Creating a Business

and Personal Legacy
Creating a Business
and Personal Legacy

J. Mark Munoz
Creating a Business and Personal Legacy
Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2020.

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First published in 2020 by

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 Abstract

Worldwide, there is a growing interest on how to uncover one’s true pur-

pose in life and legacy. It is a subject that crosses the minds of everyone
regardless of geographic location, gender, age, or occupation. Using fic-
tional, but highly plausible, stories, this short book crystalizes key ideas
on how to create a lasting business and personal legacy. With rising cases
of depression resulting from personal and career challenges, this book
provides perspectives on how to find new happiness and meaning in one’s
life, while making a relevant and lasting impact.

Keywords
legacy; business; personal development; career development; business
impact; career impact; professional growth; professional development;
legacy creation; legacy planning
 Contents

Prologue.................................................................................................ix
Acknowledgments.................................................................................xvii
Chapter 1 Jack Wilson: Financial Legacy............................................1
Chapter 2 Aya Rahal: Social Legacy....................................................5
Chapter 3 Philip Gomez: Political Legacy...........................................9
Chapter 4 Evie Roberts: Intellectual Legacy......................................13
Chapter 5 Antonio Barbosa: Spiritual Legacy....................................17
Chapter 6 Neha Anand: Cultural Legacy..........................................21
Chapter 7 Emilio Rodriguez: Physical Legacy...................................25
Chapter 8 James Turner: Historical Legacy.......................................31
Chapter 9 Lessons from the Stories...................................................35
Chapter 10 Planning for Your Legacy.................................................43
Chapter 11 Concluding Thoughts......................................................51

About the Author...................................................................................57

Index....................................................................................................59
 Prologue
The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.
—William James

What is your legacy? What difference do you feel you have made in this
world, for one person or perhaps many? Will you be remembered in
50 years? 100 years? Or more?
These questions do not typically come to mind as we live our daily
lives. However, these questions matter because it shapes the way we view
ourselves, our goals and aspirations, and even our happiness. This book
underscores the importance of thinking about legacy and weaving it into
the way we think about our lives and live it.
We all have a goal and purpose in life and the way we accomplish
these ties in closely with our legacy. In fact, much of the unhappiness we
experience in life is associated with our inability to accomplish our true
purpose and establish our legacy.
Human beings have an inherent desire to be kind and good. Instilled
in each of us is what I would call seeds of goodness. Every so often we
hear of random accounts of ordinary people demonstrating remarkable
kindness. For instance, in one case, a businessman dressed as Santa Claus
handed out $100 bills to passersby. A person paid the layaway plans at a
Walmart store. Another paid the utility bills of 36 families about to lose
heat during the winter season. Many of these generous acts take place
every day, and in many cases these acts are not even talked about and go
noticed.
According to Giving USA (2019), Americans gave about $427
­billion to various charitable causes in 2018. Charitable giving crosses
generational lines. The Blackbaud Institute (2018) noted the extent of
giving according to generational groups: GenZ (44 percent), Millenni-
als (51  percent), GenX (55 percent), Baby Boomers (75 percent), and
x PROLOGUE

Matures (78 percent). These numbers suggest that millions of Americans

as well as individuals around the world opt to share what they have with
others.
People are sharing not only in a financial way but also through vol-
unteerism. Nonprofits Source (2019) indicated that 64 percent of Mil-
lennials, 64 percent of GenXers, and 71 percent of Baby Boomers do
volunteer work.
There are approximately 1.6 million nonprofit organizations in the
United States, and they constitute about 10 percent of the country’s
workforce (Independent Sector 2019). This includes organizations such
as churches, food banks, and cultural centers that serve the needs of a
local, national, or international community.
Some organizations are categorized as social enterprises. These are
firms that blend profit making goals with a socially driven agenda sup-
porting the needs of the community, environment, and its stakeholder
network. A Deloitte (2018) report underscores the growing importance
of social capital in defining an organization’s purpose, its relationships,
and its future success.
There are intriguing questions to all these: Why are people giving away
their time and money? What prompts them to do so? Why are organizations being
set up solely to help others? Why is there an emerging trend among companies
worldwide to boost their social capital and engagement with the community?
I would argue that the seeds of goodness within all of us drive some of
these actions. We are all motivated to be loved, respected, and thought of
in a positive way. At the end of our lives, we would like our friends and
loved ones to say that we had a meaningful life and that we have made a
difference in this world.
I’d like to introduce the notion of Memorial Capacity (MC) or the
ability of an individual to continue to be remembered in future genera-
tions. Who do you think are examples of individuals who have Very High
Memorial Capacity? Some might pick spiritual personalities such as Jesus
Christ or Buddha. Others might pick accomplished politicians or heads
of state such as President Abraham Lincoln. Others might pick highly
intelligent people like Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton. Some might pick
talented artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Pablo Picasso or composers
 PROLOGUE
xi

such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Johann

Sebastian Bach.
The reality is that some individuals have a much higher MC than
others.
In my view, there are variations with regard to MC.

