Evergreen by Calton has selected Pilot as the core technology platform for Evergreen, a new advice proposition led by Hayley Rabbets and designed to tackle one of the UK advice market’s most persistent challenges: how to support advisers to build sustainable careers without the cost, complexity, and risk of going it alone.
Evergreen provides a structured route for self-employed financial planners, combining the autonomy of independence with the infrastructure, support and operating model typically only available within established firms. It has been built in response to growing pressure on advice businesses, increasing barriers to entry for new advisers, and the lack of scalable pathways for talent entering the profession.
Pilot will underpin the proposition as the sole advisory technology platform, enabling Evergreen advisers to run their entire business through a single connected system. By removing the need for multiple providers, Pilot reduces cost, eliminates duplication and significantly lowers the operational burden on advisers.
This was a central factor in Calton’s decision, with the platform forming a key part of Evergreen’s ability to offer a viable alternative to both employment and building a firm from scratch.
The partnership reflects a shared view that the current advice model places too much strain on both new entrants and existing firm owners, with technology complexity and operational burden acting as key constraints on growth.
Nick Ryan, co-founder and CEO of Pilot, said: “Evergreen is addressing a real structural issue in the market. There are talented advisers who want to build something of their own, but the path to doing that has become too difficult, too expensive, and too fragmented.
“Having built an advice firm myself, I know how much time and energy is lost to systems that do not properly connect. Pilot was built to remove that friction. Evergreen is creating a model where that simplicity becomes a foundation, not an aspiration.”
Rabbets said: “There is a clear gap in the market between being employed and building a firm from scratch. For many advisers, neither option works.
“Evergreen is designed to give advisers a viable third path. One that provides the support, structure and community they need, without taking away their independence.
“Technology was a critical decision. We needed a platform that allows advisers to run their entire business in one place, without the cost and complexity that typically comes with that. Pilot gives us that foundation and allows us to focus on what matters, which is delivering good advice and building sustainable businesses.”
Pilot was founded by practising advisers, Ryan and partner Dave Mills, whose experience in building and running advice firms has shaped the platform’s design.
The launch of Evergreen comes at a time of increasing scrutiny regarding how the advice profession attracts and retains talent, and how firms can continue to grow without adding further operational strain.
