Why I walked away from millions — so others wouldn’t have to Fourteen years ago, I walked away from a six-figure banking career.At that point, I had led retail investment strategy for three of the UK’s five largest banks.On paper, I had everything: title, income, prestige, and comfort. But inside, I knew the truth — … Continue reading 💡 The Best Investment I Ever Made Was in Myself
Tag: personal-finance
💡 Reclaiming the True Wealth of Nations: Lessons in Human Capital for Holistic Wealth Planners
“The wealth of a nation lies not in its gold, but in its people.” — Irving Fisher In 2020, a group of researchers from Riga Stradiņš University and al-Farabi Kazakh National University examined why developing countries struggle to turn human potential into human prosperity. Their findings read like a mirror to our work as Holistic … Continue reading 💡 Reclaiming the True Wealth of Nations: Lessons in Human Capital for Holistic Wealth Planners
🧭 10 Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners from The Education Irony
“Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.”— Martin Luther King Jr. A new study, The Education Irony: When College Degrees Lead to Unemployment, Mindless Thinking, Debt, and Despair (Friedman, 2025), exposes a truth long felt across society — that conventional education is failing to prepare people for real life. Universities, once … Continue reading 🧭 10 Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners from The Education Irony
🌍 The End of Extraction: Why Empowerment Is the Future of Financial Planning
The financial planning profession stands at a historic turning point. Recent research reveals that four in five wealth owners over 65 believe their children will not stay with their current adviser. The message couldn’t be clearer: the next generation doesn’t want intermediation — they want empowerment. They are digital natives who value transparency, control, and … Continue reading 🌍 The End of Extraction: Why Empowerment Is the Future of Financial Planning
🌍 The Future Financial Planner in the Age of Empowerment
Guided by Purpose, Powered by AI, Grounded in Humanity Every era redefines what it means to be “successful.”The last one celebrated accumulation — assets, awards, and authority.The next will celebrate alignment — purpose, autonomy, and integrity. The future financial planner stands at that threshold. 💡 From Control to Collaboration Yesterday’s planner built value through control: … Continue reading 🌍 The Future Financial Planner in the Age of Empowerment
🏛️ Aktivrente: A German Blueprint for Active Ageing — and Why the UK Should Follow
Germany’s “Aktivrente”: A Blueprint for Active Ageing the UK Can’t Afford to Ignore Germany’s 2026 Aktivrente will let pensioners earn €2,000/month tax-free. Steve Conley argues the UK should adopt a similar Active Pension Allowance to extend working lives, boost growth, and reduce fiscal strain. Germany has recognised a quiet revolution already underway: older people can, … Continue reading 🏛️ Aktivrente: A German Blueprint for Active Ageing — and Why the UK Should Follow
The Birth of the Holistic Wealth Planner
The Birth of the Holistic Wealth Planner How a conversation with Don MacIntyre helped name a movement. A Profession at a Crossroads In the autumn of 2024, I reconnected with Don MacIntyre, then Chief Executive of the Personal Finance Society (PFS). The profession was in flux. Questions were rising about integrity, independence, and identity. Was … Continue reading The Birth of the Holistic Wealth Planner
Why become a Holistic Wealth Planner professional?
The Holistic Wealth Planner (HWP) pathway is designed for professionals who want to redefine financial planning for the 21st century. Unlike product-driven advice, Holistic Wealth Planning is client-centred, transparent, and empowerment-focused, equipping you to help people align their money with their values, purpose, and well-being. As a Holistic Wealth Planner, you’ll gain the skills, tools, … Continue reading Why become a Holistic Wealth Planner professional?
Human Capital, Life Expectancy, and the Planner’s Role in Breaking Poverty Traps
“When we invest in people, we invest in life itself.” A recent economic study on Human Capital Inequality, Life Expectancy and Economic Growth offers profound insights that resonate directly with the mission of Holistic Wealth Planners. It shows how education, health, and opportunity are deeply interconnected — and why planning that focuses only on money … Continue reading Human Capital, Life Expectancy, and the Planner’s Role in Breaking Poverty Traps
The Trusted Adviser Project – My 15-Year Mission
Trust: What Customers Want Most Fifteen years ago, when I was Head of Investments at HSBC, we set out to understand what mattered most to people when choosing a financial adviser. We expected answers like qualifications, products, or price competitiveness. The response was strikingly clear: the number one priority was Trust. Not performance charts. Not … Continue reading The Trusted Adviser Project – My 15-Year Mission
Academy of Life Planning 