Level 1: Extraordinary Memorial Capacity (EMC). Some individ-

uals have passed on a legacy that extends to over a thousand years. A
­classic e­ xample would be Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammad, Siddhartha
­Gautama or Buddha. These individuals founded a religion that continues
to be practiced worldwide to this day.

Level 2: Very High Memorial Capacity (VHMC). There are people

who are remembered for their accomplishments for a period exceeding
500 years. For example, Queen Elizabeth I, William Shakespeare, and
­Rembrandt van Rijn. Through their remarkable talent and achievements,
they are remembered even in the present time.

Level 3: High Memorial Capacity (HMC). Due to their remark-

able achievements and talent, there are people that are remembered
for a period of over 100 years. There are several in this category in-
cluding musicians, entertainers, athletes, authors, businessmen,
­philanthropists, and inventors among others. For example, Wilhelm
Friedemann Bach.

Level 4: Moderate Memorial Capacity (MMC). There are special and

well-loved personalities that continue to be in people’s minds for over
50  years after they have passed. Many are included in this category
­including professionals, entrepreneurs, and family members. One exam-
ple would be one’s grandparent.

Level 5: Low Memorial Capacity (LMC). These individuals are soon

forgotten shortly after their death. The majority are in this category. These
individuals are vaguely remembered not because of their lack of talent,
ability, or effort but because the impact they have made living their lives
was rather minimal.
xii PROLOGUE

Now the hard question—Which category will you likely be in? Is this
fine with you, or would you prefer to do better? How would you really like
to live your life to optimize your abilities and make a significant and lasting
impact?
It is estimated that about 151,600 people die every day. How many of
them will be remembered past 50 years?
The objective of this book is to rethink the notion of legacy and help
readers worldwide understand how to live more meaningful lives and op-
timize one’s MC.
When starting to think about one’s memorial footprint, it is helpful
to consider the key dimensions that shape a legacy. There are at least five
noteworthy attributes of legacy:

Depth. What is your depth of impact? For instance, a professor who has
mentored a student or a physician who has saved someone’s life would
have a deep impact on a person’s life.

Scale. How many lives have you touched? An author who wrote a best-selling
self-help book that transformed many lives or a politician that initiated a
bill that provided better health care to the citizenry has made an impact
on lives on a grand scale.

Scope. How many segments in society were you able to transform? A famous
actress who has made dramatic contributions in the entertainment indus-
try might also have led the effort to fight world hunger and have been a
major donor in the art community. In this case, the scope of her impact
is wide.

Time. When did you start making an impact on society? If there was such a
thing as a legacy balance sheet based on one’s impact on society, there is
a good chance that those who started engaging in socially driven pursuits
earlier in life could have made a bigger difference than those who decided
to act during the last days of their lives.

Inertia. How much energy did you expend in trying to make a difference?
It is fairly obvious that a person who has put in a lot of energy in social
change would have a greater memorial trajectory and velocity as com-
pared to one who has put in a minimal or no effort.
 PROLOGUE
xiii

These dimensions highlight the fact that there are variations in which
people pursue social impact and create their legacy. The choices one
makes eventually determines one’s MC.
As human beings in a global village, we are endowed with different
talents, abilities, and resources. If we want to enrich our memorial capacity
and optimize our legacy in our society, what can we do? What were the suc-
cess formulas of Jesus Christ or William Shakespeare or Wilhelm Friedemann
Bach? Is there something we can learn from truly memorable people?
In my assessment, there are several legacy pathways. Here are eight
powerful examples:

Financial. A case in point would be a billionaire who successfully created

a business empire. After building much wealth, he decides to give most of
it to charity. Think Bill Gates.

Social. One example would be an entrepreneur who revolutionized the

way people socialize through the web worldwide. Think Mark Zuckerberg.

Political. A President of a country may have made defining decisions that

changed the course of a nation. Think Abraham Lincoln and Margaret
Thatcher.

