Black Rise

How To Climb The Corporate Ladder - With Franklin Asante

• Black Rise • Season 1 • Episode 25

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Have you ever wondered about the grit it takes to rise from humble beginnings and make a mark in the elite world of business? Franklin's story is one of relentless ambition and the pursuit of knowledge, a tale shared in the company of Franklin Asante. This episode pulls back the curtain on the myths of prestigious banking and celebrates the success of Black talent in the corporate climb, all while fostering inclusivity and diversity in spaces where it's needed most.

Every chapter of his journey, from the influence of his Ghanaian grandmother's wisdom to the power of Toastmasters in honing communication skills, has been a stepping stone. Franklin, a private banker whose passion for authorship is as strong as his commitment to financial inclusivity, joins the conversation, adding depth to our exploration of resilience and the transformative power of storytelling. Together, we also dissect the evolving face of banking, where once rigid walls are making way for a rich tapestry of backgrounds and cultures.

But what does it truly take to ascend the rungs of success? The answers lie not in a universal blueprint but in cultivating personal strategies rooted in resilience, problem-solving, and a bulletproof work ethic. His journey to authoring "The Money Ladder" is a testament to building a personal brand that stands the test of time, offering listeners a roadmap for financial literacy and savvy investment strategies. Join us for an honest dialogue that will leave you inspired to navigate your own path to triumph, armed with the insights of those who've already paved the way.

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Black Rise is not just a podcast but an extension of our Business platform. We are on a mission to bridge the gap between businesses and the immense potential of Black talent. We provide a dynamic platform where businesses and individuals can connect, collaborate, and prosper with Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and black-owned companies. We strive to showcase the value, creativity, and innovation that Black talent brings to the table, fostering partnerships that drive economic growth, diversity, and mutual success.

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Speaker 1:

I think what helped me, and the advice I'd give to people, is you just have to always play to your strengths and don't be consumed by the things you can't change. So when I walked into this environment, I knew that I didn't come from a rich family. I knew that I didn't have ski holidays and trips around the world to the Caribbean. I knew I didn't have lots of money in my bank account. I was a young guy trying to make a career for for myself. What I knew I had was the enthusiasm, the ambition, the knowledge, the ability to help whoever was in front of me, and so that is all I focused on. All those other things came over time, sure, but I didn't have them then, and so if you walk into any situation focusing on what you don't, have, then you're never going to make it an award-winning serial entrepreneur who will guide you on his journey.

Speaker 2:

Black Rise isn't just a podcast. It's an extension of our business platform, allowing the business world to connect with skilled, talented and experienced Black talent. Our mission is to serve as a bridge, connecting businesses with vast opportunities that lie in working with Black professionals, entrepreneurs and enterprise. We strive to showcase the value, creativity and innovation that Black talent brings to the table, fostering partnerships that drive economic growth, diversity and mutual success. Visit theblackrisecom to find out more.

Speaker 2:

Hello everybody, welcome back to another episode on the Black Vibes podcast. How's it been? How are you? Literally, how are you? And you can either answer out loud, even if I cannot hear your voice Maybe I hear your voice or you can maybe just send me a message. I hope you've been enjoying all the fantastic conversation with great Black leaders out there and, trust me, I still feel like I'm only at the beginning. There's so many more I want you to discover and I can't wait for you to really get into the platform, see all the fantastic talent across the world just in the UK, maybe in America or any other places and really grow from the knowledge and experience of others, and I'm the kind of person I love talking about money.

Speaker 2:

I think sometimes money makes people feel uncomfortable. I'm the kind of person I love talking about money. I think sometimes money makes people feel uncomfortable. But I remember when I started my business. You know, one thing that probably I wish I had more awareness of is about cash flow. I mean, I'm still here. It means that you know my business didn't fail, you know, but I wish I had more awareness about cash flow, how to be effective, how to use the best strategy to be able to have the right advisor around you, and that's very important. And you know it's funny because I've been with Nightwest now for some time and I've also been with other banks when it comes to my businesses. But when you think about Coutts, what comes to your mind? You probably think, oh my gosh, I need to have 25 million in my bank account to even step my foot inside the house.

Speaker 2:

This is something that we're going to discuss today. What is the perception? What does it take to get to the top? But also talking to a fantastic individual who has been inspirational but also have achieved such a great success and I would say from the look high, look that he's still at the beginning of his career, but from his position title he's already at the top.

Speaker 2:

So I'm super excited to be joined by Franklin Asinti, who is a private banker who has worked with high net worth individuals since 2008. And he has now had the entrepreneur division of the UK private bank where he's an advisor to business owners across several sectors, including tech, property and recruitment. The first time I actually met Franklin, I remember I was invited to this award dinner. I always get lost. That's my thing. I always get lost. And the first smile I saw was him and I literally was like I always go to people who are smiling at me and I remember Franklin was like I like this guy. He's really friendly, very approachable. And here we are now, and it was just before the launch of your first book, so you are officially an author, congratulations.

Speaker 1:

Thank you. Thank you. Yes, yeah, I think I was a bit of a deer in headlights at that event. It was the Every Woman Award.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's good and you know it's good. It's a female award and you don't necessarily expect to have as many men, and it was good to have so much representation and men, allies, supporting us and you've been doing a lot. So we're going to talk about that. But before we go into the subject I know I'm jumping because we're going right into the present, but we're going to go back into the past yeah, how does it feel to be an author? How does it feel?

