In this episode of Financial Planner Life, host Sam Oakes sits down with Andrew Spence, Co-Founder of Aspen, to challenge the industry’s most controversial questions - what we call the Marmite topics of financial planning.

Aspen was born out of something deeper than disruption. After a personal health crisis led Andrew to reflect on the impact of his work, he decided to build a model portfolio service that put purpose, clarity & client outcomes first.

Now, he’s leading the charge on topics that divide financial services professionals daily.

🚨 Here’s what we cover:

• Is evidence-based investing just clever branding - or genuinely better for clients?
• Why most risk profiling tools are broken & unhelpful
• Should financial planners choose sides in the active vs passive debate?
• The rise of Bitcoin, the return of gold, & the role of private equity in portfolios
• How Aspen uses tech that actually works for financial planners & their clients
• Why first-principles thinking beats copy-paste product design

Andrew shares why financial planners need to stop overcomplicating things & start designing investment experiences that genuinely serve the people behind the portfolios.

This is a must-watch for:
✔️ Financial planners seeking clarity in the chaos
✔️ Firms looking to improve their MPS offering
✔️ Advisers questioning the one-size-fits-all model
✔️ Anyone ready to rethink what investment management should look like

📩 Learn more about Aspen or book a discovery session.
🔗 Follow Sam Oakes & Financial Planner Life on LinkedIn

00:00 - Intro: From engineering to investment management

00:34 - Andrew's early career & first role in wealth management

02:45 - A personal health crisis & the search for purpose

04:44 - Is finance a noble profession?

05:39 - Why start an MPS business in a saturated market?

08:06 - How engineering logic shaped Aspen's investment approach

09:33 - Building intuitive tech for financial planners

11:05 - Starting from scratch: Aspen’s early days & growth

13:28 - Early supporters & the power of trust in MPS

14:41 - Social proof & buying decisions in financial planning

16:17 - Could AI avatars replace financial advisers?

18:21 - Active vs Passive - is the debate pointless?

22:34 - Is evidence-based investing just marketing?

25:16 - Why risk profiling is broken

29:01 - Should Bitcoin or gold be in portfolios?

32:44 - Is private equity too complex for clients?

34:43 - Andrew’s approach to LinkedIn & thought leadership

37:04 - Sam’s take: Building trust & visibility on LinkedIn

41:04 - Why YouTube is a goldmine for financial planners

42:37 - Sam’s full breakdown of a video-first marketing setup

45:19 - Turning content into conversations & conversions

46:32 - Engagement matters: Don’t post & ghost

48:24 - What’s next for wealth management & MPS?

50:01 - Final reflections & how to connect with Aspen

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