The triple lock is costing us 7% of GDP by 2070. Advisers are overpaid, or are they? And your money personality was probably set before you turned 10.

In this episode of SoapBox, Matt Pitcher and Abraham Okusanya are joined by Sarah Roughsedge, founder of Eva Wealth and author of Smart Money, Strong Women, for a wide-ranging conversation that pulls no punches.

They dig into the Tony Blair Institute's radical proposal to scrap the state pension as we know it, replacing it with a flexible Lifespan Fund, and whether that is bold policy or political fantasy. Then the debate turns closer to home: are financial advisers actually overpaid? Matt and Abraham put themselves in the dock, and the answer is more nuanced than you might expect. From Ferrari-driving advisers to the growing wave of breakaway firms leaving the big consolidators, this one gets spicy.

Sarah then walks us through the ideas behind her book, five money archetypes that shape how we think, feel, and act around money, and why understanding yours might be the most important financial move you ever make.

We close with a bright note from Abraham: UK investors are finally coming back to the equity markets after the longest selling streak Calastone has ever recorded.

Topics covered:

• The triple lock, the Lifespan Fund and the fairness problem with state pension
• Are advisers worth £100k a year?
• Breakaway firms and the entrepreneurial case for going independent
• Smart Money, Strong Women: the 5 money archetypes and why they matter
• UK investors return to equities

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.

Ed Dymott, CEO of Benchmark Capital, joins Abraham Okusanya to challenge the logic behind a decade of advice firm consolidation.

The old playbook of buying IFA practices cheap and selling the whole thing at a premium was never as clever as it looked, and the cracks are showing. Ed and Abraham dig into the breakaway adviser trend, why planners are leaving consolidators and private banks alike to build their own businesses, the role of AI as a copilot rather than a replacement, and what the profession looks like when it finally grows up and sits alongside law and accountancy. A candid, wide-ranging conversation with one of the most influential operators in UK financial planning infrastructure.

What does it mean to own "the whole market" when parts of it make you uncomfortable? Dominic Thomas, founder and principal of Solomon's IFA, joins Abraham to challenge some of the orthodoxies of financial planning. A fee-based adviser since 1999 -- more than a decade before RDR made it fashionable -- Dominic has built a tight, intentional family firm in Cobham with ethics and relationships at its core.

In this conversation, Dominic and Abraham go head to head on index investing and capital concentration, the discomfort of owning companies you disagree with, wealth inequality and whether capitalism is working, US political dominance and what it means for portfolio allocation, the role of AI in advice, and how to help clients define "enough."

Honest, wide-ranging and genuinely provocative.

What if retirement is not the reward you think it is?

In this episode, Dan Haylett joins the show to challenge one of the biggest assumptions in financial planning. That retirement is a destination. A number. A finish line.

Drawing on his work with clients and insights from his book, Dan explains why so many people reach retirement only to feel lost, lacking purpose, and unsure what comes next.

This conversation goes beyond money. It explores identity, structure, meaning, and the real role of financial planners in helping clients navigate the second half of life.

If you work in financial advice or are planning your own future, this episode will change how you think about retirement.

We cover:

• Why retirement is often a letdown after years of planning
• The problem with focusing only on “the number”
• Why retirement is a human problem, not a maths problem
• How to help clients find purpose beyond work
• The future of financial planning and why it must evolve

Connect with Dan: https://www.humansvsretirement.com/

Matt Pitcher and Abraham Okusanya are back on the Soapbox with no guest, no filter, just two advisers getting into the numbers that matter.

This episode they dig into the Dimson, Marsh & Staunton Global Investment Returns Yearbook 2026 and the Bessembinder paper, and the findings are uncomfortable. In 1900, railroads made up 63% of the US market. Today, less than 1%. Yet they still outperformed. 59% of individual stocks will lose you money over their lifetime. The median stock return is negative. And yet the market has created $91 trillion of wealth. The case for buying the haystack has never been stronger or more ignored.

Then Matt takes on the great wealth destroyers: active managers quietly costing clients half a million pounds, lifestyling in pension schemes that should have died with the annuity era, risk profiling tools nudging clients into less equity than they need, and the £2.2 trillion sitting dead in UK bank accounts shrinking in real terms while advisers watch on.

Blunt, data-heavy, and genuinely useful for any adviser who wants the arguments and the evidence in one place.

Resources mentioned:

• Bessembinder Paper: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6438198DMS Yearbook 2026 Summary: https://www.ubs.com/global/en/investment-bank/insights-and-data/articles/global-investment-returns-yearbook-2026.html
• FCA Trail Commission Review: https://citywire.com/new-model-adviser/news/fca-to-review-674m-adviser-trail-commissions/a2486582

📩 Review and screenshot it to Abraham on LinkedIn for a free copy of Nick Murray's This Time Is Different

Chris Palmer’s career didn’t start in financial services, and it nearly didn’t happen at all.

From the Navy to banking during the financial crisis, Chris worked his way into financial advice before making a move that would define his career: buying into the firm he joined.

In this episode, Chris shares his journey from employee to owner, the realities of equity and progression, and what it takes to build a business that lasts.

We also explore the challenges facing independent firms today, the pressure of regulation, and why true independence still matters in financial advice.

A must-listen for advisers thinking about ownership, succession and long-term career progression.

In this episode, we’re joined by Brian Hill, founder of Pathfinders and author of Everyone Exits: You’re Either Bought Out, Pushed Out, or Wheeled Out®

Brian shares what really happens when financial planning firms go to market and why many advisers are not prepared to sell. We explore valuation, buyer behaviour, and the most common mistakes that reduce deal value.

The conversation covers the gap between confidence and competence, the impact of unprofitable client segments, and why exit planning should start far earlier than most firms expect.

A must-listen for advisers thinking about succession, growth, or selling their business.

In this episode, David Gibson, Managing Director of Gibson Financial Planning, joins the podcast to discuss how mindset, values and purpose influence the growth of a financial planning business.

David shares how his firm evolved from a transactional advice model to a relationship-led financial planning practice built around long-term client work. Today the majority of the firm’s revenue comes from existing clients and ongoing relationships.

The conversation explores the self-limiting beliefs that often hold advisers back, particularly the fear that growing a business means sacrificing lifestyle, family or personal wellbeing.

David explains how confronting those beliefs reshaped his thinking and reignited his ambition for the firm.

We also dive into one of the most challenging aspects of advice: helping clients move from saving and accumulating wealth to actually enjoying it.

For advisers thinking about growth, impact and what financial planning is really about, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on the role mindset plays in building both a successful firm and a meaningful career.

You Built It. Can You Afford to Sell It?

In Episode 126, Louise Jeffreys joins the show to discuss M&A, valuations and the market forces reshaping financial planning.

We explore what firms are actually selling for, how buyers assess value, and why succession should begin years before an exit is agreed. Louise explains the difference between buy-side and sell-side models, the role of private equity in consolidation, and the importance of cultural fit over headline price.

We also discuss the emotional side of selling, the risks that derail transactions, and what the next phase of the advice profession may look like.

If you are building a firm today, this is a conversation about the future.

Financial Advice at the AI Crossroads: Empathy, Expertise, and Human Touch in the Agentic Era

In this episode of Soapbox, Matt, Abraham and Philippa Hann explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in financial services.

They examine whether AI challenges the empathy advantage of human advisers, the potential risks to entry-level roles, and the importance of protecting new professionals from scams. The discussion also addresses the debate around qualification standards and the persistent myth of market concentration risk.

A thoughtful conversation about how the profession adapts to technological change without compromising trust, competence and human judgement.