Jul 10, 2026
How Important Is a Wealth Management Plan for Professional Footballers? Dominic Baldwin on Trust, Values, and Financial Security in Elite Sport
This week's guest is Dominic Baldwin, founder and CEO of Xentum Financial Planning, an independent, UK-based financial planning firm based in Knutsford, Cheshire — and founder of Xentum Sport, built specifically for people in sport who want control, clarity, and coaching to make decisions with their money.
Dominic launched Xentum in 2004 after seeing firsthand the shortcomings of commission-based financial advice, having watched it negatively impact his own father's wealth and wellbeing. That experience shaped his mission ever since: providing clear, accountable, long-term financial guidance — first for business owners approaching an exit and high-net-worth families protecting generational wealth, and now, through Xentum Sport, for elite footballers navigating short careers and life-changing income.
Xentum Sport is supported by Chris Smalling and Bryan Robson, and built on a simple principle: Have a Plan.
In this conversation, Dominic opens up about why trust has to be earned through genuine presence, not process — and what he's learned working with high-performing individuals about building wealth that actually lasts beyond the game.
What You'll Discover:
- How to build authentic trust with elite athletes — Dominic explains why being genuinely present, not just professionally competent, is what separates a real advisor relationship from a transactional one.
- Why personal values matter when creating wealth — how Dominic's own approach to financial planning is shaped by the values he holds, not just the numbers on a spreadsheet.
- Two key values Dominic has learned from high-performing individuals — the recurring traits he's seen across successful athletes and business owners when it comes to building and protecting wealth.
- How to make effective decisions about your personal wealth — practical thinking for cutting through noise and pressure when the stakes (and the numbers) are high.
- Dominic's vision for Xentum Sport — how the partnership with Chris Smalling and Bryan Robson came together, and what it means to build financial support specifically for footballers, by people who understand the game — and much more.
Connect with Dominic:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-baldwin/
Website: http://www.xentum.co.uk