If anyone would like to join us today for this month's monthly recording of The Phil² Sessions - the new marketing podcast for financial advisers with Phil Bray of The Yardstick Agency and myself, you can register here. 10.30 am prompt. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/AbUPOLGIRhmvFnYc3C_mnw

I came across this recent BBC article about a couple who achieved financial independence through years of disciplined saving, investing and living well below their means. You may have seen it. Whether you agree with every aspect of their approach isn't really the point. I noticed that some of the reactions from financial planners have been quite sceptical, pointing out the risks, the missing context and the limitations. Those are all fair observations. But I wonder if we're looking at this from the wrong angle. Thousands of people read articles like this because they're interested in becoming better with money. They want ideas, education, motivation and practical guidance. Many aren't looking for regulated financial advice, at least not yet. To me, that's where the opportunity lies. If you're a financial adviser thinking about creating new income streams, this is exactly the sort of demand worth paying attention to. Could you create an educational course? A workshop? A membership? A workbook? A community? A book? A programme that helps people build better money habits? None of these replace regulated advice. In fact, they can educate, build trust and introduce people to financial planning long before they're ready to become clients. Sometimes the biggest opportunity isn't hidden in the article itself, it's hidden in the fact that so many people wanted to read it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgdn3qqg7po