MDRT

Use seminars to sell 18 | Find the right people for study groups 20 | Why millennials matter 36
ROUND TABLE
the
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
Algorithms
vs. advisors
Taking a closer look at the impact of technology
2016 MDRT EXPERIENCE AND
PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE
GLOBAL CONFERENCE
THURSDAY, 28 January 2016
The MDRT Experience and Global Conference offers

one-of-a-kind information, the opportunity to share
ideas with people from around the world and the
chance to learn new strategies for even greater
success. Enjoy the unique energy and excitement
of MDRT!
0900 1730 hrs Registration open

1300 1600 hrs Main Platform
1630 1730 hrs MDRT Members-Only

Special Programming
1730 1830 hrs MDRT Members
Reception
FRIDAY, 29 January 2016
F E AT U R E D S P E A K E R S
ALEX SHEEN
Sheen is the founder of Because I

said I would, a social movement and
nonprofit dedicated to the betterment
of humanity through the importance
of a promise.

1400 1530 hrs Workshops and

ConneXion Zone
1600 1730 hrs Workshops and

ConneXion Zone
SATURDAY, 30 January 2016

PHIL HANSEN
Schedule is subject to change. Visit mdrt.org/

2016Experience for the most current information.
Hansen is an internationally recognized

multimedia artist who works at the
intersection of traditional visual art,
pointillism and offbeat techniques.
REGISTRATION FEES AND

DEADLINES
USD 475
29 June 31 October 2015

ADELIA C. CHUNG, CLU, ChFC
Chung was the first female MDRT

President, serving in 2005. She currently
has 33 membership years, with eight
Court of the Table and 11 Top of the Table
qualifications. She is a past member of the
Top of the Table Advisory Board, current
Excalibur Knight of the MDRT Foundation
and past MDRT Foundation President.
USD 630
1 November 2015 27 January 2016

USD 730
28 January 30 January 2016

COMPANY REGISTRATION INCENTIVE
Additional benefits are available to companies
that purchase registrations in groups as follows:
Number of
Registrations Purchased
Register today, J O I N U S I N H O N G K O N G !
mdrt.org/2016experience
Complimentary
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100199
200299
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300399
15
400499
20
500 or more
25
looking
FORWARD
Bringing MDRT
to you
You
spoke,
and we
listened.
eading a successful organization of

43,000 members around the globe
requires us to constantly think of new
ways to bring value and one-on-one connections
to each member.
Three years ago, our Executive Committee
began a strategic planning process with the
goal of harnessing the power of many to bring
value to the individual. A blank canvas lay in
front of us as we looked at the concerns of our
membership around the world.
We met with and heard from members in
many countries. You spoke, and we listened.
Through these conversations, we identified
what was important to you. This was our
starting point.
We heard loud and clear that you wanted
resources to increase your leadership and
productivity. So we have created and curated
relevant content to guide and support you. You
can download a podcast on how to transition
to a fee-based practice, watch a video of sales
tips on mdrt.orgs Resource Zone or grab quick
ideas from productivity-focused enewsletters
delivered to your inbox.
You asked for networking opportunities
to share best practices. We are hosting small
gatherings in large cities. Our first go at this, in
late August, brought seven New York City-area
producers together where they shared ideas,
discussed challenges and began building a local
community. (Meet one of them on Page 36.)
Our Guided Development Division is
developing new ways for MDRT members to
establish study groups and enter into mentoring
relationships. Were working on enhanced
leadership training and ways to help you
improve your practice through coaching.
We have also increased opportunities for

you to get involved with MDRT by expanding
the pool of people eligible for committee
assignments to include Life members and those
who havent attended meetings.
In addition, we continue to enhance the
value of membership through our dedication
to excellence and limiting the membership to
only the best financial services professionals in
the world. All of this with the goal of creating
opportunities among our members to network
and share ideas with the best. Thereby, we bring
the power of many to you!
Sincerely,
Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC

MDRT President
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 1
contents
ROUND THE TABLE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | VOL 43, ISSUE 6
PRACTICE
PEOPLE
26 IDEAS
IDEAS
10 TARGET THE WEALTHIEST 2%

10 steps to tap into this market.
12 TIPS & TECHNOLOGY

14 ADVISORS VS. ALGORITHMS
MDRT members discuss how

technology is changing financial
services.
18 INSIDE SEMINAR SELLING
SUCCESS
How to invest in finding clients
who fit your target market.
20
BUILDING YOUR TEAM

How to find the right people for a
study group.
23 CLOSING THE DEAL
5 keys to successful workplace

negotiations.
24
HEART VS. MIND

Douds message of caring motivates producers to change their
approach with clients.
28 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
The team approach helps Rossi find

success in business and with MDRT.
30 BALANCING ACT
How 5 MDRT members align work

and home.
32 WORKING WITH STRATEGY
McCann increased his production

by specializing.
34 A DIVERSE MARKET
Members in the United Arab

Emirates sift through a wide
range of clients.
36 A GENERATION ADRIFT
Millennials have no money, yet

hold the key to your future.
38 SUCCEEDING THE SUCCESSOR
Youngentobs maintain business

through generational partnerships.
41 Q&A

Zheng Yu Wu
28
WEB EXTRAS
mdrt.org
n MDRT PODCAST
Episodes of the MDRT Podcast

are available for streaming now
on mdrt.org/podcast. Learn more
about the new Top of the Table
Chair, W.J. Rossi, after reading
the article Strength in numbers,
and hear from members in New
York City on how they got their
start in the business.
n REGISTRATION OPEN
38
2
ROUND theTABLE.ORG | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
Find more information and register

for the 2016 MDRT Experience and
Global Conference in Hong Kong
at mdrt.org/2016experience.
44
We work in a marketplace that is
saturated with generalists. So, without
a point of difference, what sets you
apart from the crowd?
Adam McCann, Page 32
42 IDEAS
LOOKING FORWARD
WELCOME
IN THE NEWS
IN MEMORIAM
55
TRUE TALES
56
LOOKING BACK
Use seminars to sell 18 | Find the right people for study groups 20 | Why millennials matter 36
Douglas John Bennett, Dip PFS, Page 14
ANNUAL MEETING
2016 - JUNE 12 TO 15, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
TOP OF THE TABLE ANNUAL MEETING
2016 - SEPTEMBER 21 TO 24, QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC, CANADA
46 MDRT IN HONG KONG
ALGORITHMS VS. ADVISORS
Annual Meeting location offers

city, ocean and mountain scenery.
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
ROUND the TABLE
44 VIEW VANCOUVERS VISTAS
ROUND TABLE
the
Robots will work for some people. But the simple fact is that human beings
have emotions, and what we do for our clients is emotionally based.
46
INSIDE MDRT
IN EVERY ISSUE
Algorithms
vs. advisors
MDRT EXPERIENCE AND GLOBAL CONFERENCE

2016 - JANUARY 28 TO 30, HONG KONG
More speakers announced for

upcoming global conference.
48 MEMBERSHIPS MANY BENEFITS
Taking a closer look at the impact of technology
Million Dollar Round Table

325 West Touhy Avenue, Park Ridge, IL 60068 USA
Phone: +1 847.692.6378 Fax: +1 847.518.8921 Website: www.mdrt.org

Learn more about all MDRT offers
members worldwide.
MDRT_Nov/Dec_2015_100115.indd 1
50 MDRT FOUNDATION
The hidden benefits of giving,

one members work with ReSurge
International and the Inner Circle
Society are featured.
14
ON THE COVER
10/1/15 9:53 AM
Advisors vs. algorithms.

