For every Ian Davis. For every victim who was told regulation was the problem—not the predators it barely tamed. They said the red tape was holding us back. But let’s get real. Whose hands were tied—ours or theirs? Because right now, Trump and Starmer, two men who couldn’t agree on breakfast, are shoulder-to-shoulder when it … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: Burn the Bonfire, Not the Rules →

March 28, 2025 Story of the Week 🔥 From Banker to Changemaker 💥 Once trapped in the glass towers of Canary Wharf, I broke free from the rigged game — trading profit for purpose, and power for people. 💔💼 Today, I stand on the frontlines of financial reform, fighting for truth, transparency, and transformation. 🌍✊ … Continue reading 🧇 The Weekly Waffle – Academy Town Hall Highlights March 28th 2025 📅 →

Have you ever stood at a crossroads where doing the right thing meant losing everything? In 2011, I was in a glass tower at HSBC, witnessing the machinery of profit-over-people in full swing. A decision was made—not to empower people with financial freedom, but to bind them in debt. The message was clear: “If you … Continue reading Be Who You Were Born to Be: The Hero’s Journey from Financial Slavery to Freedom →

For every good conscience forced to bite its tongue inside the belly of the beast. Imagine turning up to work every day at the very organisation meant to protect consumers—only to find that your duty of care has been traded for a duty to growth. That’s what it’s like right now at the Financial Conduct … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: When the Watchdog Gets Muzzled →

An attack on financial autonomy dressed as economic reform By Steve ConleyFounder, Academy of Life Planning In yesterday's Spring Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves may stop short of touching ISAs – but make no mistake, the warning shots have already been fired. Talks are underway. Proposals are circling. And your right to save tax-free is under … Continue reading Why Rachel Reeves Should Think Twice Before Raiding Your ISA →

At the Academy of Life Planning, our investment guidance is refreshingly simple — because simple works. For empowered clients, we recommend low-cost, globally diversified, auto-rebalancing multi-asset funds, accessed directly by retail investors and from platforms independently vetted via Which? Money best buy surveys. We don’t chase alpha.We chase a better life. The Alpha Illusion In … Continue reading Why We Recommend Beta Over Alpha to Empowered Retail Investors →

By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning What if the Hero's Journey was more than a mythological tale? What if it was the blueprint for your own psychological and spiritual development? In this article, we explore how Joseph Campbell's universal structure for transformation maps directly onto the life of the modern financial planner—and how true … Continue reading The Hero’s Journey of a Financial Planner: A Story of Soul, Service, and Self-Transformation →

This past week, I published an article exposing long-standing concerns in the UK protection insurance market — particularly around loaded premiums, undisclosed commissions, and systemic opacity. The piece quoted verbatim a senior executive from one of the UK’s most influential financial advice firms, St. James’s Place (SJP), who had previously described such practices as “bordering … Continue reading 🧭 Standing Strong for Transparency: What Just Happened — and Why It Matters →