How H.I.G.H. and why grow your business

As I look back on my journey of embarking on my second career as a financial advisor, it was daunting. I started from nothing, and I had a family who depended on me. I needed to quickly get on my feet. By learning how to use H.I.G.H. to continuously and consistently focus on my whys in growing the business, I was able to support my family and qualify for MDRT. Allow me to explain how this works.

H stands for humility. Being a former business owner meant that the tables were turned. Instead of the one being approached, I needed to be the one doing the approaching. I had to unlearn a lot of old habits, listen to my mentors, develop new habits and conduct the business the right way. I had to learn to accept and embrace being a financial advisor and be proud of it. It’s also a blessing that I have a wife who constantly grounds me. Humility also breeds great confidence.

I stands for integrity. Our business is grounded on the premise that we are going to deliver on a promise when it’s really needed. What sets us apart from other sales-related professions is that we are not selling a tangible product; rather, we are promoting a concept. It’s a concept based on the strong relationships we have with our clients and the trust they invest in us to be there for them, their loved ones and their businesses when that time comes. 

G stands for gratefulness. For the past three years, we’ve seen a lot of changes in our world, both good and bad. Yet, amid tragedy, our industry has taken center stage. The appreciation that people have for financial advisors and what we do has taken on a new, profound meaning. As we processed client claims, we gave dignity and hope to those who lost their loved ones. Be grateful for being part of this MDRT community. Gratefulness becomes a channel for opportunities, a source of practicable information, and a bridge between needs and solutions.

The last H stands for honest work. Not just hard work, but honest work. It’s about having your client’s best interests at heart. Are you going to be there when a client calls and tells you that she has stage 3 breast cancer? Will you be there when one of your client’s children graduates from college? Or are you in this business because it’s extremely profitable? H also stands for humanity. Are you still in touch with that person in you, or has this wonderful profession become a purely money-making endeavor for you? Always be honest about the purpose of what we do. This profession is about clients, not you. Indeed, this is the business of doing well by doing good.

Louis Andrew Gimenez, of Makati City, Philippines, has been an MDRT member since 2019. This was excerpted from his 2023 MDRT Global Conference presentation “Leveraging your ‘WHY’ toward sustainable business growth.” You can find more videos on mdrt.org/learn.