“The river does not argue with the rock. It flows around it—and wears it away.” As I sat in yet another Mansion House discussion this week—an Aquarian task force dissecting the hardened contours of a Piscean financial system—I felt a deeper truth stir beneath the surface noise of economic reform and regulatory rhetoric. It’s not … Continue reading 🌊 The River, the Rock, and the Rising Age: The Change Begins From Within
Author: Steve Conley
“Nothing to See Here”: How Cognitive Bias and Conflicts of Interest Keep Wealthy Investors Asleep
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning In the world of financial services, we like to think we’re rational. Professional. Unbiased. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find a system that may be blind—wilfully or otherwise—to its own conflicts of interest and the cognitive biases they produce. A Tale of Two Markets While trade … Continue reading “Nothing to See Here”: How Cognitive Bias and Conflicts of Interest Keep Wealthy Investors Asleep
💻 Crypto Scams & the Law: What You Need to Know About the UK’s Digital Asset Reform
Q: Why is the Law Commission’s latest proposal important for victims of crypto scams?A: The Law Commission’s June 2025 proposal introduces freestanding information orders — a new legal tool that allows victims to access critical information about their stolen crypto assets before committing to a costly legal claim. This could be a game-changer, reducing upfront … Continue reading 💻 Crypto Scams & the Law: What You Need to Know About the UK’s Digital Asset Reform
🏍️ Protection or Protectionism? What Motorcycle Body Armour Teaches Us About Financial Regulation
https://youtu.be/nINIJ1cAbYM?si=e-i0yRHENSzFPUsh By Steve ConleyFounder, Academy of Life Planning “Not all that protects is protective—and not all regulation serves the public.” Post-Reeves and the so-called Leeds Reforms, the UK's regulatory compass is spinning. The Chancellor’s speech painted a vision of prosperity, human capital development, and a Britain "better off." But beneath the headline-grabbing language lies a … Continue reading 🏍️ Protection or Protectionism? What Motorcycle Body Armour Teaches Us About Financial Regulation
💼 From Delegator’s Intermediary to Empowered: Reimagining a Financial Planner’s Career in 90 Days
How a seasoned adviser found purpose, profit, and personal fulfilment as a holistic wealth planner. “I didn’t know this was even possible.”That’s what Alex (name changed) told us when we first connected. After nearly three decades in financial services as a Chartered Financial Planner, Alex had spent a career focused on compliance, personal advice, and … Continue reading 💼 From Delegator’s Intermediary to Empowered: Reimagining a Financial Planner’s Career in 90 Days
🔁 From Value for Money to Money for the Machine
By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning The language of pensions is changing—but we must ask: value for whom? In Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech, we saw the familiar Piscean playbook repackaged in Aquarian wrapping. Beneath the rhetoric of “long-term value,” what’s really happening is a redefinition of value for money—from protecting the consumer … Continue reading 🔁 From Value for Money to Money for the Machine
Why I Believe We Need to Build, Not Just Reform, the Financial System
By Steve Conley On 15th July 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Mansion House speech. It was framed as a call to growth—cutting red tape, modernising regulation, and making Britain “the best place in the world for financial services.” The Treasury’s messaging was polished, its tone upbeat, and its targets clear: unlock capital, cut regulatory … Continue reading Why I Believe We Need to Build, Not Just Reform, the Financial System
Mansion House 2025: The Last Supper of the Piscean System?
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning “For too long, we have presented investment in too negative a light,” said Chancellor Rachel Reeves, urging regulators to loosen the reins and let the financial sector ‘grow’ once again. On the surface, it sounded like optimism. But beneath the oratory at the Mansion House Dinner, one … Continue reading Mansion House 2025: The Last Supper of the Piscean System?
🌊 Piscean vs 🌬️ Aquarian Financial Services
💡 THE BIG SHIFT: Piscean vs Aquarian Financial Services In the traditional Piscean system, financial services revolve around GDP and Assets Under Management (AUM). Growth is defined by how much wealth can be accumulated by institutions — and extracted from the public. Advisers are rewarded for harvesting fees, not for creating value. But this extractive … Continue reading 🌊 Piscean vs 🌬️ Aquarian Financial Services
🧭 What Is the Dimensional Shift — And How Does It Align with Holistic Wealth Planning?
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning ❓What is the “dimensional shift” people are talking about? The dimensional shift refers to a collective transition in human consciousness — from third-dimensional (3D) thinking rooted in fear, separation, and survival…to fifth-dimensional (5D) awareness grounded in unity, compassion, and co-creation. This idea is popularised by spiritual thinkers … Continue reading 🧭 What Is the Dimensional Shift — And How Does It Align with Holistic Wealth Planning?