Learn what some MDRT
members think about
technology in financial
services.
COVER DESIGN BY MICHAEL DORICH
WELCOME
Personally speaking
.14"
early five years ago, we ran the image

you see here on the cover of the first
issue of 2011. Though the art showed
cold, lifeless metal, the accompanying article focused on the warm, personal service you provide.
We explained how to use the Internet as a tool to
attract prospects and engage clients.
We hoped the impersonal cover would be
intriguing enough to get readers to turn the page
and embrace the ways technology could help
them reach out in a new way to provide better
service.
This issues cover story, Advisors vs. algorithms, covers this topic from an updated perspective. What differentiates you from the
robo-advisors? How can technology help you
offer streamlined service to your clients?
8.5" Trim
January/February 2011
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
arketing is about the relationships, not the medium.
n Grossman, advertising, marketing and social media strategist
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE
ROUND THE TABLE
P OF THE TABLE ANNUAL MEETING
1 September 21 to 24, Indian Wells, California
MDRT EXPERIENCE
2011 February 24 to 26, Singapore
STRENGTHEN
CLIENT
RELATIONSHIPS
ONLINE
STRENGTHEN CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS ONLINE
ANNUAL MEETINGS
2011 June 5 to 8, Atlanta, Georgia
2012 June 10 to 14, Anaheim, California
As a reminder of the clients perspective, on

Page 24, we take you back to 1989 to present the
background for a much-loved phrase: They
dont care how much you know until they know
how much you care. The Main Platform presentation by Guy Rice Doud that year would secure
its popularity among MDRT members to this day.
In a feature on seminar selling on Page 18, two
producers one in England and one in Japan
explain their successful processes. Seminars are
a way for them to get in front of prospects to answer their questions and demonstrate the value
of working with a personal advisor. My clients
are looking for a friendly face that they can sit
across the desk from while being guided through
the maze of the financial services world, said
David Pritchard, Dip PFS.
In each issue, we have stories from producers
whose clients planning has been put to the test.
If you need something appropriate to pass along
to prospects or clients, look to A sons legacy
on Page 55 for a story of a clients biking accident
and the legacy he left his parents because of life
insurance.
If you dont want to wait for our next issue to
read more, visit the Resource Zone at mdrt.org to
find more articles, podcast episodes and meeting
presentations in various formats on the topics
you want to learn more about. Dont know where
to begin? Weve highlighted five resources in a
variety of formats right up front. Start there, and
see where it takes you.
Thank you for reading,
Kathryn Furtaw Keuneke, CAE

Content strategy manager
kkeuneke@mdrt.org

847.692.6378 Fax: +1 847.518.8921 Website: www.mdrt.org
19-11
IDEAS FROM TOP OF THE TABLE

MDRT January/February 2011 Cover
ROUND TABLE
CONTRIBUTORS
the
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE
EDITOR:
Liz DeCarlo
Michael DePilla
CONTENT SPECIALIST: Scott Rogers
CONTENT SPECIALIST: Antoinette Tuscano
ART DIRECTOR: Brandon Lane
CONTENT EDITOR:
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER:
10
23
Learn how to create a climate where

doing business with
you is what wealthy
people do in BRYCE
SANDERS Target
the wealthiest 2%.
Sanders is the president of Perceptive
Business Solutions and
author of Captivating
the Wealthy Investor.
Contact him through
his website perceptive
business.com.
Negotiation is really
about persuasion.
ROBERT CIALDINI
outlines the five principles to successful

workplace negotiations in Closing the
deal. Cialdini is the
founder of Influence
at Work, which conducts workshops on
the principles of persuasion. Contact him
through his website
influenceatwork.com.
30
Five MDRT members
from India share their
thoughts on work-life
balance in Balancing act by NIKHIL
JITENDRA ANANDPARA. Anandpara is a

13-year MDRT member
from Mumbai, India.
He is currently State
Chair of the Member
Communication
Committee in
South Asia. Contact
him at anandpara@
hotmail.com.
Stephen P. Stahr, CAE
STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR: Pamela Brown, CMP, CAE

CONTENT STRATEGY MANAGER: Kathryn Furtaw Keuneke, CAE
MEDIA RELATIONS COORDINATOR:
Jennifer Schimka
MDRT Executive Committee

PRESIDENT:
Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC

A. Banks, APFS
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: Mark J. Hanna, CLU, ChFC
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: James Douglas Pittman, CLU, CFP
SECRETARY: Ross Vanderwolf, CFP
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Caroline
To contact editorial office:

MAIL: MDRT,
325 West Touhy Avenue,

Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 USA
PHONE: +1
847.692.6378 FAX: +1 847.518.8921

EMAIL:
editor@mdrt.org
WEBSITE: roundthetable.org
Round the Table (ISSN-0161-7125) is published bimonthly by the
Million Dollar Round Table, 325 West Touhy Avenue, Park Ridge,
Illinois 60068 USA. Subscription rate is included in MDRT membership dues: $20 for nonmembers in the United States, $30 for
nonmembers outside the United States. Periodicals postage paid
at Park Ridge, Illinois, and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER, send address corrections to Round the Table,
325 West Touhy Avenue, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 USA.
2015 Million Dollar Round Table.
Round the Table is published for the use of Million Dollar Round
Table members. All rights reserved. Round the Table is not to be
used or loaned for any commercial purposes or other causes, nor
is any portion of it to be reproduced without the express, prior
written permission of the Million Dollar Round Table.
55
Read about how a son
made sure his parents
were cared for after
his death in A sons
legacy by NAOKI
NODA, a three-year
MDRT member from
Nagoya, Japan. Contact
him at naoki.noda@
anshinlife-lp.jp.
Share your
ideas
Youre the expert!
Share what you know
in Round the Table
an easy way to reach
out to other MDRT
members.
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE:
nS
UBMIT an
or idea
article topic
n VOLUNTEER
to serve as
a source in your area of
expertise
nS
HARE
a professional
accomplishment
Send your ideas to editor@

mdrt.org for possible use in
Round the Table. See what
weve published recently by
visiting roundthetable.org.
Round the Table is provided as an educational and informational

service by the Million Dollar Round Table. The Million Dollar
Round Table does not guarantee the accuracy of tax and legal
information and is not liable for errors or omissions. You are
urged to check with tax and legal professionals in your state,
province or country. MDRT also suggests you consult local
insurance and security regulations and compliance departments,
pertaining to the use of any new sales material with clients.
MDRT, Million Dollar Round Table, Top of the Table, Court of the
Table, MDRT Foundation, The Premier Association of Financial
Professionals, ConneXion Zone and Global Gift Fund are all
registered trademarks of the Million Dollar Round Table.
Round the Table is printed in USA with soy-based inks on
elemental chlorine-free paper.
IN
the
NEWS
member news | awards | calendar | in memoriam
MDRT
CALENDAR
Mark your calendar
to include these
important dates:
November 1
MDRT membership
applications mailed.
Online applications
open
Brent Kimball (center) was honored for his work with NAIFA.
Kimball receives award
February 1, 2016
MDRT Annual Meeting
registration and
housing opens
March 1, 2016
Completed MDRT
membership
applications must be
submitted online or
mailed to MDRT,
postmarked on or before
this date, to avoid
$200 additional fee
June 12, 2016