Speaker 1:

do you know what it's a? It's a really good feeling, you know, when you're writing any long piece of work, it exists in your own ecosystem for so long, but once it finally gets outside of that and it falls into the hands of other people who read it, who find it valuable, I think that's when it really sinks in what you've achieved. So I think it's really, you know, a humbling feeling to know that people are finding value in my work and I'm really pleased with that 100%.

Speaker 2:

you know, for people listening out there, everybody should think about writing. Just, I mean, you don't have to write a book. Writing a book is a very for me, was a very traumatizing experience, especially since it's not my first language, so I know that you know how much time, especially when it comes to writing financial literacy content, how much time it takes to do it right. So, yes, but I always advise that when you write a book, it's a part of your legacy that you leave behind. So before we talk about the book and anything else, we need to know the man. We need to know Franklin, we need to know the man Before the man became the man. How was the boy and how did you grow up? Where were you from? What's your origin? What's your origin? What's your heritage? Who are the people who influenced you when you were young? Were you born with a silver spoon in your mouth? Were you born from the streets? Tell us about your background.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean I had a very normal upbringing. I'm Ghanaian by origin, raised by a very loving family. I was actually raised by my grandmother while my parents were busy working. I think she was probably the first real influential person in my life in terms of, you know, as a young boy, making me feel as if I was special, that I could achieve whatever I wanted to. So my early memories is just me being very confident at a very young age. Maybe it helped because at the time I was the youngest as well, so maybe I had that protection of, or that freedom of being the youngest child. But I remember not really having any fears or anxiety or any worries growing up, and that doesn't mean there was any silver spoons, but I think with whatever resources that were available, I definitely felt comfortable. That's what made me a dreamer from a very young age and, you know, funnily enough I know we'll talk about the book later, but I have a section in there where I talk about my relationship with my grandma and we used to have a deal whereby, you know, I wouldn't get in the shower in the morning because, you know, when you're three or four you hate getting showered, but our deal was that she would have to pay me every morning before I took a shower, before I went to school.

Speaker 1:

So she would give me money every morning and I'll give it back to her for safekeeping. And then I realized that she was basically recycling the same coin. Meanwhile I thought I was getting rich, getting paid every day. So that was my early experience of money. I thought I was becoming a rich businessman from the age of three or four. Turns out, she was recycling the same coin. So I think, for me, I had, as I said, a normal childhood.

Speaker 1:

And as I was growing up, you know, I grew up mainly in northwest London, which isn't an affluent area. I mean, there are affluent parts in northwest London, but the bit that I grew up in, you know, was Wilsdon, harlesden, stonebridge. You know quite, I think, a lot of poverty in those sort of environments actually. But again, I just remember always being the kid who just wanted more, and again that goes back to me being a child and thinking. Well, you know, when I was with my grandma, everything was possible or anything was possible as far as I was concerned.

Speaker 1:

So, you know, at school I would always, you know, sign up to extra classes, extracurricular activities, whether it was sports or drama or public speaking. So I landed up on one of these programs, which was a Toastmasters public speaking after school class. So from the age of about 13, 14, I started public speaking, which I think has probably been one of my biggest blessings in life, because if you know how to speak and communicate and articulate yourself, that gets you through so many doors and actually does most of your work for you, because there's nothing worse than someone who's got all the intelligence but doesn't know how to get their point across. And so I think, coming from you know, a background of not having, you know, necessarily a lot of contacts or connections my ability to speak is what got me through a lot of places and ultimately ending up in private banking, I think, came down to that. So, yeah, I have two questions.

Speaker 2:

Before we go into that, I have two questions. I want to ask you because it's interesting, because I didn't grow up in. You know, civil spree in my mouth when I see people that come from Paris say, oh my gosh, you're so lucky. Did you live just by the Eiffel Tower? I was like huh. So I was very excited because I was like, what version of Paris do you have in your mind? Because my version is not as exciting. But at the same time, you know, even though we didn't have necessarily meat and egg on, I played every day.

Speaker 2:

I think one thing that my mom did really well is that sense of proud. You know, don't let anybody belittle you because of less that you have. So you know, and I've listened to your story I think, oh, that's interesting that parents might be going going for a level of struggle, but doesn't mean that they need their kids to feel that way. Yeah, and I want to ask you that when you say that your grandmother raised you, always made you feel that you could achieve anything that you wanted. So for parents who are listening to this, how is that activated into her words, or maybe your action, to make a kid feel like they can achieve anything?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean, I think it's very important, right? The narrative and the power of words. You know, what you tell yourself or what other people tell you can major impact on you. And so I think for me, you know, even when I think back to those days, I think everything I have today is because of the person.

Speaker 1:

I was then right, and sometimes we think that, oh, what I've achieved now is all up to what I am today, but actually it really stems from who I was back then, as in the kid who was fearless, the kid who knew he had nothing to lose and everything to gain and felt that love and support to just go for things and, you know, put myself out of my comfort zone.

