The Member Support Team Behind the Support Network | At Connect, getting started is only the beginning.  Every adviser remembers those first few steps. New systems. New permissions. New processes. New expectations. It can feel a little like learning a new dance while the music is already playing. That is why support cannot stop at onboarding. It has to continue long after the welcome call, the first login and the first case submission.

If Jim Selley, also known as Jim-Claude Van Damme, helps advisers find their feet, then Member Support is what helps them stay steady.  Read more of Jim’s story in our previous post, Director of Training.  Member Support is not just a department title. It is a promise.

It tells advisers something important from day one. You are not expected to settle in alone. You are not left to work it all out once onboarding is complete. You are backed by people whose job is to help you build confidence, strengthen knowledge and keep progressing.

At Connect, that matters. Because the best networks do not just recruit advisers. They help them grow.

More Than Onboarding, This is Ongoing Backing

Member Support is one of the clearest examples of what makes Connect different. It is the team that helps advisers move from uncertainty to confidence, from questions to clarity and from early learning to long-term progress.

This is where advisers come for practical answers, steady guidance and real help with the day-to-day demands of the job. From systems and permissions to product knowledge, case guidance and coaching, the team is there to keep progress moving.

Or put another way, if onboarding opens the door, Member Support makes sure advisers know how to walk through it with confidence.

That is especially important for advisers working through the learning curve as an AR, with CAS firmly in sight. The route to competence is not built on guesswork. It is built on repetition, structure, support and access to the right people at the right time.

That is exactly what this team provides.

Did you know?

For many advisers, the biggest difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling in control is not time. It is support.

The right support team can help advisers understand systems more quickly, approach cases with greater confidence, strengthen product knowledge, and keep moving towards CAS with a clearer sense of direction. It turns day-to-day questions into learning moments and helps good habits become part of everyday practice.

At Connect, Member Support is designed with that journey in mind. It gives advisers a reliable place to ask, check, learn and move forward. That means support is not treated as a one-off gesture. It is part of the culture.

And that culture is what helps advisers stay steady when the pace picks up.

The team that keeps the wheels turning

Behind that culture is a team with clear roles, real expertise and a shared focus on helping advisers succeed.

Jim Selley

Every strong support function needs a figure who can set the tone, guide the team, and ensure advisers feel supported from the outset. Under Jim’s lead, Member Support plays a key role in helping advisers settle in and stay on track.

His impact is felt in the way the team operates. Approachable. Practical. Consistent. Focused on helping advisers move forward, not stand still.

If he helps advisers find their feet, the team around him helps them keep their balance.

Wendy Price

Wendy helps keep the function moving and gives advisers the kind of calm, practical support they can rely on. She brings continuity, experience and a can-do attitude shaped by years of growing with Connect. That experience matters because it means she understands the network, understands the challenges advisers face and knows how to help them navigate both with confidence.

She enjoys coaching members and thrives on the variety each day brings. That energy shows in the way she supports advisers across the network, helping them feel more assured as they learn and grow.

Outside work, Wendy is happiest walking for miles through the woods with her dog Arnie. She also takes real pride in seeing her two sons settled on the property ladder, which feels especially fitting in a business built around home ownership and financial progress.

Paul Simons

Paul is the Manager in the Member Support and Training team, and his role sits right at the heart of adviser development. He delivers Academy learning, product training and course content while also helping brokers with everyday queries.

That blend is what makes his role so valuable. Training is important, but training that connects directly to real adviser questions is where it becomes powerful. Paul helps build strong foundations without overcomplicating the process. He combines deep knowledge with patience and clarity, which makes learning more accessible and far less intimidating.

For advisers building confidence and working towards competence, that kind of support can make all the difference.

Away from work, Paul swaps mortgages for scuba gear. Egypt and the Maldives are among his favourite dive spots, and he also gives his time to fostering guide dogs. It is a combination that says a lot about him: calm under pressure, generous with his time and committed to helping others find their way.

Ricky Wyatt

Some of the most important support happens behind the scenes, and Ricky plays a major part in making that happen. He supports the operational side of the adviser journey, handling lender and business loan registrations, protection provider agency codes, onboarding and offboarding, permissions and novations.

In short, Ricky helps advisers get properly set up, correctly registered and ready to work. That kind of structure is easy to overlook until you realise how much smoother everything feels when it is handled well.

His work helps remove friction from the process and gives advisers confidence that the operational details are in safe hands. That means fewer obstacles, better organisation and a stronger platform for advisers to build on.

Outside Connect, Ricky’s world includes gaming, board games and Dungeons & Dragons. Which feels appropriate, because every good network needs someone who can master systems, manage complexity and keep the mission moving.

Joseph Bignell CeMAP

Joseph provides one-to-one support on protection and specialist finance, helps advisers work through case approaches, supports CAS progression and contributes to training delivery.

That is real value, right where it counts.

For advisers, especially those building their confidence with more complex products or sharpening their case strategy, Joseph offers practical backing that connects directly to day-to-day work. He helps advisers think more clearly, understand product fit more fully and move closer to CAS with the right support behind them.

That is what makes his contribution so important. It is not abstract. It is practical, relevant and rooted in real adviser progress.

Away from work, Joseph plays Rugby Union, has two dogs and enjoys the outdoors. There is a sense of energy, discipline and groundedness in that, and those same qualities come through in the way he supports advisers.

Why This Matters for Advisers

Support is easy to talk about. Delivering it consistently is another matter.

What advisers need is not just a helpline. They need a team that understands the pressures of building a business, developing competence and delivering for clients. They need support that is available after onboarding, during the learning curve and throughout their time with the network.

That is what Connect offers.

Member Support helps advisers build knowledge, gain confidence and stay on course. It reinforces progress. It answers questions. It helps reduce uncertainty. Most importantly, it reminds advisers that success is not something they are expected to build alone.

For advisers joining as ARs with their sights set on CAS, that matters even more. Because progress is rarely about one big leap. It is about steady steps, strong guidance and the right people beside you as you move forward.

At Connect, that is not an afterthought. It is part of how the network works.

The Connect Difference

There is a reason this team matters so much. It reflects the business’s wider mindset.

Connect believes growth should be guided. Support should be ongoing. Success should be built together.

That is what makes the Member Support team more than a function. They are part of the foundation. They help advisers feel settled, supported and capable of moving forward with confidence.

So yes, Jim-Claude Van Damme may help advisers find their feet. But Member Support is what keeps them grounded, balanced and ready for what comes next.

And that is exactly why advisers should join Connect.

Because here, support is not a phase. It is part of the journey.

Because here, training is not just a box to tick. It is part of building confidence.

Here, the path from AR to CAS is supported by people who genuinely want to help advisers succeed.

Ready to take the next step?

#TalktoTracy and book an exploratory call with Tracy Robinson to find out what life at Connect could look like for you.

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