The Century Plan – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens when the person who planned everything for you dies at 38?

In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, we sit down with Emma Gray, founder of Rainbow Hunting, former wills and probate solicitor, and widow.

Over Dennis's Japanese black cod with miso, we talk about grief, preparation, and the emotional handrails that matter when life changes overnight.

We explore:

• What grief really feels like, physically as well as emotionally

• The "sadmin" no one prepares you for

• Why powers of attorney are not just for later life

• The balance between living fully now and planning responsibly for the future

• How financial planning can protect the people you love from chaos

Emma brings both professional expertise and lived experience to a conversation that is honest, practical and deeply human.

Because financial planning is never just about numbers. It is about people.

About Emma Gray

Emma Gray is the founder of Rainbow Hunting, a therapeutic coaching practice supporting people through grief and major life transitions. A former wills and probate solicitor, Emma combines legal knowledge, counselling training and lived experience to help clients navigate both the emotional and administrative challenges that follow loss.

You can find Emma at:
www.rainbowhunting.co.uk

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Enjoyed the episode? Make sure you subscribe and join us next time for more conversations that blend food, life, and smart money decisions.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

Lunch with Lee Spencer: Rowing Oceans, Climbing Mountains, and Finding Purpose

In the first episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, hosts Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele sit down for lunch with former Royal Marine, world record-breaking ocean rower and author, Lee Spencer.

Over a Caribbean-inspired lunch and a bold glass of Syrah, Lee shares the remarkable story of how he became The Rowing Marine. From a life-changing injury to crossing the Atlantic solo, climbing Kilimanjaro with his daughter, and even testing kit for NASA.

The conversation moves between resilience, purpose, loss and of course, money. Lee talks candidly about growing up in Dagenham, his family's financial struggles, and how those experiences shaped his views on security, success and satisfaction.

There's honesty, humour and debate as Dennis and Lee discuss what money is really for: chasing wild dreams, building a legacy, or simply feeling free.

On the menu

Dennis served a Caribbean-inspired menu, starting with a rum-based cocktail. The main course featured beef short rib cooked sous vide for 40 hours, glazed with rum, sugar, soy and lime zest, and served with coconut plantain purée, sweet potato and steamed broccoli.

Dessert: Rum, coconut and lime posset with toasted coconut flakes
Wine pairing: Porseleinberg Syrah 2023 — rich, spicy and a perfect match for the bold flavours

In this episode, we talk about:

• Growing up with money worries and how early habits form

• Camaraderie and discipline in the Royal Marines

• Record-breaking adventures and learning from adversity

• Whether money is for living or leaving a legacy

• How planning for the future helps you live more fully in the present

• Debt, lessons from parents, and generational attitudes to money

• Happiness, purpose, and the things money can't buy

  Find out more about Lee here: https://leespencer.co.uk/

Lee's book: https://amzn.eu/d/0ebu7dHU

Connect & Subscribe:
Enjoyed the episode? Be sure to subscribe and join us next time for more conversations that blend food, life, and smart money decisions.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

 

 

In this special episode, Dennis Hall provides his thoughts on the announcements from the Budget on the 30th October.

Whilst some of the most feared things didn't happen, there were plenty of significant changes.

We focus on:

Capital Gains Tax

Inheritance Tax

Pension taxation

The freeze on income tax and fiscal drag

And how the changes will affect your financial plan. Listen now for a balanced and thoughtful summary of what you really need to know.

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

Co-founder of purpose led financial planners Six Degrees, Katherine Waller, joins us on this episode. We invited Katherine on to talk about our shared approach to financial planning and to delve into how she helps people get the best financial outcomes.  In this episode we explore:

• The importance of emotional intelligence in financial planning
• Vulnerability and trust in client relationships
• How life experiences shape our financial behaviour
• Overcoming financial fears and insecurities
• Balancing rational and emotional approaches
• Common obstacles in financial planning
• The role of purpose in financial advice
• Using shared interests to build relationships
• Our love of food and wine!

We also discuss our shared passion for eliminating decision-overwhelm for clients who already have too many choices to make in their daily lives. And why advisers should be held accountable for making decisions rather than offering endless options.

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Guest: Katherine Waller

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

When the financial planner met the accountant.