MDRT Annual Meeting
begins in Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada
Robert A. Phares, CLU, ChFC,
was elected chairman of the

board for the University of
Nebraska Board of Regents.
This is the second time
Phares has been elected
chairman; he also served
in 2010. Phares is a 36-year
MDRT member from North
Platte, Nebraska.
IN MEMORIAM
C. William Burkhardt, CLU, CPC
Naples, Florida
Age: 76, MDRT: 45 years
Kermit B. Kaiser Jr., CLU, ChFC

Memphis, Tennessee
Don E. Robinson
Union, Oregon
Gerald F. Clark
Bradenton, Florida
Arthur E. Kess
Reno, Nevada
Paul H. Rosamond, CLU

Dallas, Texas
Marvin C. Franzen
Lexington Park, Maryland
William E. Knoble, CLU, LUTCF

Newport News, Virginia
David M. Trail, CLU, ChFC

Moscow, Idaho
Richard D. Glogg, LUTCF

Atlanta, Georgia
Carl F. Mehlhop, CLU, ChFC

San Francisco, California
Gregory Wong, CLU, ChFC

Tacoma, Washington
SHUTTERSTOCK/ONNES
January 28, 2016

MDRT Experience and
Global Conference
begins in Hong Kong
Brent R. Kimball, CFP, ChFC, was honored with the NAIFA

New Hampshire Distinguished Financial Advisor award. The
award is based on contributions above and beyond the call of
duty to the industry, the community and family. Kimball is a
27-year MDRT member from Pembroke, New Hampshire. He
served as the 2014 MDRT Foundation President.
Chairman of
the board
IN THE NEWS
Hurley appointed director as

he oversees renovations
Slepcevich
recognized
Based on outstanding sales
performance, William R.
Slepcevich, CLU, ChFC,
earned a spot at the Questar

2015 Elite Producer Conference. Slepcevich is a 24-year
MDRT member from
Naples, Florida.
Top agent awards

Rajesh Chheda, ACA, CFP,
(above) and Pradip Nagesh
Joshi, have been named
Indias top two Life Insurance Corporation of India

(LIC) agents. Chheda, who
was named the top agent,
is a 12-year MDRT member
from Panaji, India. Joshi is
a 10-year MDRT member
from Mapusa, India.
Award recognizes
MDRT members
naifas
naifas
Advisor Today recently recognized

MDRT members Eszylfie Taylor
(pictured top in photo) and Ryan
Under
forty
J. Pinney (right in photo) with
the Four Under Forty Award. The
award is given annually to four
outstanding advisors who achieve
excellence in their profession
before the age of 40.
Taylor is a 12-year MDRT member from Pasadena, California. He
was a Focus Session speaker at this years Annual Meeting.
Pinney is a seven-year MDRT member from Roseville, California.
He has served as the Member Communication Committee United
States Zone Chair in 2015 and 2016. He was also a Main Platform
and ConneXion Zone speaker at this years Annual Meeting.
advisortoday
September/OctOber
September/Oc tober
creativ e Strateg
ieS and buSineS
S advice fOr
inSura nce and
financi al adviSOr
S
2015
2015
Austin Hurley, FMP,

MCOM, was recently promoted to MDRTs director of facilities.
Hurley started his
career with MDRT in
1984 working in the
in-house print shop,
and worked his way
up to building services
supervisor in 1993.
Hurley is currently
overseeing a sevenphase modernization
and redesign of the staff
areas at MDRTs headquarters in Park Ridge,
Illinois. The project
includes collaboration
areas for staff and more
conference rooms. He is
working with architects, designers, furniture vendors and contractors during this multi-year project, which began this year.
Prior to this undertaking, Hurley was instrumental in the
update and redesign of MDRTs headquarters conference center
four years ago. The expanded conference center provides more
room and an in-house catering area for committee meetings.
Volume 110, No.

5
Hurley also plans, directs and oversees the management of

the Building Services Department, and is responsible for the
day-to-day operations of the building and premises. In addition,
he is responsible for all the supply logistics of MDRTs Annual
Meetings and Experience Meetings.
Austin is a consummate professional who has been serving
MDRTs members and staff at a high level for more than 30
years, said MDRT CEO Stephen P. Stahr, CAE.
During the past few years, he has taken on more responsibility and has delivered in a big way, Stahr said. He has earned
this promotion through hard work, dedication and applying a
can-do customer-service attitude to everything he does. I am
pleased and proud to welcome Austin Hurley to the executive
staff, where he will continue to be a major contributor to the
success of MDRT.
OVERCOMING THE I DONT

NEED ANY INSURANCE
OBJECTION
MOVIE TIME
I organize a seminar-and-movie night once every three months
for my A clients. These seminars are for couples, and clients
are more likely to bring other couples. I once booked a whole
movie theater with 70 seats. The first thing I do is give a
20-minute presentation to everyone on new tax laws and
financial issues. Then, we watch a movie together. Its a great
way to connect with clients and meet new ones.
Hye Yeon Kang, Seoul, South Korea, 13-year member
SUCCESS THROUGH SIMPLICITY

How to be a successful advisor?
Keep it simple. Get referrals. Have
appointments. Close. Get a check.
This business takes discipline
and hard work. You cant slum it
or its going to bite you. No one
else is going to do it for you. You
have to do it yourself.
Stay the course. No matter how
tough it gets, go the last mile. As
MDRT members, were all persistent, but we show it differently.
Some of us are dramatic, some
are subtle. But you need to help
people make a decision and make
a change.
Clune Walsh Jr., CLU
Birmingham, Michigan, 59-year
member and 1981 MDRT President
You have to have a fundamental belief in the product

because you know the last thing in the world anybody
wants to think about is death. So when you tell someone you want to talk about life insurance, the automatic
response is, I dont need any insurance.
You can get through that objection, though, by saying,
Well, lets think about living. How much are you saving?
If you can save a few dollars a week, you can build up
your retirement. In return, if youre not around to enjoy it,
your family will benefit from what you would have saved
if you lived. So then its mostly about a savings plan,
vis-a-vis the death benefit.
Paul Buckley Sr., J.D., CLU, Portland, Maine, 53-year
member and 1984 MDRT President
The best time to approach an

existing client about an increase
in life insurance is when they will
benefit from a cash loan or
dividend from their policy.
Reuben St. Hilaire Brathwaite
Bridgetown, Barbados, 9-year member
in
PRACTICE
Target the top 2% 10 | Tips & Technology 12 | Advisors vs. algorithms 14
Seminar selling 18 | Setting up a study group 20 | Workplace negotiations 23
WORDS MATTER
STUDENT LOAN DEBT
ADVISOR VS. COMPUTER
DESIGNATIONS
There are 19 million stuck

life insurance shoppers in
the U.S. who are confused
by the terminology used to
describe the products.
For those under 35,

education loans
account for nearly
70% of
their debt.
While millennials in the U.S.

