Hello everyone,
As the working week slows and the noise dies down, the weekend offers something increasingly rare in modern financial services: space to think clearly.
Not about targets. Not about pipelines. Not about compliance updates or inboxes.
But about direction.
Because one of the most interesting patterns I see when speaking with financial advisers across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East isn’t a lack of opportunity — it’s a lack of pause. A lack of time taken to step back and ask the bigger questions.
And the biggest one of all is this:
Are you still growing — or have you simply become comfortable?
Comfort isn’t a criticism. It’s human. But comfort, left unchecked, quietly turns into stagnation.
The IFA Career Plateau No One Talks About
Many advisers reach a point where, on paper, everything looks fine.
A stable client bank Predictable income Familiar systems Known expectations
Yet something feels… flat.
You’re not struggling — but you’re not progressing in the way you once imagined either. You’re busy, but not necessarily fulfilled. Perhaps even successful, but not stretched.
This is often where advisers stop asking bold questions and start making safe assumptions:
“I’ll review things next year.” “Maybe when the market improves.” “Once things settle down.”
But here’s the truth most people avoid:
The market never settles — it simply rewards those who move early.
International Opportunity Is Not a Risk — Standing Still Is
For years, international financial advisory work was framed as a leap into the unknown.
That narrative is outdated.
Today, working internationally — whether in Dubai, Europe, or other established expatriate hubs — is less about risk and more about strategic positioning.
The advisers thriving abroad are not reckless. They are deliberate.
They recognise that:
- Global client mobility is increasing, not slowing
- Cross-border advice is becoming more valuable, not less
- Firms are actively seeking experienced advisers who can build trust quickly
- Earning potential is often capped at home but scalable abroad
Most importantly, they understand that career acceleration rarely happens inside a comfort zone.
The Difference Between Advisers Who “Think About It” and Those Who Do It
After years in this space, I can confidently say the advisers who succeed internationally are rarely the loudest or most confident at the start.
They’re usually the ones who:
- Ask better questions
- Do their research quietly
- Reach out before they feel 100% ready
- Accept that clarity comes after action, not before
They don’t wait to feel fearless. They move despite the uncertainty.
And almost without exception, they say the same thing later...something I often heard from my own clients when I was still advising:
"I wish I’d done this sooner.”
This Weekend’s Reflection (Worth Your Time)
Take 20–30 minutes this weekend — properly offline if you can — and ask yourself:
- Am I still learning at the pace I want to?
- Does my current role stretch me or simply sustain me?
- If nothing changed for the next three years, would I be satisfied?
- Am I choosing familiarity over growth?
These are not easy questions, but they are powerful ones.
You don’t need all the answers this weekend. You just need a bit of honesty perhaps, honesty with yourself.
Where Prestige IFA Jobs Fits In
Prestige IFA Jobs exists for advisers who feel that quiet pull towards something more — more autonomy, more progression, more global exposure. For experienced offshore guys, perhaps just a change.
We work with reputable international firms who value:
- Professional standards
- Ethical advice
- Relationship-driven business
- Long-term career thinking
Many of the best opportunities never reach public job boards. They are filled through conversations — confidential, informal, and pressure-free.
Sometimes, one conversation is all it takes to unlock a new perspective.
A Final Thought Before the Weekend Ends
Many of you out there have asked why we no longer work with one or two of the bigger and well known IFA firms out in Dubai...some whom we've been with since their inception.
Find out why:
- our relationship with some great, more innovative and boutique IFA companies have become stronger
- why we've strategically allied with the biggest in the industry
- why we've cut loose other bigger copy-cat IFA firms whom have sadly become very mediocre and average, firms who is just NOT providing anything other than just the "same ol', same ol'...just a different backyard" type of thing of late
- why effective communication in any business relationship is a two-way street, akin to any other type of healthy relationship, even a marriage for that matter! If only one party is doing all the talking and chasing...it's just NOT gonna work that great, right? If you're married or have a steady girlfriend, you'll know very, VERY well what I mean.
Most IFA firms realised that it's actually a no brainer: Most concluded that it makes more sense to rather focus and spend their energy on what THEY do very well...ie wealth management and giving advice, and outsource something like recruitment that can become VERY EXPENSIVE if you don't do it right yourself!
I guess you can probably compare it with the popular saying that says that "if you think it's expensive to hire a professional, then try hiring an amateur, or pretender". I see more and more firm ditching this old school salaried, in-house recruiter model and become more efficient.
Look, you don’t need to overhaul your life or business overnight. You don’t need to make dramatic announcements. You don’t need to have everything figured out TODAY...but if something is seemingly working for more and more serious players out there, then perhaps it's something well worth investigating.
Remember, ambition doesn’t disappear — it waits. And the advisers who listen to it early are the ones who shape their careers rather than react to them.
Well folks, that me for now. Enjoy the weekend. Rest well. Think deeply...and when you’re ready to explore what else is possible, we're here.
Other than that, see what's available online.
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