Establishing yourself as a non-intermediating financial planner in Hong Kong presents a unique opportunity to provide clients with transparent, unbiased advice without the pressure of product sales. This guide outlines the essential steps to set up your practice, ensuring compliance with local regulations and positioning yourself as a trusted adviser. Regulatory Framework for Non-Intermediating Financial … Continue reading Setting Up as a Non-Intermediating Financial Planner in Hong Kong: A Step-by-Step Guide
Author: Steve Conley
Steve Conley is the founder of the Academy of Life Planning, a movement dedicated to restoring human agency in financial planning and helping people navigate life's decisions with greater confidence, capability and independence.
With over 40 years' experience in financial services, Steve has held senior leadership roles with HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and Royal London. A Chartered Financial Planner and Chartered Insurer, he combines deep industry expertise with a passion for challenging systems that leave people unnecessarily dependent on experts.
Steve believes the future of financial planning is not about replacing advisers with artificial intelligence, but using AI to strengthen people's ability to understand, question and make informed decisions for themselves. This philosophy underpins Academy OS, a growing ecosystem of AI-powered tools designed to help individuals, families and planners build capability rather than dependency.
Through the Academy of Life Planning, Steve works with financial planners, organisations and individuals who share a vision of a more transparent, ethical and human-centred approach to planning. His work spans education, research, technology, speaking and professional development, with a focus on creating practical solutions that improve financial capability and restore confidence in decision-making.
Steve is also the creator of the Total Wealth Planner approach, which recognises that a fulfilling life depends on far more than money alone. By integrating financial, personal, social and purpose-driven wellbeing, he helps people pursue what he calls "enough"—a life of balance, resilience and meaning.
As a speaker, mentor and author of *Your Money or Your Life: Unmask the Highway Robbers*, Steve continues to challenge conventional thinking about financial planning, arguing that the profession's greatest opportunity is to move beyond advice alone and become a catalyst for greater human agency.
To learn more or connect with Steve, visit the Academy of Life Planning or email steve@academyoflifeplanning.com.
100 Ways to Generate Extra Income: A Lifeline for 35-49-Year-Olds Facing Financial Crisis
The 'rainy day' we save for is here for 1 in 5 old millennials and young generation X. The ‘rainy day’ that people often talk about saving for is here for many. With a large number of households having little to no savings, it’s crucial to find alternative ways to boost your finances. Research by … Continue reading 100 Ways to Generate Extra Income: A Lifeline for 35-49-Year-Olds Facing Financial Crisis
Rethinking Financial Planning: From Asset Management to Human Capital Development
Financial advisers often set thresholds for investable assets, which can exclude those who need financial planning the most. This practice is driven by commercial viability and the traditional training and certification of advisers, which primarily focus on managing existing wealth. However, a shift in mindset is necessary to address the broader needs of society, particularly … Continue reading Rethinking Financial Planning: From Asset Management to Human Capital Development
The Story of a Transformative Email Chain: Revolutionising Financial Planning
In a recent exchange between Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning (AoLP), and Julia Hodgson of Hodgson Howell (name changed for privacy), a compelling narrative unfolded. This conversation delved into the future of financial planning, highlighting the importance of mentorship, community, and the non-intermediating model advocated by Steve. Introduction: A Shared Vision … Continue reading The Story of a Transformative Email Chain: Revolutionising Financial Planning
Life Strategies: Creating Your Game Plan for Life
Introduction Imagine your life as a grand adventure, one where you are the hero charting your course through a landscape filled with opportunities, challenges, and endless possibilities. Much like a business needs a strategic plan to thrive, we need a game plan for our lives to ensure we're heading in the right direction. In the … Continue reading Life Strategies: Creating Your Game Plan for Life
The Next Phase of Financial Advisers: Integrating AI with Human Insight
The financial services sector is undergoing a transformative change with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). This shift is redefining the role of financial advisers from traditional technicians and intermediaries to holistic life planners and coaches. Karen Barrett, CEO and founder of Unbiased, emphasises that the next phase of growth for financial advisers has to … Continue reading The Next Phase of Financial Advisers: Integrating AI with Human Insight
Creating Income as a Financial Planner: Leveraging Human Capital for Sustainable Revenue
In the dynamic landscape of financial planning, the traditional paradigms often focus on managing financial capital, overlooking the vast potential of human capital. Financial planners can significantly enhance their clients' income streams by recognising and leveraging their human capital, a concept extensively studied and endorsed by leading institutions such as the CFA Institute and the … Continue reading Creating Income as a Financial Planner: Leveraging Human Capital for Sustainable Revenue
Safeguarding Footballers: A Call for Non-Intermediating Financial Planners
Professional footballers, despite their prowess on the field, often face significant financial challenges off it. High-profile cases, such as those involving Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, and Chris Smalling, illustrate the dire consequences of trusting the wrong financial advisers and the need for a new approach to financial planning. The Professional Footballer's Mindset Professional footballers often … Continue reading Safeguarding Footballers: A Call for Non-Intermediating Financial Planners
Financial Advice and Wealth Accumulation: A Misinterpretation of Statistics
In the world of financial planning, industry pundits often misinterpret surveys and statistics to paint an overly simplistic picture of the benefits of financial advice. One pervasive misconception is the assertion that clients who receive financial advice are inherently wealthier than those who do not. See this article, People taking advice from loved ones £42k … Continue reading Financial Advice and Wealth Accumulation: A Misinterpretation of Statistics
Retire from Regulation, Not from Meaningful Projects: An Encore Career in Non-Intermediating Financial Planning
Nearly half of regulated financial advisers are contemplating exiting their businesses within the next two years, according to recent reports. The primary reason for this trend is retirement, with compliance challenges coming in a close second. The increasing burden of onerous ongoing service review justification files seems to be taking its toll. For many seasoned … Continue reading Retire from Regulation, Not from Meaningful Projects: An Encore Career in Non-Intermediating Financial Planning
Academy of Life Planning 