(If you have not read the previous two posts, it would be useful to start with those before reading this)

The original Engenuity was composed of four partners: Ray Hooper, Les McGuire, Mike Isom and myself. Mike had been key in my massive commitment to financial education, espcially the first two years where I had traveled somewhere each month to enhance the amount of value I could create. It became common for all of us to travel to symposiums and events together. People actually teased Les and I because we would attend an event from 7 am to 10 pm and still talk for hours afterward. Really, Engenuity was a name, a common branding among for people with a similar vision and commitment. Mike and I didn’t even share expenses or revenues with Ray and Les, but we did speak on a weekly basis, hold each other accountable, and share concepts, materials, forms, standards and philosophies.

It wasn’t until a few years later when Les and I were traveling to Strategic Coach together that we actually had a formal business with this partnership. I had the idea to do one day symposiums called the Curriculum for Wealth and shared this vision with Les. He was a master at developing content and articulating complex topics in a very precise and simple manner. We worked on the concept for a few weeks and then when Ray had the idea for the four of us to get away and do a retreat, Les and I invited the other partners to be part of this idea.

The story continues…..more to come.

In the last post I got to the point of mentioning Mike Isom. He was the final partner to come on board. I had actually met him before Ray and Les. I was selling Life Insurance for Guardian Life and he was also licensed with them. We would see each other at trainings in Salt Lake, but I actually lived in Cedar City and Mike in St. George. So Mike traveled up and we started doing some studying together. He was always going to events and educational venues, plus making friends with people that were having great success in the same industry. Mike actually initiated my commitment to attend one event per month in the LEAP system for two years.

Mike and I traveled together and became good friends. Interestingly though, I was not the one that extended the partnership to Mike. It was Ray and Les going to work in the same ways they had with me.

More to come.

One of the first companies I ws involved with and continue to run from the time I finished college is Engenuity. It began as a financial services firm that educated people on how to properly integrate and utilize life insurance in their overall portfolio. We positioned ourselves a macroeconomic advisors as we based the financial decisions with our clients based upon economics vs. many of the philosophies promoting tax incentives or special loopholes.

Ray Hooper was really the first person that intiated Engenuity. He didn’t refer to the company as Engenuity at the time (since I am the one who came up with the name), but Ray was the first in the financial services business. He then met and convinced Les McGuire to join him. They were dedicated to education and bringing more value then what Ray was taught when he entered the industry.

I met Les first. He was in an economic seminar with me while I was still attending college. He was wearing flip flops and a Harley-Davidson t-shirt. He might have spoke more than the intructor with his insights and stories- frankly he brought a refreshing and raw view that resonated with me. We began to have conversations on the breaks and found out that we were up to very similar things.

It was shortly after that I had met Ray Hooper. It was at another educational event. Ray did quite a bit of talking as well, but mostly to the people around him and not to the instructor and all participants. It was then the instructor began to yell at Ray. I chose to tease Ray on the break and we began to talk about what we were up to. It was then that I figured out that he and Les were partners. Ray and I spoke for about three hours after the event just talking about the purpose of what we were up to and I was even more compelled to spend time with he and Les.

Just a few weeks later I was attending a symposium (you get the idea that I am serious about education) and saw the two of them together. They were having a lot of fun and joking around. It was contageous and I ended up spend the day and attending the rest of the breakout sessions with them. At the end of the day they invited me to come meet with them at their office.

When I showed up the next Monday, I was greeted by the receptionist saying “Oh you must be the new partner”!!!!!

I will share how I met the final original partner Mike Isom and the state of Engenuity today. There are two of three offices standing today. I am a partner in Engeuity SLC, the 19th fastest growing company in Utah for the past 5 years and it is 10 times the size as when we started, but with the same personal feel.

More to come.

Have you ever made a mistake and then later wished you would have done things differently, known something different beforehand, or at least asked a few questions? I have! Here are some of the things that could have been asked or that I know I asked after the fact.