Intellectual. An inventor may have created a practical product that

helped industrialize the world. Think Thomas Edison.

Spiritual. A person may have initiated a revolutionary spiritual move-

ment. Think Martin Luther and Mother Theresa.

Cultural. An activist may have pursued nonviolent civil disobedience

that inspired civil rights movements around the world. Think Mahatma
Gandhi.

Physical. A competitive swimmer may have elevated the sport of com-

petitive swimming by winning a total of 28 gold medals and eventually
becoming the world’s most decorated Olympian. Think Michael Phelps.

Historical. An explorer and navigator may have pioneered European ex-

peditions in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America initiat-
ing colonization of the Americas. Think Christopher Columbus.
xiv PROLOGUE

These examples are amazing accomplishments of men and women.

They all have high MCs as a result of their skills and actions.
However, simple people, with far less abilities, are in a position to en-
hance and enrich their MC. Strategizing through the five dimensions of
legacy—depth, scale, scope, time, and inertia, we can all make an impact
in the world in our own way.
This book showcases eight fictional, but plausible, stories of how
contemporary individuals can create a lasting legacy. These stories offer
important lessons that can inspire you to use whatever talent, abilities,
and resources you have to make the world a better place. A summary of
the lessons learned will be highlighted and discussed and the concept of
a Strategic Legacy Plan (SLP) will be introduced. A conclusion chapter
sums up the key lessons for a successful legacy creation.
We are in this world not to merely exist, but to make an impact in our
own way and leave behind a meaningful legacy.

References
Blackbaud Institute. 2018. “The Next Generation of American Giving.”
https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-115/2/2018-Next-Generation-of-Giving
.pdf.
Deloitte. 2018. “The Rise of the Social Enterprise. 2018 Deloitte Global
Human Capital Trends.” https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/
insights/us/articles/HCTrends2018/2018-HCtrends_Rise-of-the-
social-enterprise.pdf.
Giving USA. 2019. “Americans Gave $427.71 Billion to Charity in
2018 Amid Complex Year for Charity Giving.” https://givingusa
.org/giving-usa-2019-americans-gave-427-71-billion-to-charity-
in-2018-amid-complex-year-for-charitable-giving/.
Independent Sector. 2019. “The Charitable Sector.” https://independent-
sector.org/about/the-charitable-sector/.
Nonprofits Source. 2019. “The Ultimate List of Charitable Giving Statis-
tics for 2018.” https://nonprofitssource.com/online-giving-statistics/.
 PROLOGUE
xv

Art courtesy of Allison Brannon

 Acknowledgments
In one’s lifetime, there are times when a pursued endeavor feels like it is
driven by a higher power. Progress takes place seamlessly, and obstacles
seem to miraculously disappear. This is one such endeavor. Rob Zwettler,
Vilma Barr, and Allison Brannon seemed like angels who helped advance
this book project. My family and friends have been a constant source of
inspiration. I am most grateful for all the love and support I received.
I hope readers will be touched by the featured stories and will strive to
accomplish meaningful lives that make an impact in our global commun-
ity. This book is an attempt to encourage readers to think about how
they would want to be remembered in their lifetime. In a small and very
humble way—this book is my legacy.
 CHAPTER 1

Jack Wilson:
Financial Legacy
Every person has a legacy. You may not know what your impact is, and
it may not be something that you can write on your tombstone, but
every person has an impact on this world.
—Dara Horn

Jack Wilson wiped the sweat in his brow as the scorching heat of Austra­
lian outback practically zapped all his energy.
He stared intently at the vast expanse of his property. How long have
I been doing this? he wondered. Was it 18 years or 20? It doesn’t mat­
ter, he deliberated; all his hard work paid off and he was a millionaire
many times over. No—not just a millionaire, a billionaire. The enor­
mous amount of helium uncovered in his property had a valuation of
over $20 billion. As a major stockholder in his company, he now had
more than enough money to last a lifetime. Actually, he’d be good for
several lifetimes. Now what?
His personal assistant Jeff Brown interrupted his train of thought.
“Jack, you need to sign these forms,” he said matter-of-factly. “Billing
invoices.”
Jack nodded and quietly signed the forms.
“Are you okay?” Jeff asked.
“Just thinking,” Jack muttered.
“About what?” Jeff inquired curiously. He made it a point to be on top
of everything and efficiently cater to whatever Jack needed.
“What’s all these for?”
2 CREATING A BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LEGACY

