The 150-Year Plan: How One American Family Is Building Generational Wealth Using Japanese Philosophy
Written by Writelord
A chance encounter in Tokyo sparked a radical shift in how the HGP family approaches wealth building
In a Tokyo hotel room, keynote speaker Marlon Smith received criticism that would reshape his family’s financial future. After delivering a presentation to Japanese executives, an elderly businessman approached him with blunt feedback.
“You know the problem with you Americans,” the man said, “is that you don’t plan ahead. I have a wealth vision plan that extends 150 years out into the future. What I’m doing today, I’m already thinking about my grandkids and my great grandchildren and my great great grandchildren.”
That conversation launched what may be one of America’s most ambitious family wealth strategies: a 150-year generational plan developed by the Smith family through their network called HGP — standing for “Humble, Grateful, Prayerful.”
A Conversation That Changed Everything
The encounter struck Marlon deeply. Back in his room that night, he couldn’t stop thinking: “Am I really planning for the future? Am I planning for my children’s children’s children?”
He shared the experience with his brother Lance “Claysmile” Smith, a lifestyle entrepreneur who runs HGP alongside his nephew Khiry and nieces Brittani and Jordana. The family took the Japanese businessman’s challenge as a blueprint for change.
Members of the HGP tribe walk together in confident formation, visually representing the supportive community that Lance describes as “a true TRIBE, not just a teaching platform”.
“The concept of legacy really inspires my family,” Lance explains, “because we understand that we each have only a very short window of time to build a legacy that can exceed our lifetime.”
The inspiration came from Japan’s “Future Design” philosophy, where infrastructure and policy decisions are made with the next century in mind. Tokyo’s flood defense systems and long-term robotics development reflect a mindset that views today’s decisions through tomorrow’s needs.
“The way that Japan’s ‘Future Design’ philosophy focuses on the wellbeing of future generations is very impressive and it compels me to think long-term,” Lance reflects. “We literally reverse engineer the wellbeing of future generations, asking not ‘What do we need today?’ but ‘What will our great-great-grandchildren need in 2175?’”
“All decisions flow from a person’s mindset,” Lance explains. “We believe that the best mindset to have is one that is grounded in humility, gratefulness, and an attitude of prayer. If a person stays in that mindset, we believe that good decisions will automatically flow from it.”
For Lance, wealth extends beyond financial metrics. “To me, wealth is about far more than bank accounts and stock portfolios. It’s about legacy, wisdom, and the impact we leave behind.” The family draws inspiration from Proverbs 13:22: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”
Monthly Family Meetings: Every month, the family gathers for 60-minute mastermind sessions. Each member shares a monthly win, a new lesson, and an upcoming goal. These aren’t just accountability meetings — they’re celebrations of progress, from opening high-yield savings accounts to paying off credit cards.
SMART Goals and Accountability: Family members communicate goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. They’ve built accountability partnerships based on what Lance calls the “Law of Association.”
“Building a strong, supportive community is super important because mindsets are contagious,” Lance explains. “We, as humans, tend to adopt the habits, attitudes, mindsets, values, and beliefs of those who are in our community.”
The Paycheck Routine: HGP teaches a specific financial formula to every family member and employee. The routine allocates 50–60% to necessities (with goals to reduce this over time), 10% to emergency funds through high-yield savings, 10–20% to investing through employer plans and Roth IRAs, and 20% to “fun money” including experiences and personal development.
Credit Excellence: Building and maintaining credit scores above 760 isn’t just a goal — it’s a requirement. Family members learn to understand credit reports from all three major bureaus and work with mortgage loan officers to prepare for real estate investing.
Entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurship is one of the three main strategies we use for building long-term wealth,” Lance explains, alongside stock market investing and real estate. The family encourages turning hobbies into businesses and formally establishing LLCs with business bank accounts.
Morning Routines: Disciplined morning routines nurture physical, mental, spiritual, financial, and social health daily. Whether it’s exercise, prayer, or budget reviews, these habits create foundations for long-term resilience.
Health and Wellness Seminars: HGP hosts seminars on ten topics, from nutrition and fitness to financial literacy and estate planning. “Wealth without health is meaningless,” Lance says. “You can’t enjoy a million dollars if you’re too sick to get out of bed.”
Real Estate Investing: Real estate serves as a vehicle for passive income, community impact, and legacy building. HGP teaches members to evaluate deals, manage properties, and leverage tax benefits like depreciation and 1031 exchanges.
Scholarships: HGP funds scholarships to open Roth IRAs for young adults, paired with financial literacy education. “Starting early is everything,” says Brittani. “Compound interest turns small investments into generational wealth.”
