Interview Article with David Humes

David Humes is President of DD Humes Financial Services and Co-Founder of North American Lifestyle Planning Corporation.

What can you tell us about your financial practice at DD Humes Financial?

For over twenty years DD Humes Financial has been committed to a holistic approach to the planning process. We have always prescribed to the theory of beginning with the end in mind. We view financial products as a means to an end; thus we tie the financial side into clients' specific goals. We believe this primary focus on the clients' lives rather than on the financial products we provide them, fundamental in enhancing our relationship with them.

What do you believe has been the secret of your success?

I believe the secret of my success has been discovering early on that I am first and foremost in a people business. I have always said that I don't manage money, I manage people. I have made it a mission to help others realize their lifestyle and financial goals. To stay in this comfort zone I have enthusiastically provided educational opportunities for clients to enhance their financial knowledge base, so they can make informed decisions. In addition I have helped them to embrace realistic expectations, so that they are not continually disillusioned.

What made you decide to get involved in the Enhanced Lifestyle Planner project?

For a while now I have been searching for a more formal way to integrate clients' lifestyle choices with their financial plans. Ultimately I wanted to be known as their 'enhanced lifestyle planner.' I contacted George Beshara, whose material I have used in the past and the rest is history.

What has the response been so far from your clients?

It's not that discussing lifestyle issues is anything new to my clients, but when I exposed them to how much more comprehensive this coverage will be through our web site's 'Dream Machine', they became very excited and anxious to try it on for size. What I like most about the program is its facility of use, combined with the resulting report which is elaborate and custom-tailored to each client.

Why do you think your clients will benefit from using this tool?