Why am I wanting to do this? How will it benefit the other person/people? How will it benefit me? Why will this work? Is it worth my time? Can something go wrong? Is there anything similar that can be researched? What is research? Is this someone I would want to go into business with? If something goes wrong, how will this impact me?

Now I can leave out all the questions that have people do any investment because for over 80 percent of the investing population, per person not per dollar, they move without details. (source: my guess) There are those skeptics, savers, and people who are so afraid they overanalyze and never do anything, but there is a different set of questions for them.

We are told to do due diligence, but most don’t know how to do due diligence. If you don’t know how, who does and how do you get in touch with them? I feel that it is a good idea to have a personal board of directors at least and I have created an Accredited Network to help me with due diligence. This increases my winning percentage and creates a sounding board for anything that I do with investing. In the past when I didn’t use them it didn’t always turn out great, but I have had much better experiences and returns with such a team. I don’t have all the expertise, but I have access to amazing expertise with a board.

If you don’t have a board yet, you can start by asking these questions for any investment that was not ideal and for those that have worked out.

I am going to start doing weekly podcasts for members in the Producer Power Hour. These are going to be discussing topics that are “Real and Relevant”. Lately I have had some questions on Holding Funds and what should be done. I personally have never set up a holding fund, but did research them and had considered them at one time. I think that the term holding fund has been very fitting for the many people I have talked with. It has become a place where people have put there money and it is now holding there. For many, it was a way to get massive cash flow each month without any requirement of daily activity.

Unfortunately, most invested based upon a realtionship or on trust, but there were others that invested on greed. The situtaion varies, but there are many common lessons to learn.

First, there are no investments in a so-called product, it is always in people. The investment is only as good as the word and integrity as the person involed in generating the returns or making the promise to pay. For many, I think they were good people, but they had no ability to provide such returns and were merely handing their money over to someone else.

Here are some questions to ask that could present some of the many lessons for those in this situation and for others to avoid the situation in the future. Why did you invest the money? Was there any reason beyond the rate of return? If you could go back to the day you were going to invest, what questions would you ask now? And here is a big one, if something were to go wrong, how would you know about it and what could you do about it?

The problem comes down to stewardship. If we are not good stewards then loss is inevatible. For many, the loss can increase someones stewardship long-term if it brings with it insight and even systems to resolve the problem for others. I know many of these people I have talked to are not getting interest, are dissapointed with the response or lack thereof from the people they have invested with, and are hoping that they get the money back. One of the most healthy things could be to just move on as if the money is not coming back. To stop dwelling on the loss and start moving forward as I said in another post this week. Your opportunity is held captive and so is your happiness if your mind gets caught in the same holding pattern as your money.

You may have made a mistake, but now you have a choice. If you are someone that has taken money from people to earn some override, you have a choice as well. You have a choice to communicate and be honest. I have heard about the check being in the mail and nothing shows up or that it will be resolved soon, but no solutions are given. Now is the moment of truth. Choose to be courageous so that people can heal and give up false hope. Be direct even if it is hard to hear, but at the same time display compassion without enabling. That being said, there may be people that will pay or have the ability to produce and overcome the adversity, but they are those that have the ability to produce greater then the size of the problem at hand.

Who have you given your money to? What is the plan they have to recover and to overcome? Are you involved? Can you help or offer value?

More to come

In Utah there were many people that got involved with investing in “Holding Funds”. If you did not, you can learn from this post, but if you did the lesson will be much bigger- that is if you are willing to try this on.

It is interesting how people became philosophical “producers” when they were able to pull some equity out of a home and then put it in a holding company. Somehow, for many, they felt that this was personal production and they began to talk the talk of a producer. The simple definition of a producer is: one who creates more value then is consumed. To really be a producer though, it is critical to create value in a unique way using your Soul Purpose. “Passive” income doesn’t necessarily make someone a producer, in fact, many times it has caused laziness and was merely gambling. That is why I call it the lotto. Pull out some equity in a home, give it to someone else and there you go- freedom.

