Recently, I was talking to a client about the importance of tipping at restaurants, since wait staff and servers work so hard for the small amount of money they earn. She responded by telling me that she had realized that too, and now gave 20% times 2 as a tip. 40%! Wow, I was really impressed with her generosity! She was blessed financially, and she understood that out of her blessings she should bless others. Her example became a challenge for me to step up my game in being generous.
One thing we have done at Healy Group for the last 4 months was to order food from local restaurants for our employees on Fridays. This was a way to get those in the building together (in a socially distanced manner) and to help local restaurants that may be struggling financially. We also started a question of the week where everyone has an opportunity to answer an interesting question (If you were on a desert island and could only have 3 things, what would they be?) with the most interesting answer winning a $25 gift card. These were small ways to promote fun, friendship, and unity amongst our people.
Make it a Great Day
One of our core values at Healy Group is to, “Make it a Great Day.” It isn’t “Have a Great Day.” We chose the word ‘make‘ instead of the word ‘have‘ because ‘make’ is active and ‘have’ is passive. Is life happening to you or are you making life happen? We want to make good things happen, so “Make it a Great Day” conveys that idea well for us. Now more than ever, “Make it a Great Day” is important. It has been a difficult year in many ways. Life is always challenging, but 2020, in particular, has been a more challenging year for many. We can have an attitude that reflects the difficulties around us, or we can choose to make things better in countless little ways. When we choose gratitude and thankfulness and then try to make things better for those around us, we all, in our small ways, are making the world a little bit better place.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to challenge all of us to dig a little deeper into thinking about how we can make the lives of those around us a little better. Along those lines, let’s also think about digging a bit deeper to help out charities during this upcoming Christmas season. The needs are abundant all around us. The United Nations is warning that 265 million people could be pushed to the point of starvation by the end of 2020 with the first increase in global poverty since 1990 unless urgent action is taken, but people are hurting right outside our doorsteps too. Let’s be committed to filling a need when we see a need this holiday season.
The Power of Giving
Each year at Thanksgiving time, Healy Group employees meet and we distribute the Healy Hundred. Each employee is given a $100 bill with the charge to go help someone or some group with it. There are no questions asked and there is no accountability. If an employee felt their family needs it, they could certainly keep it. Fortunately, we do hear some amazing stories of how employees creatively care for people around them. It is a wonderful moment in our culture. In the spirit of my client who doubles her tip, we will do the same this year with the Healy Hundred and make it the Healy Two Hundred. It has been a challenging year for many and if we can do our little part to make it a great day for more people, then we want to do so.
For our clients, suppliers, and vendors we have the privilege to work with, we hope that the Healy Spirit shines through you this Thanksgiving and you are prompted to “Make it a Great Day” for someone in your life.
About the Author:
Rich Preuss
Rich, the President and an Owner of Healy Group, has been a financial advisor for over 37 years. His overarching goal in his work with his clients is to help them connect their money to their values. He believes that his work with his clients isn’t just about rates of return, asset allocation, and maximizing wealth; it is about helping them create a better life for those they love and creating a better world.
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