I’m so excited to bring you the first feature in my Client Spotlight series, where I showcase my amazing high-achieving clients and show you how they’re incorporating spirituality into their lives, personally and professionally.
This week we’re featuring Daniel, a high-achieving financial services professional. Over the last two years, he’s really leaned into spirit-driven leading and living and is experiencing the benefit across many aspects of his life.
And what better way to hear about Daniel’s experience than to read his responses, in his own words, to my questions.
Seeing my clients thrive is what lights me up.
Enjoy!
Please provide some background on who you are and what you do:
Professionally I founded and manage a national Registered Investment Advisory firm. We are celebrating our 10th year in business this year, and I have been in the business for nearly 30 years. Personally I have been married for more than 20 years and am raising four school age children. Additionally, I serve on two charity boards and am president of our homeowners association. I enjoy traveling, playing tennis, skiing, and hiking.
What does spirituality mean to you?
To me spirituality means that the things we say and do influence people around us and are passed to them. We all are influenced by those around us especially family relations and previous generations pass those influences down and our generation continues that down to the next generation. The impact one has on another can be large or small but every contact has an impact on those involved.
How does spirituality relate to authenticity?
It is important to be authentic in our actions and communications because that is how we impact those around us. If we present ourselves to others in any other way, then that is what is being shared and the wrong lessons may be passed.
In what ways has embracing your spirituality impacted your life?
Having four children I always am thinking of how the interactions I have with my children will change them and future generations. I know much of who I am today came from my upbringing but am always trying to learn and improve myself and am doing my best to share what I learn to my family and those around me.
How has spirituality fueled your business success?
Just as I strive to improve the lives of my children with an eye on the future generations, I try to develop a similar relationship with my clients and encourage them to think not just about their finances today but how it will impact their children. A big contributor to my success has been my efforts to help my clients develop their estate plan and for many clients help transition assets from one generation to the next and more often than not, retain the relation to the next generation.
In what ways does living in your authentic truth influence the way you lead others?
By living authentically, I can very easily speak and communicate with staff, clients, or others because I believe in the message I share. I don’t need to customize every meeting and interaction because the message and vision is authentic.
Please share one example where you’ve shifted out of fear and into faith:
Working in the financial markets which have experienced extreme volatility at times, I have always stuck to my faith that over the long-term the markets will adjust to whatever challenge is being faced and long-term results justify remaining invested. The most severe corrections in the markets occurred starting in 2000 and 2008 when the markets dropped around 50%. Not only did I face my personal savings drop significantly during those times but my business revenue sank too so I was confronted in multiple ways with fear but stuck to my faith and in time things have always worked out and business has grown each time we have been through challenging times including last year’s difficult market environment.
As a result of embarking on your spiritual journey, what do you notice more of in your life, and what do you notice less of?
I notice the negative influences in my life more and am working toward reducing them especially when those same negative influences impact my children. I notice that I feel less stress when confronting those same negative influences as I am more confident that they can be mitigated or eliminated.
What is one piece of spiritual wisdom that you’d like to share with other business leaders?
It is important to maintain a long-term vision for success but always keep an eye out for opportunities and alter your plan along the way to take advantage of those opportunities.
Thank you Dan! I so appreciate your willingness to share your experience and I am so proud of you for your commitment to growth.
Even as much as we’ve already accomplished so far, there’s still so much more to come, as spiritual growth presents a well that never runs dry.
If you’d like to become the next success story, reach out and let’s chat. I’d love to help.