“The system isn’t broken. It was built this way.” If we want to understand why so many financial reforms in Britain benefit institutions over individuals, we must look beyond surface policies to the power structures that design the game. Three key organisations stand at the heart of this architecture: UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City … Continue reading 💼 The Three-Headed Lobby: How UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City of London Corporation Shape the Rules of Extraction
Tag: money
The Growth Agenda: Asset Hoovering by Another Name
Why Deregulation Isn’t Growth—It’s Extraction, Repackaged “You can’t regulate for trust by dismantling the brakes.” In the wake of the Mansion House reforms, a familiar story is unfolding. The government’s so-called growth agenda is, in truth, a revival of the old Piscean order—an extractive financial system masquerading as economic progress. It’s not about real innovation … Continue reading The Growth Agenda: Asset Hoovering by Another Name
Who Guards the Guardians? The FCA, Money Box, and the Disappearing Line Between Advocacy and Sales
“Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets.”— Kevin Plank It began, as many things do, with a trusted voice on the radio. The BBC’s Money Box has long been a staple of consumer advocacy in Britain — a comforting soundscape of sensible financial advice, delivered with journalistic credibility. But something didn’t sit right … Continue reading Who Guards the Guardians? The FCA, Money Box, and the Disappearing Line Between Advocacy and Sales
💼 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
💡 Does Finance Fulfil Purpose?
A Proposal for the New Age “The purpose of a ‘great company’ gives it a reason for being, defining its contribution to society.”— Pitt-Watson & Mann, Does Finance Fulfil Purpose? In their thoughtful report, David Pitt-Watson and Dr Hari Mann ask a foundational question that most in the industry still avoid:Does finance fulfil its purpose? … Continue reading 💡 Does Finance Fulfil Purpose?
💡 Finance for What? Reclaiming Purpose in the Age of Aquarius
“Finance is not about making money per se…it exists to support other goals—those of society.”— Robert Shiller, Nobel Laureate For decades, we’ve accepted a version of finance that has become bloated, opaque, and detached from its true purpose. A recent paper, Does Finance Fulfil Purpose? by David Pitt-Watson and Dr Hari Mann, does something rare: … Continue reading 💡 Finance for What? Reclaiming Purpose in the Age of Aquarius
💡 From Debt Prisoner to Life Planner: A Way Forward for Struggling Advisers
By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life Planning They say we’re the experts.The ones people turn to for clarity, security, and peace of mind. But what happens when the financial adviser is the one feeling trapped? What happens when you are the one secretly battling the burden of debt? 🎭 The Hidden Reality of … Continue reading 💡 From Debt Prisoner to Life Planner: A Way Forward for Struggling Advisers
From Product Seller to Purpose Partner: The Rise of the Holistic Wealth Planner
“Financial capital is only part of the picture. True wealth is the life you build with it.” A question I often get asked is this: What’s the difference between a financial planner and a financial adviser? And what on earth is a “non-intermediating” financial planner? Let me demystify it.At the Academy of Life Planning, we … Continue reading From Product Seller to Purpose Partner: The Rise of the Holistic Wealth Planner
💥 St. James’s Dis-Place
Why Advisers Are Ditching the Old Model for Autonomy, Empowerment, and Purpose “You can’t heal in the same place you got sick.” For years, thousands of financial advisers have been drawn to St. James’s Place (SJP) by the promise of prestige, support, and stability. But behind the glossy brochures and award dinners lies a truth … Continue reading 💥 St. James’s Dis-Place
💥 Beneath the Surface: The SJP Model and the Case for an Alternative
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning On the surface, St. James’s Place (SJP) projects resilience. Chief executive Mark FitzPatrick told the Financial Times that their revamped fees would “help customers compare and contrast.” The SJP Academy trains half of all new financial advisers in the UK. And with nearly £190 billion in client … Continue reading 💥 Beneath the Surface: The SJP Model and the Case for an Alternative
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