Speaker 1:

All of that is what has got me here. So it's so important, important, you know, in terms of parenting and upbringing, and even just you know, for me now I haven't got any children of my own, but I've got two amazing God kids, and even just what you tell them and what you communicate with them is so important, because I know what it did for me. And so, even if I'm mentoring people now, I'm always trying to ensure that people just really hone into what they're good at and bring out the best in themselves, because I know what it can do for them later on. So I think it's really powerful being able to give confidence to others, because it might only be words to you, but to them it could be the thing that changes their lives.

Speaker 2:

And yes, true. And again, if you don't get confidence from people around, you find your own confidence. And also one thing that you say a 13-year-old already starting a speaking career. That's pretty amazing. I haven't heard anybody doing that. But you know that's also the art of theater and so on that the more you put yourself out of your comfort zone and let that kid do that from a very young age, they very well become the unknown. Let that kid do that from a very young age. They very welcome the unknown and that's the beauty of it. So, yeah, so you're 13 years old. What happened that? What did you did? You know exactly what you wanted to do.

Speaker 1:

You wanted to get to be in finance so oh, no, no, I mean, I don't know many kids that want to be in finance supermodels when I grow up?

Speaker 2:

like what?

Speaker 1:

yeah, no, definitely no. I'll be honest with you, when I was growing up, I didn't even know that banker existed. I didn't know that it was a career option. I didn't know about private banking and wealth management. I had no idea, you know, because a lot of the time when you're growing up, the world is only as big as what's around you, and the world around me didn't include this level of affluence or level of wealth, so I didn't know it existed.

Speaker 1:

Existed, quite frankly, but when I was growing up I mean because of the public speaking, I really got into drama. So I was good at drama, got an, a star, you know, in school. So you know I was clearly good at. You know, people say I'm dramatic, but I like to say I know how to express myself and that also really helped. So the combination of drama, public speaking and then I studied English literature, just really meant that I was a good communicator. And so from 13 years onwards, I started doing a bit of journalism. That's when I started writing as well, doing speeches for the local mayor, and I was awarded a citizenship award when I was 15, which is basically think of it like a mini or a local honours from the mayor, which is my services of public speaking to the borough of Brent. So that was kind of, you know, the early signs that you know I've got something here that I can really and you could have been in politics.

Speaker 2:

Isn't it Like your journey could have led you to politics, or even being the next Black James Bond? Who knows?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean, look, everyone always says I should get into politics. I'll be honest with you, I've really really, you know, learned a lot of diplomacy over the years, but I think diplomacy is just really a way of getting what you need done. There's diplomacy in everything. Whether you're negotiating with a two-year-old, whether you're negotiating with a 50-year-old, whether you're in a shop trying to get the best price, I think you need diplomacy whatever you do. But the subject of politics, it's just far too entrenched for me. You know, I'd rather deal with things that are a bit more black and white. I think there's a lot of gray politics, and yeah, so. So I didn't go down that path. Um, you know, I kind of pursued communications and media, because I think I was thinking how do I use the skills that I've been learning and developing? So that's kind of what I did all the way up until university.

Speaker 1:

And then the financial crisis came in 2008, and it was at that point that I pivoted into banking because I realized that, you know, the world was crashing, people were getting fired from all types of jobs. I knew a lot of people who had graduated before me that couldn't find work, and so at that point, it didn't really matter what you liked or what you wanted. Right, beggars can't be choosers. It was a case of saying we don't know how long, and I guess in my kind of adult career, 2008 was the first time that I saw a real recession. So I was like, oh, this doesn't look good. So I wasn't choose your picky.

Speaker 1:

But I do remember that when I was growing up again, coming from, you know, northwest London, there was only one person that I kind of respected in terms of professional work, and there was a guy who worked in a bank. He just happened to go to my school and he worked in a retail bank. So when that crash came and I was thinking, okay, what other jobs can I look for, or am I interested in pursuing? And I thought, oh, banking. I remember that guy who used to, you know, be in the red neighborhood, and so that's what led me down that rabbit hole, thinking it was simple as that, you know. So whether it was fate, I don't know, but it was as simple as just thinking back and saying, hmm, what else can I look at? That I haven't really considered before, and that's what led me to banking, got researching and then I ended up at coach but wait a minute, you have no financial experience, nothing at all.

Speaker 2:

You make it sound like it's so easy, like, oh well, I want to do that and I did it yeah, well, look.

Speaker 1:

So when I joined the bank, when I joined private banking in 2008, yeah, it was a very clerical, entry-level role, right, and and I guess what that taught me and what I tell to a lot of people that I mentor now is that if you're trying to get into an industry and you haven't got experience, don't assume you're going to get the best job from day one. You may just find a way to get your foot in the door and once you're in, then the world is your oyster, and that's kind of the approach I took. So the very first job I got in private banking was a clerical, entry-level, transactional type role that didn't need any experience or expertise to do, quite frankly. But what that allowed me to do was to sort of upskill myself when it came to banking and finance, and so I spent the years after that sort of getting qualifications, understanding banking, and then, four years in into my banking career, I got my first portfolio. So I spent four years basically think of it like a mini graduate scheme, if you like of rotation, moving around the business to learn it.

