May 2025
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Who Really Knows You Anymore?
AI is making waves, and yes, it’s going to change many things. I believe our profession will be one of the least disrupted. Why? Because at its heart, financial advice is about people, and no machine can ever replace the human connection we provide.
Life is getting a lot busier. For me, it’s kids’ parties, GP visits, dentist appointments, you name it. I barely know the professionals I interact with anymore. But my clients? They have me on speed dial. When they call, I’m right there in their world. That’s the luxury AI can’t replicate.
Yes, investment management costs are dropping, and platform fees are shrinking. But here’s the truth: when your financial future is on the line, you want a real person who understands your life, your goals, and your family. AI can’t do that. It can crunch numbers, streamline everything, but it can’t build human trust.
Take my accountant, for example. Not in a million years will I stop using him because AI might be able to do his job better than he can. He knows me. We have a real connection. He’s invested in my success, and his value to me is priceless. A machine could never replace that personal insight, that understanding of my unique situation. The frantic issues he’s addressed for me.
We live in a world full of bureaucracy, automated messages, and digital bots. In the midst of that, picking up the phone to speak with someone who genuinely cares about your financial future is rare, and it’s invaluable.
DIY investors might save a few pennies by cutting out the adviser, but they could cost themselves pounds by missing out on expert advice that would be tailored to them. Clients who work with a professional? They fly. They have access to years of experience, personalised guidance, and, importantly, someone who knows them. That’s the difference. We know all of our clients.
AI (and all advances in technology) will always have a place and I’m excited about its disruption, but it will never replace the trust and understanding we offer. The future of financial advice will be rooted in relationships, not algorithms. It’s not just about numbers, it’s about knowing the person behind the portfolio.
Here’s to the humans, and to the bionic adviser who uses technology to enhance that connection, not replace it.
In the end, human connection will be the ultimate luxury.
📰 Articles & Blogs
6 Questions To Find The "Why" And Set Better Financial Goals [23 minutes]. Transforming financial planning from a mundane checklist into an inspiring journey.
How Will You Measure Your Life? [9 minutes]. How the principles of management can guide your personal decisions and relationships.
How to Retain Clients [4 minutes]. Clients remain with their financial advisors for emotional reasons, such as comfort and trust, rather than solely for financial performance or returns.
How Life Changes Affect Client Behaviour [10 minutes]. The critical role financial planners play in navigating these emotional transitions.
One Adviser's Annual Renewal Meeting Process [8 minutes]. What's your process?
A Few Questions [2 minutes]. A list of questions for self-reflection.
🎧 Podcasts
TRAP 71 - TRAP LIVE25! [102 minutes]. The TRAP pack host their second live event.
Finding Repeatable Conversations To Explain Complex Concepts More Understandably To Clients [36 minutes]. Strategies for breaking down complex ideas into clear, simple explanations that clients can easily grasp.
📚 Book Recommendations
Tower of Basel: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World by Adam LeBor. A history of the world's most secretive global financial institution.
Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading and Public Speaking by Mehdi Hasan. A practical guide to debate, persuasion and public speaking.
🍿 Videos
👏 Encore
Four Contact Points That Make Or Break Your Service [4 minutes]
3 Marketing Tips for Advisors Starting Their Own Firm [3 minutes]
As AI notetaking booms, what guardrails are being put in place? [3 minutes]
Worthless noise isn’t information [1 minute]