For so many, the talk of principles and producing was social programming. Each person’s Human Life Value wasn’t necessarily increased, the gamble just paid off- temporarily. Now, the language of the producer has been abandoned by many and the mentality of scarcity is the rule. I have seen forums where anytime that someone is being a victim there is a pouring out of compassion from other people posting , but as if that person had no responsibility or choice in the matter.

So what can be done now? First of all, I recommend people mentally let go of the money that was put into the funds. So many times people get caught up on what is wrong and hoping that it can be fixed rather than focusing on opportunity and what is possible moving forward. For many this will be a massive and painful lesson in gambling, control, Soul Purpose, and chasing returns to name a few. It is a very expensive tuition for many, but I applaud those that are moving on with creating value in the world and choosing to look at what can be done now and in the future rather than focusing on what went wrong in the past.

It is interesting to see the different sides-those that learned and are moving on and those that were greedy and now are pointing the finger to everyone else. I feel for the people that have lost trust due to this, but I respect those that learned from this. I have lost significant money in two investments in the past. The first was several years ago. When it was lost, the person I had invested with was not in communication with me and I began to go into scarcity and get really angry. It impacted my happiness and really left me being a person that I did not want to be. For a moment I wanted revenge. I wanted to trash the person’s name and I actually called and left a very harsh message. What did this have to do with happiness, opportunity, abundance, and love. Kindness is not weakness. The message isn’t to lose any accountability or to be wasteful; it is to live a life you love.

What changed for me was when I actually called the individual I invested with and apologized for my behaviour. Then I took a stance of creating value for him. I asked him questions to understand his situation. He had more clients than he had real estate projects to put them in. At this point I referred him to three people I knew that had plenty of projects. The tone of the conversation changed and so did our relationship. He took full accountability and is making monthly progress in repayment to me.

One of the greatest parts of this experience is that I created a tool for due diligence with investing. It has 18 questions that are critical to answer before making any investment. I wrote it looking at mistakes I had made in the past and asked “what would I have asked, knowing what I know now”? This tool is much more valueable than the the money I had lost. The key was to stop dwelling on the past and start looking to what I could do productive in the present. What was exciting about the future- this is what inspired me and is where I let go of anger, resentment and stress.

It wasn’t the easiest thing, but it increased my stewardship and even my wealth after a few years. We all have lessons to learn. Do people care more about your money than you? If not why give it to them without managing your risk? Learn the lesson and live. Was your life good the day before news you weren’t getting interest? What would it take for it to be good today?

More to come on the recession and personal investing.

There is much talk about a recession right now. There are even some using the “D” word. When it comes down to it, how much will the recession impact you? There is more of a choice than most people think.

I find it interesting that the media does such a great job at scaring people when there is any shift in the economy. This is where the biggest damage is done- when people listen to an outside source and start acting as if that were true for them. People begin to hoard and go into fear mode, effectivly causing a personal recession for them. The true loss is the abundance paradigm, the desire for exchange, and the loss of focus on value creation. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Someone speaks it and then others act it.

If you have been in the real estate or mortgage market as a profession, there is not doubt that massive changes have had a direct impact. But for most people, this may have impacted their stock portfolios, but were they getting cash flow from the portfolio or meaning to cash out? Probably not. The talk instills a fear that diminishes confidence which wipes out certainty. With a loss of confidence there is a minimization of exchange and a focus of fear.

So what are you going to do about the “recession”? The economy that is most important is your personal economy. What is going on with you? How can you create value?

More to come.

Why do we follow people? When do we lead? What makes us excited to pick up one phone call, but ignore another? How do we overcome adversity? How do you remain happy in the face of difficulty? What do you do to overcome fear? How do you live with passion and purpose? What is freedom? What commonalities are there in the perception of value from person to person? What constitutes value?