Speaker 1:

But I think the best thing I did was not being too picky about what role I was offered and, like I said, you couldn't be picky. It was 2008. You kind of took what you got. That was my experience that maybe it was a good thing, because, had it not been a financial crisis, I may have A not thought about banking, or B, I may be like no, I want like a middle office role straight away, whereas actually I thought you know what, let me get my foot in the door, get my feet under the table and let me work my way around yeah, and you know it's so important to add this exactly the same strategy, because when I came, when I finished graduating and I had all these qualifications but I was useless on paper because I said, well, okay, I'm going to look and it, and again, people, you can be very strategic about this.

Speaker 2:

Okay, well, let me look. What's the behavior of this company Do? People evolve very fast and that's what I looked for. When I was inside, I was a receptionist, remember, as a receptionist, right, you know, right, as you say, entry level, knowing very much, that I had two BAs, one MA, and I'm more capable of doing much more than that.

Speaker 2:

but I had to let go of my ego. My ego feed me when I still be waiting for I deserve more and so on, and you never achieve it. But you want to prove yourself and I always say that people yeah, you need to be able to prove yourself and let put find people who can be your allies within the bit in the company can help you get there. But, as you say yourself, you continue growing and I think what people don't understand is that, even if I'm in this job right now, I see people who have probably spent about £10,000 to £15,000, £20,000 a year on just learning, development, self-development. Every time I'm like what next? I need to learn to be relevant to the market and I don't end up you know somewhere else.

Speaker 2:

But what you say is so key. I'm curious as well, because Coutts is not any bank right and um, but also what it is like. Have you used your yourself? I think what I'm trying to explain is that have you used who you fully are to create new opportunities within the company? You know so for me, being a black woman, I've understand the struggle of people who look like me to create opportunities for businesses I work with, yeah, as an agency or whatsoever. Have you had the opportunity to do that?

Speaker 1:

I would say definitely, um, I have. But I think, like you said, you need to sort of prove the value that you bring to any organization right, whether it's coots or anywhere else. And so earlier days I think it was me just being able to focus on myself and you know what I was there to deliver. Um, I'm not one of these people that you know want to be promoted because it's a nice thing to do and I deserve it, but I want to be promoted on merit first and foremost. All the other bits are nice, but I want to actually demonstrate that I can contribute to the to the degree that you need me to contribute.

Speaker 1:

So initially it was just getting my head down and kind of understanding and navigating the environment I was in is a new environment for me. But once I got a hang of that, that's when I sort of established my external profile and brand and became this online persona of a person who said oh, actually I now know private banking, wealth management, finance to a point where I want to share this with my community. And so immediately when I was able to and it took me, you know, say five years or so since getting into the bank to kind of get my feet under the table, and then I sort of became a voice for others and since that time, you know, I've built, you know, quite a reasonable external brand, I would say, in terms of a person who offers financial literacy, helping people to understand and navigate money. And that's what led to my book and, you know, led to a lot of the opportunities I've had externally.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah, absolutely, and that was me looking at who I was, where I come from, and basically saying that, look, I know that there are other people like me with equal ambition and intent, but they haven't got the knowledge, they haven't got the contacts or the information that I now have. So what am I going to do about that? I can either keep it to myself and just walk off into the sunset with all the money in my bank, or I can put myself out there selfishly to give people a perspective, and so that's what I did yeah, and you know it's important that you can't change the house until you have proven yourself and you have built credibility.

Speaker 2:

You've, you've done something of a company that you work with. We start, want to do more and impact, and so on and so on. It's about you. It's like you know when the plane is about to crash, you put your mask on first. So you need to make sure you have a power of influence before you get into the business. But you know what I think about.

Speaker 2:

Not many people necessarily think about as they might self-disqualify themselves. Right, I think one thing that you have is that you have that confidence, in a sense, that you know what. I don't see the problem. I am meant to be here Not saying in an arrogant manner, but I think I have the same thing. What's the problem? I'm the only black woman in this room. Okay, no problem, I can speak to anybody. So the people who maybe have and we see a lot the self-disqualification, don't even put yourself forward. Oh, that's not for me. No, thank you. What advice would you give to people like that who may have that issue with? I would say I don't know if it's confidence, but self-disqualification, at least in their perception of what rooms are for them or not.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean, I think that's a societal thing, right? You know, an institution like this one has been around for over 300 years. You know, when you're working with people with wealth, with lots of money and power and influence, that's intimidating enough, let alone understanding the culture of how things work internally If you come from a background where you've never been exposed to this. I think what helped me, and the advice I'd give to people, is you just have to always play to your strengths and don't be consumed by the things you can't change.

Speaker 1:

So when I walked into this environment, I knew that I didn't come from a rich family. I knew that I didn't have ski holidays and trips around the world to the Caribbean. I knew I didn't have lots of money in my bank account. I was a young guy trying to make a career for myself, but what I knew I had was the enthusiasm, the ambition, the knowledge, the ability to help whoever was in front of me, and so that is all I focused on. All those other things came over time, sure, but I didn't have them then. And so if you walk into any situation focusing on what you don't have, then you're never going make it right. You. You can only focus on things you do have and if that's what's required and if that's what you can deliver, then you should believe that that opportunity is available to you. So that's what I would say, because I think a lot of the time we walk into the situation carrying the weight of our issues, which then means we can't focus on what we're actually there to deliver.

