Short Careers, Big Money: Why Footballers Need the Right Financial Advice

“I Didn’t Realise How Big This Could Be Until I Joined” - Stuart McDonald’s Story at Hoxton Wealth In this episode of Hoxton Life, Sam Oakes heads to Liverpool to sit down with Stuart McDonald, a financial planner who made a bold move after 14 years in the industry. Stuart left a comfortable position at a traditional firm to join Hoxton Wealth - and within just one year, he's now Director of the Liverpool office. But this isn’t just about a new job title. It’s about stepping into an environment that finally matched his ambition. In this episode, Stuart opens up about: - Why he left his old firm after 8 years - How he built a niche working with professional footballers, coaches, and club executives - The growing demand for international financial planning—and how Hoxton makes it seamless - Why intrapreneurship at Hoxton beats going it alone - What it’s really like building a practice inside a fast-growth, supportive business “There’s a lot of noise around athletes - my job is to help them tune it out and focus on their future,” Stuart says. This episode is for financial planners who feel stuck. For those who want the freedom to grow, but not the stress of going solo. For the entrepreneurial thinkers who are ready to build something bigger - with the right people around them. Watch the full episode now. And if you're curious about what intrapreneurship looks like at Hoxton, search Hoxton Life on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. 00:00 – Intro: Stuart McDonald in sunny Liverpool 01:22 – Why Stuart left his previous firm after 8 years 03:00 – The coffee meeting that changed everything 04:35 – Joining Hoxton and realising the size of the opportunity 06:20 – The power of the right environment 07:45 – Working with professional footballers and elite clients 09:15 – Financial advice inside Premier League academies 11:00 – Helping athletes through career transitions and relocations 12:40 – How Hoxton supports international clients 14:10 – Financial wellbeing education for young players 15:45 – Building a Liverpool office with scale and ambition 17:30 – Intrapreneurship over going it alone 19:00 – Sam’s reflections: growth, support, and trusting the environment 20:45 – Final thoughts and call to action