"A generation ready to make an impact": Our 30 Under 30 2026 alumni's take on today’s financial services industry

Credibility, visibility and representation

For many young entrants to the industry, demonstrating credibility and earning respect has been a significant barrier. Ripley Salguiero, founder and CEO at First Time Finance, began advising at just 20 years old. 

“The biggest challenge I faced was my age,” he says, “some of this was from my own beliefs that I might be too young to make it as an adviser, and the rest was struggling to build trust with clients. I had to ensure I overcompensated with competency in order for clients to look past my age.”  

Joel Bailey-Wilson, founder and director of Meta Mortgages, highlights how gaining credibility is often tied to visibility.   

“One of the biggest challenges for me initially was visibility. It can be difficult to get your face out there and establish credibility early on, especially in such a relationship-driven industry,” he says.  

“Social media has become a valuable tool for sharing insights and building a personal brand. In-person events really helped me develop genuine connections. Showing up consistently and putting yourself in the right rooms really does make a difference.”  

Leah Williams, event executive at LSL Financial Services, notes that young professionals must often take the initiative, and that “early on, it can feel daunting to ask for guidance or put your hand up for opportunities.”   

For some, visibility is also a key, and often lacking, factor in how represented they feel in the industry. Romany Youell, founder of The Finance Woman, says: “So many brilliant younger advisers and planners are doing the work, studying, showing up for clients, but they don’t see anyone who looks like them, sounds like them, or works the way they want to work. And when you don’t see representation, it’s easy to doubt whether you belong here.”

She adds that, from the outside, the industry “can still feel very traditional and intimidating,” and that, in her view, recruiting younger generations is the key to overcoming this challenging perception.  

“Once younger people enter the industry, they become some of the most client-centric, values-driven professionals we have,” she says, “they’re bringing actual empathy, modern communication styles, and a real desire to make financial advice accessible.”  

Furthermore, Emily Newman, director at Jane Newman Financial Planning, points out how important greater industry representation is for young women in particular.  

“One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a young woman in financial services is overcoming the preconceptions that can exist within the industry. Some people assume youth equals inexperience, or that a young person’s opinion carries less weight purely because they are at the beginning of their journey.”   

“The more we invest in the younger generation, the stronger, more inclusive, and more forward-thinking our profession will become.”