🧇 The Weekly Waffle - Hot Scoops from the Academy's Town Hall - The Friday Lunch Bunch, 26th April 2024 📅
Hello there, Steve🌟
Pull up a chair for this week’s smorgasbord of delights, dished out by none other than the infamous Friday Lunch Bunch at the oh-so-prestigious Academy of Life Planning’s Town Hall. What’s on the menu today, you ask? 🍴
Headlines:
Money Marketing Marvels 🎩
Just out! Our latest barn burner in Money Marketing that dives headfirst into the gripping saga of the financial services drama—knowing your financial adviser from your financial planner. Turns out, the FCA’s latest soap opera of reviews 📺 has unveiled that not all advisers are born equal, showcasing the stark contrast in services delivered and the price tags attached. Why fork out more for less? 🤔 Let’s unpack this conundrum together! 💼
Tackling Pensioner Poverty 🏦
Amidst this delightful cost-of-living crisis, someone had the bright idea to suggest bumping up pension contributions as a fix... brilliant, right? But is it really the silver bullet we need? 🤔 We think there’s a better route to take on this wild ride toward a financially cushy and joy-filled retirement. Let’s dive into some inventive ideas that actually might make life sweeter for our cherished elders: Battling ageism head-on and carving out inclusive work spots because wisdom never ages. 🕶️ Crafting jobs so fulfilling, retiring starts to look like a rather quaint concept. 🎨 Rolling out passive income gigs, like homeshare schemes, because who doesn’t want to monetise their spare room? 🏡 Stirring up the entrepreneurial spirit to keep our seasoned pros in the game and thriving. 💼
Financial Planning Without Products 🚫💼
We’re over the moon to roll out our newest blog gem: "Holistic Financial Planning: The New Paradigm in Personal Wealth Management." This deep dive explores the revolutionary idea of chucking the old-school financial planning playbook. Instead, we’re talking a full-on, holistic extravaganza that looks at more than just your bank balance—and miraculously, without trying to sell you a single product! 🌟
Rethinking Retirement 🧐
We've just dropped another truth bomb of an article that throws some serious shade at the tired old financial strategies that mostly seem to line bankers' pockets rather than serve the public good. Really, are we gaining anything by shoving billions into the stock market, or is this just a fancy ruse to fatten the wallets of the elite? 🎩💰 The popular horror story about retiring and suddenly hitting a financial 'cliff-edge' is not only a stretch—it's downright damaging. It's high time we blew the lid off these myths and started exploring the real possibilities for living it up after the 9-to-5 grind ends. 🌅
And Even The Insurers Are In On The Dark Cloud Advertising!
🚀 Dive into this gem, folks! Apparently, the old ways of shoving products at retirement planning aren't cutting it anymore. Who knew? Time to wrap our heads around something a bit more... holistic. 🌍 This article throws down the gauntlet, daring us to think bigger about supporting not just the wallets but also the lives of our graying crowd. Tackling workplace ageism? Check. Spurring the entrepreneurial mojo in our seasoned citizens? Double check. There’s a whole lot of untapped potential we're just sitting on! 🤝
Retiring From Regulated 🚀
Ready to leap over the humdrum hurdles of traditional finance? Check out our latest blog post and find out how to swap those old-school financial shackles for a holistic strategy. Whether your cash flow is in the red or the blue, our revolutionary framework promises to serve up not just sustainable wealth but actual, bona fide well-being. 🌍💸 So, are you ready to turn your financial practice and life’s purpose on their heads? Plunge into our epic guide that weaves together Purpose, People, Planet, and Profit—because why settle for one when you can have it all? 🤷♂️
Regulatory Updates: FCA’s Public Naming Policy 📢
So, the FCA is mulling over a spicy new policy that might just let them name and shame firms right from the get-go of an investigation. This bold move is all about shielding consumers and championing transparency—or so they say. But let’s be real, it could also drag some firm names through the mud before anyone’s actually sure what’s up. 🕵️♂️ What’s your take? Should the FCA start dropping names early, turning the gossip mill into overdrive, or maybe hold off until they’ve actually got the goods? Let’s hear it!
Changes At Companies House 🔄
The rules of the game are changing, and not a moment too soon, we’re leading the parade! Thanks to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), we’re ushering in a golden age of corporate accountability. 🎉 What’s in it for you? Well, you get a beefed-up shield against the dark arts of financial crime and a VIP pass to the straight-and-narrow path of operating with integrity and trust. How quaint! 🛡️ Say adios to the days of PO box hide-and-seek. Hello to mandatory email for official chit-chats. And let’s all embrace a world where affirming your business isn’t up to no good is the new norm. 📧
The Tool Shed:
The Flowchart for Your Finances 📊
Stumbled upon this gem and, let’s be honest, it was too good to keep to ourselves! It’s a dazzling flowchart from the UK Personal Finance Wiki, tailor-made for anyone whose financial strategy currently resembles a game of pin the tail on the donkey. 🎯 Whether you’re braving the financial wilderness solo or clinging to the hand of a financial planner or regulated adviser like a life raft, this guide dishes out clear steps to follow. Because, let's face it, who doesn’t need a little hand-holding in this chaos we call financial planning?
Business Planning With Gemini 🌌
While Google Gemini isn’t exactly built to whip up a full-blown business plan from scratch (shocker, I know), it can still be a sneaky sidekick in your business planning adventures. Here’s the scoop on how to exploit—ahem, I mean, leverage—Gemini’s capabilities to their fullest. So, grab your notepads, folks, because while Gemini won’t do all the heavy lifting, it’s ready to sprinkle a little of its star-studded magic on your grand business schemes.