and Canada often research
financial products online, like
older generations theyre still
likely to consult an advisor
for further information.
More than 90 types of

designations/degrees
are listed in the MDRT
member database.
LIMRA/Maddock Douglas study
LIMRA
LIMRA
PRACTICE
Target the
wealthiest
%
2
10 steps to tap into this market.
BY BRYCE SANDERS
raditionally, advisors worked bottom up:

get in front of people, get them interested and learn how much money is
available. Enter top-down marketing. Advisors
mine the vast information on the Internet to
research and prospect within the wealthiest 2 to
5 percent of their local market.
Follow these steps to get started with topdown marketing.
1. Identify people.
Consider wealth in four categories:

High asset, high cash flow. They are public
company senior executives and private
business owners who make money with
high-volume cash flow.
Low asset, high cash flow. They often work
for someone else. Licensed professions such as
doctors, dentists, attorneys, accountants, engineers, plumbers and electricians do well.
High asset, low cash flow. These are often
philanthropists and involved community
members.
Under the radar. Think about government
contractors or retirement plan rollovers.
n How much work: This information is easily
available online.
n Who does it: Its likely an intern/administrative project.
n Cost: Data is often free, but research takes
time. Buying the data from government
agencies saves time.
Abundant information is available about people online. Websites that put the white pages online can
be great resources for finding residential addresses.
n How much work: Its tedious. Many people
will be easy to find. Some wont. Drop those.
n Who does it: Its another intern/administrative project.
n Cost: The cost is time. If you pay others to do
the research, the cost climbs.
3. What do we know about them?
Many advisors are active LinkedIn users with

their own network of contacts. Run the names
you have collected through LinkedIn. Who
10
IKON IMAGE/AGE FOTOSTOCK
2. Where do they live?
knows who? Where did they go to school?

What are their interests? Awards? Job history?
Use Google too. Have they been in the newspaper? Do they belong to organizations?
How much work: Its tedious, but youre
n
learning about them.
n Who does it: Its another intern/administrative project.
Cost: Time.
n
4. Identify wealthy areas.
Use your research to identify suburbs,

towns and sections of a city where the
wealthiest populations reside.
n How much work: Its simple.
n Who does it: An intern or a team member.
Cost: Zero, except time.
n
5. Identify local organizations.
Now the fun begins. These prospects are involved

in the community. List local organizations including cultural institutions, social service charities,
religious institutions, business organizations, local colleges, neighborhood associations, hospitals,
country clubs and special interest clubs.
n How much work: Its easier than you think.
n Who does it: Many agents and advisors find
this enjoyable. If not, its an intern project.
n Cost: Should be zero.
6. Start pursuing: Part 1.
You recognize developments or streets. Names are

familiar. Use LinkedIn to find connections. The big
list becomes smaller lists of 10 to 15 names sharing
common geography or employer. Meet with friends,
show a short list and ask: Who do you know?
How much work: Little. Its intuitive.
Who does it: You and your team.
Cost: Zero, except for time.
7. Start pursuing: Part 2.
You belong to organizations. Check museum

donor and country club membership lists to find
names. Ask for an introduction or walk up and
introduce yourself at events.
n How much work: Some. The team researches.
n Who does it: You and your team.
n Cost: Should be zero.
8. Initiate a marketing program.
Raise brand awareness. You have prospect

contact information. Start marketing.
n How much work: This is a bulk mailing
project done by others.
n Who does it: You or a vendor implements.
n Cost: Mailing costs.
Create a climate where

doing business with your firm
is what wealthy local people do.
9. Enter marketing partners.
Product partners call your office. They want to

help. Their budgets often include funds for client/prospect dinners. Marketing partners provide
several personalized events allowing advisors to
cultivate small prospect groups.
n How much work: Some. Invite your marketing partners to a meeting. Explain your
strategy.
n Who does it: You recruit partners.
n Cost: Minimal cost shared by the office.
10. Organize seminars.
Targeting wealthy towns, plan a series of monthly

seminars offering topics such as identity theft or
Social Security. Invite prospects to educational
events. Include seminar publicity in your marketing mailings.
n How much work? Some. You need to fill the
room.
n Who does it: You and your team.
n Costs: Usual seminar costs.
Afterward, you are fine tuning, correcting
addresses and adding new residents. Success
stories are celebrated. Some organizations are
considered for charitable support.
Top-down marketing makes sense. By raising
your visibility in the local market, establishing
a presence in local organizations and opening
new accounts, you create a climate where doing
business with your firm is what wealthy local
people do. RTT
TIPS & TECHNOLOGY

life hacks | apps | time-savers
Impress at presentations
Amaze your audience during your next PowerPoint presentation when your slides seemingly advance without anyone forwarding
them. With a touch of a finger to your
Genius Ring Mouse, which you wear
like an oversized ring, you can unobtrusively advance slides with a tiny
touchpad and mouse button.
Prices vary. Visit Genius
website at geniusnet.com for
more information.
Print outside the office

The mini robotic printer from Zuta
Labs connects via Wi-Fi to any device,
and it lets you print on any size paper.
Its only 10.2 cm in diameter and
weighs 350 grams. One cartridge prints
about 100 pages, and it only prints with
black ink. The battery life is one hour.
Pre-order it for $199 at zutalabs.com.
Youre no slouch!
Good posture conveys authority. Conquer your slouching habit with Lumo Lift.
Attach the Lumo Lift,
which is about the size of
two quarters, magnetically
to a garment on your upper
chest, and it provides direct
feedback using a slight
vibration when you adopt
poor posture. The Lumo Lift
also counts steps, distance
and calories. Its available for
$79.99 at lumobodytech.com.
12
Super powers
in a bag
The Phorce Freedom is an ultraslim bag
that carries your laptop and other electronic
devices and can charge two devices at once
when youre on the go.
This heavy-duty, water-resistant bag can
hold a 13-inch laptop, a full-sized tablet, a
smartphone and other devices at the same
time. The bag also converts to a backpack,
briefcase, messenger or a trolley bag.
The bag is $179 at phorce.com.
Sign on the go
Get documents signed on your phone
or tablet with the SignMyPad app.Grab
documents from a website or a cloudbased service, sign it with a finger or
stylus, and send!
SignMyPad is $3.99; the Pro version is
$19.99. Its Android and iOS compatible.
Read more at autriv.com/sign-my-pad.
Filter Resource Zone results

