Speaking
Emma Boardwell is one of Financial Services’ most distinctive voices on the human dimensions of financial advice.
Occupying a unique position at the intersection of psychotherapy and financial advice, Emma brings her empowering, thought provoking perspectives to conferences, firm events and workshops across the UK and beyond.
From large scale industry gatherings to intimate in-house events, audiences leave her sessions with a fresh lens on the relationships that define their work - and the practical tools to strengthen them.
Popular Talk Topics
Emma customises every speech to ensure maximum impact for your audience:
Emma’s Signature Keynote:
The Relationship Is The Work
From Well Intentioned to Well Executed: Building Client Relationships That Redefine the Value of Financial Advice
Financial Professionals know that relationships are their differentiator. As technical expertise becomes commoditised and the information asymmetry that once justified an adviser’s fee gets dismantled, relationships themselves become the product that clients will value and pay for.
And yet, for all the rigour financial services brings to investment strategies, compliance and planning, there is remarkably little attention paid to what exceptional client relationships actually look like; and how to build them intentionally. They are treated informally, instinctively and invisibly. And as a result, many advisers default to reactive and default behaviours and patterns that feel natural, but ultimately limit their value. Well intentioned relationships are not the same as well executed ones.
What if the profession that knows the most about building exceptional human relationships could teach us something? In psychotherapy, you can’t guarantee outcomes. The relationship is the work.
In this inspiring and empowering session, Emma Boardwell - founder of Emotional Finance and a qualified psychotherapist turned financial services consultant and trainer - translates the insights, principles and skills from psychotherapy into practical tools for financial professionals.
Attendees walk away with:
A new lens on the default patterns most financial professionals fall into - and why good intentions aren’t enough
A clear, practical model for what exceptional client relationships are actually made of
Immediate, actionable steps to move from well-intentioned to well-executed relationships
When Clients Don't Say What's Really Going On
A Relational Approach to Vulnerability
Every financial professional recognises moments in their practice where they know there’s something that’s not being spoken about, or where the picture doesn’t quite add up. Research tells us that this instinct is right. Vulnerability is present in client meetings far more often than it's disclosed - hiding in deflections, stoicism and moments of hesitation.
Vulnerability a now a regulatory priority. But compliance and genuine client care are not the same thing. Tick-box approaches create distance. And when clients don't feel comfortable enough to say what's really going on - the fear, the shame, the family pressure, the things they don't understand - you can't get the full picture. That creates risk for your clients, and for your business.
The good news is that vulnerability, when handled well, is one of the most powerful relational opportunities in financial advice. These are the moments that build trust, deepen connection, and create the kind of loyalty no investment performance can replicate.
In this enlightening and thought-provoking session, Emma Boardwell - qualified psychotherapist turned financial services consultant and trainer - translates the insights, principles and skills from psychotherapy into practical tools for financial professionals.
Attendees walk away with:
A new understanding of the emotional dynamics of disclosure, and why clients often can't say what they most need you to hear
A clear, practical model for responding to vulnerability - built around the principles of trust, connection and collaboration
Immediate, actionable steps towards creating relationships that encourage client disclosure of vulnerability
Upcoming Events
Emma speaks across a range of event types, both publicly and privately, customising her talks to her client needs.
Here are some of her most recent and upcoming speaking engagements:
EBI Webinar ‘Supporting Vulnerable Clients: A Practical Relational Approach’ January 2026
Financial Solutions AR and Adviser Community Event. March 2026.
Standard Life Ireland Network Conference. April 2026.
Money Marketing Interactive (Leeds). May 2026.
Advisor 3.0. May 2026.
Saltus Financial Planning. Internal Event: ‘The Human Side of Advice’. June 2026.
CISI Financial Planning Conference October 2026.
CATS Annual Conference November 2026.
Watch Emma guesting on a podcast
What makes a great financial adviser?
In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Emma Boardwell, founder of Emotional Finance, to explore how emotional intelligence, trust and human connection are becoming the true differentiators in financial advice.
Put your date on hold
If you’d like Emma to speak at your event, please complete this form and you’ll hear back shortly.
For Event Planners:
I always aim to be professional and easy to work with. I will communicate clearly through the process and provide materials promptly to make sure your preparation is straightforward and ensure the day runs as smoothly as possible.
-
Headshots: You can choose an image from my google folder here
Bio for print and online:
“Emma Boardwell is the founder of Emotional Finance - a consultancy, training and speaking -practice bringing emotional literacy and relational intelligence into the heart of financial advice. Drawing on her background as a psychotherapist, she offers financial professionals a fresh and distinctive lens on the relationships that define their work, and on the practical tools to strengthen them.
