From Mobile Home to Financially Home: Darryl's Journey

Darryl shares his personal journey growing up in a mobile home to eventually founding PAX Financial Group. He recalls, "I was edging the skirting of our mobile home. And if you get too close to the skirting, you crack it. And so I just thought, how do people have houses with foundations? I just became curious about money."

While biblical values were not originally a focus, about five years ago Darryl had an awakening to fully live out his faith, making Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) core to PAX's approach.

Cultivating a Community-Driven Culture

Darryl discusses how he has intentionally shaped PAX's unique culture around their values. Every client-facing team member, from advisors to 401(k) and insurance specialists, is required to serve on the board of a non-profit aligned with PAX's mission of giving people hope.

This policy not only keeps the team engaged with the local community but also serves as a business development channel. "About two or three years in, if you're doing the right thing for the right reasons, there's going to be a very wealthy person that's on the board or affiliated with the board saying, I've been watching you and I like you."

Navigating the Transition from Advisor to CEO

One of the most significant challenges Daryl faced in his journey was the transition from working directly with clients as an advisor to taking on the role of CEO. He candidly shares, "Vacillating between the two is really hard because it's really two parts of the brain. I can imagine going into a strategy meeting for the business and then spending a couple hours with clients, and then going back and rethinking about strategy. It really doesn't work that well." Daryl emphasizes the importance of understanding your own skills, passions, and the needs of the organization during this transition. "It got to the point where I said, I really got to make a decision for the betterment of everyone."

Daryl admits that the process wasn't always smooth, and he had to learn from his mistakes along the way. One key lesson he learned was the importance of clear communication and setting expectations with clients. Another critical aspect of the transition was getting buy-in from the team. Daryl thoughtfully brought in advisors as equity partners to build excitement and ensure everyone was in the right seat before stepping back from client work. For advisors considering a similar transition,

Daryl's advice is to be intentional, communicate clearly, and lean on your team. By understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, setting expectations with clients, and empowering your team members, you can successfully navigate the shift from advisor to CEO while maintaining the trust and confidence of all stakeholders.

The Journey Continues

Daryl's story is a testament to the power of aligning one's values and faith with their professional pursuits. By committing to not be lukewarm, but commit to his beliefs and continuously learning and adapting, he has built a thriving firm that is making a positive impact on clients, employees, and the community.

As Daryl looks to the future, he is excited about the growth potential for biblically responsible investing and the role technology will play in making it more accessible, tangible, and explainable to investors. He sees PAX Financial Group as well-positioned to lead the charge in this space, with a strong team, a clear mission, and a commitment to excellence.

For advisors and investors alike, Daryl's journey offers valuable insights and inspiration. Whether you're navigating a transition in your own career, looking to align your investments with your values, or seeking to make a positive impact in your community, Daryl's story shows that it's possible to achieve success while staying true to what matters most.

Ready to dive deeper into Daryl's story and learn more about biblically responsible investing? Watch the full episode below!

Youtube: https://youtu.be/2j-AHXj5Z28

Additional Resources

Learn more about Darryl Lyons

Pax Financial Group

The Journey to Intentional ESG Integration

Paula discusses her early career experiences at ESG research firms Sustainalytics and MSCI, which illuminated opportunities to more systematically and holistically weave ESG into the investment process. Rather than relegating ESG to a siloed, reactive overlay, Paula set out to put ESG factors on equal footing with traditional financial metrics.

Honeytree's Investment Process

In part of this episode, Paula dives into the details of Honeytree's two-phase investment process.

1. Applying 25 ESG qualification criteria to filter a broad index down to a concentrated set of companies

2. Conducting deep-dive analysis on the selected companies across 45 ESG and financial metrics, from science-based emissions targets to parental leave policies

The result is a high-conviction portfolio of 20-25 companies making a net positive stakeholder impact. As Paula emphasizes, "Our companies aren't thematic in nature. They could be making clothing, shoes, consumer staples, or tech. What we're trying to find are companies that are well stakeholder-governed, that understand the impacts they're making on all their stakeholders is actually what's driving their bottom line."

Looking Beyond the Obvious

Paula shares that Honeytree looks beyond obvious thematic ESG darlings like Tesla to uncover less apparent impact stories, such as Cummins' transition from diesel to electric and hydrogen engines. She also highlights examples of Honeytree's ESG criteria in action, like requiring a minimum of 33% board diversity.

The Future of ESG Investing

Looking ahead, Paula sees ESG becoming increasingly mainstream as corporate sustainability disclosure ramps up, with ESG data becoming as integral as financial statements to holistically understand a company's risks and opportunities.

With its disciplined, integrated approach to ESG analysis, Honeytree is poised to continue pioneering intentional, impactful investing.

To learn more about their innovative strategy and recently launched U.S. Equity ETF, visit Honeytree's website and check out BEEZ ETF.

Be sure to subscribe to the YourStake, Your Story podcast for more conversations with leaders challenging the status quo and innovating at the forefront of values-aligned investing.