We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mary Lyons. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mary below.

Mary, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

The bulk of the financial advice given by financial advisors in the United States today is focused on trying to make sure people don’t go broke, when it should be focused on teaching people how they can become truly wealthy.

If you follow a conventional financial plan, you can expect a conventional life: working till normal retirement age and then scaling back lifestyle in retirement years. I believe in living an unconventional life: our clients want reliable income streams to support their lifestyle so that if they choose to continue working, each year of income adds to a passive income stream – which means they can possibly retire substantially earlier or with more income.

We focus on the creation of income streams, rather than net worth. Why? Because investing for lifestyle can set you up to live a more exciting life today and in the future. Income creates freedom.

Mary, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been a financial advisor for over 16 years. About two years ago, I launched my own company. Our company is 94 percent women, so we look exactly the opposite of the rest of the industry. I want people to be truly wealthy. Because if you have capital, you have freedom to spend your time doing whatever you want, and that means that you have the ability to pursue your purpose, as opposed to just working a job that you don’t really love. I really want people to have the freedom to live a life that they’re excited about every day, as opposed to working a job they don’t like, saving up money, knowing their lifestyle is going to be less than what they’ve been living, and retiring when they’re old enough that they may not really be able to enjoy it. To me, there’s nothing exciting about that. What really inspired me to start Benchmark Income Group is that there are alternatives that may allow people to retire earlier, with more predictability in terms of their income, and allow them to do more things that they truly enjoy along the way. We use a combination of investment and insurance products that changes the way income is created. We can build a market shock absorber for times when investments don’t perform, and we can help people simulate an old school pension so that they have income guaranteed for life. Everything we do is designed to help our client live a fuller life – the money is just the tool that gives them the means to do it.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Two things: Always doing the right thing and helping people get what they want. People always come before profit. Many people I talk to are living comfortable lives. But when I ask them how their life would be different if they won the lottery, there are often radical changes they would make immediately. Maybe it’s moving to a different city or buying a vacation home. It might be quitting their job to start a non-profit or spend more time with their kids. I believe money is just a tool meant to build a life you are excited to live. Our clients often start living more fully and realizing their dreams because they have clarity of intent coupled with an actionable plan.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love the book Resilience by Eric Greitens. His book really gives a practical approach to achieving excellence. He leans on the ancient stoic philosophers and even modern thinkers to convey ideas that have practical application for any leader today. I love the idea that greatness is achieved by practicing greatness every day. I love the idea that knowledge without action is useless – you have to act on what you learn and incorporate it into your life. I love that he points out that we tend to overcomplicate things in order to put off doing them. Most things re simple, but that doesn’t mean they are easy. He really manages to give you the framework to hold yourself accountable while giving yourself grace. It’s the single most impactful book I have ever read in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wealthwoman.com
• Instagram: @thewealthwoman
• Facebook: @thewealthwoman
• Linkedin: @thewealthwoman
• Other: Our podcast is the BIG Wealth Podcast. You can find it wherever you choose to listen.

Image Credits
Shannon Skloss