The power is not necessarily in one answer to these questions. The power is in people asking these questions and finding their own answer. Fortunately we have the opportunity to learn and make our own determinations. Power grows as we make choices in critical moments. As we choose abundantly, take action, or learn from experience we grow.

One of the best ways to influence is to live in integrity. To do what you say, and here is the key, when you say you are going to do it. This builds trust and is a great platform for value creation/exchange. As you make powerful choices, learn lessons or take massive action, there is a great opportunity to share and become an influencer. Everyone is capable, but few make the choice. Some people influence through being vocal and others through pure example. Ultimatley, influencers help people to recognize greatness and live more of their potential. They are a catalyst for action. We are always influencing through our words and actions. What is your life about? What do you want your legacy to be? What message are you conveying?

It is a new year and I am back from my break of blogging. I decided that over the holiday season I wouldn’t take my computer anywhere with me so I could focus on my family.

I wanted to begin by talking about the Producer Power Hour (PPH). In the past few days I have had an opportunity to talk with members of PPH. It is consistent that people find more clarity and build confidence when beginning the day with a focus on their Human Life Value. People are gaining more energy by committing to this habit on a daily basis. Each person customizes their own program and some even switch it up on a regular basis, but it is consistent that people are more productive by taking some time to focus on their greatest asset- themself.

A consistent area that people are having great progress is meditation. How often do we take time to just listen or focus without constant thoughts of what has to be done. There are many benefits of meditation and also various ways to meditate. There are books on mediation, music to create an atmosphere for mediation or even activities or places that put people in a meditative state. For me, I created a special room in my house designed specifically for meditation and to focus on the spiritual realm. I have a shelf with sacred and spiritual books, rocks that I have collected from places where I have meditated, pictures of spritual masters from the past and present, a waterfall feature, prayer bowl, flowers, bench and pillows. Really anything that assists me in getting in a sacred space.

I have personally found that where my time and money goes, my attention and intention grows. This was one of the reasons I created a meditation room. I have a special keypad that locks the room. When I enter, I have a ritual where I light a candle, plug in the water feature, and pick a name from the prayer bowl. Most times I begin some music to listen to when I meditate. Many times I begin with a prayer of gratitude or a reality statement (I have shared some reality statements that I have written in past posts). I sit with my legs crossed on the bench and my hands open. I close my eyes and breath deeply. Sometimes I focus on a word or a phrase and say it to myself as I breath in and out. Other times I chant the word Ohm. I have audio cd’s that guide me in to mediation other times. There is not right way, just the way one prefers. I usually meditate for 10-20 minutes. I like to do it at the end of my power hour. Once again, each person is different, but personally I end with meditation.

It was just three years ago that I had never meditated. The first time I meditated my basement wasn’t finished and I remebered walking around to make sure everything was OK after about 20 seconds of meditation. I did this about three times, so I really only meditated for a minute. The whole time I wondered if I was doing it right, wondering why I was doing it and ultimately feeling unproductive. Now, after study and practice, I am clear of the importance and benefits of mediation. For me it provides connection and clarity. It promotes my abundance mindset. Ultimately it brings out my Soul Purpose.

In Western culture it is rare for people to meditate. It isn’t something many people are raised with or that is taught to someone in their religious practice. I am excited that we have focused on it during the last two Hour of Power sessions for the Producer Power Hour. It is great to talk with people utilizing the membership and seeing them begin to have great results with meditation. Others are just beginning, but are committed to making it part of their daily life. I wanted to share some of the progression I have had with mediation and congratulate those integrating this practice into thier life. Hopefully if you have not ever meditated you can begin today by just breathing deeply and working to clear your mind and create space.

In the next Curriculum For Wealth on the last Friday of January, I am going to lead a guided meditaiton. You can register at Freedom FastTrack.com. Hope to see you there.