Business

Design the Life of Your Dreams with Entrepreneur Burton Hughes’s Six Assets of Alignment

Published

4 years ago

August 5, 2021

Leading a balanced life is hard. Every day, we have so many things competing for our attention: kids, spouses, parents, work, school, household duties, and on and on it goes. How is one supposed to find balance in all of this chaos?

I’ll let you in on a secret: you can’t. The secret to life isn’t balanced at all, because that’s impossible to find.

The secret lies in finding alignment instead.

Finding balance in your life is a myth; it is humanly impossible to divide your energy and efforts equally between every aspect of your life. Some areas will require more attention than others; other areas can be left dormant for a while as you focus your energy elsewhere. What’s important is to schedule in time to work on what fuels you and what’s necessary to keep you going.

But how can you do that? And what on earth does alignment have to do with getting through each day with some measure of success and sanity?

I’ve come up with the six assets of alignment that have become my guiding stars. They are the things that help me prioritize my day-to-day tasks and ensure that I will emerge from each day successful, invigorated, and ready to do it all again the next day…and all the days after that.

Are you ready to unlock all that aligning your life has to offer? Let’s chat a bit about my six assets alignment so you can start thinking about how they can help you find the success you dream of.

Mindset

How many times do you look at your to-do list every morning and feel overwhelmed, discouraged, stressed, or anxious? The key to remedying this lies within your mindset. The thing that will set you apart from the crowd is knowing how to harness those emotions and flip them on their head to serve you instead of enslaving you.

Instead of considering all you have to do, and how much of it is out of your control, focus on that which you can control: your attitude and your response to each task before you. Take everything one step at a time and refuse to give in to the feeling of overwhelming.

Faith

Not everyone is a person of faith, but if you are, tap into the reassurance that the belief in a power greater than you provide. None of us is meant to walk this earth alone, and while friends and family are great, sometimes you just need to say a little prayer before going about your day.

Family

The memorable moments I share with my family have kept me going through even the darkest, most stressful times. But I wouldn’t have those memories to fall back on if I had allowed my stress, busyness or anxiety to steal that joy. Prioritize sharing life with the people you love, and pour intentional time and effort into your relationships on a regular basis – whether that’s with your family, spouse, roommates or close friends.

On the flip side, not all of us have good families. In that case, it’s equally important to recognize when your family is messing with your alignment and to set boundaries to prevent them from interfering with the life and success you’re trying to build. There is more to family than blood; seeking out support in whatever way you can is what counts.

Fitness

You deserve to look and feel your best every day. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that you will feel the opposite of aligned if you’re not taking time every day to invest in your own physical fitness and care. By choosing to eat healthy, exercise, and actually keep your doctor’s appointments, you’re investing in your long-term success and your short term comfort. The cliche “if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything” is true for a reason!

Finances

Speaking of sayings, one of my favourites is “He who can be trusted with little will be trusted with much.” If you practice smart money management every day, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll be rewarded with more money to manage. I’m not saying hoard all your money like a Scrooge or spend willy-nilly; make smart investments, set aside money so you can rest comfortably knowing you’ll be taken care of in the event emergency strikes, and enjoy the benefits of your hard work. Everything in moderation.

Network

The people you surround yourself with play a vital role in your success. Intentionally fill your life with people of substance and reject the advancements of toxic people who want to steal your joy and interrupt your rhythm. Working, playing, and living alongside people who have your best interests at heart and want you to succeed ensures that everyone involved in the relationship lives a life well-aligned with their goals.

By following these six assets of alignment, you’ll be able to clearly see where to apply more resources, and understand how best to take back your time and care for yourself and the people around you. Take back your time, be intentional with how you spend it and watch how quickly you’ll reap the rewards.

