There was once a time — and it was not so long ago — when love itself was seen as treason. In the 13th century, across the hills of southern France, a peaceful people known as the Cathars lived by a creed of pure compassion. They believed all souls were equal, that divinity lived within … Continue reading 🕯️ The Empire Fears Empowerment: Remembering the Cathars and the Courage to Love
Author: Steve Conley
Steve Conley brings over four decades of innovation and expertise to the forefront of financial planning. As the founder and driving force behind the Academy of Life Planning and HapNav Ltd, Steve has been a pivotal figure in transforming financial services to be more democratic and decentralised. His role as a Game Plan Practitioner, Coach, Mentor, Speaker, and Author of "Your Money or Your Life: Unmask the Highway Robbers - Enjoy Wealth in Every Area of Your Life" underlines his comprehensive approach to financial education.
The Academy of Life Planning, hailed as the "Most Pioneering Financial Planner Network," reflects Steve's commitment to fostering transparency, integrity, and accessibility. This institution serves as a testament to his dedication to enhancing the financial planning landscape.
Under Steve's innovative leadership, HapNav Ltd has launched groundbreaking advancements, including the first end-user financial planning app integrated with open banking. This app guides users towards achieving 'Kokoro'—a life rich in financial, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual abundance.
Recently, Steve introduced "Planning My Life" and "Financial Life Coach"—services that extend his ethos into practical, impactful tools for financial autonomy. "Planning My Life" offers an affordable subscription model, giving members access to an AI Life Planner, comprehensive resources, and expert insights. These initiatives epitomise Steve’s commitment to empowering individuals, nurturing community growth, and contributing significantly to global efforts to eradicate poverty.
Steve's journey is more than a career; it's a steadfast crusade to revolutionise financial education and planning, creating a world where financial wellbeing is not just attainable, but enriches every aspect of our lives. Contact steve.conley@aolp.co.uk.
Cosmic Maintenance: How the GAME Plan Renews an Ancient Human Mission
Across cultures and centuries, our ancestors told the same story in different tongues:creation is not finished, and humanity’s work is to keep the universe in balance.At the Academy of Life Planning, the GAME Plan — Goals → Actions → Means → Execution — is our practical expression of that timeless task.It is not merely a … Continue reading Cosmic Maintenance: How the GAME Plan Renews an Ancient Human Mission
Captured vs Sovereign AI: Who Really Benefits from the Next Wave of Agentic Systems?
“The question isn’t whether AI will be agentic — it’s whose agency it will serve.” A Tale of Two AIs A recent McKinsey article, “Agentic AI Is Here. Is Your Bank’s Frontline Team Ready?” paints an alluring picture of a new banking frontier — one where intelligent systems independently prospect for clients, tailor communications, and … Continue reading Captured vs Sovereign AI: Who Really Benefits from the Next Wave of Agentic Systems?
Good People, Legacy Structures
Why Financial Education Needs Trustworthiness by Design Steve ConleyDecember 13, 2025 A note on intent I’m writing this as a financial educator and concerned citizen.This article is not about blame — individual or institutional.It’s about design: how well-intentioned initiatives can sometimes produce outcomes no one intended, simply because of the structures they operate within. A … Continue reading Good People, Legacy Structures
From the Age of Exploitation to the Age of Empowerment
By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life Planning For two thousand years, humanity has lived under the long shadow of the Age of Pisces — the age of empire, conquest, and control. It began with the Romans and spread across continents through systems of colonisation that divided spirit from matter, body from soul, and … Continue reading From the Age of Exploitation to the Age of Empowerment
The Hidden Time Bomb in UK Finance: Why Private Credit Needs Smart Regulation Now
By Steve Conley One of the biggest latent risks in UK financial services has just been spotlighted by the Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey — and the implications for households, investors, and the broader economy are profound. In a recent address, Bailey conceded that while private credit shouldn’t be regulated like traditional banks, the … Continue reading The Hidden Time Bomb in UK Finance: Why Private Credit Needs Smart Regulation Now
🌍 Total Wealth Planning™ on the Rise: U.S. Advisors Validate the Global Shift Toward Holistic Advice
When Cerulli Associates released their U.S. Advisor Metrics 2025 report this month, one message stood out loud and clear: financial planning—not product distribution—is now the growth engine of the wealth management industry. Across the United States, advisors are doubling down on comprehensive, client-centred planning. On average, each advisor now offers seven distinct services, of which … Continue reading 🌍 Total Wealth Planning™ on the Rise: U.S. Advisors Validate the Global Shift Toward Holistic Advice
🧩 Hartley Pensions: Anatomy of a Systemic Failure
Why 6,000 savers are still waiting — and what it reveals about Britain’s broken financial guardianship When the Minister for Pensions, Torsten Bell, says the government “does not have the power to intervene” in the Hartley Pensions collapse, it is more than a bureaucratic statement — it is a confession of structural helplessness. More than … Continue reading 🧩 Hartley Pensions: Anatomy of a Systemic Failure
The Exploiters’ Playbook
How UK borrowers’ payments are routed through a web of orphan companies in London and offshore SPVs — tax-written to minimise leakage and shield investors from insolvency, while borrowers are kept in the dark Banks tell customers: “We’re still your lender.” Behind the scenes the credit has already been sliced, shipped and securitised. The industry … Continue reading The Exploiters’ Playbook
Britain’s Hidden Blast Radius: How Millions Are Trapped in Structurally Untrustworthy Debt — and What We Can Do About It
When the Post Office Horizon scandal shocked the nation, people asked, “How could this happen for so long?”The harder question is: how many other systems are quietly doing the same thing—every single day? The uncomfortable truth is that a far larger structural failure exists at the heart of Britain’s financial system.It doesn’t make the evening … Continue reading Britain’s Hidden Blast Radius: How Millions Are Trapped in Structurally Untrustworthy Debt — and What We Can Do About It
Academy of Life Planning 