An award-winning voice in the industry, Emma is Money Marketing's resident agony aunt and is trusted by advisers, firms and providers across the UK for her proprietary frameworks and empowering talks - helping redefine what it means to be a truly trusted financial professional.”
Short bio for print and online:
“Emma Boardwell is the founder of Emotional Finance - a consultancy, training and speaking practice at the intersection of psychotherapy and financial advice. Drawing on her therapeutic background, she equips financial professionals and firms with fresh frameworks and practical tools to strengthen the relationships that define their work. An award-winning industry voice and Money Marketing's resident agony aunt, she is trusted by advisers, firms and providers across the UK and beyond.”
-
Emma kindly requests the following for in-person talks:
Lavalier/ lapel microphone
Wireless presenter clicker
Stage-facing confidence monitor which shows the same slide view attendees see
Testimonials:
“Emma was one of the standout speakers at Adviser 3.0. Her energy on stage was infectious - she had the room leaning in throughout, with people nodding along, taking notes, and referencing her points in later sessions.
But what really stuck with me was the substance. Emma articulated something the industry is only just starting to grapple with: as advice itself gets commoditised, the relationship becomes the product. For us at Obsidian, that crystallised a thesis we'd been circling - that the emotional and relational side of advice needs the same structured, productised rigour we apply to everything else.
If you're considering booking Emma, do it. She's the rare speaker who's genuinely engaging and leaves you with something you'll be thinking about weeks later”
Hasnain Bukhari, CEO & Co-founder, Obsidian
Host of the Obsidian Tropical Terrace Stage, Adviser 3.0
“We were delighted to have Emma speak at our event, and the feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive.
We were initially interested in having Emma speak because of her expertise, engaging style, and the relevance of her message to our audience. We wanted a speaker who could both inspire and provide practical insights, and she delivered on both counts.
From an organiser's perspective, Emma was a pleasure to work with. Her communication was clear and responsive, and her professionalism made the planning process straightforward and stress-free. She was well prepared and flexible, which is always appreciated when managing a busy event.
Emma was able to create a genuine connection with the audience while delivering valuable insights that resonated with the audience.”
Olga Korzhova, Conference Producer, EMAP (Money Marketing Interactive) “I invited Emma onto our podcast because she brings a perspective that financial services don’t always spend enough time on - the human side of money. Advisers are trained technically, but a huge part of the job is understanding behaviour, emotions, and the dynamics behind financial decisions.
Emma has an interesting background in psychotherapy, and what I appreciated most was how clearly she translated that into something advisers can actually apply. Her framework around trust, connection and collaboration gave us a practical way to think about how relationships with clients are built.
She’s also just a great person to have a conversation with. Thoughtful, engaging and very good at making complex ideas feel simple and relevant.
If you’re looking for someone who can help advisers think differently about the role they play in clients’ lives, Emma is a brilliant guest to bring into the room.”
Helena Bogdanovski, Director of Private Wealth, Foster Denovo
“We invited Emma to speak after seeing the work she had been sharing online and recognising how well her perspective would complement the theme of our event. We were keen to include a session that would encourage deeper reflection and provide valuable context alongside our technical discussions on intergenerational wealth planning. Emma delivered exactly that.
Her session was engaging, insightful and thought-provoking, challenging advisers to look beyond the purely technical aspects of their work and consider the human dynamics that shape financial decisions and client relationships. Emma has a rare ability to translate complex psychological concepts into practical tools that advisers can immediately apply in their client conversations.
The feedback from advisers after the event was overwhelmingly positive. Several commented on how powerful and refreshing the session was, and highlighted specific ideas and tools they plan to incorporate into how they prepare for and conduct client meetings in the future.
From an event planning perspective, Emma was a pleasure to work with. She communicated clearly throughout the process, checked in regularly, and ensured we were aligned on the direction of her session. She also provided materials promptly, which made our preparation straightforward and helped the day run smoothly.
If you are considering booking Emma for an event, workshop or webinar, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her. Her insight into the psychology and relational side of financial planning is genuinely distinctive, and the value she brings to adviser audiences is exceptional
Leanne Williams, Managing Director, Financial Solutions
“We were delighted to invite Emma to speak at Adviser 3.0.
The talk itself was superb, and Emma's stage presence, clarity of message and ability to hold her audience was particularly impressive. Her talk clearly resonated with the advisers in attendance, which is a testament to Emma's skill as an effective communicator
Emma was incredibly diligent on the day and made a point of speaking with the production team well ahead of her session, in order to ensure no issues with her presentation from a technical standpoint”
Hana Dickinson, Conference Director, Adviser 3.0.
