From Victim Silence to Structural Trust: A Message to Financial Planners

I’m often told my framing of financial planners as either exploiting or empowering is too binary — and I understand why that can offend. It’s not meant to. If you’ve ever felt accused by my words, please know this: my frustration isn’t directed at you. It’s born from the voices I hear daily — people … Continue reading From Victim Silence to Structural Trust: A Message to Financial Planners

🌍 The Academy of Life Planning — A Brand Story for the Age of Empowerment

1. The Call to Adventure For generations, people have been taught to trust intermediaries —financial advisers to tell them what to do with their money,religious institutions to tell them what to believe,corporations and governments to tell them what to value. But something inside them whispers: There must be another way.A way to reclaim agency, rediscover … Continue reading 🌍 The Academy of Life Planning — A Brand Story for the Age of Empowerment

Why ChatGPT Users Aren’t the Industry’s Next Leads — They’re the Industry’s Successors

By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning When St James’s Place AI lead Peter Ferguson recently told the Money Marketing conference that “people using ChatGPT for advice could be a good thing,” he was half right. Yes — it is a good thing.But not for the reason he imagines. Ferguson suggested that AI users … Continue reading Why ChatGPT Users Aren’t the Industry’s Next Leads — They’re the Industry’s Successors

📰 From Headlines to Justice: How Citizen Investigators Can Use AI to Track Their Cases

“Information is power — but only if you can keep hold of it.” One of the biggest frustrations for victims of financial exploitation is that stories flare up in the news and then… nothing. Months go by. Updates are hidden behind paywalls or buried in regulatory filings. By the time the next development surfaces, it’s … Continue reading 📰 From Headlines to Justice: How Citizen Investigators Can Use AI to Track Their Cases

🤖💬 AI & Client Data: What You Need to Know (Q&A)

By Steve Conley | Financial Life Coach | Academy of Life Planning As more tools like ChatGPT, Fathom, and other AI assistants become integrated into financial and legacy planning, clients are asking an important question: “Where does my data go—and is it safe?” In this short Q&A, I’ll walk you through exactly how client data … Continue reading 🤖💬 AI & Client Data: What You Need to Know (Q&A)

A Different Path in Financial Planning: From Selling Products to Empowering People

Imagine you’re standing at a crossroads. One sign points toward the familiar road — a shiny brochure promising a profession, a pathway, a future in financial planning. It looks secure, respected, and even glamorous. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear echoes: stories of clients mis-sold products, of advisers trapped in sales targets, of trust … Continue reading A Different Path in Financial Planning: From Selling Products to Empowering People

From Tragedy to Justice: Why I Built Goliathon for the Financially Exploited

[Me & Jessica on our wedding day, 20 June 2024] After watching the Footballers V11 documentary, and listening to others who’ve been financially scammed or suffered financial injustice, one thing becomes painfully clear: People have no one.They trust no one.And rightly so. So… why trust me? What can I possibly offer? Well, I’ve been there. … Continue reading From Tragedy to Justice: Why I Built Goliathon for the Financially Exploited

🌀 The Clock Keeps Ticking: Breaking the Cycle of Regulatory Amnesia

“Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything.”— The Kybalion, The Law of Rhythm We’ve been here before.Lehman. Brexit. COVID. Car finance. SJP. QROPS. Each crisis sparks an outcry.Each outcry invites regulation.Each regulation eventually becomes red tape.And then… deregulation begins again. JB Beckett, in … Continue reading 🌀 The Clock Keeps Ticking: Breaking the Cycle of Regulatory Amnesia