Marc Henn on Building True Wealth: Beyond Portfolios and Toward Purpose

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.”

Video Transcript:

Alan Olsen
My guest today is Marc Henn. Marc, welcome to today’s show.

Marc Henn
Thanks, Alan. It’s a pleasure to be here. I’m looking forward to it.

Alan Olsen
Marc, for our listeners, can you share a little about your background and how Harvest Financial Advisors came about?

Marc Henn
Sure. I appreciate the question.

I’ve been in the financial services industry for 35 years, and over that time, I noticed a couple of black marks on the industry. One of the biggest was communication: how we connect with clients, how we communicate with them, and how we work together to move forward with an overall plan that is more holistic.

That was something I really wanted to do differently. What I experienced in the industry was often more of a transactional mindset: “Let’s get this done, and once it’s done, we’ll move on to the next client.” I didn’t want that. I wanted the relationship aspect, because that was the most important thing to me. I love people. I love their stories. I love being involved in their lives.

Over time, I had a lot of clients tell me, “Why don’t you just start your own firm? We’ll go with you.” They appreciated that kind of model as well. That was really the impetus for launching out, hanging my own shingle, and starting Harvest Financial Advisors about 17 or 18 years ago.

It has been a great ride since then. I think clients appreciate that model, that kind of attention, and that more holistic approach. I didn’t know where it would grow, but today we have 15 team members and clients in more than 30 states. We’re really enjoying being able to bring this process and approach to people.

Alan Olsen
It takes a lot of courage to step out and start your own firm. For the sake of defining an ideal client, what does that look like for Harvest Financial Advisors?

Marc Henn
We actually serve a wide range of clients, including individuals, trusts, and businesses. Our firm has two main components.

The first is our wealth management side. We have a lot of great advisors who help with that. These are often people who are in or near retirement, business owners, or individuals going through major life-changing events. When they come through the door, we look at foundational items such as financial and retirement planning, cash flow planning, estate planning, income tax strategies, and other key areas. That is a very strong offering we provide.

The second side is our multi-family office practice, which I head up. That side is for families, entrepreneurs, and clients with significant wealth, where we need to bring in additional services such as risk mitigation, family governance, and multi-generational planning.

So we have these two pieces of the firm, and both types of clients can be ideal clients for us. We didn’t start out that way. Most firms in this country are usually either a wealth management firm or a multi-family office. But about 20 years ago, I had clients who held private stock that was going to go public. I realized that I needed to figure out how to serve them as a multi-family office, or they were going to go somewhere else. That was the impetus for developing that side of the firm.

Alan Olsen
When you’re working with clients, there are obviously two separate models: the multi-family office model and the more traditional strategic investing or financial planning model. How do you determine the type of client you want to work with? If someone comes to you and says, “Marc, do I fit your model?” how do you go about answering that? Is there a screening process?

Marc Henn
There is. In the industry, the standard question is often, “What is your asset size?” That can be important in determining the services we may provide or offer, but it’s not the only thing we look at.

We go through an interview process. While potential clients are interviewing us, we are interviewing them as well. We want to understand how they fit with the way we operate.

For example, if someone comes in and tells me exactly what they want to do, I may stop them and ask, “Why are we even here having this conversation? If you already know exactly what you want to do, why do you need us?” There may be extenuating circumstances, of course, but I want clients to see the value in the areas where I believe we can make the greatest impact.

First and foremost is risk mitigation. That is paramount for me in structuring the overall relationship with a client. I also like to understand whether they have a focus on giving back. I love seeing clients come in with a philanthropic focus, because I think that creates a better, more holistic plan for them.

If a client doesn’t want that, that’s okay. But we are looking for more than just asset size. We want to know whether they will fit into and follow along with the overall strategy of the plan.

If someone simply wants us to manage the money and nothing else, that’s probably not the best client for us. We delve into many areas of our clients’ lives and create a more holistic relationship. We encourage clients to involve us in every major financial decision so we can offer guidance across all areas. That, to us, is the important part of the relationship.

Alan Olsen
You recently wrote a book, Power Plays of the Wealthy. What inspired you to write it?

Marc Henn
I have a degree in economics from Purdue University, and I’m also a Certified Financial Planner. What I saw was that even in educational institutions and professional training, we weren’t always taught some of the foundational structures that can really help clients.

