By Jayson Lowe

Nelson left an indelible mark and I am excited to share with you the revival of a project that has been close to our hearts, one that seeks to preserve and amplify Nelson’s voice for future generations.

A few years prior to Nelson’s passing, there was an undeniable feeling in the air.  Nelson himself would often say, “My graduation is not that far off, and so I’ve been teaching Mary how to be a widow.”  Moved by his reflections and the realization that his teachings needed a larger platform; I felt a spark of inspiration. What if we could capture Nelson’s essence, his teachings, his anecdotes, and everything in between on video?

I spoke with Nelson, shared my vision and he gave the idea a green light to proceed.   

I enlisted the support of Richard Canfield, Jason Rink, and a dedicated film crew.  We all descended on Birmingham Alabama, took over David Stearns’ home, converted his entire main floor into a makeshift studio, and started recording Nelson.  Over the course of several days, we captured his thoughts, memories, and wisdom.  We also spent an entire day interviewing Nelson inside a Sheraton Hotel boardroom, ensuring every moment was immortalized.

However, before diving into the hurdles faced in realizing this project, I must share a poignant conversation I had with Nelson a few weeks prior to his graduation.  At one point in the cadence of our discussion, Nelson paused for a moment and said, “I want people to remember this is all about the message, not the Man.”  Those words, another sharp testament to Nelson’s humility, underscore the essence of reviving this project.  Our renewed focus became a tribute not just to the man that Nelson was, but more significantly, to the message of Becoming Your Own Banker.

The road to realizing this vision was not without its challenges.  Prior to a single camera rolling, I approached four Colleagues, seeking a financial investment and their buy in to bring this dream to life.   All declined, a disappointment that lingers in my heart.  But, it was ultimately a real blessing in disguise as it only strengthened my resolve.  I decided, regardless of the cost, the project would move forward.  If it meant that I had to bear the brunt of the expenses personally, then so be it.  A substantial policy loan was necessary to get the project off the drawing board and into motion.  Once all the footage was captured, David Stearns, sensing the gravity and importance of the project, stepped in with both financial and moral support to push this all through to completion.

Many of you might recall the film “This is Nelson Nash”.  That was an hour of footage and merely the tip of the iceberg.  The vast footage we gathered holds treasures yet to be seen.  A few months ago, David and I reconvened with a renewed determination.  The commitment was twofold – to edit and release all of the incredible footage for the world to see, and to breathe life back into the Nelson Nash Institute YouTube Channel.  The latter has been revamped and is being stocked with a growing treasure trove of past content featuring Nelson.

And now, we reach out to you – our esteemed Practitioners, dedicated Students, and the 7000+ loyal readers of BankNotes.

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www.youtube.com/@nelsonnashinstitute