for tailored sales ideas
Type in sales ideas in MDRTs Resource Zone at mdrt.org and youll get more
than 1,200 results. Dont have time to go through all those results? Thats not a
problem. Click Show Filter and start narrowing down results.
The filter lets you find whatever content type you prefer. You can select from
All, Quick Hit Videos, Full Length Videos, Quick Hit Audio, Quick Hit
Documents & Articles and Documents & Articles. We picked Quick Hit Videos, and now were down to a more manageable 24 results.
You can help the search function work even better if you rate the videos. The
more people who give videos a thumbs up, the better the search for Highest
Ratings will work in the Sort By function. The Sort By function is another
way to sort the resources by either Highest Ratings, Best Match or Most
Views. The default setting is Best Match, but you can change how your results
are displayed and which videos youll see first.
One of the most-watched sales ideas when we wrote this was 10 Proven
Positioning and Sales Ideas Guaranteed, from 15-year MDRT member John F.
Nichols, MSM, CLU, of Chicago, Illinois.
Why not watch it, or one of our other videos, and comment or rate them to
help your fellow MDRT members quickly find first-class resources.
Move it
If sitting at your desk all day is causing
your back to ache and your waistline to
expand, try the TreadDesk. It combines a
treadmill with an adjustable-height desk.
Move your chair aside, press a few
buttons to lift your desk and start the
treadmill to incorporate movement into
your workday. The control panel that sits
on your desk keeps track of distance,
time, speed, steps and calories burned.
Prices start at $995 at treaddesk.com.
Advisors vs. algorithms

MDRT members discuss how technology is changing financial services.
BY LIZ DECARLO
an computers and algorithms

replace a financial advisor?
Depending on which expert you listen to, up to 50 percent
of workers will lose their jobs to
technology in the next 10 to 15 years.
For financial advisors, that statistic
is further bolstered by the current
trend toward robo-advisors in financial planning.
By the end of this year, more than
$20 billion in global assets are expected to be under the management of
robo-advisor services, according to a
report by MyPrivateBanking, a Swiss
research company. These automated
assets are primarily in the United
States right now, but the numbers are
growing in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the report notes.
And, with some U.S. government
officials recently touting the use of
robo-advisors for financial advising,
its clear major technology changes
are underway in the financial services industry.
Robots will work for some
people, acknowledges Douglas
John Bennett, Dip PFS, an eightyear MDRT member from Crawley,
England. But the simple fact is that
human beings have emotions, and
what we do for our clients is emotionally based.
No robot can be programmed to
read body language to understand
14
when a concept isnt being understood by a client, or when a

discussion has touched a nerve
that needs to be addressed further, Bennett said.
That doesnt mean Bennett,
or the other MDRT advisors we
spoke with, are against the use
of technology in the financial
services process. Quite the
opposite. Its not an either-or
proposition for them. Instead,
its the wave of the future a
way to streamline their processes, comply with regulations
and spend more face-to-face
time talking with clients rather
than filling out forms.
Technology in the financial
services profession is a reality;
advisors will either adapt to
it, or find themselves out of
business, one MDRT member
surmises.
Here, three MDRT members
discuss how they have integrated technology into their
workflow, while still maintaining a personal touch with their
clients.
RADIUS IMAGES/CORBIS
Tech starts the process
As part of his initial meeting

with new prospects, Martin
V. Higgins, CFP, CLU, will
often ask how they decided to
work with him. One client told
Higgins he had done a Web
search for financial advisors.
You had seven of the first 10
spots, so I figured you must be
the guy, the client told Higgins,
a 29-year MDRT member from
Marlton, New Jersey.
Higgins has integrated
technology into every aspect
of his work from Internet

marketing for prospects to
Skype meetings with clients.
He has created free consumer
guides on many topics that
are search engine optimized.
Individuals who would like to
download the guides provide
their first name and email,
which automatically signs
them up for Higgins weekly
newsletter.
Higgins also uses a database
program called Infusionsoft.
Through this software, he
creates messages that are customized to meet an individual
client or prospects needs.
When prospects are ready to
schedule an appointment, thats
automated as well. Higgins uses
TimeTrade, which merges with
the advisors calendars and allows prospects to schedule the
appointment without having
to call anyone. When theyre
booking the appointment, prospects are prompted to answer
the question, Whats the most
important thing you want to
accomplish at the meeting?
Once a prospect becomes a
client, they receive targeted messages from Higgins whole team.
The software Higgins uses
prompts the staff when its time
to reach out to a client, whether
its through an email or sending
physical information. A team of
virtual assistants located across
the United States provides the
administrative support Higgins
team needs.
Higgins maintains a personal
touch in his client relationships
through quarterly meetings,
The simple fact is that

human beings have emotions,
and what we do for our clients
is emotionally based.
Douglas Bennett
although technology is an
integral part of those meetings
as well. He uses Skype and
screen sharing to hold meetings
with clients across the country.
He integrates eMoney, which
merges the clients assets with
their goals and financial plans.
He provides a digital vault for
them to store important documents such as wills, trusts and
passports.
Higgins realizes integrating
technology at this level can
seem intimidating, but its
worth the time and effort.
Ours is totally customized,
which is the way I like it, but
there are simpler ways to start.
You want to use the time and
talents of other people, he said. >>
We have to find the ones who

dont want to do it the robo way.
Martin Higgins
You can hire people who are

experts at what they do, and
they only charge you for the
time theyre working on your
project. Then youre just the
maestro you put the show on.
Relationships,
then tech
ROBO-ADVISOR DEFINITION:
An online wealth management service that
provides automated, algorithm-based
portfolio management advice without the
use of human advisors. Robo-advisors
use the same software as traditional
advisors, but usually only offer portfolio
management and do not get involved
in more personal aspects of wealth
management, such as taxes and retirement or estate planning. Robo-advisors
are typically low-cost, have low account
minimums and attract younger investors
who are more comfortable doing things
online.
Investopedia
16
When Bennett started in the

profession in 1988, he could see
four or five people in a day. Not
anymore.
Now, with the regulatory framework in the United
Kingdom and the hoops we have
to jump through to do a bit of
business, its quite frustrating,
he said. The regulatory changes
have led us to use technology
just to give ourselves a chance to
get to similar levels of business.
Bennett starts the relationship with prospects and
clients through referrals and
face-to-face meetings. The use
of technology doesnt come in
until trust and confidence are
in place.
My first meeting is finding
out all about the client. Thats
how you develop the trust you
need to create the long-term,
lasting relationship, he said.
Bennett doesnt bring in forms
or discuss products at this initial meeting.
Next, on their own time, clients fill out Bennetts customized digital forms, including a
medical questionnaire and a

risk tolerance survey. These
online forms can be completed
on a PC, tablet or mobile phone
prior to the next in-person
meeting.
This way, I dont have to
spend a lot of time in front of
the client going through the
risk profile or asking them lots
of medical questions, he said.
We can spend our time concentrating on the relationship
rather than filling out forms
and asking awkward questions.
Bennett meets with clients
two to three times, for about
two hours each time, to discuss
their needs and his recommendations. Some advisors may find
this time commitment intimidating, but when you spend
time communicating face-toface with clients, they tend to
follow your recommendations,
he said.
But he also knows some clients arent looking for that type
of face-to-face relationship. In
those cases, robo-advising may
be what theyre looking for.
Robots will work for some
people. Robo-advisors will have
a small penetration to start, and
it will probably grow, but when
you think about the number of
people on the planet and the
number of advisors, we have to
find the ones who dont want
to do it the robo way, he said.
ANDREW BRET WALLIS/OCEAN/CORBIS/BLEND IMAGES/AGE FOTOSTOCK
There will always be people

