Paraplanners from all over the country gathered for the Paraplanners’ Assembly’s Big Day Out 2024 on 12 September 2024.
From its first meeting in 2013, the Paraplanners’ Assembly’s annual gathering has created space for sparking collaboration and conversation among paraplanners that is unlike any other event in the world of wealth management.
Why?
The Big Day Out is an informal gathering that offers six hours’ worth of CPD thanks to its combination of tailor-made interactive sessions led by hand-picked experts (and designed especially for the event), and group discussions facilitated by paraplanner hosts.
It makes for a supportive and encouraging space in which you can listen and learn, and share ideas, knowledge and insights. And it’s a unique environment in which you can really focus and flourish – both professionally and personally.
You’ll feel you belong at The Big Day Out because The Big Day Out belongs to you. Here’s what happened at The Big Day Out 2024.
Welcome!
Assembled paraplanners joined us in the conference barn for a welcome from Big Day Out hosts, Sam Tonks and Chris Wormwell.
Then we got straight into…
Hone it. Own it: One hour to perfect your development plan
New for this year, and designed especially for the Paraplanners’ Assembly, we open and closed the day with two really interactive sessions led by Arch Inspire’s Rachael Hurdman.
What were they all about? How to create an actionable and practical plan to achieve your personal and professional development goals.
But this wasn’t some dry run-of-the-mill classroom-type session because IT WAS A BIG DAY OUT! So Rachael shared practical tools, techniques and insights that (1) participants could try out throughout the sessions at your Big Day Out and (2) will last participants (and people back at the office they shared them with) for years.
Crop Rotations
Following the opening session, the Assembly split into three groups (called Crop Rotations) to tackle three topics over three 45-minute sessions.
ROTATION A
Quiz the experts
Our technical sessions are a perennial favourite among paraplanners.
After all, it could be the one chance you get this year to fire any question you can possibly think of at experts who – we’re pretty certain – will be able to answer them. (As long as it’s a technical paraplanning question and not e.g. ‘Yes, but what’s the universe expanding into?’)
This year is no exception. Your stellar quartet of experts includes:
– Les Cameron of M&G Wealth
– Gareth Davies of Scottish Widows
– Natalie Howard of Canaccord Genuity
– Brian Radbone of Transact
So begin collecting your questions today and you’ll be all set to quiz the experts on the day.
ROTATION B
Productivity tips you live by. Apps and tools you can’t live without.
Because the Big Day Out attracts paraplanners from companies large and small, and from in-house and outsourced teams, we know that the ability to influence things such as report content and formats, and choice of software and tech tools varies widely among participants.
But one thing that won’t vary widely is the way we go about getting our own stuff done.
So that’s what this session is all about: what’s the secret to your day-to-day personal productivity? What are the tips or techniques that help you get things done? And what tools, apps or websites do you keep coming back to?
Whether you’re the world’s leading expert on the application of the Pomodoro method, Eisenhower matrix and tried all the task management apps – or are thinking ‘Pomodoro what?’, this will be a fantastic chance to discover how and why other paraplanners do what they do, the way they do.
ROTATION C
You, clients and the future of advice technology.
You already know how influential technology is in day-to-day paraplanning. But what does the future of work look like for paraplanners with the arrival of AI? In this crop rotation – designed especially for the Big Day Out – NextWealth founder and managing director, Heather Hopkins, will lead a conversation that’s all about how technology is changing advice, what innovations are coming down the line, and how they’re likely to influence the practice of paraplanning.
This is a fantastic opportunity for you and your paraplanning peers to share what you think and feel about the future – and technology’s role in it.
From due diligence to data, and research to report writing, this is a unique chance to explore how emerging technologies will influence paraplanning facilitated by one of the most influential figures in UK advicetech today
Lunch
Locally sourced and freshly prepared, we tucked into pulled pork or vegetarian chilli (or both!) along with loads of healthy salads and slaws that were grown on the farm.
Hone it. Own it: Part Two
Rachael Hurdman returned and, in this closing session, invited participants to take a couple of practical steps that will enable you to gather the loose ends of your personal action plan. It was another really interactive session where you could try out your new tools, and round off your development plan – and Big Day Out – perfectly.
And finally…
The Paraplanners’ Assembly
It was time for the session after which the Assembly is named. Just like at our first gathering in 2013, Sam and Chris will opened up the floor for you to share anything that’s on your mind.
