Tag: writing

T.F.O friday: Building a Total Family Office for Every Family

Most families have pieces of a plan. Few have a plan that connects the pieces. A pension here. A mortgage there. A will written years ago. An ageing parent who may need care. Children finding their feet. Perhaps a business, a property, or responsibilities shared across generations. Each part may have received attention. But who … Continue reading T.F.O friday: Building a Total Family Office for Every Family →

A £50 meeting with Steve Conley

A £50 meeting with Steve Conley "I need experienced help with a specific decision, without signing up to an ongoing advice relationship." If that sounds like you, this meeting is for you. About 50 minutes, £50, one conversation about the thing that matters right now. Most of the questions people bring are an 18-month problem, … Continue reading A £50 meeting with Steve Conley →

When the Rewards Flow Upwards, Why Does the Blame Flow Downwards?

Five overturned banking convictions raise a bigger question: who has the power to shape a system, and who carries the consequences when it fails? By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning8 October 2026 A prestigious employer. A respected job title. A career in the City. From the outside, these look like signs of security. … Continue reading When the Rewards Flow Upwards, Why Does the Blame Flow Downwards? →

HSBC’s adviser cuts: we have seen this before. This time, redesign the role.

AI creates an opportunity to combine continuous personal capability with episodic human expertise. Cutting advisers is only one possible response. By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning7 October 2026 Reading the news that HSBC could cut around 70% of its UK wealth financial advisers gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. Fifteen years … Continue reading HSBC’s adviser cuts: we have seen this before. This time, redesign the role. →

Having money is one thing. Having a say is another.

Introducing the Academy’s new Financial Activation Scorecard You can have a pension, savings and a financial adviser—and still feel unsure what you own, why you own it or what to do next. You can also have very little money and be actively making decisions, asking useful questions and taking steps towards a life that matters … Continue reading Having money is one thing. Having a say is another. →

“I now know where I’m going”: early feedback on Get ICE

“I now know where I’m going”: early feedback on Get ICE There is a moment in planning when the question changes. You begin with “What am I going to do?” and find yourself asking “What shall I do first?” One of the first people to try Get ICE described that shift in a comment this … Continue reading “I now know where I’m going”: early feedback on Get ICE →

From advice to agency: are investors signalling a bigger shift?

Direct investment platforms are growing faster than the advised market. Is this simply a story about apps and advertising—or an early signal that people are changing the kind of help they want? By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning30 September 2026 For years, the familiar message has been: financial decisions are complicated, so find … Continue reading From advice to agency: are investors signalling a bigger shift? →

Your Plan. Your OS. Your Support.

Introducing the new Total Wealth Planner website—and a practical model of planning we can build together A great deal of financial planning still begins with a professional asking for your information. You complete a fact-find. They build a plan in their system. You receive a report. Then life changes, and you may need the professional … Continue reading Your Plan. Your OS. Your Support. →