who need a financial advisor.
More solutions needed
Tech advances in the financial

services industry are a welcome
sight for Gregory K. Large,
CLU, ChFC.
At a certain point, technology will be the business, and
its those carriers and organizations that adapt that will be
part of the financial services
landscape in the future, said
Large, a 24-year MDRT member from New York, New York.
Those that dont will probably
see similar fates as Tower Records and Borders bookstores.
Large has been in financial
services for 25 years and is a
founding partner of Lenox Advisors, which adopted technology early in the dot-com era,
he said. We made a decision,
many years ago, that providing effective advice, solutions
and client service starts with
a foundation of accurate data
and information.
In 2002, they made their
first major investment in
proprietary software to help
manage their workflow and
processes. For us right now,
its integrated with our email
and basic CRM (customer relationship management) functionality, so we can automate
a lot of the big data activities
that come with having a very
large client base, he said.
This year, they began
integrating carrier information into their proprietary
software. Client information,
applications and data feed

into a single platform. Since
the data is served in real time,
we significantly reduced the
application time, which led to
expedited underwriting and
quicker payment to our advisors, Large said.
Since there arent many offthe-shelf solutions yet, Large
said most of the advances have
had to be proprietary. I think
the financial services business,
especially on the insurance
side, has been a holdout and
technology has not really ingrained itself. The lack of standards within the industry has
made it very difficult to address
this appropriately.
Additionally, while cloud-
based solutions allow you to be

very efficient, they also create
security and technology access
challenges, he said. Its a very
tangled web. Without proper
structure and investment, you
could be exposing yourself and
your clients to unnecessary risk.
Integrating more technology into the industry will take
time, but its the future of the
business. The important thing
is, if you have not changed, have
not evolved, your practice is
probably heading in the wrong
direction, Large said. Theres
significant hesitancy to change,
especially the longer youre in
the business, but those are the
people who are at risk longer-term. RTT
At a certain point,
technology
will be the business.
Gregory Large
PRACTICE
Inside seminar
selling success
How to invest in finding clients who fit your
target market.
BY ANTOINETTE TUSCANO
f youre looking for marketing that increases your business with clients who fit your
target audience, seminar selling can reach
audiences that other marketing may not. MDRT
members offer some key guidelines to make
seminar selling work well for you.
Seminar selling allows 17-year MDRT member David Pritchard, Dip PFS, of Nantwich,
Rookery Hall is an elegant Victorian

mansion in Nantwich, England, where
David Pritchard holds his seminars.
18
England, to find clients such as Keith and Mavis,

a retired couple worth about 2.3 million (about
$3.6 million). Keith was a retired engineer who
managed the couples investments for 50 years,
and he was in search of an advisor to help manage the couples finances if he died before his
wife. When Keith died, Pritchard was there to
assist Mavis, who is now one of the 95 widows
Pritchard has as clients.
A vast majority of Pritchards clients come
from seminars. He estimates that hes done more
than 120 seminars on a quarterly basis since
1999. John T. Cross, a 38-year MDRT member
from Royston, England, introduced some of
Pritchards colleagues to seminar selling in the
mid-1990s, and Pritchard learned about it from
them. Since then, seminar selling has taken him
to Court of the Table nine times and Top of the
Table seven times.
The value of my business has built up dramatically on the back of seminar selling, and it has been
one of the most effective and targeted marketing
tools I could have ever used, Pritchard said.
Futoshi Kuwano, a 17-year MDRT member

from Tokyo, Japan, has also found professional
success through seminars. I learned at an Annual Meeting that many Top of the Table members
are successfully running seminars, so I gave it a
try 14 years ago, he said. Today, about 95 percent
of his clients come from seminars.
Know your targeted audience
Kuwanos seminars focus on problem solving for

business owners 55 and older with annual sales
of 1 billion (about $8.3 million). My seminars
are focused on business succession planning,
retirement income and estate planning, he said.
He also invites other professionals such as
business consultants, lawyers and certified public
accountants specializing in taxation to speak at
his seminars.
When a business owner comes to my seminar,
its a good indication they recognize the need
to plan for business succession, said Kuwano,
who identified this niche while giving seminars.
For these business owners, Kuwano designed
insurance to lower the stock price at the time of
business succession and built a fund for executive
retirement. He also assists clients with planned
giving and asset transferring.
Pritchard specializes in clients older than 55
who have pensions or lump sums of money to
invest. Its important to target clients who fit his
specialty, Pritchard said. His office staff spends a
lot of time ensuring that they only invite the right
caliber of clients to seminars.
ROOKERY HALL HOTEL & SPA
Quality counts
Seminars are an investment of time, effort and

money, Pritchard said. It costs him approximately 7,0008,000 ($10,60012,157) per seminar, but
over the long term, it pays for itself, he said.
To find people to invite, Pritchard uses a company that supplies a list of names of people living
in affluent areas within 25 minutes of where he
holds his presentations. Choosing an attractive
venue is important, Pritchard said. Clients have
told him they initially came to his seminar just
for the free meal and the venue, which is in a
beautiful hotel that looks like a British country
house. They were so impressed by the seminars
content, however, that they become clients.

Kuwano agrees that while seminars can be
expensive and the competition can be intense,
a good seminar experience justifies the costs.
Seminar selling allows you to get to know
business owners of all kinds. Through the team
of professionals I work with, we can listen to
clients issues and find ways to solve problems.
Thats the best part of selling insurance, he said.
For his seminars, Kuwano provides lunch in
a luxury hotel. He also invests in flowers for the
room as well as high-quality seminar handouts.
Seminar selling
has been one of
the most effective
and targeted
marketing tools
that I could have
ever used.
David Pritchard
Consistency brings success
According to Pritchard, one of the most important

factors for seminar selling is to keep hitting the
mats on a regular basis until that prospect has a
need for your services. Eventually, prospective
clients will remember you through your seminar
invitations. Theres no point in doing it once and
saying it didnt work for me, he said. Furthermore,
as you continue doing seminars and developing a
format, they get faster to organize, he said.
Although people increasingly go online for
financial services, Pritchard says the market
remains strong for seminar selling. People like
free lunches in a beautiful venue, and clients are
looking for a friendly face that they can sit across
the desk from while being guided through the
maze of the financial services world, he said.
Kuwano also sees a bright future for seminar
selling. Perhaps well change the method of how
we send out invitations, but as long as people
need what the topic of your seminar is about,
there is no limit, he said. RTT
READ THE DETAILS of holding a seminar in
David Pritchards presentation, Successful
Seminar Selling for Seniors, from the 2012 MDRT
Annual Meeting in the Resource Zone at mdrt.org.
PRACTICE
Building
your team
How to find the right people for a study group.
ost people understand the value of

study groups, but figuring out how
to start one can be daunting. Where
do you even begin looking for fellow members?
How do you gauge interest and commitment
from others? Three MDRT members who
are actively involved in study groups recently
shared some tips on how to find the right people
for your group.
Brainstorm names
There is a
popular
training tip
for runners to
always try to
find a running
partner who
is just a little
bit faster than
you.
20
We all have friends in the industry who we love

