When Marc Henn launched Harvest Financial Advisors nearly two decades ago, he wasn’t trying to reinvent the financial-services wheel. He was trying to realign it. After more than 35 years in the industry, Henn had seen what he calls the “black marks” of the profession—transactional mindsets, one-off sales, and the steady erosion of authentic client connection. “I love people. I love their stories,” he reflects. “I didn’t want to move from one transaction to the next. I wanted to build relationships that last a lifetime.”

From that conviction grew Harvest Financial Advisors, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio—a firm that today serves clients in more than thirty states and employs a 15-member team. Its mission, as Henn describes it, is to help business owners, executives, retirees, and entrepreneurs transform their financial lives to find abundance, purpose, and peace of mind.

Two Lanes, One Philosophy

Harvest Financial Advisors operates on two integrated fronts: a Wealth Management practice and a Multi-Family Office platform. The former focuses on comprehensive planning—retirement, estate, and tax strategies—while the latter caters to families and entrepreneurs with significant wealth, adding layers of risk mitigation, family governance, and multigenerational planning.

“We didn’t start out that way,” Henn says. “Most firms are one or the other. But when several clients who held private stock were about to go public, I realized I needed to learn how to be a multifamily office—or risk losing them to a firm that already was.”

That willingness to evolve defines Henn’s leadership style. He describes his ideal clients not by their net worth, but by their openness to partnership. “We interview each other,” he explains. “If someone just wants us to ‘manage the money and that’s it,’ they’re probably not the right fit. We want to be involved in every financial decision they make.”

The Five Super Asset Classes

Henn’s intellectual curiosity and decades of client experience eventually inspired his book, Power Plays of the Wealthy, now a best-seller and a frequent reference point in his national media appearances, including Barron’s, The Wall Street Journal, and Financial Planning Magazine.

In it, he distills what he calls the “Five Super Asset Classes” that the wealthy weave together to build lasting prosperity:

1. Paper Assets

2. Businesses as Investments

3. Energy (Oil & Gas)

4. Gold and Silver

5. Real Estate

By balancing these classes, he argues, investors can dramatically reduce taxes and volatility while broadening opportunity. “The laws are there,” he writes. “Either you learn to use them, or your taxes will fund someone who does.”

But Power Plays of the Wealthy isn’t merely technical. It’s a manifesto for empowerment. “My goal is to get people to take charge of their financial lives,” Henn says. “And once they’ve built abundance, to use it for something bigger—giving back, mentoring, creating wisdom and relationships. That’s where real joy and purpose come from.”

Faith, Family, and the Gift of Time

Henn’s reflections on wealth extend well beyond balance sheets. A husband, father of five daughters, and grandfather, he’s candid about the learning curve of balancing family with entrepreneurship. Early in his career, he assumed family time would “just happen.” It didn’t.

“I realized I was giving the scraps of my schedule to the people I cared about most,” he admits. “The things that matter most in life have to be scheduled first.” His wife, he adds with admiration, is the one who taught him the power of constructive conflict. “She told me, ‘If I see a better outcome for both of us, I’m not letting it go.’ That changed how I handle relationships—at home and at work.”

These experiences reinforced one of Henn’s central philosophies: time is the most precious currency. Through intentional planning, both financial and personal, people can reclaim time to invest in what matters most—faith, family, and community.

Philanthropy and the Legacy Mindset

Henn’s family passion for philanthropy began when his eldest daughter introduced him to the fight against human trafficking. “That conversation changed our family,” he says. The Henns now support organizations combatting trafficking and other community initiatives centered on faith, hunger, and housing.

He extends that same mindset to his clients, encouraging them to view giving as a pillar of family governance. “Philanthropy creates cohesion across generations,” he notes. “It teaches purpose, responsibility, and gratitude—and it makes wealth mean something.”

Trust, Transparency, and a Dash of Humor

In an era when financial advice is increasingly commoditized, Henn believes that trust and transparency are his firm’s true differentiators. “Clients can tell when you genuinely care,” he says. “We’re fiduciaries, but that’s not just a label. It’s how we live our relationships.”

And while he’s known for his disciplined financial insights, Henn doesn’t shy away from levity. A onetime stand-up comedian, he admits to an enduring love for dad jokes. His personal favorite? “What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it? Nothing—it just let out a little wine.”