A New Kind of Financial Planning Conference: Values-Led, Insightful, Alive
This is my second year attending Goodstock. Goodstock is described as ‘The bigger than ever conference for Financial Planners’ who are passionate about investing for good.
A terrible client-financial planner interaction
From the moment I arrived, the conference felt open, welcoming, and genuinely human. The speakers didn’t just talk at us—they started real conversations, inviting the audience in. The sessions were grounded in topics that matter to financial planners today: climate change, values-led investing, and stewardship.
After a full day of deep and sometimes heavy discussions, the finale brought a burst of much-needed humour. A skit cleverly turned a serious topic—listening to clients who want to invest sustainably—into shared laughter. It showed a “terrible” meeting between a client and a financial planner, where the planner did all the talking, ignored the client’s values, and missed the point completely. Painfully funny because, in truth, we’ve all seen versions of that happen.
Then came my favourite part: the hosts asked us to discuss the skit at our tables. In minutes, the room shifted from quiet listening to lively conversation. People were laughing, swapping stories, and sharing ideas. My needs for humour, play, and connection were completely met.
And—on a personal note—I also had the joy (and nerves!) of moderating my first-ever panel on “Values in Financial Planning and the Investment Process.” The feedback afterwards was so kind and encouraging—thank you to everyone who came up to chat. I tried to involve the audience as much as possible and to spark genuine debate, which isn’t always easy with a topic as nuanced as values and investing.
I’ve already put in a suggestion for next year’s panel—something that might open up the conversation even more.
Six things I learnt from Goodstock 2025
I wrote a blog about six things I learnt from Goodstock 2025, which was published on Parmenion’s website. As you may know, I am a member of Parmenion’s Ethical Oversight Committee. You can read the blog here.