MICROSOFT'S VASA 1: TURNING PHOTOS INTO TALKING FACES 🗣️📸
So, Microsoft has rolled out Vasa 1, their latest AI trick that turns your plain old still photos into chattering faces. Yep, because what we all really needed was for our pictures to start talking back, right? This nifty little gadget is set to revolutionize the creepy quotient of digital images, making social media an even weirder place to hang out. Dive into how your cherished snapshots can now gab away, and maybe think twice about which photos you choose to animate—Grandma's birthday pics could get a whole lot more lively.
Personal Planning Corner:
Embrace Your Essence: Ten Soulful Steps to Elevate Your Kokoro and Enrich Your Life 🌟
Alright, team, it's time to jazz up that Kokoro (that’s heart/spirit for the novices), because clearly, just getting by isn’t enough anymore. Here are the top 10 tips to not just survive but absolutely thrive—holistically, because we’re fancy like that. We’re diving deep into enhancing your mental, emotional, and physical well-being to skyrocket your overall life quality. Strap in and prepare to transform those everyday blahs into a dazzling array of soulful fireworks. 🎆
High Net Worth Individuals Deserting Britain 🛫💼💰
In today’s gripping tale of "Rich People Problems," a recent survey unveils the staggering truth: over half of Britain's high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are plotting their escape 🌍. What's luring these affluent adventurers abroad? The sweet siren song of a cushier standard of living in retirement, of course. The big draws? Lower taxes and cheaper digs—because clearly, the local luxuries just aren’t cutting it 🏡💸. As they pack their Gucci bags and dust off their passports, it's clear: global mobility isn’t just for the birds anymore—it’s a rich person’s rite of passage.
The Voyant Report: I Think I Need Some Practical IFA Advice! 🧐💸
Well, look who’s suddenly interested in financial planning! After securing a permanent gig with a shiny pension plan and a salary that doesn’t make you wince, you’ve decided to dust off the retirement calculator as the big 6-0 approaches. Let’s dive into the thrilling world of retirement planning, shall we? It’s time to figure out just how golden your golden years can be—do you need a pot the size of a small fortune, or will a modest treasure chest suffice? Hang tight, we’re about to crunch some numbers and spill some truths. 📊👵
Events:
Partner Parade: Goal Mapper VOD🎉
Come one, come all, to our exclusive Partner Parade Meeting where we’ll unveil the marvel of modern financial wizardry—the Goal Mapper App. Ready to revolutionise your financial services with about as much effort as it takes to click a button? Of course you are. Prepare to boost client satisfaction to levels previously thought impossible by mere mortals! Here’s a sneak peek of what we’ve got lined up, all ready to stream on our VOD channel whenever you can drag yourself away from your usual binge-watching routine. 📱💥
Women’s Wealth Collaboration 🙄
We jumped headfirst into this partnership with the lofty idea that Women's Wealth was on the same page as us, embracing our CMA-regulated, non-intermediating financial planning ethos. But what did we find on the menu instead? A surprise serving of “let’s take on women with zero experience and turn them into advisers to reach CAS status,” complete with a side of mentorship toward FCA-regulated roles. Not exactly what we ordered, right? Oops! My bad if I sent you their way—looks like the fine print had more plot twists than a soap opera.
Re-Set, Re-Focus, Re-Energise 🔄💥
Feeling like a ship lost at sea in your financial planning career? Are you aimlessly wandering at a career crossroads, desperately seeking some sign pointing to 'Purpose' or 'Clarity'? Well, hold on to your calculators, because have we got the pep talk for you! Join Tony Fields, our former Chartered Financial Planner turned Jedi mindset master and growth guru, for the Katalyst Kick-Start 5 Day Mindset Challenge. Tony’s not just a member of the Academy of Life Planning—he’s an award-winning brain tamer ready to whip your professional ennui into shape. Get ready to turn that career frown upside down! 🎉🧠
Intangible Asset Strategies 🚀
Witness the seismic shift in our profession—it’s not just about tangible assets anymore, folks! Dive into the thrilling world of intangible assets, because guess what? You really need to know this stuff. Don’t take our word for it; just ask Paul Taylor, who's practically the poster child for turning the invisible into invaluable. Make sure you're in the know, or risk being left behind with your outdated ledgers and dusty balance sheets. This is the future—catch up or catch you later!
🍷🚪 That’s a wrap, folks! Hats off to today’s Town Hall heroes - you’ve survived another chapter of the Academy's infamous Friday Lunch Bunch saga. 🎬
You’re free to scatter, but oh, there’s a catch—homework (because of course there is). Follow the tantalizing trail of hyperlinks we’ve scattered like breadcrumbs. 📎
Consider this week’s gossip fest officially in the books. In the mood for a nostalgia trip? Take a peek at past pranks or claim your seat at our next gabfest (May 3rd, 2024, 12:00 PM London) for a masterclass in banter and belly laughs. 🎟️🕛
Curtain’s down on today's jabber! Until we meet again, keep those waffles aloft. 🧇
Cheerio,
Steve Conley
The Big Cheese, Academy of Life Planning
Email: steve.conley@aolp.co.uk
P.S. Well, buckle up, financial adventurers, and click on over to a riveting blog update from the Academy of Life Planning (AoLP), your self-proclaimed partner in the mystical art of transformational financial life planning. 🌟📚 Here, in this treasure trove of wisdom, they're not just doling out financial advice; they're transforming lives with the subtlety of a life coach armed with a spreadsheet. It's not just about money; it's about finding your inner financial peace in a world where peace usually comes with a price tag. So, dive deep into their latest post and find out how you too can turn your financial dreams into reality—or at least into a well-organized plan. Happy navigating! 🚀💼 Link to the enlightenment: Academy of Life Planning: Your Partner in Transformational Financial Life Planning
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Websites: Academy of Life Planning, Planning My Life, Financial Life Coach, Steve's Blog.
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