Why I Know Financial Recovery Is Possible—Because I’ve Lived It
Steve Conley
Founder of the Academy of Life Planning & Planning My Life | Championing Values-Driven Financial Planning | Mentor to Independent Planners | Author and Advocate for Meaningful Change
Why I Know Financial Recovery Is Possible—Because I’ve Lived It
I know what it means to lose everything—not once, but twice.
For decades, I led pension strategies for the largest financial institutions in Britain. I understood financial security inside out—on paper. But life has a way of tearing up even the best-laid plans. Through two divorces, I lost half my savings each time. Then, when I left the banks to build my own future, I had to withdraw from my pension to fund the start up—only to give half to the taxman.
The irony? I had spent my career designing retirement plans for insurance companies and banks, yet I found myself with no pension at all.
For many, a loss like this would have been devastating. And for a while, it was. But then I realised something the financial industry never talks about—human capital is the greatest asset of all.
The Asset No One Talks About
The financial system trains us to measure wealth in pounds and pensions. But that’s not the full picture. Real wealth isn’t just financial capital—it’s your ability to create, earn, and rebuild. Human capital is the foundation of financial independence.
When I lost my savings, I still had my skills, experience, and passion. That’s what I used to build a new future. Instead of chasing traditional financial security, I designed work I love—work that doesn’t feel like work, that I never want to retire from. And as I built that, I secured my long-term future by creating passive income streams that would provide for me and my new wife for life.
This wasn’t about luck. It was about shifting the strategy—moving from dependence on financial capital to harnessing human capital.
Why This Matters for Scam Victims
Scam victims face devastating loss—financially and emotionally. But the financial industry won’t tell them what I discovered: they are not out of options. The system doesn’t talk about human capital because it doesn’t sell products. Governments ignore it because it doesn’t fit their growth agenda. But the truth is, even after massive financial loss, you are not finished.
What remains is your ability to rebuild. To take control. To design a future that aligns with your talents, passions, and strengths.
This is why I do what I do. Because I’ve lived this. I know that even after losing almost everything, it is possible not just to recover, but to thrive. And I want every person who has suffered financial devastation to know—you are not powerless.
You can rebuild. And we’re here to help you do it.
#FinancialEmpowerment #HumanCapital #HolisticWealth #MPOWER #TakeControl
Financial Life Planner, Educator and Coach.
1 天前Steve well done for being so candid. Some years ago to help people understand their own value as an asset I started to use an approach which was entirely different to the way I was taught 30 odd years ago when I struck out selling life insurance. Put simply, I have clients take their current gross earned income and depending upon their age ask them to divide the result in a range from 2.5% -4% and multiply by 100. This being the approximate value they have as a capital asset. The result is sometimes extraordinary, from a huge bounce in their step to the client reviewing life (using our other tools) which has frequently resulted in career change and often a significant increase in earnings. We tend to obsess about money and fail to understand what we need it for, it is a tool. When someone goes out to buy a spade, it is rare they actually want a spade, what they desire is a hole. Income is the fuel for a lifestyle. It is of no consequence if that is derived from earnings or capital. Whilst we may one day be obliged to move from earning to using capital only and must create a plan to achieve this we must first start with ourselves.
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1 天前Great post, living it means you can provide a true authentic perspective. If you haven't done it, it's nigh on impossible to teach it.
Managing Director at Money Honey Financial Planning- Chartered Financial Planner, FPFS, ACII (Cert ER & MR) Chair Consumer Duty Cross Border Alliance
1 天前Ability to earn is often underrated so agree whole-heartedly- get back up from the knock-down and start earning again and learn to rely on you and not others for your financial stability.