A lot of the focus tends to be on paper assets. Over the years, I developed a framework that I call the five super asset classes. It explains how the wealthy layer different asset classes together not only to create wealth, but also to reduce taxes and build a more holistic investment approach.

When I would walk clients through this, they were often shocked. They would say, “This is incredible. No one has ever taught us this before.” I’ll admit, I learned much of it through my own additional education and research beyond my CFP training and economics degree.

A lot of people encouraged me to write a book. They told me that entrepreneurs should write books, and that this should be the first book I wrote because the information would be valuable for clients and others.

In the book, I give an example of how wealthy individuals can use these strategies to reduce a marginal tax bracket of around 40% down to about 4.8%. There is nothing hidden from people. These laws exist. The question is whether you understand and use them.

I try to help readers understand that they are part of the system whether they choose to be or not. Either they can engage with the system and use these strategies, or their tax dollars may go toward supporting benefits that others use to grow their wealth. My goal is to encourage people to take a more active role in understanding how these structures work.

The five super asset classes I discuss are paper assets, businesses as investments, oil and gas or energy investments, gold and silver as protective assets, and real estate. The book explains how these can be layered together. I’ve had a great response from people who have thanked me for writing it. It was a lot of work, but I’ve really enjoyed getting it out there.

Alan Olsen
What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book, and how did you overcome those challenges?

Marc Henn
Probably just getting started. It was a process I wasn’t familiar with.

You and I met through Strategic Coach, so it will be no surprise to you that I was looking for a “who,” not a “how,” to help me write the book. Instead of trying to figure everything out myself, I found people I knew in the industry and said, “Help me write this book.” They helped guide me through the process, and that was great.

The most challenging part was getting started and putting the time into it. Once I got going, the content began to flow. If it’s an area you’re passionate about and you believe you have valuable information to share, it comes along more easily.

I also got to record my own audiobook, which I enjoyed. Some people have told me I have a face for radio, so I thought, “Okay, I’ll go ahead and do that as well.” But really, the hardest part was just getting started.

Alan Olsen
How do you hope your book will impact readers on a personal level, beyond the financial insights?

Marc Henn
There is a lot in the book about finance and structuring wealth, but beyond that, there are two things I hope readers take away.

First is empowerment. I want readers to feel empowered to take charge of their financial lives. The book is written as an introduction to these areas and is meant to encourage people to go research further. They may choose not to, and that’s fine, but the goal is to give them the foundation to begin.

Second is the idea of giving back. A lot of these structures and strategies can lead to more time and more resources. The question then becomes, how do we use those resources to help and assist others?

I believe that is where true wealth comes from. We can look at money and financial assets as forms of wealth, but I would consider those lower forms of wealth. Higher forms of wealth include wisdom, relationships, and the ability to give back. These strategies allow people to build the resources and time needed to do those things.

I think true joy often comes from giving back. So beyond financial strategies, I want to instill in people the importance of using wealth to create meaning, impact, and generosity.

Alan Olsen
A lot of individuals talk about work-life balance. You have a large family. How do you balance work and personal life?

Marc Henn
You may need to ask my wife that question. She might be a better person to ask.

I have five daughters, a couple of sons-in-law, and some granddaughters. We don’t seem to birth sons in my family — it’s daughters and granddaughters. We’ll see if we eventually get a grandson.

When I started the business, I thought the things that were really important to me — spending time with my wife and family — would naturally happen because they mattered so much to me. Meanwhile, the other things in life, like client meetings and prospect meetings, went on the calendar.

But what I came to realize was that the things that mattered most were the things getting squeezed out. I was almost giving my family the scraps and leftovers, and that was not where my heart was. My heart was to give them as much of myself as possible.

So I realized that I needed to schedule that time. I needed to be intentional about it. The things that are most important to me are the things that most need to be scheduled and blocked off to make sure they actually happen.

One moment that really shaped me came from a conversation with my wife. There was a time when I wasn’t giving as much time and attention as I should have, and she brought it up. She wouldn’t let it go. Finally, I asked her, “What is it with you? You don’t seem to mind conflict. You almost embrace it.”

She said, “It’s not that I like conflict. But if I see an outcome that is more beneficial for both people, I’m not going to let it go.”

That had a profound impact on me. It helped me understand the importance of addressing the things that matter and structuring time accordingly. My wife is definitely my better half.

