Intrepid Explorers
A clear, ethical pathway for Financial Planners building a future beyond product-led advice
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You don’t need to abandon your professionalism to change direction.
You need clarity, structure, and a safe on-ramp.
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This page is for Financial Planners who are asking a quiet but serious question:
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Could I build a viable planning business without being a regulated Financial Adviser — and still act with integrity, competence, and confidence?
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The Academy of Life Planning exists to help you answer that question properly before you commit.
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Your Journey — One Clear Step at a Time
Step 1 — Start with clarity
Book a Discovery Call (Zoom)
A one-hour conversation with Steve Conley to:
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Understand your background and goals
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Explore whether generic financial planning is right for you
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Identify the right pace for your transition
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👉 No pitch. No pressure. Just clarity.
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Step 2 — Choose your pace
12 weeks or 12 months — you decide
Some planners want time to reflect. Others want momentum.
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Move steadily while staying in your current role
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Or Fast-Track your setup with structured support
Fast Track includes:
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Membership
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Mentorship
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A defined 12-week launch pathway
👉 You can upgrade later if you’re unsure.
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​Step 3 — Decide how “done-for-you” you want tech to be
Cloned Tech Stack (optional)
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Choose whether you want:
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To build your own systems
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Or a white-label, ready-to-go e-commerce site, built and managed for you
If you choose the cloned stack:
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We build it
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We manage it initially
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You can take full control later
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👉 Your practice. Your choice.
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​Step 4 — Accelerate to first client
Elite Planner Accelerator (optional)
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If your aim is to secure your first client within 12 weeks, this programme provides:
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Accelerated accreditation
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A personalised tech stack
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Structured launch support
The cost is deliberately set around the fee you would charge your first client couple — making it a commercially sound decision, not a gamble.
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A Dedicated Pathway for Advisers in Restricted or Contractual Models
If you are a current or former adviser operating within a large, restricted, or vertically integrated firm — and still carry contractual, financial, or timing obligations — a tailored transition route may be available.
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This pathway is designed to help you:
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explore compliant options
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move at a pace that protects your livelihood
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plan your next step without pressure or exposure
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Not sure if this path is viable for you?
Take the 4-Minute Financial Planner Capability Test — Free
Discover whether you could:
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Practise as a Financial Planner without being a Financial Adviser
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Build a sustainable, ethical business outside product dependency
You’ll receive a personalised report straight to your inbox.
Ongoing Membership & Mentorship
Professional support without institutional control
Our Membership is designed to support competent professionals operating responsibly outside product-led models.
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What’s included
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Regular mentorship sessions (usually every 4 weeks, Zoom)
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Structured learning in the GAME Plan™
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Weekly Town Halls
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Resource library (tools, templates, frameworks)
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Email support
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Peer mentorship with experienced planners
Optional tools (included periods may apply)
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Lifetime cashflow planning software
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Financial education content libraries
This is self-regulation through professionalism, not box-ticking.
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Martyn Green
"The Academy is actively helping financial planners and consumers to become not only financially abundant, but abundant in all areas of their lives."
Gary Arthurs
"The Academy provides great support to those progressive minded financial advisers who look to put the needs and desires of their Clients at the heart of their service offering."
George Agan
"The Academy's coaching and GAME Plan process has been extremely helpful in clarifying my goals as a Financial Planner."
"When I first encountered Steve Conley and his comprehensive web content, I decided to schedule a one-on-one meeting with him to better understand how his model could enhance my business. I sought a system that would cultivate a recurring revenue stream and sustainable fees, serving both my existing clients and newcomers, without compromising ethics, facilitating regulated products, and aligning with FCA regulations.
Steve Conley's innovative approach to non-regulated financial planning served as the foundation for the creation of Kenwell, a comprehensive financial planning service that caters to both regulated and non-regulated solution-seekers.
The future of financial planning is here, and in my view, it aligns with the forthcoming directions of the FCA. Steve's business model, collateral, and unwavering integrity offer a viable alternative for regulated IFAs seeking an exit strategy from the regulated space. This transition not only secures financial stability but also retains their client base and skill set.
His model and the tools and collateral it includes equip IFAs with the means to augment their earnings and broaden the choices and options available to existing clients. This new model alleviates the burdens of costs and regulated administrative tasks, bureaucratic hurdles, and associated liabilities."
John Kenny-Levick, Kenwell FLP, May 2023.
Why Planners Join the Academy
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Stay current without regulatory overload
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Build competence in planning, coaching, and business design
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Demonstrate commitment to ethical, client-first practice
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Create sustainable, repeatable income without selling products
You’re not leaving the profession.
You’re helping shape its next chapter.