Community Integration: The network extends beyond family members to include employees and associates who can adapt the model for their own families.
Health as Wealth Strategy
Perhaps most unique is HGP’s integration of health and wellness into wealth building. his approach sets them apart from traditional financial planning services that focus exclusively on numbers and ignore the human element. “Too many people chase financial freedom while ignoring the very vessel that will carry them there: their body and mind,” Lance observes.
In a Tokyo hotel room, keynote speaker Marlon Smith received criticism that would reshape his family’s financial future. After delivering a presentation to Japanese executives, an elderly businessman approached him with blunt feedback.
“You know the problem with you Americans,” the man said, “is that you don’t plan ahead. I have a wealth vision plan that extends 150 years out into the future. What I’m doing today, I’m already thinking about my grandkids and my great grandchildren and my great great grandchildren.”
That conversation launched what may be one of America’s most ambitious family wealth strategies: a 150-year generational plan developed by the Smith family through their network called HGP — standing for “Humble, Grateful, Prayerful.”
A Conversation That Changed Everything
The encounter struck Marlon deeply. Back in his room that night, he couldn’t stop thinking: “Am I really planning for the future? Am I planning for my children’s children’s children?”
He shared the experience with his brother Lance “Claysmile” Smith, a lifestyle entrepreneur who runs HGP alongside his nephew Khiry and nieces Brittani and Jordana. The family took the Japanese businessman’s challenge as a blueprint for change.
Members of the HGP tribe walk together in confident formation, visually representing the supportive community that Lance describes as “a true TRIBE, not just a teaching platform”.
“The concept of legacy really inspires my family,” Lance explains, “because we understand that we each have only a very short window of time to build a legacy that can exceed our lifetime.”
The inspiration came from Japan’s “Future Design” philosophy, where infrastructure and policy decisions are made with the next century in mind. Tokyo’s flood defense systems and long-term robotics development reflect a mindset that views today’s decisions through tomorrow’s needs.
“The way that Japan’s ‘Future Design’ philosophy focuses on the wellbeing of future generations is very impressive and it compels me to think long-term,” Lance reflects. “We literally reverse engineer the wellbeing of future generations, asking not ‘What do we need today?’ but ‘What will our great-great-grandchildren need in 2175?’”
The Cultural Bridge: When American Hustle Meets Japanese Wisdom
The Smith family hasn’t abandoned American entrepreneurial energy. Instead, they’ve created what could be called “patient entrepreneurship” — maintaining innovation and risk-taking while embedding it within a century-spanning framework.“All decisions flow from a person’s mindset,” Lance explains. “We believe that the best mindset to have is one that is grounded in humility, gratefulness, and an attitude of prayer. If a person stays in that mindset, we believe that good decisions will automatically flow from it.”
For Lance, wealth extends beyond financial metrics. “To me, wealth is about far more than bank accounts and stock portfolios. It’s about legacy, wisdom, and the impact we leave behind.” The family draws inspiration from Proverbs 13:22: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”
Building on Ten Simple Foundations
HGP’s 150-year plan operates on ten specific pillars designed to create sustainable wealth across generations:Monthly Family Meetings: Every month, the family gathers for 60-minute mastermind sessions. Each member shares a monthly win, a new lesson, and an upcoming goal. These aren’t just accountability meetings — they’re celebrations of progress, from opening high-yield savings accounts to paying off credit cards.
SMART Goals and Accountability: Family members communicate goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. They’ve built accountability partnerships based on what Lance calls the “Law of Association.”
“Building a strong, supportive community is super important because mindsets are contagious,” Lance explains. “We, as humans, tend to adopt the habits, attitudes, mindsets, values, and beliefs of those who are in our community.”
The Paycheck Routine: HGP teaches a specific financial formula to every family member and employee. The routine allocates 50–60% to necessities (with goals to reduce this over time), 10% to emergency funds through high-yield savings, 10–20% to investing through employer plans and Roth IRAs, and 20% to “fun money” including experiences and personal development.
Credit Excellence: Building and maintaining credit scores above 760 isn’t just a goal — it’s a requirement. Family members learn to understand credit reports from all three major bureaus and work with mortgage loan officers to prepare for real estate investing.
Entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurship is one of the three main strategies we use for building long-term wealth,” Lance explains, alongside stock market investing and real estate. The family encourages turning hobbies into businesses and formally establishing LLCs with business bank accounts.
Morning Routines: Disciplined morning routines nurture physical, mental, spiritual, financial, and social health daily. Whether it’s exercise, prayer, or budget reviews, these habits create foundations for long-term resilience.