In this episode we invite consultant CFO, NED and board adviser, Rob Nicholls to give us an accountant's perspective on how to achieve a sustainable financial future. Do Dennis and Rob see eye to eye is there a clash of perspectives?

We cover:

The connection between business success and personal finance.

The importance of passive investing

Automating investments for long-term growth.

Understanding tax implications in financial planning

The role of financial education in personal finance

The impact of economic changes on investment strategies

Reinventing yourself in the financial landscape

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Guest: Rob Nicholls

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

 

How much time do you think you spend doing nothing?

A recent Duolingo poll revealed that UK adults spend an average of 26 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 doing... well, nothing! That's about 12 hours a week. Think about it—moments like:

Watching TV
Waiting for the kettle to boil
Waiting for a delivery
Scrolling aimlessly online

In this season of The Century Plan podcast, we're exploring what's really holding us back. One of the most common reasons people give for not focusing on their financial planning is a lack of time.

But in our latest episode, we challenge that idea and take a closer look at how we actually spend our time. Is it really about not having enough hours in the day—or something else?

Join us as Dennis Hall breaks down how to make time for your financial planning and shares practical tips to help you get started, no matter how busy life feels.

Listen now and discover how to take control of your financial future in just a few small steps.

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

The Century Plan is back! 

After a summer of planning and preparation, we're thrilled to launch Season 4 of our podcast, where we move from theory to practice.

This season, we're tackling the big question: How can we inspire people to take action on the insights we've been sharing? And more importantly, what's holding us back?

In our first episode, we dive into a challenge we all face—connecting with our future selves.

How can we motivate ourselves to protect our future—20, 30, or even 40 years from now—when it often feels like we're sacrificing our present?

Here's what we cover:

𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭: How it prevents us from taking necessary steps in our financial lives.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬: Why it's so hard and what we can do about it.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭: The difficulty of thinking long-term and overcoming the fear of present-day sacrifice.

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: Strategies to beat instant gratification and stay on track.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: How envisioning our future can help us achieve our long-term goals.

This episode is packed with insights and actionable takeaways, plus some fascinating book recommendations you won't want to miss!

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Be Your Future Self Now by Dr Benjamin Hardy

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

In our season finale, Sarah and Dennis address some kickback received on a social media post highlighting the issues we all face as a society when it comes to funding our retirement. And why we're trying to help people avoid sleepwalking into retirement regret.

We discuss why it's so important to be aware of the pitfalls and how we can take some simple steps to improve our financial future.

We cover:

• Why retirement planning is harder now than it was 30 years ago.
• The Office for National Statistics' life expectancy calculator
• The recent significant increase in the amount of income required for a moderate retirement
• The pension gender gap and why it exists
• Retirement anxiety

We're looking forward to returning in September after a summer break. If you have a question you'd like us to cover during the next season, now is the time to reach out.

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

In the penultimate episode of Season 3, Sarah and Dennis discuss the importance of reviewing premiums and checking charges on financial contracts.

We receive annual alerts when our car and home insurance is due for renewal. But our life assurances and savings plans tend to run quietly in the background. The direct debit leaving the account each month without much thought.

Why aren't we paying more attention?

Dennis and Sarah discuss:

• Old with-profits bonds set up in good faith delivering shockingly poor returns
• Life assurance contracts with overly high premiums
• Pension plans invested in sub-optimal default funds
• Investments subject to charges which significantly reduce their long-term growth

With over 35 years in financial services, Dennis has all too often come across people whose finances have been detrimentally affected due to lack of review.

When was the last time you reviewed yours?

Useful information  

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele 

Contact us: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

In this episode of The Century Plan, Sarah and Dennis are pleased to welcome guests, Dr Tommy Perkins and Dr Ed Cantelo from the Medics Money podcast.

With over 1 million downloads, the hosts of Medics Money podcast, Tommy and Ed are empowering doctors, dentists and other professionals to make better financial decisions.

The team at Yellowtail Financial Planning have worked with Tommy and Ed for two years and we thought it was time to get to know the GPs behind the success story.

Tommy and Ed share:

How they became GPs

When they decided to to help others with their finances

What they think of cryptocurrency

How they created their own financial plans

Why they share our values around low cost index trackers

Not just for doctors. This episode covers how to make a start and what we can all do to feel more in control of our money.

 

Useful Information

Medics Money

Host: Dennis

Host: Sarah

Email: ask@yellowtail.co.uk

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.