💥 From Tinkerbell to Timebomb: Why Belief Alone Can’t Save Crypto from Collapse

By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life Planning “Crypto isn’t a revolution. It’s an echo—amplifying the very flaws it claimed to fix.” As crypto adoption surges, so too does the sense of unease among critical thinkers and financial reformers. A recent commentary by Simon Ellis, supported by insights from JB Beckett, articulates what many … Continue reading 💥 From Tinkerbell to Timebomb: Why Belief Alone Can’t Save Crypto from Collapse →

🚨 When Marketing Masquerades as Journalism: SJP, the PFS, and the Collapse of Impartiality

Experience has its rewards, they say. But for whom? This week, Money Marketing—once considered the financial advice profession’s independent trade journal—distributed what can only be described as an unlabelled advertorial for St. James’s Place (SJP), thinly veiled as editorial content. It features Carla Brown, a former employed adviser turned SJP Partner, now presented as the … Continue reading 🚨 When Marketing Masquerades as Journalism: SJP, the PFS, and the Collapse of Impartiality →

Pensioners and Farmers Decimated—And They Give Him an Award?

By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning There couldn’t be a starker image of the disconnect between Government mandarins and the real-world suffering outside the ivory towers of Great George Street. While farmers prepare to lose generational land and pensioners face the prospect of their hard-earned nest eggs being taxed after death, HMRC has … Continue reading Pensioners and Farmers Decimated—And They Give Him an Award? →

Redemption, Restitution, and Responsibility: Why This Debate Matters

The recent debate surrounding the BBC's platforming of convicted fraudster Alex Wood has sparked important—and at times uncomfortable—questions about who gets to lead the conversation on fraud prevention. Let me be clear: I believe in redemption. People can change. But redemption is not the same as rebranding. When we place those who once caused harm … Continue reading Redemption, Restitution, and Responsibility: Why This Debate Matters →

Empowered for What, Exactly? Why We Do What We Do

“The aim of life is self-development. To realise one’s nature perfectly—that is what each of us is here for.” — Oscar Wilde At the Academy of Life Planning, empowerment isn’t a buzzword. It’s a mission. A movement. A model. But empowered for what, exactly? The answer is simple, yet profound:To live your life plan. Fully. … Continue reading Empowered for What, Exactly? Why We Do What We Do →

Imagine If Ofwat Had a Growth Mandate — We’d Need Snorkels by Now

Inspired by Dan Cooper’s thought-provoking piece in Money Marketing, which asks, “Who’d want to be a regulator, eh?” — I couldn’t help but reflect on our own well-chlorinated experiences with the FCA. Dan’s article dives into Ofwat’s spectacular collapse under the weight of its own inaction, drawing a tidy line between regulatory oversight and public … Continue reading Imagine If Ofwat Had a Growth Mandate — We’d Need Snorkels by Now →

🕵️‍♂️ Redemption or Reputation Laundering?

The Curious Case of Alexander Wood, ‘Reformed Fraudster’ "I stole £1.2m in 40 minutes, then blew it all in Harrods."That’s the chilling headline from a recent article in The Sunday Times, profiling Alexander Wood—a man who claims to have swindled over £50 million through authorised push payment (APP) scams before reinventing himself as an anti-fraud … Continue reading 🕵️‍♂️ Redemption or Reputation Laundering? →

From Victim to Visionary: How One Survivor Is Redefining Corporate Compassion After Fraud

By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning We often say that even the darkest events in life can carry the seeds of purpose. That purpose, when nurtured, becomes a gift we give to others. Few embody this truth more powerfully than Ayleen Charlotte. Ayleen was thrust into the public eye through the 2022 Netflix documentary … Continue reading From Victim to Visionary: How One Survivor Is Redefining Corporate Compassion After Fraud →

💻 The Death of Intermediation Software Apps in the Age of Empowerment

By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning There’s a quiet revolution underway in financial planning—and some legacy tech players are pretending it isn’t happening. As the Age of Aquarius rises, empowerment replaces extraction. People are waking up. And the old guard—the intermediation platforms built for sales agents masquerading as planners—are fading into obsolescence. 🚧 “You’re … Continue reading 💻 The Death of Intermediation Software Apps in the Age of Empowerment →

💥 A Watershed Moment: TTF Exposes Car Finance Fraud and Regulatory Complicity

“Real money. Real lives. Real fraud. It’s time the truth came out.” On the heels of historic Supreme Court victories and a deepening crisis of public trust in UK financial regulators, the Transparency Task Force (TTF) convened a powerful exposé led by founder Andy Agathangelou and whistleblower Paul Carlier. What unfolded was a raw, forensic … Continue reading 💥 A Watershed Moment: TTF Exposes Car Finance Fraud and Regulatory Complicity →