About Burton Hughes

Burton Hughes is an author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker and has been featured on Dare to Be Authentic Radio, Between the Lines and 365 Driven podcasts. His new book, Align Your Empire: Using the Six Assets of Alignment as the Catalyst to Ignite Your Life, equips and inspires leaders to take control of their time, lives, and businesses. For more information and to purchase the book, please visit burtonhughesofficial.com/

Business

Derik Fay and the Quiet Rise of a Fintech Dynasty: How a Relentless Visionary is Redefining the Future of Payments

Published

5 days ago

October 17, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Long before the headlines, before the Forbes features, and well before he became a respected fixture in boardrooms across the country, Derik Fay was a kid from Westerly, Rhode Island with little more than grit and audacity. Now, with a strategic footprint spanning more than 40 companies—including holdings in media, construction, real estate, pharma, fitness, and fintech—Fay’s influence is as diversified as it is deliberate. And his most recent move may be his boldest yet: the acquisition and co-ownership of Tycoon Payments, a fintech venture poised to disrupt an industry built on middlemen and outdated rules.

Where many entrepreneurs chase headlines, Fay chases legacy.

Rebuilding the Foundation of Fintech

In the saturated space of payment processors, Fay didn’t just want another transactional brand. He saw a broken system—one that labeled too many businesses as “high-risk,” denied them access, and overcharged them into silence. Tycoon Payments, under his stewardship, is rewriting that narrative from the ground up.

Instead of the all-too-common “fake processor” model, where companies act as brokers rather than actual underwriters, Tycoon Payments is being engineered to own the rails—integrating direct banking partnerships, custom risk modeling, and flexible support for underserved industries.

“Disruption isn’t about being loud,” Fay said in a private strategy session with advisors. “It’s about fixing what’s been ignored for too long. I don’t chase waves—I build the coastline.”

Quiet Power, Strategic Depth

Now 46 years old, Fay has evolved from scrappy gym owner to an empire builder, founding 3F Management as a private equity and venture vehicle to scale fast-growth businesses with staying power. His portfolio includes names like Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, BIGG Pharma, Results Roofing, FayMs Films, and SalonPlex—but also dozens of companies that never make headlines. That’s by design.

Where others seek followers, Fay builds founders. Where most celebrate their exits, Fay reinvests in people.

While he often deflects conversations around his personal wealth, analysts estimate his net worth to exceed $100 million, with some placing it comfortably over $250 million, based on exits, real estate holdings, and the trajectory of his current ventures.

Yet unlike others in his tax bracket, Fay still answers cold DMs. He mentors rising entrepreneurs without cameras rolling. And he shows up—not just with capital, but with conviction.

A Mogul Grounded in Real Life

Outside of business, Fay remains committed to his role as a father and partner. He shares two daughters, Sophia Elena Fay and Isabella Roslyn Fay, and has been in a relationship with Shandra Phillips since 2021. He’s known for keeping his personal life private, but those close to him speak of a man who brings the same intention to parenting as he does to scaling multimillion-dollar ventures—focused, present, and consistent.

His physical stature—standing at 6′1″—matches his professional gravitas, but what’s more striking is his ability to operate with both discipline and empathy. Fay’s reputation among founders and CEOs is not just one of capital deployment, but emotional intelligence. As one partner noted, “He’s the kind of guy who will break down your pitch—and rebuild your belief in yourself in the same breath.”

The Tycoon Blueprint

The playbook Fay is writing at Tycoon Payments doesn’t just threaten incumbents—it reinvents the infrastructure. This isn’t another “fintech startup” with a flashy brand and no backend. It’s a strategically positioned venture with real underwriting power, cross-border ambitions, and a founder who understands how to scale quietly until the entire industry has to take notice.

In an age where so many entrepreneurs rely on noise and virality to build influence, Fay remains a master of what can only be called elite stealth. He doesn’t need the spotlight. But his impact casts a long shadow.

Conclusion: The Empire Expands

From Rhode Island beginnings to venture boardrooms, from gym owner to fintech force, Derik Fay continues to build not just businesses—but a blueprint. One rooted in resilience, innovation, and long-term infrastructure.

Tycoon Payments may be the latest chess piece. But the game he’s playing is bigger than one move. It’s a long game of strategic leverage, intentional legacy, and generational wealth.

And Fay is not just playing it. He’s redefining the rules.