Explore what we offer at Paraflo
At Paraflo, we recognise that no two advisory firms operate in exactly the same way, which is why we offer a choice of flexible service levels to suit different working preferences and business needs. Whether you opt for the flexibility of a pay‑as‑you‑go arrangement or the consistency and value of a monthly retainer, our aim is to provide reliable, professional paraplanning support that can grow alongside your business.
While we take the time to understand how your firm operates and where we can best support you, our services are delivered through clear processes, defined standards and professional judgement. Collaboration is central to the way we work, but it is a two‑way street — successful outsourcing relies on shared understanding, clear communication and mutual respect for how each party operates. This approach helps ensure efficiency, consistency and high‑quality outcomes for everyone involved.
Working with an outsourced paraplanner gives you the freedom to focus on client relationships and the continued growth of your practice, while the technical detail and report preparation are handled in the background. It offers a cost‑effective alternative to hiring in‑house, providing access to experienced paraplanning support without the associated overheads and long‑term commitment.
Our service levels are designed to give you the flexibility to scale support up or down as your requirements change, while maintaining a dependable, structured approach to paraplanning delivery. Full details of all available options can be found in our fees and services schedule.
Our Story
Paraflo was founded by Ellie Bailey with a clear vision: to provide dependable, people‑focused paraplanning support, underpinned by strong technical standards and well‑considered processes.
Ellie entered the financial services industry straight from school, beginning her career through a Business Administration apprenticeship. Starting out at an early stage gave her a strong understanding of how advisory firms operate behind the scenes, as well as the importance of clear communication, organisation and teamwork in supporting high‑quality advice.
As her experience developed, Ellie naturally gravitated towards paraplanning — valuing the balance it offers between technical accuracy, structure and supporting advisers in delivering meaningful outcomes for clients. She holds the Level 4 Diploma in Paraplanning with LIBF and CeMAP, and continues to invest in ongoing professional development alongside her practical experience.
A defining part of Ellie’s career came through her time as a paraplanning team leader, a role she particularly enjoyed. Alongside continuing her own paraplanning work, she split her time between managing and supporting a team of 14 paraplanners and taking responsibility for operational processes, management and leadership. This dual focus allowed her to remain closely involved in day‑to‑day technical work, while also developing a strong appreciation for workflow design, quality control, capacity planning and the people considerations that sit behind a well‑run paraplanning function.
To support this, Ellie completed further training in mental health first aid and workplace advocacy, Consumer Duty and sustainability, and has recently completed a Level 5 apprenticeship in operations and leadership, gaining the foundational Chartered Manager accreditation with CMI. These experiences helped shape Paraflo’s belief that strong paraplanning is about more than reports alone — it also relies on people, wellbeing, and effective operational structure.
A people‑focused approach sits at the heart of Paraflo. The business is built on clear communication, professional boundaries and supportive working relationships, with an understanding of the pressures faced by advisory firms and paraplanning teams alike.
Alongside her core work, Ellie remains actively involved in the wider profession, including contributing as a guest speaker for the Paraplanners’ Assembly. These sessions focused on management and leadership within paraplanning teams, supporting paraplanners who were stepping into leadership roles or exploring the next stage of their career.
Paraflo was created to reflect these values — clarity, consistency and reliability, combined with a genuine commitment to working with people rather than simply processes. The aim has always been to provide thoughtful, dependable paraplanning support that advisers can trust and build long‑term working relationships with.
Our Services
Pay-as-you-go
The pay‑as‑you‑go option offers complete flexibility, with no ongoing commitment or minimum monthly spend. You are only charged for the work completed in each billing period, making it a practical choice for advisers who need support on an ad‑hoc basis or whose client requirements vary throughout the year.
This option is particularly well suited to firms with fluctuating workloads, occasional peak periods, or those who prefer to retain full control over when paraplanning support is used. It allows you to access experienced paraplanning support when it’s needed, without the obligation of a fixed monthly cost.
Pay‑as‑you‑go provides a straightforward, transparent way to outsource paraplanning, while still benefiting from clear processes, consistent standards and professional delivery — exactly when you need them, and nothing more than that.
Monthly retainer
Our monthly retainer options are designed for advisers who require ongoing, dependable paraplanning support and greater certainty around both capacity and costs. By securing a defined level of support each month, advisers benefit from priority access to our services, predictable monthly expenditure, and discounted rates compared with ad‑hoc work. This makes forward planning and workload management more straightforward and reliable.
The ‘Base’ retainer represents the minimum level required to qualify for retained paraplanning support and includes a modest 2.5% discount on services, reflecting a committed monthly relationship while maintaining flexibility. The ‘Core’ and ‘Plus’ retainers provide higher levels of reserved capacity and greater value through increased discounts, making them particularly suitable for advisers with more consistent or higher paraplanning requirements.
Where work submitted in any given month exceeds the agreed retainer allowance, additional work will automatically be charged at a discounted service rate in line with the retainer level held. Base retainer clients receive a 2.5% discount, Core retainer clients receive a 5% discount, and Plus retainer clients receive a 10% discount on work above their monthly allowance. This ensures that as workload increases, costs remain proportionate, transparent, and predictable.
This tiered retainer structure is particularly well suited to advisers managing a growing or established client base where paraplanning demand may fluctuate from month to month. The retainer provides a reliable foundation of support, while the discounted rates applied to additional work offer flexibility and fairness without the need to renegotiate terms as demand changes.