony at the stunning Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London. Once again, we had the privilege of attending this prestigious event—full of celebration, team spirit and not to mention - fantastic food & drink(!) - even if it wasn't quite as triumphant as our inaugural outing in 2024. Nonetheless, we're bursting with pride to share the achievements of our incredible team.

Shortlist Success

We were delighted to see three of our team very well deservedly shortlisted:

Matt was shortlisted for Paraplanner Team Leader of the Year.
Steph earned her place among the finalists for Outsourced Paraplanner of the Year.
Emily was shortlisted for Administrator of the Year.

Each nomination is a testament to their dedication, expertise, and the high regard in which they’re held within the industry. Being shortlisted amongst the strong competition is an honour in itself—and we couldn’t be prouder.

A Remarkable Honour for Steph:

A particularly special moment came when Steph was awarded Highly Commended for Outsourced Paraplanner of the Year—just one year after being crowned New Paraplanner of the Year in 2024. In the year she became chartered (check out our specially dedicated blog post), this is a truly fantastic achievement, reflecting remarkable growth and consistency.

Looking Back with Pride:

2024	Outsourced Paraplanner of the Year	Matt	Winner
2024	New Paraplanner of the Year	Steph	Winner
2024	Administrator of the Year	Deb	Winner
2025	Outsourced Paraplanner of the Year	Steph	Highly Commended
2025	Paraplanner Team Leader of the Year	Matt	Shortlisted
2025	Administrator of the Year	Emily	Shortlisted

While results may vary year to year, it is brilliant to see the professional commitment of our team continue to raise our profile—both inside the industry and beyond.

A True Team Celebration

This year marked a special milestone—not only for our finalists, but for the whole team. For the first time, we were able to celebrate together with our 2025 new hires, Ed, Lily, and Rachel, who joined Matt, Steph, and Emily at the event. It made for the perfect get-together for the entire team and we certainly made it count – right into the evening!

Another Huge Thank You!

We’re once again grateful to Professional Paraplanner for hosting another fantastic event, and to the sponsors whose support brings it all to life. The venue was superb and it was a real pleasure connecting with so many talented administrators and paraplanners. Sharing experiences and ideas reminded us just how collaborative and forward-thinking our profession continues to be.

We are excited to introduce Ed Ellis, who has joined the Accelerate paraplanning team!

Ed brings valuable industry experience and has already become an integral part of our growing paraplanning crew, working alongside Steph and Matt.

From day one, Ed has fitted in perfectly — professional, highly capable, committed to mastering the processes and delivering the quality work that our clients expect. He’s already managing his own clients and progressing plans with confidence — a great testament to his knowledge and approach.

We’re incredibly pleased to be strengthening the paraplanning side of the business with such an excellent hire.

Welcome to the team, Ed!

We’re delighted to officially welcome Lily Heath to the Accelerate team!

Lily has joined to support us as we look to kick-start 2025 in style, coming from an established advice firm where she built up strong experience as an administrator. She now works alongside Emily in our growing administration team.

Right from the outset, Lily has proved to be the perfect addition to Accelerate. She’s positive, proactive, and always willing to go the extra mile for both colleagues and clients — qualities we truly value at Accelerate.

In addition to settling in brilliantly to the team, Lily is also already making great progress with her professional development, having successfully passed her R05 exam.

It’s fantastic to see the admin team growing, and Lily is already helping us maintain the high standards of service we are proud of. We’re thrilled to have her on board!

Last week, Emily and Matt had the pleasure of representing Accelerate at the East Midlands Small Business Awards 2024, held at the fantastic Village Hotel in Nottingham.

We were thrilled to be shortlisted as finalists after submitting our entry and ‘homemade’ video earlier in the year, and it was an honour to be recognised among so many inspiring businesses from across the region.

An Evening of Inspiration:

The experience was nothing short of amazing. The evening brought together a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and small business champions—each with their own amazing story of determination and innovation.

Meeting so many like-minded individuals who have either started their own businesses or work within one was truly motivating. The energy in the room was electric; it’s clear that small business owners are some of the most passionate, creative, and hard-working people around.

The Vital Role of Small Businesses:

Events like this remind us how crucial small businesses are—they bring diversity, innovation, and opportunity, often punching well above their weight in terms of impact.

We’re incredibly proud to be part of that community and to contribute in our own way through the services we offer to Advisers across the country.

Looking Ahead!:

Being a finalist at the East Midlands Small Business Awards was another milestone in our journey. We came away with fresh ideas, new connections, and a renewed sense of purpose as we continue to grow Accelerate – not to mention our very own personalised flags…!

A huge thank you to The Small Business Awards team for putting on such a brilliant evening, and congratulations to all the winners and fellow finalists. We’ll definitely be back!

The difference between advice that sounds good and advice that genuinely stands up...