“There is nothing new under the sun.” — Ecclesiastes 1:9 What if the most effective life planning system of our time isn’t new at all? What if the roadmap to purpose, prosperity, and peace has been with us for over 3,000 years—embedded in the rhythms of the Earth, encoded in myth, and quietly passed down … Continue reading 3,000 Years of Natural Wisdom: The Ancient Roots of Modern Life Planning
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When the Good Guys Get Attacked: Navigating Suspicion in Victim Support Groups
“In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” — George Orwell The Challenge of Helping When you’ve devoted your life to helping victims of financial crime, you expect resistance from institutions—the banks, the regulators, the legal walls that protect the powerful. You don’t expect resistance from the victims themselves. But that’s … Continue reading When the Good Guys Get Attacked: Navigating Suspicion in Victim Support Groups
“Putting Profits Before People”: Lords Demand FOS Rollback to Serve the Growth Agenda
“Justice should never be an obstacle to growth. But neither should growth be a justification for erasing justice.” Yesterday’s report from the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee confirms what many of us have suspected: consumer advocacy is once again under threat—not by accident, but by design. In a sweeping call for reform, the … Continue reading “Putting Profits Before People”: Lords Demand FOS Rollback to Serve the Growth Agenda
Bridging the Retirement Divide — Or Deepening It?
The financial press is sounding the alarm — but is it ringing it for the right reasons? A recent FT Advice article titled “Bridge the retirement divide: millions risk falling through the cracks” paints a familiar picture: widespread financial fragility, inadequate pension savings, and a generation unprepared for retirement. But beneath the surface, the real … Continue reading Bridging the Retirement Divide — Or Deepening It?
🛡️ How to Avoid Being a Victim of Investment Fraud:
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning In 2024, according to UK Finance’s annual fraud report, investment fraud losses in the UK soared to £649 million—a stark reminder that no one is immune, and that fraud is evolving faster than most protections can keep up. What’s most alarming? Fewer scams, higher losses. Case numbers are … Continue reading 🛡️ How to Avoid Being a Victim of Investment Fraud:
🚨 The Growth Agenda That Shrinks the Economy: Why Rachel Reeves’ City-Centric Strategy Is Failing Britain
"When those in power mistake trickle-down promises for policy, the only thing that trickles is hardship." April’s GDP figures are in—and they make for grim reading. A 0.3% contraction in the UK economy, worse than expected, has put paid to any illusions that the Government’s “growth agenda” is delivering for the people. The contraction comes … Continue reading 🚨 The Growth Agenda That Shrinks the Economy: Why Rachel Reeves’ City-Centric Strategy Is Failing Britain
🔍 Growth at What Cost?
A Customer Advocate’s Response to the FCA’s New Regulatory Direction "The biggest scandals are not the ones that break the rules, but the ones that rewrite them." Last week’s POLITICO Europe panel made one thing painfully clear: the UK’s financial regulators are walking a tightrope between protecting consumers and fuelling economic growth. The new strategy, … Continue reading 🔍 Growth at What Cost?
🎯 Rebuilding Trust After Financial Exploitation – From the Inside Out
“The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.” – Swedish Proverb For over a decade, I’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Transparency Task Force in the fight for a financial system people can trust. Before that, I was deep inside the system itself—Head of Investments at HSBC and … Continue reading 🎯 Rebuilding Trust After Financial Exploitation – From the Inside Out
One Rule for SJP? Why We Must Question Who Teaches Our Children About Money
When your CEO sits on the CityUK Leadership Council and co-authors the Mansion House Accord, what can you get away with? Apparently, quite a lot. If your firm’s fee-for-no-service scandal gets waved away by regulators more interested in growth than justice…If your calls to deregulate are echoed by the Treasury while whistleblower complaints are ignored…If … Continue reading One Rule for SJP? Why We Must Question Who Teaches Our Children About Money
Your Money or Your Life: The Regulator That Turned a Blind Eye
For Paul Birch. For every whistleblower they tried to silence. They say justice is blind. But in Paul’s case, the FCA didn’t just close its eyes—it looked the other way. Paul Birch is not a footnote. He’s not an isolated case. He’s a British citizen who played by the rules—who asked for protection and got … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: The Regulator That Turned a Blind Eye
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