spending time with socially. This, however,
doesnt necessarily mean that they are good candidates for your study group. One of the biggest
factors in your decision when identifying potential members is their level of dedication. We
all have those friends and colleagues who are
forever rescheduling meetings or are compulsively late for everything. These individuals may
not be the best choice.
There is a popular training tip for runners to
always try to find a running partner who is just
a little bit faster than you. Those partners will
push you to run just a little bit faster than you
would if you were on your own. In time, this
new faster pace will become your regular pace.
This analogy suits the selection of candidates for
your study group as well. You want to find individuals who work in the same or similar market
as you do, yet have already accomplished some
or many of the things you wish to accomplish.
Start by brainstorming the names of indi-
viduals you think would be a good fit for your

study group. They could be fellow MDRT
members or colleagues from your office or
community. This is not your final group; it is
simply the pool of names you will draw from as
a starting point.
Dont try to predetermine whether or not
they have the time or interest, but simply
write down the names of anybody you think
would be able to add value to your study group
through their experience, success or creativity.
Write down as many as you can. Next, circle
the names of the top three or four you feel are
the best fit on that list.
The final step is to commit to doing two
things: Call those potential candidates to gauge
their level of interest, and then set the meeting
date for your first meeting. Just like that, your
study group exists!
Jedediah Harrison Levene, CFP, CLU
Orillia, Ontario, Canada, 6-year MDRT member
Narrow focus
A study group is just like any successful business, or

football, soccer, basketball, hockey or racing team.
You need to make your dream team. The people
involved will be key to the success of the group. You
must get the group dynamics right and carefully
choose who you want to be part of the group.
Find individuals for the group from MDRT
members, other advisor organizations, people
you already know, Twitter, Facebook, Google,
local businesses (within a one-hour drive) yes,
your competition, potentially! Approach them
with an outline of what you want the group to
achieve, and make sure they are on the same
page.
Remember, its a working group with a purpose,
not just a chance to get some of your mates together
to have a beer. Its design is to make you all better
and stronger and give you an advantage over others.
First, decide what you

want out of a study
group. If you dont
know what you want,
you wont likely get
it. I knew I wanted an
all-female study group
because, lets face it,
we women operate
differently.
Once you have
figured out what you
want, the next step is
to begin discussions. Be
patient. It is critical to
have the right people.
The first thing to do
is to gauge interest
and availability. Start
talking to people you
think might be a fit and
share your vision.
How do you meet
people? The best advice
is to be active in the industry. Volunteer for
MDRT, NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors) or whatever your
local industry associations are. It will give you
the opportunity to meet people you might not
have met otherwise, and you will know they are
motivated enough to get involved, which tells
you something about them. Also, let it be known
that you are looking for a study group. You may
be introduced to someone by people you already
know.
That leads back to having the right group of
people. If you dont feel comfortable sharing
your goals and the structure of your business, it
can be hard to get honest and relevant feedback.
Finally, tweak the format until it works for
you. What works for my group might not work
for yours. As people, we change over time. As a
group, the same will be true. RTT
Simon D. Lister, Dip PFS

Wymondham, England, 8-year MDRT member
Jennifer P. Mann, MBA, CFP

Chicago, Illinois, 11-year MDRT member
OJO IMAGES/AGE FOTOSTOCK
Build a team
MDRT STORE
Focused on Your Success
Visit mdrtstore.org to find your next great idea.
Shop educational
products and
Books
Meeting Presentations
Insignia Collection
Multimedia
Member Plaques
Video Club
MDRT branded
merchandise online.
PRACTICE
Closing the deal

5 keys to successful workplace negotiations.
BY ROBERT CIALDINI
o matter what your job title may be,

chances are you engage in workplace
negotiations every day. Whether selling
products to clients, vying for more company
resources or simply managing your day-to-day
workload, being able to successfully negotiate
with others is essential for success.
At its core, negotiation is really about persuasion how you present your ideas to others in a
way that moves them to agree with you, reach a
meaningful compromise or take action. Researchers have identified five fundamental principles of persuasion that dont involve the merits
of the proposal but rather the way in which
you communicate them. When you understand
and use these principles ethically, you too can
become a more effective negotiator.
1.
Reciprocity
People tend to give back to others what has

been given to them. While some people think of
reciprocity in terms of exchanging money, goods
or services, it involves so much more. For example,
when participating in a conversation, by providing
others with attention, information and respect,
you will likely receive the same from them. To
maximize the principle of reciprocity, you should
be the first to give, and be sure what you give is
personalized and unexpected.
2.
Scarcity
People want what they cant have. Thats

why advertisements that promise limited time
only or limited quantities available are so effective. In a workplace negotiation situation, its
important to describe the unique or otherwise
unattainable advantages of any recommendation
you make. However, research shows people are
more apt to take action when they know what
they stand to lose, rather than what they could

possibly gain. Therefore, when negotiating, its
important to not only tell people the benefits
theyll gain, but also what they could lose if they
dont move in your recommended direction.
3.
Authority
4.
Consistency
5.
Social proof
People typically follow the lead of those

they perceive as credible experts. This makes
sense, since legitimate authorities have attained
their positions by virtue of greater knowledge or
skill in their field. Unfortunately, many experts
mistakenly assume others will naturally recognize
their expertise. Before you ever start negotiating,
provide information about your accomplishments,
credentials, background and expertise.
Research
shows people
are more apt
to take action
when they
know what
they stand to
lose, rather
than what they
could possibly
gain.
People feel compelled to be consistent

with their prior behaviors, opinions or actions.
When someone makes a commitment actively,
its likely theyll follow through. When negotiating, you can activate the consistency principle
by recognizing a prior commitment and linking
it to your current request. If possible, take it
a step further by getting the commitment in
writing, because people tend to live up to what
they write.
People often rely heavily on others for

cues on how to think, feel and act. Hence, the
proof of what is correct isnt grounded in facts
and statistics, but in the social environment.
To use social proof effectively in a negotiation,
rather than trying to demonstrate it yourself, its
important first to present testimonials from others. The more similar the testimonial providers
are, the stronger your case will be perceived. RTT
PRACTICE
Heart vs. mind