Speaker 2:

As we continue this engaging conversation, remember that Black Rise is more than just a podcast. We're a dynamic platform where businesses can connect, collaborate and prosper with Black professionals, entrepreneurs and Black-owned companies. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and empowerment reshapes industries and builds a future where black excellence thrives globally. So don't forget to subscribe and give us a five-star review on iTunes. To know something, I tell you a joke. I don't know if I ever told that, but when I first became an entrepreneur and I had six months back of my back, I was like, if I don't make it in six months, I just can go back to work.

Speaker 2:

But one thing that I did, which was very important, that I was. I was always been a fashionista. People know me. You know, for me, dressing well is not just a matter of wearing a nice pair of shoes. About what? How do you want people to address to you?

Speaker 2:

And I remember the way for me to feel empowered was the way I would dress. I would dress as a person I want to be, not saying that I'll go and buy expensive clothes, things I can't afford, because I was always good with, and so on and so on. So dress as well where you want to be addressed and that's something that I say all the time Like how do you want to be addressed? Dress accordingly. Unless you are a tech guy, you just have to wear a t-shirt and so on and so on, but dress the way you want want to be addressed, because you do that for power and in the, in a sense of, especially in room where you are definitely not numbered.

Speaker 2:

One thing that you have and, as you say, you know you've done really well for your career, but you know, how is it? You know, people might not people are young who listen to this podcast like you and think how do I get taken seriously with people who have achieved so much more? Because it's like what you? You're gonna be advised about my money. What is your advice? That would be to be really, I mean, obviously expertise and experience, but is it still enough?

Speaker 1:

yeah, I mean, look, it has to be enough. Because you know, I think it's all about setting the right boundaries and respect levels with your clients or whoever you're doing business with. Um, I don't think clients come to me or come to the bank because they think we have the same lifestyle or we have the same bank balance. They come to us because of the expertise, the knowledge, the guidance, the wisdom that we are able to help them, you know, navigate wherever they are on their journey. So it's, you know.

Speaker 1:

Someone said something to me a long time ago about you know, when you meet someone for the first time, be interested before you become interesting. And that means just listen to them, hear them out, ask them about them, let them talk about themselves before you even talk about you. Because once you're able to get that level of comfort and they understand that you're somebody who they can actually tell, talk to about a problem and find a solution, it doesn't matter what you've got yourself right. So it's about, really, you know, when you go and see your doctor right in the hospital, you don't check their health records, do you? You don't check if they've got any kind of blood pressures themselves. You're there because you know that they have been employed to do a job, to look after you. So it's the same thing when you're managing people's money. They're not coming because, oh, they think you should be on the same level as them. They're coming because they trust that you can help them to navigate whatever they're trying to navigate.

Speaker 1:

So I think that's what you know. Forget this whole thing about. Will they take me seriously? Yeah, sure, don't get me wrong. I had certain at certain points in terms of you know, when you look young or you come from a certain place, people sometimes double take and think, oh, oh, okay, this, this is new, this is interesting. Um, that might happen in certain environments, sure, but you just have to always bring it back to the reason why you're in that room, right, which is to kind of impart your knowledge and expertise. That's what it's all about exactly.

Speaker 2:

It's not an accident. You're meant to be here. Can we talk more about your role and maybe the? I would like to address probably the, you know preconceived ideas people have that are wrong. What would you say they are?

Speaker 1:

I mean, if you look at preconceived notions about private banking, investment banking, wealth management, I think sometimes it can be thought of as a bit of a boys club, right, private school educated, you know kind of that sort of demographic of people who work in the space. And yeah, look, I guess that is true in many sectors, right, not just banking. You know, if you're well educated and you come from a good upbringing and a good family, you've got good connections, you are likely to find a way into good jobs, right, that's just you know the way things work. But I think, more and more in my time anyway, certainly and I've been in banking now 16 years I've definitely seen a change. Right, I see so much more initiatives which are aimed at bringing in new, different types of people from different backgrounds. Uh, you know apprenticeships, uh, you know mentoring opportunities. Programs are designed to access or give access to some of the hardest to reach members of society. So, as a result of that, the workplace is starting to look and feel very different. You know, cultures are now visible, People are being encouraged to be themselves.

Speaker 1:

It doesn't mean that, you know, it removes all forms of bias. No, because that's an in, you know, an innate thing with us as human beings. We have biases, but I think it's not so overt anymore that actually now you can walk around as a black female and wear your natural hair without worrying about it. You know you could be, you could wear traditional things if you, if you need to, for whatever particular reason. You can talk the way that you talk when you're at home, as long as it's in a professional way. You don't have to change your accent completely when you're walking through the door. So I think there's lots of things that you know are now becoming the norm. That wasn't necessarily the case back then. So I think I think that that's maybe something a lot of people don't see because they're not in this space, but I have certainly seen the shift over the last 16 years in terms of banking now actually being quite it's not exclusive anymore, but it's actually quite inclusive now from the way I see it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I remember sitting in the office and looking at the advertisement and you can see that we, back in the day, that vision of money was really much represented by old boys club and whatsoever, and you can see artists and so on, because money nowadays is everywhere, it can be a, you know, influencer, social influencer, who is very successful as well. Nothing is stopping him, you know know, to bank recruits as well. Yeah, I'm curious more in terms of we talked about you, but I'm curious in terms of success, when people, when you think about you, are continuously surrounding people who are very successful and so why, would you say I have a kind of character traits that they, um, that they have in common and you've seen and learned from um, I mean, I think I see a lot of similarities really, and maybe this might be, you know, something that a lot of people can can resonate with, but it's really just their resilience to keep going, keep problem solving, to keep finding solutions.

