The failure of Financial Planning and Life Planning to command the advice sector in the way the iPhone has dominated the mobile phone market is explored in a new book by George Kinder.
Mr Kinder, the founder of Life Planning, is penning ‘Model Integrity, Deliver Freedom’. It examines the lack of trust consumers have shown in financial advisers.

He discusses his proposal for a “new economics that focuses on personal freedom”.

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Mr Kinder believes good Life Planning and Financial Planning is “an eye-opening, inspiring and exhilarating process” that delivers freedom for clients.

He said: “It is so blindingly obvious and brilliant a proposition, how come it hasn't landed with the force of an iPhone and commanded the market?

“In looking at that question, of course, one has to look at all the big brands and product companies that claim to give ‘advice’.

“Their ‘advice’ has been overwhelmingly directed at sales, not advice at all, but those companies dominate the market. They also dominate the media, they have the greatest influence in politics, and contribute highly to the political campaigns of our leaders.

“What would happen if the ethos of all the major societal forces - I'm taking the seven of advice, products, markets, entrepreneurial spirit (which is the freedom we deliver in Life Planning), media, democracy and leaders) was to model integrity and deliver freedom?”

He added: “I've realised that what I'm proposing is a new economics that focuses on personal freedom.”

Mr Kinder said: “The book's starting premise is in financial services, and has come out of my personal experience in Financial Planning, but also in my experience with planners from 30 countries.

“A significant section of the book is about the lack of trust consumers have in financial advisers. This issue came forward for me as I addressed the question why financial planners weren't commanding the market.

“At that point it was clear that the problem was systemic when one saw how both politicians and financial advisers had equally low trust values in society.

“Not only was it systemic, but critical to the sustainability of both democracy and capitalism that we address those low trust values.”

The book is currently slated for an early 2016 release.