MLP team update
Welcome to the August edition of your behind-the-scenes MLP team update.
From welcoming new staff and celebrating seasoned employees to experimenting with AI and collectively developing our core principles, the team has been as busy as ever!
Read on to catch up on all the latest updates.
Katie has settled in seamlessly!
Katie joined us just three months ago, and in that short time, she’s already achieved some fantastic milestones. In a short space of time, she has:
Gained Competent Adviser Status (CAS)
Completed her probation early, well ahead of the usual six months
Introduced a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) service
Become qualified in will writing, enabling us to offer this service to clients
Designed and implemented a student placement programme, taking it from concept to welcoming our first new starter
Settled in seamlessly, quickly adding value, and proving a real joy to work with!
Above all, it’s Katie’s attitude that sets her apart. She shows initiative, takes accountability, collaborates well, and is always eager to learn.
She has huge potential, and we’re excited to support her growth and see all that she will achieve. We’re proud to have her on the team!
As you can see above, thanks to Katie’s hard work, we can now help you with LPAs and will writing. If you would be interested in either of these services, please get in touch.
We made a brand new signing – and gave him his first professional contract
Like some of the best Premier League teams, we’ve had a very busy summer transfer window!
One of Katie’s key contributions has been launching a new student placement programme, as mentioned above.
As part of this initiative, we were delighted to recently welcome Matthew Lobo to the MLP team on a one-year placement – his very first professional contract.
Matthew was a stand-out candidate in a competitive, four-stage interview process. But his preparation, initiative, and genuine drive to join us shone through, and in the end, there was only one choice.
Matthew’s still studying for an Economics degree at the University of Surrey, and we’re excited to support his growth over the next year. Who knows, perhaps this will lead to a full-time role once he completes his studies...
Join us in welcoming Matthew to the team and saying a big thank you to Katie, who managed the process from start to finish. It just goes to show, a great hire attracts more great people!
Claire celebrated 10 years at MLP
As well as welcoming newbies, we’ve also been celebrating more seasoned MLP staff, most recently Claire Woods, who has now been with us for 10 years!
Claire’s one of our Adviser Supporters and she’s always ready to muck in, help out, and take initiative. If something needs doing quickly and well, Claire is the person to trust, and in her own words, she “just wants to help clients.” And that’s exactly what she does.
Over the past decade, Claire has seen a lot of change, and through it all, she’s adapted, supported the team, and stayed committed to doing the very best for our clients.
We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with her and gave her a card, balloons, and a nice bottle to say thank you. Here’s to the next chapter!
How we defined our culture and core values at MLP
After a series of meetings and plenty of reflection, we’ve taken the time to define what our culture and core values are, and how they drive everything we do at MLP.
We already knew our company goals, which are simple but powerful:
Providing a vehicle for our people to be successful
Delivering financial peace of mind for our clients.
From a long list of ideas, we distilled the key behaviours that support these goals into a set of core values. These values are the benchmark for how we measure performance, manage people, act as a team, and make hiring decisions.
Our core values are:
Collaboration
Resilience
Accountability
Professionalism
Putting clients first
Promoting happiness.
We then held an interactive team session to explore what these values mean in practice, as defining these values is only the start; it’s how we live them that matters. The session was eye-opening, and the team brought fresh perspectives and new ideas to build on.
Culture is something we build together, and these values will guide us as we continue to grow.
How we’re using AI to improve our service to our clients
AI is changing the landscape of many sectors and workplaces – and we’re no different.
We’ve started incorporating AI into some of our working practices to help free up more time for our clients. We’ve been exploring AdvisoryAI and are also looking into PlannerPal, both of which are AI tools designed specifically for the financial planning sector.
These tools can take care of some of the more boring tasks that take up a lot of time, such as taking notes in meetings, writing follow-up emails and letters, and even creating policy summaries.
Alongside these financial planning AI tools, we’ve also been impressed by the latest version of ChatGPT. Again, while it’s important to exercise caution, using it effectively can help save significant amounts of time and brainpower, freeing headspace for higher-value work.
Here are just a few of the ways we’ve used it so far:
Created an AI testing plan for the business
Designed sandwich boards that attract new clients
Helped shape Instagram content
Built a cultural fit test for new hires
Assisted with difficult decisions, making sure they align with our values and objectives.
While we’re still learning how to best incorporate it, we are committed to testing and using AI. Matthew Lobo, our new placement, is now our AI explorer and is leading experiments and tracking results.
If we don’t embrace AI, we risk being left behind, and it seems likely that it will bring the biggest revolution in working practices and more for a long time.
Katie went on a stunning holiday in Italy
Katie recently enjoyed a trip to Italy, beginning with a hiking adventure in the Dolomites alongside friends from university. The views were breathtaking, the uphill climbs were as challenging as expected, and they were lucky to encounter only one thunderstorm!
After the mountains, Katie and her boyfriend travelled to Venice and Rome for some well-deserved relaxation and indulged in plenty of pasta, pizza, and other Italian classics.
The holiday was a perfect combination of fresh air, great company, and a change of scenery – along with some delicious food and drink of course!
Claire went to Wimbledon, not once but twice!
Claire was lucky enough to go to Wimbledon twice this year, on both the first Friday and Saturday.
She sat in on Centre Court and Court One, soaking up the full atmosphere of the day, seeing some top matches, all the while enjoying champagne and strawberries in the sun.
Wimbledon has long been close to Claire’s heart. Years ago, she was lucky enough to spend two weeks at the tournament with the then-commentator Dan Maskell. At the time, Claire was working for a firm of solicitors who had worked with him and his wife.
It was a memorable experience that clearly left a lasting impression!
See you next time!
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about what the MLP team has been up to. Look out for our next update coming soon.
If you want regular financial tips and don't want to miss any of MLP’s latest news, connect with Seán’s LinkedIn and stay updated!