Health and Wellness Seminars: HGP hosts seminars on ten topics, from nutrition and fitness to financial literacy and estate planning. “Wealth without health is meaningless,” Lance says. “You can’t enjoy a million dollars if you’re too sick to get out of bed.”
Real Estate Investing: Real estate serves as a vehicle for passive income, community impact, and legacy building. HGP teaches members to evaluate deals, manage properties, and leverage tax benefits like depreciation and 1031 exchanges.
Scholarships: HGP funds scholarships to open Roth IRAs for young adults, paired with financial literacy education. “Starting early is everything,” says Brittani. “Compound interest turns small investments into generational wealth.”
Community Integration: The network extends beyond family members to include employees and associates who can adapt the model for their own families.
Health as Wealth Strategy
Perhaps most unique is HGP’s integration of health and wellness into wealth building. his approach sets them apart from traditional financial planning services that focus exclusively on numbers and ignore the human element. “Too many people chase financial freedom while ignoring the very vessel that will carry them there: their body and mind,” Lance observes.
The team gathers in a modern fitness studio wearing coordinated bright yellow “CLAYSMILE” shirts and blue caps, demonstrating their commitment to integrating physical health with financial planning.
“What good is a 7-figure bank account if you’re too stressed, sick, or sluggish to enjoy it?” Lance asks. “What’s the point of early retirement if your body feels 80 at 40?”
The family has established morning routines that nurture all health areas: physical, mental, spiritual, financial, and social. They understand that when you move better, you think better; when you sleep better, you lead better; and when you feel better, you earn better.
Real Estate as a Family Legacy Foundation
Real estate investing occupies a central position in HGP’s strategy, chosen specifically for its multi-generational benefits rather than short-term gains.
“What good is a 7-figure bank account if you’re too stressed, sick, or sluggish to enjoy it?” Lance asks. “What’s the point of early retirement if your body feels 80 at 40?”
The family has established morning routines that nurture all health areas: physical, mental, spiritual, financial, and social. They understand that when you move better, you think better; when you sleep better, you lead better; and when you feel better, you earn better.
Real Estate as a Family Legacy Foundation
Real estate investing occupies a central position in HGP’s strategy, chosen specifically for its multi-generational benefits rather than short-term gains.
The HGP team poses confidently on a rooftop wearing matching metallic silver jackets, with modern urban buildings in the background, reflecting their professional growth and real estate investment focus.
“Real estate investing fits powerfully into my long-term legacy goals because it provides not just income — but impact, inheritance, and influence,” Lance explains.
Their real estate approach includes:
Bringing Different Generations Together
Maintaining engagement across different age groups presents challenges that HGP addresses through specific strategies. They celebrate first wins — first budgets, first savings accounts, first investments — understanding that small victories build momentum.
They prioritize guest speakers who relate to younger audiences, ensuring financial education feels like conversation rather than lectures. Most importantly, they’ve created what Lance calls “a true TRIBE, not just a teaching platform.”
“This is very important because by setting these standards of financial literacy, our company will be significantly helping our employees to achieve financial freedom,” Lance explains. “I’m very passionate about this, especially because most of our employees are in their 20s and 30s.”
Team member Haley Dawn initially “appreciated the thought and the reasons he was doing it” when Lance presented the opportunity to open savings and retirement accounts. For Haley, this wasn’t just financial opportunity — it was something she “needed to do regardless. This has just put a fire under me to get it done. It makes me feel accomplished for sure.”
Coming from a family that “were horrible with money” and having “adopted those traits,” Haley represents the generational change HGP facilitates. Her biggest financial stressor — “Not making enough to support myself and my children” — drives her commitment to breaking the cycle.
Another team member shared how the experience made her “more excited to invest and save money throughout the years, especially since I am starting so young and will be able to build for a long time.” Motivated by watching her “family struggle to be comfortable generation after generation,” she’s determined to “change that for my family to come after me.”
Measuring Generational Success
HGP tracks comprehensive milestones beyond simple net worth calculations:
Financial milestones include monthly budgets, high-yield savings accounts, Roth IRA investments, emergency funds from $1,000 to six months of expenses, credit scores above 760, systematic debt payoff, net worth progression to $1,000,000, first rental properties, and passive income exceeding living expenses.
Non-financial milestones include health metrics, educational achievements, business launches, and family unity indicators. They use private Facebook groups and Zoom meetings to maintain connection and document wins.
The Scholarship Innovation
HGP’s scholarship program strategically funds Roth IRA openings for kids and young adults. Recipients must learn financial literacy, including compound interest power and early retirement investing importance.
