Back to the Future (of Advice)
In conversation with John White & Mike Toole
No DeLorean. No flux capacitor. But in this episode, James is joined by John White and Mike Toole to explore a genuinely interesting question: what does the future of financial planning actually look like?
And, somewhat ironically, the answer might feel familiar.
Rather than consolidation cycles, efficiency drives or purely transactional relationships, the conversation looks toward a future that resembles the best parts of advice’s past — where judgement, empathy and trust sit at the centre of client relationships, supported (not replaced) by technology.
John and Mike share their thinking behind building a firm from scratch with quality and character at its core, alongside a view of how AI and automation are reshaping the technical side of planning while leaving the human side more important than ever.
In this episode, they discuss:
- What the “future” of financial advice may actually look like
- Why the human elements of advice are becoming more valuable, not less
- Building firms around character, culture and long-term quality
- AI’s role in reducing technical and administrative load
- Judgement, empathy and trust as competitive advantages
- Moving away from transactional throughput toward meaningful relationships
Ultimately, this episode offers a forward-looking yet grounded perspective on where the profession is heading — and why the future of advice may be less about reinvention and more about rediscovery.
If you’re a Financial Planner, Adviser or leader within an advice firm, this episode is for you.
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