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

Hi Zack, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I believe that the key to true success is your level of commitment and consistency. Often times most people believe that success is linear. In my opinion, that is one of the greatest myths:

What is commitment you ask?

In my opinion, the Webster’s definition does this word a disservice.
Commitment is finding something that you are passionate about and chasing after it every waking moment of your life. Commitment is time. Commitment is patience. Commitment is doing the uncomfortable. Commitment is grueling (at times). Commitment is harsh. Commitment is scary. Commitment is exciting. Commitment is rewarding. Commitment is satisfying. However, it’s also just feeling like you are almost there and starting over. It’s also JUST REACHING SUCCESS and realizing that it was only a steppingstone to the NEXT COMMITMENT.

Consistency is about taking steps forward and being intentional to where your time, efforts, and talents are spent. Small steps daily, has no choice but to create large leaps annually. Consistency is about building tough skin to achieve your commitment.

As you see, commitment and consistency go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other!

Zack, 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 grew up mostly in a single parent household. I watched my mother do her best to make ends meet with the resources that she had available to her. There were many times where I did not get everything that I wanted but I was able to have all that I needed.

I remember asking my mother for things and her response would often be “Son, I don’t have it right now.” Being so young and naive, I would often reply ” Mom, just take that plastic card and stick it in the machine at the bank and it will print you out some money.” If you haven’t caught it by now, I was speaking to the ATM. As I grew older and became more mature, I quickly realized that it does not work that way.

That is what sparked my fire!

I got tired of hearing “Son, I do not have it right now.” I made a COMMITTMENT that I would be the one to change the trajectory of my family. I would be the one to understand finance at a level that will give me the opportunity to have a lasting legacy not only for my family but for everyone else who is connected to me.

My “why” is simple. I want to create options for my wife, my son, my family, and my clients. I do not want lack of financial resources/education to limit the exposure/experience that I believe my family and clients deserve. I often say I may not get to enjoy all the fruits of my labor…but my son will, and his children’s children will.

I dream that one day my great, great, great, grandson or granddaughter will be standing in front of a large group of people, handing out scholarships/grants and saying, “If it were not for my great, great, great, grandfather Zack Bennett, I would not be standing before you today!”

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me has been the ability to educate my clients to a level that they feel obligated to introduce me to their closest relationships. My business strives on casual and friendly introductions. My clients appreciate my approach of understanding their vision, asking great questions, educating them on the why behind the strategy, and consistent follow-ups to make sure they are being accountable towards their goals. Our clients love the fact that we are their financial coordinator pushing and assisting them towards their goals.

I believe sound financial planning stands on three pillars: Stewardship, Intentionality, and Consistency. Helping my clients understand those three pillars has spurred many introductions and we continue to build relationships with the new clients that we take on.

Any advice for managing a team?

In team building, I believe the most important aspect as a CEO is taking care of your people. If you are able to take care of your people, they will take care of you. I believe in servant leadership. I am often asking my staff what resources or tools do they need to perform better in their roles. Also, “How can I support you so that you can deliver and maybe even exceed expectations.”

Your staff are people. You need to understand their personal goals and personal vision that they have for themselves. You need to support them towards those things while making sure that they can make those things a reality under your leadership. Often times as the leader, we believe that our vision is the only thing that is important. If you believe that, you are a fool!

The questions should always be, “How can I help you get to where you are trying to go?” Whether it’s money, time with their family, or even having time off. You have to be clear on what motivates them. The best way to do this is to ask them and they will tell you. Your job as the CEO is to deliver on those things so that they understand that you see them, hear them, and appreciate them.

If you focus there, they will take care of you and the things that you need to deliver the success of your vision as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ZackBennett.nm.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZackBennettNM/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacchaeusbennett/