Adviser 3.0: The Podcast

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.