As the founder and CEO of Alloy Wealth, Mark Henry leverages more than 30 years of wealth management experience to help clients optimize their retirement strategies and achieve their financial goals. He founded the comprehensive financial planning firm in 2011 and, along with a team of skilled financial advisors, offers guidance in investment management, retirement distribution strategies, tax planning, and estate planning, among other areas. Mark Henry’s Alloy Wealth firm has three offices in North Carolina and one in South Carolina.
A proponent of “Living Large” in retirement, Mark Henry strives to educate clients on how to maximize their savings while mitigating risk, allowing them to travel and maximize their enjoyment after they leave the workforce. He helps clients understand the complexities of the current retirement planning landscape, including increased market volatility and long-term care, and draft personalized plans to help them achieve the lifestyle they desire.
Beyond working with his clients, Mark Henry brings his retirement planning expertise to wider audiences via radio and TV. He is the host of the Living Large Radio and TV shows. He also produces educational content for YouTube. Through these mediums, he discusses the latest financial news and its impact on retirement plans while highlighting the importance of the five “Fs” in retirement: finance, family, friendship, fitness, and faith. Living Large Radio airs every Saturday and Sunday on WBT 1110 AM/99.3 FM, WORD 106.3 FM, WCRU 960 AM/105.7 FM, and WGTK 94.5 FM.
Mark Henry and Alloy Wealth have been featured in The Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo! Finance, Investment News, and Retirement News Online. He has also regularly spoken about retirement planning and investment topics on podcasts and national TV shows. Moreover, he provides coaching services to financial managers and advisors and has hosted and spoken at some of the leading financial industry conferences.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start every day at about 4:30 am with a four-minute cold plunge in freezing water followed by one hour in the gym. I leave for work at about 6:30 to start the rest of the day. Most days involve a balance of office visits, media appearances, and business meetings. Being productive with your day is a choice we each have to make. The great equalizer of us all is we only get 24 hours per day, but it’s how we choose to use those hours that truly separates us.
How do you bring ideas to life?
We all get inspired by what may be a great idea, but sometimes those ideas come at random times and are quickly forgotten with the chaos of life. When an idea occurs to me, I immediately take the time to record it or write it down in my journal. This could happen at any time, day or night, but trying to remember it later without saving it never happens. Later, I can revisit the idea to see if it is something that I should pursue. Bringing new ideas to life requires action and commitment, along with a deadline. I have to decide to do it and then assign a date for it to be completed, which will hold us accountable.
What’s one trend that excites you?
YouTube has become a great resource for learning. I find myself hardly ever watching TV but find myself spending way more time researching topics on YouTube. So much great content is available at the touch of a button and while the creator must be verified, it’s an amazing tool for learning.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Planning each day carefully and using the power of the word “NO” helps me control the outcome of each day. I have found most people are afraid to use the word “no” and unfortunately lose control of their day.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I once believed in something referred to as “quality time.” I justified not spending time with my family by saying I spent quality time with them. I worked way too much believing the sacrifice was worth it. I could take them on the best vacations and shower them with the best gifts. The reality was my children and my wife did not want quality time with me, they simply wanted time. I know I could have done both – give them the time they deserve while working and building a successful career. It simply required much better time management.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Everyone can have the life they desire, regardless of current circumstances. People often find themselves in a place they never wanted or intended to be but when I ask to see their plan to be somewhere different, they do not have one. Most people seem to spend more time planning their family vacations than planning their lives. They simply react to the next thing life throws at them and live life in a constant reactive mindset instead of a proactive mindset. In my opinion, it all starts with being grateful for what you have and where you are in life, instead of what you don’t have or where you want to be.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I wake up early each day without any distractions, sit quietly, and meditate on how thankful I am for this new day. Think of all the joys of this amazing thing called life. Give absolutely no thought to the challenges of the day ahead and simply focus on having been given another day from God. It is yours to use, to create with, to move forward, unshackled from yesterday. Your past does not define you, use this day to create the version of you that you desire.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Step away from the noise, sit quietly, and focus on what this event or feeling of being overwhelmed is really about. I ask myself, “what can I do to fix it now? Or do I simply need to allow it to unfold further?” I then remind myself that this is my day and I control how it will go. No one other than God has the power to change my happiness or my joy.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Developing a winning mindset and refusing to lose. Confidence is inspiring and as a leader I must always be confident in my ability to lead. You must listen to the team around you and always seek wise counsel. Once the plan is set in motion, the leader must accept the outcome. When it works, the team gets the credit – after all, they did the work. If it fails, it falls solely on my shoulders. I take full responsibility and revise, adapt, and push forward, never giving up or losing sight of the goal.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
My greatest setback in life happened during the 2008 financial crisis when I lost a large business. While most would say it was unavoidable because of events outside of my control, looking back I would disagree. I believe it was the single defining moment of my entire working life, and while I would never want it to happen again, it made me the man I am today. I learned to value people more than ever before, to realize none of what I have in life belongs to me, it is given to me by God. Given to me to use and of which to be a good steward. What actually matters in life are the people you encounter each and every day.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
ChatGPT. I use each it and every day for everything from how to be more efficient in business to helping solve issues that come up daily.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I gave away a $100 bill because I did not have anything smaller. And while I’m always cognizant of whether I am helping or enabling, in this case I actually had a great peace about it.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I love The Joe Rogan Experience podcast because it often challenges my views on the world. I find great growth comes for me by being challenged to rethink my views.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
The movie F1 was amazing and really hit home as my youngest son is a professional driver. Seth drives in IMSA for Lamborghini, and there were so many similarities between the movie and his driving career.
Key learnings
- Resolve is more important than circumstance.
- Attitude is absolutely everything in life.
- Less is more, protect your time.
- Regrets come from the things we didn’t do, not from the mistakes we made.