Speaker 1:

When you think about winning, winning usually means that you overcome something. Right, because if there is no challenge, then what have you won? It's you know. Even when it comes to buying a lottery ticket, you still have to buy the ticket, right. You win something without having to put some form of effort into it. And so if I'm working with people who are technically winners, they've all had to overcome something, whether that's competition in the business, personal adversity, whatever, whatever it is, they've overcome something, they've persevered.

Speaker 1:

So that is the most common trait within you know successful high net worth individuals that they're always constantly overcoming challenges, looking for solutions, finding solutions. You know there's a lot of things that you might read or hear about. You know the billionaire kind of mindset, mindset, mentality, or the 5am club, the 3am club, 2am club, 3am. I know because you're gonna get to a point where it's gonna be like the no sleep club. You know because that's what you have to do to become, to become rich. I personally don't subscribe to any of those and I'll be honest with you. I've worked with you know, successful, high net worth individuals for 16 years and I've not come across many, if any, who've said oh yes, I wake up every day at two o'clock because that's when I do all my best work. I think it's all individual and that's what people need to really kind of understand that there isn't this kind of blueprint formula that says, oh, if you wake up at five every morning, you'll be a millionaire by the time you're you're 25. It's just like, well, no, I mean right, how, I mean sure, okay, everybody wake up at five o'clock, right. I think it's understanding that you know, take what you can from people's journeys and you know what they might suggest. But you really have to understand what works for you. And because what worked for them was individuals, what works for you has to also be individual, uh, but yeah, I mean the common traits. I think is really just about their work ethic.

Speaker 1:

Successful people work very hard. It doesn't come easy, um, and I think for a lot of people, if you're listening and you've come from you difficult background, a deprived or underprivileged background, etc. You have a lot more resilience than your counterparts will and therefore you've already got an advantage in that sense, right, because when something goes wrong in your life or in your career, you probably have experience of dealing with setbacks, whereas there might be people you come across, who you from the silver spoon to the great education, so all that stuff who don't really know what life is like when they can't get their way right when it comes to business. That happens, and sometimes you don't get your way. But how you deal with these things also matters and will also contribute to your success, which is why I don't.

Speaker 1:

You know, the saying of I started from the bottom I don't always agree with, because I'm like, well, hang on, we weren't all supposed to be born with gold in our, in our prems, right I mean. So the notion that if you didn't, if you weren't born rich, you start from the bottom, I don't agree with. I mean, yes, we've definitely had a real tough upbringing, sure, but there's this notion that unless we're rich, then that means I start from the bottom. I sometimes I think that's doing a disservice to our parents and those who did everything they could to provide us with a good level of life.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we weren't rich, but doesn't mean we're poor, you know. So it's. I think you just have to really understand the building blocks that have got you to where you are and not try and put yourself unnecessarily in a box of yeah man, I came from this really tough background when actually, maybe, the parents had a reasonable job. Okay, you didn't get the cool clothes, but you didn't need them, you know. So, I think, just really acknowledge and understand what has made us who we are today, so that we're not, you know, being driven by things that aren't authentic.

Speaker 2:

Yes, 100%. I was reading this book and the name came out of my head and I thought it was just brilliant. Most people don't define what is enough for them, and so they always want more, and I think it's important for you to decide what is enough. I think it's 20. I think 20 billion in your bank account really not necessarily would you ever spend 20 billion. It might be nice to have it, yeah, but what are you looking for and you know, I remember that was something when I started my career was my mentors were very successful, but I realized the only thing they had there was money. I was like was like I don't know what I want, and it was really sad. They build all this, they spend all this time in one category of their life, which was money building, but they neglected everything else. I was like I have to make sure that I don't end up like that and I wake up yes, I'm in my mansion, but there's nobody else to drink champagne with me. So that was something that you learned so much. I wanted to ask you a question.

Speaker 2:

Around the two of us, when it comes to personal brand, we really understand the power. I don't know if it's because I'm a marketer and you are a natural great communicator and very knowledgeable as well in your skill, but we understand the power of using as well our brand. We've seen in the past maybe our parents before us. They said put your head down and just do the work you know and anything but this hasn't helped us whatsoever. And I always say to people business is a chess game. You need to know how to win the game, because just being good at what you do is a foundation. Somebody, something else needs to happen above that. So when you think about the, you've the soft skills that have really helped you. What advice would you give to people listening to this right now?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, look, I'm huge on personal brand, right? Because, let's be honest, you can have many cars, many clothes, many shoes, but you can only have one perception of you, right? There's only one you. And so who are you, what do you stand for, what do people think about when your name come up?

