Business Strategies & Leadership Secrets With Jayson Lowe

Make sure that you're continuing to provide the support to all of your teammates that they need to. To get all that good work done. And also not taking any feet off the gas pedal. The days of handwritten notes, gosh, there aren't many people who do it anymore because whenever we send them out, we get raves. People reaching out, saying, I can't remember the last time somebody sent me a handwritten note. And it's meaningful and it has impact because you're speaking your truth. You're. You're communicating what's on your heart and in gratitude. And gratitude is energy, and positive energy at that. I'm always eight steps ahead and peeking around the corner, the next corner, and that's where I am as it relates to, you know, these rapid advancements in technology and this whole metaverse and virtual reality and how we're going to be more immersed in that as. As time goes on. But it's going to happen very fast.

At this point. What's going through your mind? Are you. Are you. Are you wrapping through the year? Are you thinking to 2022 or further ahead? What. What's going through your mind at this time of year?

Two things. Finishing the year strong as. As a team, not only in, you know, ascendant, but in all of our businesses. So finishing year strong is top of mind and getting. Getting people geared up for 2022 and going through that whole planning process and starting with developing a word picture of what's already been completed. So when we get together as teammates and we talk about, hey, if we were sitting down December 31st of 2022, what specifically would have had to have happened from today until December 31, 2022, to feel like we all made significant progress? And then we construct a word picture of what's already been achieved. And then the human brain immediately gets to work on setting about to make that a reality. And so that is a process that we work through every single year like clockwork, so that when we wake up January 1st of the new year, we already have a plan. We know exactly what we're setting out to do. We know the who's that are prepared to get all the houzz done and. And so on.

How does that work in conjunction with wrapping up the year? I guess you're just. You're setting aside time for both what kind of things you need to do to finish strong for a, you know, an annual basis.

You know, just.

Make sure that you're continuing to provide the support to all of your teammates that they need to to get all that good work done and also not taking any feet off the gas pedal because as we get closer to the end of this current year, our, our minds, understandably so, are thinking about holidays and taking a little bit of time off and getting some much needed R R in preparation for a new year. And we don't want to take any feed off the gas. You know, we, we have an obligation to the clients that we have and to the clients that we want to have to finish this year strong and get all that great work done that we had planned November of last year. And so it's looking at.

Making sure that everybody's supported and that there aren't any log jams in terms of business continuing to move through the workflow and getting it completed. So that's where, you know, my mind is at every single day is what can I do to be supportive of my teammates and keeping being on the lookout for, you know, great talent people that we can bring into the organization, looking ahead to the new year. And those are just all the things that, you know, go through your mind as, as a business owner. And if you're privileged to lead a team of people, then those are absolutely the things that should be going through your mind on, on a regular basis.

And so you spoke to that. Looking for new people. What type of people are you looking for in your business?

People who are going to be the right addition to our team. So for us, you know, you've, and you've heard me talk about this and your listeners, your viewers may have heard this many times before where, you know, the expression is make sure the person's a right fit. And we think a little bit differently here in making sure that the person is the right addition to our team. So it's fit matters. But the right addition is what fuels our growth because we want people to bring their unique abilities and be the right addition to our group.

Nice. And having, maybe you haven't had a chance to reflect fully on the past year, but are there any lessons that you learned throughout the year that you know, maybe you can share with the group?

Oh, definitely. I think probably first and foremost, I would say the biggest lesson would be that, you know, trust really does matter. And what I mean by that is when I took a sabbatical, a six week, three day sabbatical, the longest period of time that I've ever been away from working since I began working. And trust really does matter because I already trusted my team implicitly to get the good work done. And our businesses grew while I Was away on sabbatical. And so when I got back, I thought to myself, it was just a thought that entered my mind. Wow, trust really does matter. And when you place that trust in others and you really, truly provide the autonomy, you have clear accountability on results, and you get the heck out of. Out of your teammate's way and let them do the work, let them really show up, then great things happen. And. And sometimes not great things happen. Sometimes, you know, people can be exposed who may not be the best fit for. For your team or the best addition. And you've got to make the tough calls as well. You know, being a leader is not all about sunshine and roses every day. You know, you bear a responsibility to make tough decisions as well.

Yeah, I think those are good, good points. I. I would say, you know, that's. You're putting trust in the people. You're putting trust in yourself too, I guess, right. To be able to hand over the reins, to do that. So you're kind of testing yourself in a way as well. I think with growth, there's, you know, you're focused on growth, but there can be attrition, all these other pieces that. That come part of it. And those are not necessarily easy things to. To deal with as a. As a leader. Right. But those are things you. You have to. Just has to be done.

Right? Definitely. And I shared with all of my teammates when I got back that it wasn't just me who went through that sabbatical. We all experienced it together. And when I got back, I asked my teammates two questions. How should I be spending my time going forward? And equally as important, who should I be spending my time with? And the responses that I received from all of my teammates, yourself included, were. I was pleasantly surprised that they were aligned very much with what I was already thinking. And so that was the.

