Future Fit Financial Planning: In Conversation with Hazel Bowen

Clarity, Curiosity & Belonging with Hazel Bowen

In episode 57 of BWD In The Know, James Walker is joined by multi-award-winning financial planner Hazel Bowen FPFS TEP for the latest conversation in the Future Fit Financial Planning series.

Hazel's route into the profession was anything but straightforward. Growing up in a working-class household in Norwich, moving from state school to private education on a bursary and later building a successful career in financial planning have all shaped how she thinks about opportunity, leadership and belonging.

Diagnosed as autistic and with ADHD as an adult, Hazel speaks openly about the relief that came with understanding herself differently, the value - and limitations - of labels, and why being neurodivergent cannot simply be treated as something an individual should learn to "fix".

In this episode, James and Hazel discuss:

Hazel's upbringing and the impact class and belonging had on her early lifeWhy learning to back yourself can matter more than looking like the "finished article"Her unconventional route from leaving A-levels to becoming a financial plannerServant leadership and why creating a genuine sense of belonging mattersHazel's experience of receiving an autism and ADHD diagnosis as an adultWhy labels can provide understanding without needing to define someoneThe importance of curiosity over assumption when leading different peopleWhy reasonable adjustments can benefit both the individual and the businessMasking, direct communication and becoming more comfortable with who you areWhy "clarity is kindness" when giving feedbackThe difference between cultural fit and cultural enrichmentWhy diversity of thought makes teams and businesses strongerHow experience can become a leadership blind spot when curiosity disappears

This is an open and deeply personal conversation about neurodiversity, leadership and what it really takes to create workplaces where different people can thrive.

Above all, it is a reminder that good leadership does not require having all the answers. Sometimes it starts with being curious enough to recognise that the person opposite you may experience the world very differently.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Future Fit Leadership

01:01 Childhood, Class and Belonging

05:25 Self-Belief and Backing Yourself