Speaker 1:

Those things are so important to me, and so from very early on in my career, I kind of really I set my, my store very clearly that I was going to be a person of excellence. At whatever level, whatever interaction you have with me, I'm going to make sure that it's a great experience for you. So if that's the last conversation you have, you will always remember that damn, that guy you know, as you said, a good communicator or whatever the case might be, and that's not me having to put it on, but that's me choosing, that. That's always going to be on and therefore I don't have to switch characters. But this is going to be me. I'm going to be a person that I'm going to deliberately communicate well. I'm going to deliberately dress well. I'm going to be deliberately polite. I'm going to be deliberately excellent. Everything you give me to do, and that's just my, has become my dna, and so you know that that speaks volumes in terms of the experience.

Speaker 1:

When you talk about business being a game of chess, people want to do business with people they like right fundamentally and so your personal brand does a lot in terms of helping you to win business and be successful in business. So, for me, I do a lot of talks around personal brand and that's the one thing I always say is who are you, what do you stand for and what do people say about you when you're not in the room?

Speaker 2:

Very important. So that journey to writing the book. Can you tell us? How did you get to there? What was like I'm going to write a book, or somebody say can you write a book for us and we would love to publish you. How did that happen?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, well, I mean, I was saying something the other day as if I didn't have enough work to do I decided to write a book and, yes, how that came about, as I said earlier on, was once I decided to go public with my own personal brand to help people understand and gain more confidence around financial literacy. You know, it's probably I don't know seven, eight years in the making of me doing that consistently. You know, appearing on podcasts. You know, engaging on social media, attending events, networking, mentoring, all of that stuff I was doing. I realized that there was a huge appetite from, you know, the everyday person to learn more about money and finance, and so it was my agent, actually, who you know, and this is something that I guess in the back of your mind. You know, when you have a brand, you always think, oh, you know, it would be nice to have a book, but sometimes you need a few things to align in order to get there. You know, sometimes you think, oh, I might need to find a year when I'm quiet so I can dedicate it to writing the book. But I didn't have that pleasure.

Speaker 1:

You know, I had a few conversations with my agent. Before I knew it, we were talking to a publisher who were like oh, you've got a very interesting story, tell us what you want to write about. And I told them. They liked the idea, and off we went. It was as simple as that it was. You know. They obviously looked again personal brand. They looked at my personal brand and thought, okay, this individual has an aspirational brand where, if he writes a book you know, a self-help book for people there are going to be people that want to read it to improve their own circumstances, so they bought into that.

Speaker 1:

Um, and yeah, it took me 18 months of writing and editing, which was pretty quick because I didn't take any time off working or anything. I just literally wrote it in the mornings, in the evenings, in the weekends. You know, I woke up at five every day, wrote for three hours, I tried to get a thousand words every time I was writing, so I really had to be disciplined in terms of that approach, and, you know, 18 months was pretty quick, and that's because I was writing about a subject that I talk about every day. The challenge, though, was trying to write a book that was interesting and not just an information dump.

Speaker 2:

Can I ask you a question? Who is this book for Franklin? Tell us more about it. Who is the book for? Who did you write it? For when you're writing it?

Speaker 1:

The book is called the Money Ladder and I'll be honest with you, I've written it for everybody. The reason being is because you know, why does Bill Gates still work? Why does Elon Musk still work? Right? You know, it doesn't matter how much billions you've got, there is still something you need to do, right? You always have to think about either you're making money, you're growing money, or you're preserving your money. Nobody can avoid any of those, right? So if you've got past the first two, okay, maybe your focus is preserving money. If you haven't quite got there, then maybe you're trying to grow your money. If you haven't quite got there, then you think about how you're making money. So it's a book that can be read by everybody, right? And that's because, professionally, I've operated at a level where, again, it kind of captures anybody who's got a few hundred pounds to hundreds of millions, and so it's written at a level where it's accessible to everybody, depending on what level you're on. And it's called the money ladder because we're always climbing, right, you're always climbing, and so it starts off in the first ladder.

Speaker 1:

We're just talking about the foundations of growing money. So what are the principles of budgeting? You know understanding some jargon busters. So I have a chapter where I break down about 20 different terminologies that a lot of people assume everyone should know about, but they actually don't. So things like recession, inflation, um, you know, compound interest, dividends. What does that mean, you know? So I really kind of give people almost a glossary of terms to understand so that as they go through the book and they see them appear again. So, for example, if I talk about dividend paying stocks to you and me, we might get it somebody else. No clue what. That is right, so educates them through that.

Speaker 1:

And then we start as we get to the second chapter, which is more about okay, how do you grow your money? Now that you've understood how to make it, then we start looking at okay, what level of risk do you need to take to get the reward you want? And let's let's assess and analyze what risk is. So what type of assets should you own if you're trying to become rich and wealthy? Is it property? Is it stocks and shares? Is it private equity? Okay, what are the best structures to own these assets in? Is it in your personal name? Is it through an ISA? Is it through a company? So we really delve in into the complex stuff too.

Speaker 1:

So it's written and that was the bit that took me the longest to figure out, because I wanted to write a book that is interesting. You know, there's some case studies in there. There's stories about people's journeys, of how they made their money. There's all the facts and information you need, and I've weaved it all together in a way that you can pick up this book 20 times a year, because every time you move to the next level, you're like, ah right, okay, what do I need to do now? And that was the idea behind the book very exciting, I think.

