On a late train home recently, I noted two young people working through different algorithms for solving Rubik’s Cubes and smiled, as I noted how much had changed over time.
The Cube was invented in 1974 and became a global craze in the 1980s with sales of over 200 million. It’s fair to say that its popularity tailed off (but didn’t disappear) until recent years.
I was given a new one (this time an original) for my birthday last year and set about trying to solve it as quickly I did in the 80s. The standard method then was the “layer by layer” approach which worked for me but took me a while to get there. Once I mastered it, I could solve the Cube in less than 1 minute and 50 seconds. Generally, really fast times were considered to be under 1 minute and the world record was around 22 seconds.
2026 is all about solving the Rubik’s Cube using algorithms, as once these are mastered, humans can routinely solve the cube in sub 4 seconds. Interestingly, an AI robot recently solved it in 0.4. Although this is all super impressive, for me the 80s solution was all about the joy of solving – whereas today it is all about optimising how fast it can be solved.
I feel the same can be said about wealth management. The joy of delivering true wealth management and the freedom it gives clients is not built on algorithms. It is built around people. That’s not to say that we don’t use technology a great deal to create more efficiency and improve delivery – it just isn’t the focus.
Over many years of working with families, one truth has become unmistakable, wealth is rarely about money alone. For some, it’s absolutely about accumulation but for others, it’s about lifestyle, personal goals, security, identity, family, hope, emotion, responsibility and legacy. These things cannot be reduced to code.
The Rubik’s Cube and wealth management
Wealth management could be compared to solving a Rubik’s Cube. At first glance, it looks like a puzzle of colours, an investment problem to be solved. But anyone who understands the Cube knows you cannot simply twist randomly. Every movement affects another side; progress requires patience and sequence.
Values influence structure.
Structure influences tax.
Tax influences cash flow.
Cash flow influences investment capacity.
Investment outcomes influence legacy.
Layer by layer, the picture begins to align. Many attempt to replicate this journey through algorithms – efficient, scalable, data driven systems and platforms. But algorithms optimise inputs.
They do not understand grief when a parent passes.
They do not know how to navigate sibling tension.
They do not recalibrate goals when a child struggles.
They do not sit with a couple deciding whether to step back from work earlier than planned.
When we break our wealth management processes down layer by layer, what do we see?
Layer by layer
Layer 1 – discovery is not data collection, it’s listening.
The beginning of true wealth management is not about a portfolio or tax planning recommendation. It’s about conversation, sitting next to you and asking:
- What matters most to you?
- What does financial freedom really feel like?
- What keeps you awake at night?
- What do you want your children to understand about money — and about life?
- If you only had 5 years, what would you do differently?
Often, these are questions clients have never been asked before. Wealth is not just about the person in isolation. Intergenerational conflict, unspoken expectations, fear of creating entitlement, anxiety about inheritance – these are deeply human dynamics. They require patience, empathy and trust. No algorithm can sit with a family and gently navigate a difficult conversation between generations. No model can yet sense hesitation in a voice.
True advice begins with understanding the emotional architecture of wealth, not just the financial one.
Layer 2 – building structures that protect what you love
Once values are clear, we turn to structure. That includes:
- Organisation
- Tax efficiency
- Trusts and Estate planning
- Asset protection
- Contingency planning
But even here, the motivation is not optimisation for its own sake. It’s about creating a family business plan, one that is tailored to you and can be adapted at any time to suit the shifting sands of life and the world in general. At this point we also try to understand:
Protection of a spouse if something unexpected occurs.
Protection of children from future disputes.
Protection of family wealth from erosion.
Structure without purpose is complexity. Structure aligned to your values is stewardship – and this requires coordination lawyers, accountants and other specialists all working together around a unified vision. Someone must sit at the centre of that circle, ensuring that every professional voice serves the family’s broader intent. That should be a wealth manager. That role cannot be outsourced to software.
Layer 3 – the investment layer, simple by design
Ironically, once the deeper layers are aligned the investment piece becomes the most straightforward (unlike the Cube itself). Many will convince you of the great complexities of investing, but we favour simplicity:
- Low-cost, well-diversified portfolios
- Broad exposure to global markets
- Capturing market returns rather than chasing them
- Incorporating persistent risk factors
- Using fixed interest thoughtfully to moderate volatility
The objective is not to outperform headlines. It is to deliver the return required to fulfil the life plan with discipline, efficiency and clarity. To obtain this simplicity, expert teams work behind the scenes to ensure good outcomes.
Investment is the final layer. It is the tool, not the heart.
Protecting the integrity of the finished Cube year after year
Here is where the analogy evolves. Once solved, a Rubik’s Cube stays solved.
True wealth management is not about solving a puzzle once. In some cases, it may remain ever-changing. Being a financial planner means continually helping families navigate change with calmness and control. It means being present when decisions carry emotional weight. It is about guiding, not selling. It is about stewardship across decades, not transactions across quarters.
In today’s world, clients are surrounded by persuasion. Banks promoting structured opportunities and investment houses marketing performance. Friends sharing tips. Media amplifying fear and greed.
Much of it is well meaning, much of it is commercial. Part of being a truly trusted adviser is standing quietly but firmly in your client’s corner, filtering noise, slowing decisions and protecting discipline.
Sometimes the greatest value is not what we add, but what we prevent. The deviation from a carefully considered, values-based plan is often far more damaging than market volatility.
In a world increasingly driven by automation and scale, the greatest luxury may well be thoughtful, human advice. Advice that listens, protects and adapts.
Because wealth, at its core, is not numerical. It is deeply personal and guides families through their journey. Through every twist of their financial Rubik’s Cube is a responsibility that deserves more than an algorithm.
It deserves care.
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