Mission and Purpose
The mission and purpose of David Lewis and Monegenix® is to teach clients how to make better financial decisions – to help them do a better job budgeting, saving money, investing, insuring, and planning for their future – so they can build real, lasting, financial security and autonomy and independence, with the long-range goal of eliminating dependency on a financial advisor.
Rather than using an “advice-giver” model and framework, Monegenix® operates on a wide-scope educational model and framework, teaching clients how to make better financial decisions through its free and paid educational material.
In lieu of traditional financial planning, Monegenix® advocates the use of insurance-based, action-oriented, planning with the specific and strategic use of life insurance and annuities as the foundation of a financial plan. Life insurance is positioned “front and center”, creating the basis for a long-term financial plan, a known future outcome, and a platform from which to manage risk, and plan for the inherent uncertainties of life.
To fulfill this mission and purpose, and to help our clients realize their vision, we rely on important values to help guide all of our decisions.
Specifically, our company values are oriented around 9 key areas:
Values
Reality
What is, is.
To say it another way, “wishing won’t make it so.”
Monegenix recognizes that ignoring the reality of a client’s financial situation is detrimental to the client’s financial well being. Nothing beneficial has ever been produced in the history of man by ignoring reality.
And, while many financial services companies pay lip-service to the idea of being “reality-oriented,” we back it up with action.
Monegenix operates on the premise that all financial problems are ultimately rooted in the evasion of reality. That may be a tough pill to swallow, but it’s the truth, and it’s the only thing we have to offer.
When a client evades a particular problem or shortcoming he has, only disaster can result. For example, a client who is overconfident about his investment abilities will usually end up losing his life’s savings just at the time when he needs it the most.
That’s why we focus on a collaborative and educational approach – we’re on your side, but we won’t sugarcoat the situation.
Reason
All animals have a means of survival.
A lion has claws and teeth to hunt and stay alive. Turtles have a hard shell to protect them from predators. Man has a rational faculty–reason.
Reason is the integration of facts of reality into concepts and abstractions.
Abstract ideas, in both personal and business finance, may form the basis of a principle. A principle is a basic truth or idea upon which all other truths or ideas rest upon within a given context.
In financial planning, principles are used to guide clients towards a course of action. The principle of a central purpose in life, for example, will guide a person to thinking about and creating the “ultimate end” he wants to achieve in life.
Without this, he risks a lifetime of pointless contradictions, financial goals which take him in a multitude of directions in life but ultimate lead him nowhere.
We want you to succeed, which is why we adopt a reason-based approach to financial planning.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is more than just feeling good about yourself. It’s the conviction and certainty that you are worthy of living.
What builds self-esteem? In a word: efficacy.
Your ability to produce and achieve your financial goals is what makes you feel good. When you achieve goals towards a clear, focused, purpose in life, then you will naturally build this type of certainty.
Of course, the natural emotion associated with self-esteem is happiness. Ultimately, we want you to walk away from this relationship successful and happy.
Productivity
Productivity is the application of reason to the problem of survival.
We believe that this is at the root of financial planning. Without productivity, no money is made. Without money, no future financial goals can be made, much less attained.
Monegenix has, as its own financial plan, the goal of increasing year over year profitability. The company understands that its profit targets are only achieved when it helps its clients achieve financial success.
This, in turn, motivates the company to help clients realize their full potential and achieve long-term financial success.
It’s a win-win relationship. Not “win-win” in the conventional sense used by negotiators where “win-win” really means “win-lose”, compromise, and “splitting the difference”. “Win-win”, in this context, means a mutually-beneficial, non-sacrificial, business relationship. And, we want you to be part of that.
Honesty
Honesty means more than just telling the truth. It means being consistent with reality.
When you are dishonest, you are in conflict with reality. In financial planning, you can’t live beyond your means, nor can you pretend to have knowledge about saving, investing, or budgeting that you don’t actually have.
Mean what you say and know what you mean. If you make a financial commitment, you should follow through on your commitment.
Likewise, you can’t pretend to understand investments that you don’t actually understand. Pretending that you are better off, financially, than you really are is a form of dishonesty.
Monegenix encourages honesty in clients and remains consistently honest to clients so that you get the best possible advice given your financial situation.
Integrity
Integrity is the recognition that you cannot cheat or fake your own consciousness.
Integrity means doing what you say you’re going to do. It means loyalty to your own convictions; to your own values; to work towards translating your values into reality.
For example, if you say you value owning a home, yet never actively attempt to better your credit score, save up money for a down payment, secure financing, look for homes, and negotiate a deal with the seller, then this represents a lack of integrity.
A lack of integrity will prevent any financial plan from being realized and will destroy client relationships, and ultimately, the Monegenix business model.
For this reason, we selfishly and ruthlessly pursue integrity in business dealings with our clients, and encourage everyone we do business with to have integrity when it comes to their financial planning attempts.
It’s the only way to succeed long-term.
Justice
Justice is the result of judging or evaluating the facts of reality.
Monegenix must judge client relationships in the same way that individuals and businesses must judge financial advisers.
Part of the company’s commitment to justice means honestly assessing a client’s financial situation, making valid criticisms of a client’s existing plan (or lack thereof), contradictory values or goals, while praising everything that the client is doing right.
Another aspect of the company’s commitment to justice means that it treats all clients fairly.
This non-discrimination policy does not have anything to do with some egalitarian civil “right” to receive good financial advice, but because there is no money to be made by discriminating against potential clients and customers.
We like you just the way you are, and will judge you based on the content of your character, not on the color of your skin, your religion, sexual orientation, or anything else.
Just as we all must evaluate whether the food we eat is safe for us, the car we drive is in good mechanical and working condition, we must evaluate (i.e. judge) whether people we work with are good for us.
Monegenix will not work with you unless there is a clear, mutually beneficial, relationship which can be established and we will discourage you from working with us if we cannot help you achieve your stated financial goals, mission, and purpose.
Pride
Pride is the psychological reward earned for living, and being consistent with, your values.
Pride is “moral ambitiousness,” and is the result of being honest, having integrity, being productive, and being rational.
It means not accepting any guilt for earning the money you have actually earned. It means that you reject self-sacrifice and deprivation. You should be proud of your accomplishments, your chosen career, the savings you accumulate and your investment endeavors.
Pride doesn’t just happen. It is earned.
Monegenix recognizes that reveling in one’s achievements provides emotional fuel to reach for more challenging goals aiding in the initial motivation to achieve one’s financial plan.
When you are successful using our model for financial planning, we know you’ll be motivated to continue doing business with us. We, in turn, are motivated to help you continue to achieve increasingly challenging financial goals.
Emotional Stability & Objectivity
Financial advisers often encourage their clients to “be objective.”
Unfortunately, what they often mean is to be unemotional about finances, especially about investments. In business, this is especially common. Monegenix recognizes the value of emotions.
We realize that there is no dichotomy between the “logical” and the “emotional.” Emotions often seem to be a primary moving factor in a person’s decision-making process. However, emotions are not tools of cognition. We cannot think with our emotions.
This does not make them invalid, nor does it mean they should not factor into a financial plan.
For clients to be successful, emotions and thoughts must be consistent with one another. If a client feels uneasy about a business decision, life insurance policy, or investment, but claims to be knowledgeable about it, this is a huge red flag. Likewise, feeling good about an investment that a client admittedly knows little or nothing about is just as dangerous. Finally, just because someone is unemotional, doesn’t mean they are logical.
Want To Learn More About Our Products And Services?
Let us show you how the application of our values creates financial security, independence, and generational wealth for you, your family, or your business. Check out our life insurance planning services.