The Birth of the Holistic Wealth Planner
How a conversation with Don MacIntyre helped name a movement.
A Profession at a Crossroads
In the autumn of 2024, I reconnected with Don MacIntyre, then Chief Executive of the Personal Finance Society (PFS). The profession was in flux. Questions were rising about integrity, independence, and identity.
Was the PFS truly a professional body — or had it become an industry arm?
For decades, financial services have been dominated by product distribution. But as clients seek meaning, purpose, and transparency, the tide is turning. A new kind of professional is emerging — one who serves people, not products.
A Vision for Independence
When Don and I spoke, I shared a vision that had been forming since founding the Academy of Life Planning in 2012. I described a future where financial planning would be recognised as a distinct profession, not a subset of regulated advice.
A future where qualified professionals could continue their craft — ethically, transparently, and independently — even if they were no longer selling financial products or holding FCA permissions.
At its heart, the proposal was simple:
Planning should be about life, not just money.
To protect the integrity of the profession, we must build a solid wall between planning and product distribution — between service and sales.
The Conversation That Named a Movement
Don listened carefully. As always, he brought depth, warmth, and pragmatism to the conversation.
After we discussed how this profession could evolve — beyond regulation, beyond industry capture — Don paused, then said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“What you’re describing, Steve, isn’t just a financial planner.
It’s a Holistic Wealth Planner.”
And that was it.
In one phrase, Don gave language to an entire philosophy.
A Holistic Wealth Planner is more than a professional designation. It’s a way of being — a new archetype for an emerging age of empowerment.
Defining the Holistic Wealth Planner
A Holistic Wealth Planner doesn’t just manage portfolios.
They help clients manage purpose.
They guide people to balance financial, emotional, relational, and spiritual well-being. They act without conflicts of interest, sell no products, and serve as an ally — not an intermediary.
In essence, they help others discover what’s truly enough — and design their lives accordingly.
This is wealth that transcends money.
It’s the art of living well, not merely accumulating more.
A Tribute to Integrity
When Don left the PFS in November 2024, I wrote to thank him for his courage and leadership. I said:
“I’ve always admired your integrity and dedication to fostering a profession that stands apart from the industry.
If a professional body were ever established with this in mind,
I couldn’t think of anyone more fitting to lead it than you.”
His departure marked the end of an era for the PFS — but the beginning of something greater for the profession as a whole.
The phrase Holistic Wealth Planner became the bridge between two worlds:
the old model of financial intermediation, and the new paradigm of human-centred empowerment.
From Extraction to Empowerment
At the Academy of Life Planning, this idea became our cornerstone.
We train professionals to become Holistic Wealth Planners — independent thinkers who guide clients through life’s transitions with integrity, empathy, and clarity.
We champion a model where:
- Planning precedes products
- People come before profit
- Purpose drives prosperity
Our mission is to democratise financial planning — to make it transparent, ethical, and accessible to all. We’re building a global fellowship of professionals who share this vision, from London to Lagos, from Mumbai to Melbourne.
A Legacy Shared
The phrase Holistic Wealth Planner may have been born in conversation, but it belongs to a community.
It honours Don’s insight and every professional who dared to imagine a purer, freer form of financial planning.
It symbolises a collective awakening — a return to conscience, service, and soul in the world of money.
Because true wealth isn’t what we have.
It’s who we become.
Join the Movement
If this vision resonates with you, you may already be one of us.
Whether you’re a financial professional seeking integrity, a career-changer longing for purpose, or a client tired of being sold to — there’s a place for you in the future we’re building.
Together, we’re redefining the meaning of wealth — and reclaiming the profession for the people it was meant to serve.
👉 Learn more about becoming a Holistic Wealth Planner
Join the Academy of Life Planning →
Closing Reflection
Integrity. Independence. Humanity.
That’s what it means to be a Holistic Wealth Planner.
And to Don — thank you for helping us find the words.
Academy of Life Planning 