We are living in a pivotal moment. A moment where technology has caught up with the promise of true financial empowerment — not through more intermediation, but through decentralised, accessible, person-led solutions. Yet 99% of financial planners still operate as agents of the system, not for the people.
They’ve signed agency contracts. Their revenues depend on intermediation — on being the conduit between consumers and opaque systems. Even when good apples dominate the orchard, the structure itself discourages acting in the best interests of the individual — especially when “best” means no commissionable product at all.
Consider: What if the right financial solution isn’t a fund or a policy, but self-investment, debt reduction, or funding a child’s education? What if it’s walking away from a product altogether?
Too often, these outcomes don’t get recommended — not because they’re wrong, but because they’re commercially invisible.
Now imagine a world where the light gets in.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. AI is that sunlight.
The existing system throws shadows — built-in complexity, regulatory jargon, institutionalised opacity. But AI pierces those shadows. Naturally, the system resists. It warns of hallucinations, data risk, systemic magnification. But who benefits from this fear? The public — or those guarding their margins?
The People’s Side of the Table
What happens when people are just as informed as the system? When there’s no more asymmetry? No more gatekeepers, no more coin-flipping over trust?
What happens when experts leave the agency contracts behind and sit alongside the people, not across from them?
We’ve seen glimpses: digital natives uploading their financial lives into ChatGPT for insight. Seeking clarity, not compliance. Trust, not tradition.
Industry insiders now admit: “It will be a challenge to get digital clients to sit in meeting rooms with suited advisers.”
And rightly so. The new generation isn’t resisting advice — they’re resisting delegation. They want empowerment.
The future of financial guidance is not in preserving the old theatre of suits and statements. It’s in building structurally trustworthy systems that don’t need to be trusted blindly. It’s in shifting the question from “Who can I trust to do this for me?” to “How can I be trusted to do this myself?”
A New Model: From Delegate to Agent of Change
The next frontier is not perfecting intermediation. It’s dissolving the need for it.
It’s time to inspire the “good apple” agents within the system to imagine something bolder. A future where their expertise is no longer deployed to extract, but to equip. No longer chasing the wealthy to delegate, but standing with communities to empower.
Let’s not wait for the system to approve the shift. Let’s be the shift. A whole-minded movement in a half-minded world.
Not with slogans, but with stories.
Not with contempt, but with courage.
Not with revenge, but with restoration.
And most of all, not with arguments — but with real alternatives.
Appendix: Understanding System Agency in Financial Advice
Some readers — particularly financial advisers — may take offence at the statement that “most financial planners work for the system.” This reaction is understandable. Many see themselves as champions of their clients’ interests. But the structure they operate within tells a different story.
The Agency Agreement: A Structural Reality
Most regulated financial advisers are contractually bound by agency agreements with product providers, platforms, or networks. These agreements:
- Legally designate the adviser as an agent of the provider (not the client).
- Authorize product distribution on behalf of the provider.
- Often come with sales incentives, brand requirements, and compliance obligations aligned with the provider’s commercial goals.
In legal terms, agents owe duties to their principal. That means advisers are, by contract and design, accountable to the provider first, even when ethically striving to serve the client. This creates a fundamental conflict of interest — not because of individual failings, but because of systemic design.
Client-Centric by Intention — But Not by Structure
While most advisers act in good faith, their permissions, remuneration, and regulatory cover are often inseparable from the provider’s ecosystem. This means that:
- Many of the most client-centric financial decisions — such as paying off debt, investing in personal growth, or gifting wealth — do not result in revenue for the adviser or their firm.
- The commercial viability of advice is frequently tied to intermediated outcomes — i.e., those that involve product sales or assets under management.
This Isn’t a Critique — It’s a Call for Clarity
This article isn’t a condemnation of individual professionals. It’s a structural observation — and a call for transformation.
For those who are ready to step out of the system and stand with the people, not between them and their futures, the M-POWER movement offers a principled path forward.
Let’s not take offence at the truth. Let’s illuminate it — and build a better way.
Join the M-Power Movement
Our Strategy:
- Vision, not critique.
- Surgical, not sweeping.
- Stories, not slogans.
- Accountability, not lost.
- Alternatives, not arguments.
What’s in it for you?
- Empowerment: Learn how to manage your money and grow your wealth with confidence.
- Entrepreneurship: Discover tools and support to turn your ideas into thriving businesses.
- Community: Connect with like-minded individuals and organisations dedicated to financial freedom for all.
How to Get Started:
- Join Our Community: Access free resources, workshops, and networking opportunities.
- Book a Call: Speak with an expert to explore how we can support your journey to financial independence.
- Spread the Word: Help us build a global movement by sharing this vision with your network.
Together, we can redefine what financial planning means, transforming it from a service of dependency into a tool of empowerment. The M-Power Movement is not just about creating wealth; it’s about creating a fairer society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Are you ready to take control of your financial future?
Join us today and be part of this transformative journey.
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