Part of the amazement of being on this sabbatical is that getting back and just seeing how everybody flourished and took care of everything and.

Didn'T have to worry one iota.

Nice. And so that. And I'm sure. Are you going to do that again in the new year as well, or is that something you take as a.

Oh, yeah, yeah, that'll be. That'll be an annual experience for me. And it may not fall under the headline of being a sabbatical, but more so just time to explore some of the things that I. I'm really passionate about that I do want to schedule my time around in the way of volunteering activities and, you know, helping out in the community where. Where I happen to live and just doing some great work there because when I took the sabbatical the first time around, I thought that, oh gosh, you know, I, I'd be committing a crime if I scheduled my time around things and, you know, people who I trust and who mentor me, whom I respect a great deal, said no, of course it's all part of, you know, planning your time. Don't, don't hesitate to do that. But just stay away from, you know, the, the day to day work and make sure that you replace your batteries while you're away. Not, not recharge them, just replace them all together.

Right. Another question I just had on part of the wrap up is also thanking your, your, your clients, thanking your collaborators. How do you do that? Um, specifically I get into things like gifting. Where do you even start with things like that? But maybe talk about your process around that and, and how you connect with others.

Well, you start by investing about $4,700 in, in chocolates. But in all seriousness, and that is actually a serious number, but taking the time, I refer to November as Notevember, and taking the time to write handwritten notes of gratitude and appreciation, sending those to, to folks, collaborators, strategic partners, people that you want to reach out to and just say, hey, you know what, I really appreciate you and I'm very grateful for our relationship and our association and look forward to expanding it in the new year ahead. And when, you know, you're, if you're gifting, I think trying to apply as much of a personal element to that as possible is really important. By the same token, if you find, you know, a gift, for example, my clients love Roger's chocolates, like just love Rogers chocolates. And so we said, hey, why don't we, instead of ordering the crate, why don't we just order the whole truck? And went ahead and did that to distribute to clients. We've got nothing but rave reviews. But it, but certainly on a, on a personal level, you know, extending tokens of gratitude and, and gifts is, is all part of it. But I'll tell you, the days of handwritten notes, gosh, there aren't many people who do it anymore because whenever we send them out, we, we get raves. People reaching out, saying it. I can't remember the last time somebody sent me a handwritten note. And it's meaningful and it has impact because you're speaking your truth. You're, you're communicating what's on your heart and in, in gratitude. And gratitude is energy and positive energy.

At that that's definitely, I think it just before it. You're starting this at beginning of November, I guess too. Right. Because I think some of that stuff can add up pretty quick. You start writing all those notes and.

Yeah, I, that's something I, I've been working towards myself and I think.

It'S a matter of just, I guess just focusing time and building it into your day. And yeah, it's definitely, definitely helped. From my perspective, 2022 had a lot of success in terms of connecting with people in general. In terms of Pandemic was a bit of a blessing in terms of how connect with people. You built out the YouTube channel, the Banker's Vault, Wealth, Bay street, all those things that been great ways to connect with people in volumes now. Right. How do you foresee yourself connecting with potential audience clients in the new year? Do you continue to see the virtual events? Do you plan on doing anything in person? What's. What does that look like?

Yeah, it's. It's going to be a combination of both. I'm super excited to be live and in person at events. Those fascinate me and bring me a lot of energy. And I love the, not only the event itself, but the networking opportunities, the conversation that happens before, after.

Zoom is going to continue to be just an integral part of how we communicate and interact with people. Absolutely. Content creation. If you thought we created a lot of content this year, strap yourself in for next year. It is going to be amplified big time on all of our channels. And we're actually going to be launching two additional brand new channels as well that we're super excited about. But I'll leave, I'll leave folks in suspense until the beginning of the new year.

Right. And, and can you just remind us the channels that you have currently?

Yeah. So we have Wealth Without Bay street, of course, as you mentioned, and that, that is a complement to our podcast, which is titled Wealth Without Bay Street. We record every episode in video and get that posted onto the YouTubes. And then we've got Bankers Vault again, that's Bankers Vault. And that channel has just a treasure trove of resources primarily focused on the process of becoming your own banker, the infinite banking concept, while also addressing a variety of financial topics that are important and relevant and that our viewers enjoy.

Do you see events turning into. I'm just trying to envision what it looks like because there's still going to be a bit of hesitation for people to come. Do you see? You know, I'm not sure if you, you've talked to anyone about Other people in terms of. Because I'm sure you're speaking at other people's events, too. Do you see Hybrid as part of that too, as.

Oh, definitely, yeah. Oh, absolutely. And then the next phase of that is going to be virtual reality. You know, what Mark Zuckerberg is out, you know, talking about every single day. The metaverse and how we learn and how we interact in that learning experience and the places that we get transported to in that learning environment are all going to be.

Transformational. You know, we'll be able to essentially host events and virtually transport ourselves to wherever we want to be in that metaverse. And it's going to be just a game changer and we are going to be at the forefront of that in how we, you know, show up.

