 So much wisdom at such a young age.
Not
that a successful 29-year-old chief
executive is unheard of these days, even
after the dot com utopia, but one that
spends many of his “off” hours focused
on charitable giving is a bit of a
rarity. You get the sense that Bill
Lyons, president and CEO of LEI
Financial in the Kearny Mesa area of San
Diego, wishes he were not in the
minority.
Lyons
founded LEI in 2003 and since then,
business has exploded. Last year, the
Internet lead marketing company -- with
a core business in mortgages and
financial services and now a division of
Lyons Enterprises Inc. -- reported $20
million in revenue. This year’s
projections are closer to the
$50-million range. Yet Lyons has
remained grounded and as he and his
company make more money, he increasingly
has tried to remain involved with
numerous charitable causes.
One in
particular is San Diego-based Healing
Notes, a non-profit organization founded
by Allison Barkley, a musician and
mother of three who saw a need for a
local music therapy program that focused
on hospitalized children.
Lyons
was immediately impressed with Healing
Notes and reached out a helping hand,
even though he didn’t fully understand
the impact the organization had on the
lives of these children.
 “When
kids are in the sponge years, as I call
it, there are no filters, and whatever
we give them and teach them,
harmonically or otherwise, they’re going
to remember,” Lyons says. “It’s so
critical in those years -- age 4 to age
7 --to get in the good stuff.”
Healing
Notes does just that: It provides
positive influence through the playing
of instruments and song-writing. The
interactive therapy can take place on an
individual basis or in group sessions,
giving the children a chance to learn
and express themselves, interact with
family and peers and to relax and enjoy
themselves.
Influenced by Tony Robbins
“If
you’re not contributing, that’s not
life. It’s all about karma…what you give
out there comes back,” says Lyons, who
contributes to so many causes on a
company and personal level, that it’s
difficult for him to keep track. Lyons
tries to be anonymous with much of his
giving, but he does highlight a recent
trip to Fiji, which really inspired him
to help out.
“We
found some great charity things to do
there,” he says. “The hospitals, for
example, are very Third World. We
donated money to the hospitals, schools
and villages.”
He adds
that it felt good to make a direct
contribution in Fiji and to see and meet
people that he was directly affecting.
One thing he always tries to do is have
a direct impact, whether he’s
contributing money, getting his hands
dirty or helping an organization like
Healing Notes with his leadership
expertise.
And
speaking of impact, Lyons also tries to
convince his employees to adopt similar
philosophies toward giving.
“When
you first see some of these guys -- loan
officers, realtors, whatever the case
may be -- start to make money, some of
them for the first time in their life,
they quickly realize that it’s not
exactly what they thought it was,” he
maintains. “And once you teach them to
give back, life becomes a lot more
fulfilling. The only way to get
fulfillment is through contribution and
giving. That’s what I believe.”
Jon
Hindman is the former managing editor of
California CEO.
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