“What do you mean?” Jeff continued, totally confused with Jack’s

question.
“What’s all these wealth for?” Jack pondered.
Jeff stared at his boss puzzled. He managed a response to what seemed
like a philosophical question.
“Well, Jack this wealth keeps the company afloat. It also creates jobs,
helps the economy, and our government through taxes.”
Jack smiled, amused. His assistant’s practical view of business and life
is what endeared him. Jack has lost count of the times Jeff’s pragmatism
have prevented him from making business blunders. They work well
together. Jack was bold, ambitious, and a big thinker. Jeff was calm, col­
lected, and provides keen attention to detail.
“I’m at the stage in my life where I need more in life than wealth.”
Jack said. He was thinking out load. The thought surprised him.
“What else would you like to do, Jack,” Jeff countered.
“I haven’t given it much thought. But I want to do something
meaningful.”
“Isn’t our company meaningful enough? We’ve built one of the largest
companies in Australia!” Jeff looked at him curiously.
“At times, I feel an empty void inside of me. It’s as if something is
missing.” Jack said, walking toward the worksite shed.
Jeff followed him. “Well, what is it that you want to do? What would
help add meaning to the company? I can ask Beth Morris of Corporate
Affairs to drum up a new community program initiative.”
Jack shook his head, “No, this isn’t about the company anymore. This
is personal. I’m getting old. I’d like to step down as CEO, stay on as
Chairman, and spend the rest of my days doing philanthropy or some­
thing. I haven’t figured out exactly what yet.”
Jeff was dumbfounded but kept his composure. It was the first time
he heard his boss speak this way. For as long as he has known him, he
was always driven by wealth and achievement—nothing else. His two
divorces and weak relationships with his children ended up as the spoils
of his quest. This was indeed a surprise. The fact that Jack said this during
the highest point of his career, and at the time when his business empire
 Jack Wilson: Financial Legacy 3

was doing extremely well was completely out of character. Over the years,
Jeff learned when to hold back and let his boss do the talking. He took
pride in the fact that he was also Jack’s confidante, friend, and advisor.
He knew him well enough to know when to intervene and when to step
back. At this time, his instincts told him to step back and merely listen.
There was a long silence as Jack started to gather his belongings.
Jeff managed to speak, “Well, I’m here for you. Let me know if you
need my help on anything.”
Jack nodded and said, “Well, there’s actually something I’d like you
to do. I’d like you to do some research on the poorest island communities
around the world and see what sort of help they need to improve their
lives.”
Jeff was curious, “Any particular community of interest?”
“All of them. Actually, start off with the “badjaos” in the Malaysia,
Philippines, and Indonesia.” Jack paused and was suddenly pensive.
Jeff started to take notes.
Jack continued, “I never told you this, but when I was about ten years
old my family and I vacationed in Borneo. On a fishing trip with my
dad, I slipped and fell off the boat. I nearly drowned and a badjao family
nearby jumped in and saved me. I wouldn’t be here today if those sea gyp­
sies did not step in to help. I’ve been reading about that maritime ethnic
group over the years, but never lifted a finger to help. This time, I want to
make a difference. I want to use my wealth and influence to improve their
plight. Actually, I want to help not just for the badjaos in Southeast Asia
but all struggling island communities around the world.
Jeff continued taking notes and said, “I’ll get working on it straight
away. This is a personal initiative right? Something like a Jack Wilson
Foundation?”
Jack smiled, “Yes.” He has always been impressed by Jeff’s efficiency
and work tempo. He does not only do things very well, he does things
fast.
Jeff smiled back, “Consider it done. Happy to help you make this a
reality. How much funds should I block off for this endeavor?”
Without hesitation Jack said, “A billion dollars.”
4 CREATING A BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LEGACY

Legacy Lesson 1: Leverage your financial resources to make an impact.

