What if the most valuable lesson you can learn is that nobody is coming to rescue you?

In this episode, Mark "Stubbo" Stubbings — financial services leader, long-time industry advocate, former executive, and one of the profession's most respected relationship-builders — joins Ben and Fraser to reflect on a career shaped by self-reliance, adaptability, and an unwavering focus on people.

From being sent home alone through a blizzard as a child, to rebuilding his professional network from scratch after moving countries, Mark shares the lessons that taught him to back himself, embrace change, and keep moving forward when the path isn't obvious.

Along the way: the surprising sales lessons learned door-knocking for life insurance in the 1980s, why rapport beats expertise in the first conversation, how observing what's important to someone can instantly defuse tension, and the networking mistake almost everyone makes when starting over in a new career or country.

Plus, what decades of building teams taught him about character, why "nobleness of purpose" matters more than technical skill, the danger of fighting inevitable change, and the professional lesson that helped him navigate everything from compliance reform to industry transformation: adapt, learn, and keep evolving.

A masterclass in self-reliance, relationship-building, and putting the client at the centre of every decision.

Connect and reach out to Mark - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-stubbings-77161bb/