Time is the most precious resource we have, and we need to protect it. That’s another reason I talk in the book about creating more time. I don’t want to wait until I’m 75 to start doing the things I always wanted to do. I want to encourage people to bring those things into the present, while they still have the time, energy, and resources to do them.

Alan Olsen
Marc, you bring up a really good point about foundational aspects. I’d like to delve a little deeper into that.

We live in a crazy, ever-changing world right now. AI is making us question, “Is what I’m reading true? Is it not true? Is that really the person saying that?” But the constant in all of this is that time keeps going. Every day, we get a day older, and we have choices to make.

There is a foundational aspect to setting up our legacy, supporting causes, and giving back to others. When you look at that foundational aspect, how does that play out in your personal life and in the lives of your clients? Are there causes or areas where you love to help develop others or see action taken?

Marc Henn
There are a lot of great things out there that we can support, and I think you would agree with that. But if we’re not careful, we can spread ourselves too thin — giving a dollar here, a dollar there — without a clear focus.

Personally, we take time to figure out what is most foundational for us. A lot of that came from having five daughters and seeing what was important to them.

Many years ago, my oldest daughter brought the issue of human trafficking to my attention. She was passionate about it, and we got involved in supporting efforts to fight that evil.

My faith is also important to me, so we look at causes in our local community that we can support, whether that involves hunger, housing, or other needs.

We carry that over to our clients as well. We want to make sure our clients understand the power of giving, including the financial benefits, but also the broader benefits of giving back.

Some clients have only been involved in charitable giving or philanthropy because of the tax breaks. Others may not have been involved at all because they were focused on other areas. But as they begin to see the importance of giving, it can become a meaningful part of their plan.

For multi-family office clients especially, philanthropy can be an entire meeting in itself. It can lay a foundation for the family and bring children into the conversation. Many clients are concerned about how to involve the next generation in family wealth and help them understand its impact. Philanthropy is a great way to do that.

Bringing younger generations into giving can create cohesion within the family from a long-term, multi-generational standpoint. Because I have a heart for giving back, that naturally carries over into how I lead and advise clients. Ultimately, if they decide they don’t want to engage in philanthropy, that is their choice. But I want them to see the true impact of giving back and how it can become a foundational part of their lives.

Alan Olsen
How do you maintain trust and loyalty with your clients in today’s competitive financial landscape?

Marc Henn
I would go back to communication. I think our clients can tell that we enjoy what we do, that we’re passionate about it, and that we enjoy spending time with them.

When you develop that kind of relationship, it creates a stickier relationship with the client. They stay with you because they know you have their best interests at heart.

We can talk about the structures, such as our fiduciary responsibility and the higher standard of care we owe our clients, and that is important. But I think it is also important for clients to see that we mean it and that we actually provide that level of care.

Transparency is also a major part of it. We are fully transparent about what we do, the fees we charge, and how we lay out risk management strategies. We take the time to walk clients through those things.

I think that kind of transparency is fairly rare in the financial services industry. That is probably the primary reason we are able to maintain trust and a very low client turnover rate.

Alan Olsen
Marc, I understand you’re quite the joke teller. Give us some of your favorite dad jokes.

Marc Henn
I have been known to tell a few jokes. We didn’t talk about this beforehand, but I’ve actually done some stand-up comedy in the past. I knew it wouldn’t feed the family, but thankfully, I never got booed off the stage.

I do like a good dad joke every now and then.

Here’s one: If somebody says, “I’m going to head to the bank,” you can say, “Why? So they can show you a little interest?”

Then, of course, there’s the classic. If one of my kids says, “I’m hungry,” I say, “Nice to meet you, Hungry. I’m Dad.” That one got old pretty quickly.

But probably my all-time favorite dad joke is this: What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it? It didn’t say anything. It just let out a little wine.

I can usually tell if it’s a good joke by running it past my wife. She finds me to be the least funny person she knows, so if she laughs, I know it’s a good one. Or maybe she has just heard it so many times already.

Alan Olsen
Marc, if someone wants to reach out for more information about Harvest Financial Advisors, how would they do that?

Marc Henn
There are a couple of ways. They can visit our website at harvestadvisors.com. They can also call us directly at 513-779-3030. Again, that’s 513-779-3030.

They’re also welcome to email me directly at marc@harvestadvisors.com.

Alan Olsen
Marc, it has been a pleasure having you here today on American Dreams.