Speaker 2:

Can you repeat the name again? People who are listening? We put the link in. Actually, we put the link in the description, but if I doesn't want a ladder, because I remember earlier on I just said, oh, we need to define what is enough. I've been used to the move that you need to keep on climbing well, no, in the sense that even when you've made your money.

Speaker 1:

So, for example, let's say somebody wins the lottery and they get 10 million pounds you think right. I've quit my job, I'm not going to work anymore. 10 million pounds is enough for me. But even when it's enough, you need to think of how you preserve it right, so that the bank balance doesn't look like zero next year, because then guess what? You have to go back to the bottom of the ladder. So it's not necessarily about always making money, but it's understanding. Now that I've got this amount, how do I preserve it? What are the best vehicles for me to keep it in? What are the best things for me to own to actually to keep what I've built? So it's more about that than saying you always have to be making money okay, gotcha, gotcha.

Speaker 2:

And what do you think is? What is your favorite chapter?

Speaker 1:

oh, I think my favorite chapter is the second bit, which is um looking at how to grow your money, so wealth um accumulation stage. That's the that's my favorite chapter because that point. We talk about lots of different stories of how people have made their money, how they've lost money. We talk about private equity, which is quite interesting. There's a story in there about a lady who's a consultant and she backs um the business of a guy she went to university with um who was a bit of a sofa surfer without a job, but he was an entrepreneur and he goes on to make lots of money and she makes lots of money as a result of that. But again, just kind of demystifying private equity because not a lot of people in the general population even understand it. But how do you make it accessible to people? So breaking those kind of things down.

Speaker 2:

So yeah, I think the second chapter is probably my favorite yeah, I agree, I think there's so many ways to achieve wealth that people don't necessarily think about angel investment or the high risk. I say ice bonds, property, people think about the obvious, but there's so many other ways that people are found and I think what you say quite often is that financial literacy it's also your freedom. You know the month can you may be very happy where you are, but if you have financial freedom, you know it's a kind of a foundation of living a life free of drama and stress and any kind of mental illness. So I really like that. So I think that's definitely a book that people should read, but when I let everybody, you should definitely listen to this.

Speaker 2:

So now, franklin, as we're reaching the end of this amazing podcast with you, I'm curious to know, in terms of where you know you talked about your personal brand, how you want to be remembered, but how does the future looks like for you? You know what is next, what's left. I'm sure you're still at the beginning of your career, so you have a lot of things to do. But, yeah, what are you planning?

Speaker 1:

I think there's a lot to do, so I think I'm kind of dividing my time and efforts into a few buckets. So I've got the professional angle, which is continuing to add value in terms of my role at Coutts, really trying to make this entrepreneur's proposition as successful as it can be, finding new, different types of clients and really building some strong networks. And then, in terms of my personal brand, I want to definitely continue helping people to get better with financial literacy, because generally for me, it's something that I wish I knew more about when I was growing up and coming up in the world of work. And so, you know, the book is a great start. I'd love to start doing some in-person events, whether it's seminars or start. I'd love to start doing some in-person events, whether it's seminars or, you know, just q and a's or whatever it is to bring people together to be able to really engage in this topic in a fun and informative way.

Speaker 1:

Um, I'm a governor for a college. Um, I'm vice chair there. I sit on two trustees for uh, I'm a trustee sorry for two charities, and I've just helped someone set up a new one around mental health, so that's keeping me busy at the moment. I'm a trustee sorry for two charities and I've just helped someone set up a new one around mental health, so that's keeping me busy. At the moment, I'm an advisor for a startup company and I'd like to be a bit more involved in the startup space to help a few more people from our community really get into that kind of entrepreneurial space, but with the right expertise, funding and guidance, so that we can start scaling some of these businesses. So yeah, for the next five, 10 years, for me, I think is, you know, kind of doing a bit of all of what I've said and just seeing how big of an impact I can create by, you know, doing a good job at all of those things.

Speaker 2:

This is so exciting and I feel like we will cross paths. This is just the beginning of this new journey. You know, when I found someone that let them go, I was like I only have you on my podcast. So it's just the journey. So I'm really excited.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much, franklin, for this amazing interview. I really enjoyed it and I know that, whatever you've achieved, you are having. One element that I know about you is that you are very disciplined, and people who are disciplined always win. You don't have to be the best, obviously you don't have to be the best, but somebody who was, you know your biggest competition is procrastination. Yeah, you know. So if you beat that, you will be good in life. You know, go to the gym, know what you get to do, create the habits, build it and look at what you can achieve. It's about you first. So thank you, thank you very much and for all our amazing listeners, I will see you very soon and see you next Sunday for more. Bye, everybody.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for joining us on this episode of Black Rise. We hope that you found this conversation as inspiring as we did. Share your takeaways on social media and tag us. As we wrap up, remember that you can always stay connected with us. Join us on this journey of elevation, motivation and empowerment. Let's rise together, break barriers and create lasting change. Subscribe now to stay updated with our latest episodes and visit the blackrisecom to find out more. This is black rise, where excellence and impact converge to redefine the future. Until next time, keep rising.