You made it! I made it too. It was a pretty close run thing at times, but here we are, ready for…well, I’m not very sure what, to be honest. Usually at the start of a fresh year of Updates I make some crack about being one small but significant step closer to the end of civilisation, or the heat death of the Universe, or something like that, and then get on with things. It strikes me that this year such a crack might be even less chortlesome than normal, and that’s going some.
Anyway. I’m sure it will all be fine. All I’ll say is that 2026? You’ve got a bit of work to do.
It’s only the 7th of January when this will go out, absent the Rapture/civilisation collapse/heat death etc, and nothing much has happened yet, as the arteries of the industry still remain furred by rich food and fine drink funded by the portfolios of the unwary. Torpor is built in; even the loonies can’t be bothered moaning about the regulator yet.
I think we’ll have to wait for next week for the free radicals of, dunno, commerce or whatever, to de-fuzz the carotid of the…ach, fill in your own metaphors. I haven’t got the energy.
So we’ll get back to normal service next week, but for now please allow me just to be nowhere near the first to welcome you to 2026, and I hope it is full of good things and devoid of bad ones.
Before I leave you, as ever vaguely unsatisfied, may I just shill briefly for our London event early next month? No? Tant pis. I’m doing it anyway.
At our Glasgow event last year, we achieved a first with our Financial Planning: LIVE session. Two of Scotland’s most progressive planners met a client and had no idea in advance what that client had in store for them. From that standing start our intrepid duo needed to do discovery, goal setting, cashflow, and more.
The client was a professional actor, briefed in advance on three personas; the audience voted for which one they should adopt, and the whole thing was an improvisation from start to finish.
It was a revelation; incredibly hard work for the planners but amazing for the audience, especially for those who didn’t really know what happens in a planning meeting. And for those that did, a chance to see someone else’s craft in action.
Following rave reviews, we are resurrecting Financial Planning: LIVE for London. A new actor has been booked, new client scenarios will be in play and the baton has been passed from the amazing Jenny and Nicola Ellis of Wellington Wealth to Kate Shaw and Rebecca Tuck from Financial Life Planning. This is pleasing not only because Kate and Rebecca are great, but also because we maintain a 100% Celt record for this session. Reivers from the North, reivers from the West, meet in London and cause mayhem! Or at least ensure that everyone has a very enjoyable day in a responsible fashion! Stuff like that.
Anyway, this is just one thing that’s happening at the event. So let’s talk tickets. We have free tickets available for people who work in advice businesses and who are actually part of, you know, giving advice. So BDMs from product providers who also happen to own an advice firm don’t count. Yes, we see you. We also have free tickets for students, young ‘uns and those considering a future in the profession. All of these free tickets are available via this link.
If you don’t qualify for a freebie, you can’t get a ticket just now cos we’ve sold out. So there. But there is a waitlist and there are always, always dropouts, so there’s an excellent chance that you’ll still get in.
Not long to go – if you do fancy it, and you should, then get on it now. NOW.
Your first music choice of 2026 is one which came high up the Album of the Year list for 2025. It’s an unbelievably good piece of music, I think, and I hope you love it as much as I do. Please enjoy The Dress by Messa. The titular dress apparently is a nice blue velvet one, but you may substitute your own preference.
Oh, and at the urging of exactly one person (hi!) I’m creating a Spotify playlist of the TCWU song choices. I’ll obviously add to it as the year progresses, and if I can be bothered I’ll do one retrospectively for last year. I don’t know why. I also don’t really want to use Spotify because of, you know, AI slop, and artist exploitation and Daniel Ek’s investment preferences, but nonetheless I’m told it’s easier for most of you, so hey ho. Principles, eh?