Art courtesy of Allison Brannon

 Index
Ability, 23, 25, 26, 31–32, 52, 54 Environment, 5–6
A-ha moment, 22–23 Executive implications, 36, 37
AI. See Artificial intelligence (AI) Extreme natural calamity/political
Anand, Neha, 21–24 turmoil, 9
Anti-AI, 15, 16
Artificial intelligence (AI), 13, 14, 15 Facebook, 23
Astor, Bart, 51 Fasig, Gregory, 51
Automation, 16 Feedback, 14
Financial legacy, 1–4
Badjao, 3 Financial resources, 4
Barbosa, Antonio, 17–20 Fishing trip, 3
Bare-knuckle fights, 27 Folha de Sao Paulo, 17
Basketball, 51
Bathyscaphe Trieste, 32 Gay activist leaders, 5
Brown, Jeff, 1–3 George, Bill, 31
Brown, Jim, 18, 19 George, Captain Bill, 33
Gomez, Philip, 9–12
Carnegie, Andrew, 53
Catholic churches, 18 Historical legacy, 31–34
Challenger Deep, 31–34
Challenges, 40 Impact matters, 38
Colan, Lee, 51 Implementation, 39–40, 47
Columbus, Christopher, 31 Intellectual legacy, 13–16
Community, 3, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, Intelligence, 16
18
Computer programming, 14 Jewish synagogue, 18
Course, stay, 40
Creativity, 39 Key, timing, 38–39
Cultural legacy, 21–24 Knockout, 25, 26, 28
Cultural transformation, 24
Customer service work, 21 Legacy lessons
Cybersecurity, 14, 15 challenges, 40
course, stay, 40
Decision making, 10 creativity, 39
Destiny, 26–27 cultural transformation, 24
Dramatic change, 8 dramatic change, 8
engage others, 39
Economy, 10, 11 executive implications, 36
Efitti/e-graffiti, 23 financial resources, 4
Eight legacy pathways, 51 impact matters, 38
Engage others, 39 implementation, 39–40, 47
Entrepreneurs, 6, 7, 11, 21, 22, 23 intelligence, 16
60 INDEX

Legacy lessons (continued) Political legacy, 9–12

key, timing is, 38–39 Politics, 12, 15
opportunities, 29 Polo, Marco, 31
own history, 34 Poorest island communities, 3
person, different legacy, 37 Potential ways, 35
planning for, 38, 43–50 Pragmatism, 2
questions, 43–44 Purpose and mission, legacy, 37
Strategic Legacy Plan (SLP),
44–50 Rahal, Aya, 5–8
politics, 12 Raveling, George, 51
purpose and mission, 37 Refugees, 9, 10, 11
spiritual conviction, 20 Remember, night to, 27–29
summary of, 35 Resources, 10, 17, 19, 32
Lau, Eric, 51 Roberts, Evie, 13–16
Legacy diamond, 52–54 Rodriguez, Emilio, 25–29
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
and questioning/queer Scratch, 13
(LGBTQ), 5, 8 Security and privacy protocols, 7
LGBTQ. See Lesbian, gay, bisexual, SLP. See Strategic Legacy Plan
transgender, and questioning/ (SLP)
queer (LGBTQ) Small seeds of goodness, 53–54
L Group, 51 Smith, John, 13–16
Life transition, 51 Smith, Larry, 52
Lives, 3, 9, 10, 17, 19, 22, 31, 52, 54 Smith, Michael, 32–33
Local language, 9 Social legacy, 5–8
Social media, 5
Magellan, Ferdinand, 31 Spiritual
Magic ingredient, 25–26 conviction, 20
Maritime ethnic group, 3 community, 18
Mathematical programming, 14 legacy, 17–20, 54
Media, 10, 17–18 philosophy, 19
Memorial Capacity, 54 Stories, lessons, 35–41
Middle East and Africa, 5, 6, 7 Strategic alliances, 19
Mormons/Muslims, 18 Strategic Legacy Plan (SLP), 38,
Morris, Beth, 2 44–50, 55
Muslim mosque, 18 Strategy, 47
Street-fighting, 27
Nakamoto, Satoshi, 15 Subscribers, 6
Nuclear weapons, 15
The Five Regrets of the Dying, 54
Oceanography, 32 Turner, James, 31–34
Open-door policy, 11 Tyson, Mike, 25
Opportunities, 29
Own history, 34 U.S. government, 32–33, 40
Uma Igreja, 17
Person, different legacy, 37 Users, 7, 23
Physical legacy, 25–29
Piccard, Jacques, 32 Very High Memorial Capacity
Planning, 38, 43–50 (VHMC), 37, 38, 40
 INDEX
61

VHMC. See Very High Memorial Web designer, 6

Capacity (VHMC) Website and app, 5–7
Website crashing, 6–7
Walks of life, 36 Widow, 5
Walsh, Don, 32 Wilson, Jack, 1–4
Ware, Bronnie, 54 World Boxing Association
WBA. See World Boxing Association (WBA), 25
(WBA)
Wealth and achievement, 2 YouTube, 19
Wealth management, 51 Yuzhir, 7
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