This accomplishes multiple objectives: providing practical financial benefits, ensuring financial education foundations, and creating pipelines of financially literate individuals carrying the generational wealth vision forward.
This positions HGP as part of a broader movement toward sustainable, long-term planning that could complement America’s innovation economy. While America excels at rapid innovation and entrepreneurial energy, integrating Japan’s long-term planning approach creates powerful combinations of immediate momentum and sustained growth.
Beyond One Family
HGP’s personal family vision has expanded to impact their broader community. Through business operations, they’re creating models that employees and associates can adapt for their own families.
Survey responses reveal personal impact. One employee described her money relationship as “love hate” but expressed gratitude for developing “awareness” about changing negative financial patterns. Another employee, motivated by watching family “struggle to be comfortable generation after generation,” is determined to “change that for my family to come after me.”
These transformations represent HGP’s broader potential. Haley’s journey from financial dysfunction to “awareness” and her goal to “get out of debt completely” within 3–6 months exemplifies systematic approach impact. Her long-term vision — having “enough savings that traveling and vacations would not be an issue” — shows how the program helps people expand financial imagination beyond survival to true freedom.
Vision Statement and Future Impact
HGP’s vision statement captures evolution from individual revelation to generational transformation: “We envision a thriving family where each generation is spiritually grounded, physically healthy, financially wise, and emotionally resilient.”
This isn’t just about accumulating assets — it’s about creating multi-generational prosperity that the Japanese businessman described with his 150-year wealth vision plan.
Success will be measured not just in dollars accumulated, but in lives transformed, communities strengthened, and future generations empowered. By 2175, the great-great-grandchildren of today’s HGP family members may inherit financial assets, proven wealth-creation systems, relationship networks built on shared values, and stewardship legacies extending beyond individual lifetimes.
From Tokyo to Tomorrow
HGP’s 150-year plan represents full realization of a conversation beginning with profound questions: “Am I planning for my children’s children’s children?” What started as Marlon Smith’s personal reflection has become comprehensive human flourishing that recognizes interconnections between financial health, physical wellness, spiritual grounding, and community impact.
The Japanese businessman who challenged American short-term thinking unwittingly contributed to a movement bridging cultures and generations. By reverse engineering future generations’ wellbeing, HGP created blueprints honoring both American entrepreneurial spirit and patient wisdom of cultures planning in centuries rather than quarters.
Their commitment to being “Humble, Grateful, Prayerful” provides character foundations necessary for sustainable wealth building, while systematic approaches to financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate investing provide practical tools for achieving financial freedom.
Looking Toward 2175
In a culture often criticized for short-term thinking and instant gratification, HGP stands as a powerful example of what becomes possible when families commit to thinking beyond their own lifetimes. Their 150-year vision challenges us all to consider the same questions that kept Marlon Smith awake in that Tokyo hotel room: What legacy are we creating? What will our great-great-grandchildren inherit from today’s decisions?
The Smith family’s journey has just begun, but their vision extends far into the future — a future where wealth is measured not just in assets accumulated, but in lives transformed, communities strengthened, and generations empowered to thrive.
“Real estate investing fits powerfully into my long-term legacy goals because it provides not just income — but impact, inheritance, and influence,” Lance explains.
Their real estate approach includes:
- Passive income through rentals, appreciation, and equity
- Repeatable income streams benefiting multiple generations
- Community stakeholder positions rather than just consumer roles
- Strategic tax benefits through depreciation and 1031 exchanges
- Teachable assets that can be passed down with management knowledge
Bringing Different Generations Together
Maintaining engagement across different age groups presents challenges that HGP addresses through specific strategies. They celebrate first wins — first budgets, first savings accounts, first investments — understanding that small victories build momentum.
They prioritize guest speakers who relate to younger audiences, ensuring financial education feels like conversation rather than lectures. Most importantly, they’ve created what Lance calls “a true TRIBE, not just a teaching platform.”
F.I.R.E. Movement: Extending the Model to Employees
HGP has integrated the F.I.R.E. Movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) into their broader strategy. For certain high-paying positions, they’ve established requirements demonstrating commitment to financial literacy: 10% must be invested in Roth IRA stock index funds, 10% saved in high-yield savings accounts, and 10% given to charitable organizations.“This is very important because by setting these standards of financial literacy, our company will be significantly helping our employees to achieve financial freedom,” Lance explains. “I’m very passionate about this, especially because most of our employees are in their 20s and 30s.”
