Halfway through his keynote address during the final day of
With an intensity in his eyes similar to the fire he carried onto the field for 17 seasons as a leader with the Baltimore Ravens, the two-time Super Bowl champion told the room full of financial advisors that they hold the
To do that successfully, numbers and performance need to take a back seat, and the
"Money … you can borrow it. You can lend it. The relationships you guys have, it's not about money. It's about people. You don't bank with a bank. You bank with people. You don't cut deals with paper. You cut deals with people," Lewis said. "And a lot of times I think we get caught up in life going so fast … we're missing the human interaction. We've got to reconnect with who we are as people.
"Because the only way that we survive is if people understand people."
On paper, Lewis giving a talk about leadership during an event focused on practice management, wealthtech innovation and the latest industry trends seemed somewhat out of place.
But the legendary linebacker known equally for his storied career and his troubled past struck common ground early on, leaving those in the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry's Majestic Ballroom hanging on his every word and applauding as he poured his passion onto the Fearless 2023 main stage.
Drawing from his experiences both on and off the field, Lewis shared insight on how he maintained high-performance standards and inspired those around him to push for excellence.
“The relationships that you guys have, it’s not about money. It’s about people.” @NFL legend @raylewis absolutely brought his trademark passion and intensity to the @NitrogenWealth #FISummit stage today! Full story coming soon in @finplan once ya boy gets back to the Midwest ✈️ pic.twitter.com/QWKTIER2df
— Justin L. Mack (@justinlmack) October 4, 2023
Naturally, tales from the gridiron kicked things off. Some of what was shared was a no-brainer to the capacity crowd, like the explanation that taking an open field tackle from him in his prime would result in "a bad day."
But other gems dropped during the presentation drew genuine surprise, such as Lewis quickly responding with a "no" when asked by Nitrogen Chief Product Officer Justin Boatman if he misses the game.
"When I finally got out of the game I was able to breathe. I was able to realize that life is really real. Like, these cities are nice cities. Cincinnati is a nice city. Pittsburgh is a nice city!" Lewis said, eliciting laughter from the audience aware of the disdain he held for those places in the past. "When I was playing, I never got a chance to really see those cities.
"But [now] I can see life. … I'm 48 years old. From 10 years old, this is actually my first break that I've ever had from August to January."
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Lewis also lit up when discussing the relationship and mutual respect that developed between himself and fellow NFL greats Tom Brady and Peyton Manning over the years.
Describing Manning as a checkers player ("He's going at your throat like he wants it all") and Brady as a chess player ("He's gonna cut you slow"), Lewis said after seasons of studying and battling one another, each man knew exactly what the other intended to do once the ball was snapped.
From that point, it became a matter of leadership and having the mindset to motivate others to achieve success during times of fear or uncertainty — something that he feels advisors and planners accomplish on a daily basis.
"It's about getting everybody in tune with everything that they would want," he said.
Mentorship was also a major theme of Lewis' address. Growing up poor and without a father in the picture, Lewis explained that he was blessed to have a number of father figures who stepped up and provided a positive influence in his life along the way.
Without that guidance and support, Lewis said his evolution as a player, a leader and a father himself would not have been possible. He urged the financial professionals in the room to take that same approach with other up-and-coming talent in the industry, and with their clients.
Lewis spoke highly of the relationship he has with his own advisor, saying that because of the openness and honesty they share with each other, he considers his advisor family.
He added that with each bit of mentorship and information he receives from his advisor, that bond only grows stronger.
"Shared information is priceless in my world," he said. "Financial advisors, your biggest ability is to make sure that the person whose money you're investing … they know about every freaking penny of it. And every time it moves, they've got to know. A lot of [people] just say, 'Oh, my guy is doing a great job for me.' But in my world, give me information. I need information. I thrive on information."
But how you lead matters, Lewis said. Bring clients in and make them feel understood, and be enthusiastic about the process of sharing your expertise.
Talk to clients — not at them — and you'll inspire them to be more engaged in the planning process.
"It's a different thing when you call me to report to me. If you're reporting to me, that means you know stuff that I don't know. If you call me to discuss with me, then now we're having a different conversation," Lewis said. "Because now I'm involved in every transaction, not every other transaction. Which is how
"That's what makes the locker room so beautiful. Because I took guys that probably never would have made it, and I taught them exactly what I knew," Lewis continued. "We don't share as much information as we think we do with the people that we work for. And the people that you work for, 90% of them do not have the ability, honestly, to ask you."