Yeah, from what I understand, I hear things like, you know, you use Zoom as an app, you use whatever, but they're all going to be in this metaverse itself, so you won't have to be. In a way, we are. We're kind of at a baby steps into it. But I think even things like being on Facebook or being on Twitter or whatever is kind of your own. It's not fully metaverse, but I think it's definitely in that area. Once it becomes kind of more all encompassing, I think it's not too far away.

Agreed. And my mind, and probably most entrepreneurs or visionaries in business, I'm always, you know, the analogy I use or the way that I frame it is that I'm. I'm always eight steps ahead and peeking around the corner, the next corner, and that's where I am as it relates to, you know, these rapid advancements in technology and this whole metaverse and virtual reality and how we're going to be more immersed in that as, as time goes on, but it's going to happen very fast. You know, if we, if you and I sat down three years from now and we're talking about how we're showing up in educating, you know, people, how we're hosting events, and it's going to be dramatically different than what it is today.

So the other thing I wanted to maybe ask you about is we've had some, like, periphery conversations about it, but we're seeing a lot, a lot happening with, with Defi, Cryptocurrency, all, all these things. Things. I think, I think the first thing that comes to mind is the book that you co wrote with Caleb Williams, the End Asset. Maybe can you talk to how you see Infinite Banking or Senate Financial fitting into that world and what we do to how you make things better. First thing comes to mind is it's really got me out of the less of the fomo, right, like fear, like I got to get big returns on things, but it's, I can still do crypto, but, but do this as well, maybe give your, your perspective on things.

Well, there's two components to it. I mean, you know, with the process of becoming your own banker, the infinite banking concept, you can incrementally and gradually over a period of time, you know, secede yourself from the, the traditional banking system and in life insurance companies themselves cannot inflate their, their money pools. And so you're participating in the solution to the problem. And as crypto, and you know, these, these cryptocurrencies gain more popularity and, and more familiarity when we see the day where commercial banks are authorized, I guess, for lack of better description, to hold cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets, you know, namely Bitcoin, for example.

Nobody's going to want to sell it and it's going to be far too expensive to buy it. And it is going to be transformational. You know, our financial system today is not going to be our financial system 10 years from today. And life insurance companies are going to again, be a big, big part of the solution to the problem. And as they're able to embrace, you know, a new way of doing things, they will. But in the interim, seceding and participating in this process is only going to improve and expand what you're already doing financially, including your, whatever your level of participation is in, in cryptocurrencies.

Right. And I'm sure there'll be, you know, in terms of, you know, events that are coming up in the new year. I know I, I've got a lot of focus myself on things like real estate encrypt and all that. So look forward to, you know, getting your feedback as we, we roll through some of those, those scenarios throughout the year. Absolutely.

Yep.

Yeah. Anything else you want to share? I think we have you again in December, so we can do definitely wrap up them. But maybe the only thing that comes to mind in terms of as you think of words like wrapping up the year is obviously maybe this is something you, you already have woven into the business on a quarterly basis. But talk about charity, because maybe we'll touch it again in December. But how do you connect with others from a social perspective as well?

Oh, gosh, yeah. You know, we, with our profit sharing process here, we, on a quarterly basis, you know, we take a look at our profit sharing pool of dollars. And 50% of that pool is distributed to team members internally. And then those very same team members decide how to give the remaining 50%. And when I say give, I mean to charities, to organizations in need in the communities where we live and where we work. And that's is such a big passion of ours. So as we look ahead to the remainder of this year, part of finishing the year strong, a big emphasis is on making sure that we finish the year strong in achievement of everything that we've set out to do so that we can maximize our giving going into Q1 of 2022. And that's all part of the culture that we're nurturing here. And everyone feels a much bigger sense of fulfillment. That's the feedback that we get, because the impact of the work that we're doing is not just on the clients that we have and the clients that we want to have, but it's also to the broader communities where we live and work. And that's so important to us. And I want to emphasize, you know, our philosophy is not, you know, the words giving back. You know, we. We haven't taken anything. We're really truly focused on giving. Giving of money, giving of time, giving of advice, giving of energy that's positive and that's going to have a positive impact on other people, whether that is a client or a prospective client, but just someone who needs that, that spiritual care, that, that mental care, help, food, you know, basic, basic needs that so many of us can sometimes take for granted. And so that. That is such a big part of. Of our culture and, and what we're nurturing.

Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you for sharing that. And I think personally, I'd say I do a better job of it because sometimes I think it's like the end of the year, but if you're doing it throughout the year, it just, it doesn't become a, you know, an afterthought, really. Right.

So definitely for people who want to connect and get in touch, I always love to hear from folks. And so if you're on Bankers Vault YouTube channel or wealth Without Bay street, you can certainly connect with us via those two YouTube channels if you visit our website, Ascendant Financial CA. Again, that's Ascendant Financial CAT. Not only is there just a amazing, amazing vault of resources there for you, but certainly opportunity for you to connect. And like I said, I love to hear from folks. So don't hesitate to reach out. Let us know how our content's resonating with you, your suggestions or ideas or thoughts of, you know, what we can create that would impress you and can't wait to hear from you.