Team member Haley Dawn initially “appreciated the thought and the reasons he was doing it” when Lance presented the opportunity to open savings and retirement accounts. For Haley, this wasn’t just financial opportunity — it was something she “needed to do regardless. This has just put a fire under me to get it done. It makes me feel accomplished for sure.”
Coming from a family that “were horrible with money” and having “adopted those traits,” Haley represents the generational change HGP facilitates. Her biggest financial stressor — “Not making enough to support myself and my children” — drives her commitment to breaking the cycle.
Another team member shared how the experience made her “more excited to invest and save money throughout the years, especially since I am starting so young and will be able to build for a long time.” Motivated by watching her “family struggle to be comfortable generation after generation,” she’s determined to “change that for my family to come after me.”
Measuring Generational Success
HGP tracks comprehensive milestones beyond simple net worth calculations:
Financial milestones include monthly budgets, high-yield savings accounts, Roth IRA investments, emergency funds from $1,000 to six months of expenses, credit scores above 760, systematic debt payoff, net worth progression to $1,000,000, first rental properties, and passive income exceeding living expenses.
Non-financial milestones include health metrics, educational achievements, business launches, and family unity indicators. They use private Facebook groups and Zoom meetings to maintain connection and document wins.
The Scholarship Innovation
HGP’s scholarship program strategically funds Roth IRA openings for kids and young adults. Recipients must learn financial literacy, including compound interest power and early retirement investing importance.
This accomplishes multiple objectives: providing practical financial benefits, ensuring financial education foundations, and creating pipelines of financially literate individuals carrying the generational wealth vision forward.
The Global Shift: Why the World Is Thinking Like HGP
HGP’s approach gains significance within global trends toward long-term thinking. Japan has incorporated future generations into policy planning for decades, implementing infrastructure projects designed to serve communities for over a century.This positions HGP as part of a broader movement toward sustainable, long-term planning that could complement America’s innovation economy. While America excels at rapid innovation and entrepreneurial energy, integrating Japan’s long-term planning approach creates powerful combinations of immediate momentum and sustained growth.
Beyond One Family
HGP’s personal family vision has expanded to impact their broader community. Through business operations, they’re creating models that employees and associates can adapt for their own families.
Survey responses reveal personal impact. One employee described her money relationship as “love hate” but expressed gratitude for developing “awareness” about changing negative financial patterns. Another employee, motivated by watching family “struggle to be comfortable generation after generation,” is determined to “change that for my family to come after me.”
These transformations represent HGP’s broader potential. Haley’s journey from financial dysfunction to “awareness” and her goal to “get out of debt completely” within 3–6 months exemplifies systematic approach impact. Her long-term vision — having “enough savings that traveling and vacations would not be an issue” — shows how the program helps people expand financial imagination beyond survival to true freedom.
Vision Statement and Future Impact
HGP’s vision statement captures evolution from individual revelation to generational transformation: “We envision a thriving family where each generation is spiritually grounded, physically healthy, financially wise, and emotionally resilient.”
This isn’t just about accumulating assets — it’s about creating multi-generational prosperity that the Japanese businessman described with his 150-year wealth vision plan.
Success will be measured not just in dollars accumulated, but in lives transformed, communities strengthened, and future generations empowered. By 2175, the great-great-grandchildren of today’s HGP family members may inherit financial assets, proven wealth-creation systems, relationship networks built on shared values, and stewardship legacies extending beyond individual lifetimes.
From Tokyo to Tomorrow
HGP’s 150-year plan represents full realization of a conversation beginning with profound questions: “Am I planning for my children’s children’s children?” What started as Marlon Smith’s personal reflection has become comprehensive human flourishing that recognizes interconnections between financial health, physical wellness, spiritual grounding, and community impact.
The Japanese businessman who challenged American short-term thinking unwittingly contributed to a movement bridging cultures and generations. By reverse engineering future generations’ wellbeing, HGP created blueprints honoring both American entrepreneurial spirit and patient wisdom of cultures planning in centuries rather than quarters.
Their commitment to being “Humble, Grateful, Prayerful” provides character foundations necessary for sustainable wealth building, while systematic approaches to financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate investing provide practical tools for achieving financial freedom.
Looking Toward 2175
In a culture often criticized for short-term thinking and instant gratification, HGP stands as a powerful example of what becomes possible when families commit to thinking beyond their own lifetimes. Their 150-year vision challenges us all to consider the same questions that kept Marlon Smith awake in that Tokyo hotel room: What legacy are we creating? What will our great-great-grandchildren inherit from today’s decisions?
The Smith family’s journey has just begun, but their vision extends far into the future — a future where wealth is measured not just in assets accumulated, but in lives transformed, communities strengthened, and generations empowered to thrive.