Douds 1989 message of caring motivates
producers to change approach with clients.
BY KATHRYN FURTAW KEUNEKE, CAE
No one will ever care how much you know until they know how much you
care. Widely attributed to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, but frequently
used by motivational leaders around the world, this sentence has struck a chord
with MDRT members for a quarter-century.
Roosevelts phrase was highlighted during the 1989 MDRT Annual Meeting in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Guy Rice Doud, named 1986 U.S. National Teacher of
the Year, spoke on Main Platform, carrying an emotional message of the importance of positive role models in the lives of children and adults.
His presentation proved memorable for many of you, and you have interpreted
his message to justify a different approach with clients and prospects: Rather
than leading with the technical information about the products you want to put
in place, focus first on showing you care for the individual or couple seated in
your office.
Following is an excerpt from Douds presentation, Molders of Their Dreams.
A recent poll of kindergartners said 96 percent

of them felt good about themselves. A poll of recent high school seniors indicated that only about
6 percent are happy with themselves.
What happens between kindergarten and the
time were ready to enter the real world? A lot
happens. And what happens has affected where I
am today. It happens through what I call the hidden curriculum. Its not prescribed. School boards
dont get together and design it. But its what
teaches us where we fit in. Its what teaches us
what our values are. Its what teaches us whether
or not we have any potential.
You know what I learned in school? I learned I
was fat. Thats the first thing. I never knew I was
fat until I started school. Our whole family was
fat. I started school, and I was the butt of jokes.
I learned that my gingerbread man wasnt good
enough for the bulletin board. I could never keep
the white pasty glue on the backside. Id get it
smeared all over the front. I used to eat the white
24
pasty glue. Not only wasnt I good enough for the

bulletin board, I wasnt any good.
School taught me more and more things like
that. I came with my box of six crayons, proud to
have them, and here came the mayors daughter
with her box of 64 colors with a built-in sharpener. I learned where I fit in on the socio-economic
ladder.
Why was it, in first grade, I could have already
told you who the homecoming king and queen
were going to be? We had them identified. They
were the popular kids. Guess what? I knew I
was not in that group. Nobody had to tell me
specifically. I started to learn about myself. And
the tragedy of it is that kids start learning these
lessons about themselves, and they believe them
with their whole heart. For many kids, it colors
their entire lives.
One of the worst experiences I had was in seventh grade. In seventh grade, you had to change
into gym clothes, and I was still overweight. I had
No one will ever

care how much
you know until
they know how
much you care.
gym on Tuesdays, Thursdays and every other

Friday, and I was sick an awful lot on those days
because sickness was a way for me to avoid those
heartaches.
I was flunking school. I would have been another drop-out statistic, except somebody cared.
In my life, there were teachers who really cared.
If it hadnt been for them, I dont know where Id
be today. I have come to believe as a teacher
and I believe its true no matter what profession
youre in people wont care how much you
know until they know how much you care.
I see kids today who are searching. And they
grow up to be adults who are searching, turning
to sex, drugs or possessions to give them meaning
and purpose in life. Some become workaholics.
As adults, were better at wearing the masks.
Pretending is an art that has become second nature with us. We give the impression were secure
and that we need no one.
Are you a real person? Have you allowed
people to see the real you? Ive come to believe

that unless you have learned to love and be loved,
learned to be honest and open, learned to share
your dreams and your hurts, youve never really
learned to live.
Rush home, grab your spouse, grab your kids,
call them, tell them you love them. Dont wait! It
might be too late.
Realize your responsibility to your fellow man.
We are all teachers. Were teaching everybody
every day by the life we live. Our lives can either
make or break somebody else.
Accept your calling to be a molder of dreams.
Begin molding at home. Make sure that everything that needs saying has been said. Make sure
that everything that needs doing has been done.
Drop everything else and make sure your house is
in order! Then, realize your commitment to your
fellow man. Remember: No one will ever care
how much you know until they know how much
you care. RTT
FINANCIAL SOCCER
CONNOTATIONS COUNT
Long-term care is sometimes a hard topic to approach with
clients because it makes them think of old folks homes and
unhappiness. When we get together for a review, I refer to
long-term care planning as health care planning into retirement. Rephrasing the need this way disarms the client and
puts this planning issue into perspective.
Barbara Brazda Dietze, CLU, ChFC
Bethesda, Maryland, 22-year member
Clients who pay us

to manage their
assets feel like we
are doing more for
them and are more
aligned with their
interests.
William Marvin Richardson,
CLU, CFP, San Francisco,
California, 5-year member
FOCUS ON THE ORPHANS

Orphan policies left by retired producers are not only important assets to the insurance companies, but also treasures to
us. In addition to taking care of those clients left behind until
we deliver the insurance benefits, it is vital to communicate
with them more than before and build closer relationships.
To do this, I try to keep in touch with them by conducting
fact-finding from time to time, to review their insurance needs
for peace of mind.
Neeraj Chauhan, CFP, New Delhi, India, 11-year member
26
ROUND theTABLE.ORG | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

2015
I like to compare financial plans to soccer teams. In soccer,

can you imagine what would result if your team consists
of all offensive players or all defensive players? No matter
how many goals an all-offensive team kicks in, they will lose
the game if they allow more goals to the opposing team.
Likewise, even if an all-defensive team plays extremely well,
they will lose if they cant score. A good team must balance
offense and defense to win.
Financial plans are similar to the soccer team. We need
to have adequate strategies in the form of portfolios and
matching products as a way of positioning the right player at
the right place on the field. For example, the investment asset
that accompanies risks for aggressive returns on financial
leverage is like the offensive player; saving for childrens tuition
is the midfielder, guaranteed funds that function steadily and
faithfully as a protection shield for dangerous situations are the
defense players; and finally, the retirement fund that provides
protection throughout the final stage of life is the goalie.
Conclusively, to win the game of financial soccer, people
should seek the advice of a financial expert to learn how to set
the strategies (portfolios) with adequate players (products).
Se Hwan Kang, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 12-year member
DELIVER THE RATED POLICY

First of all, I think there
is a real reason for us to
be glad that, despite the
extra rating, your policy
has been issued. This
means that, on the basis
of the results of your last
medical examination, the
company still considered
it safe to assume the risk
under your policy. This is
good news, but the extra
rating is a warning that
your health is not in A-1
condition.
I would like you to
consider this, because
it is important that you
appreciate fully the value of your policy. There

is a danger point in
the life of every person
which we call the point
of uninsurability. When
a persons health deteriorates to a point below
the acceptable limit for
life insurance, he has
become uninsurable. It
is very important, therefore, that you insure
yourself before reaching
that point.
Victoria Arebedo
Marcadia, Makati, Philippines, 10-year member
our
PEOPLE
Meet Top of the Tables new leader 28 | Balancing work and home 30 | Why a niche works 32
Spotlight on the UAE 34 | Millennials matter 36 | Business transition 38
BALANCING ACT
MILLENNIAL MINDSET
UAE POPULATION
38 percent of employees surveyed
75 percent of Millennials
believe businesses are too fixated
on their own agendas and not
focused enough on helping to
improve society.
It is estimated that immigrants make up
said they have missed life events

because of a bad work-life balance.
Workfront survey, 2015
more than 80 percent of the

United Arab Emirates population.
United Nations survey
Deloittes 2015 global millennial survey
PEOPLE
Strength
in numbers
The team approach helps Rossi find
success in business and with MDRT.
BY LIZ DECARLO
sing a team-based approach to working

with clients has been key to the success
W.J. Rossi, CFP, ChFC, has experienced as a financial advisor. Now Rossi, a 12-year
MDRT member from Gainesville, Florida, is
ready to apply that same approach in his role as
Divisional Vice President of Top of the Table.
Being able to lean on someone else for something thats not a strong point for me, and being
there for something thats not a strong point for
them, has worked really well, said Rossi, who
works with a team of advisors at Koss Olinger
Financial Group. Working as a team helps MDRT
members as well.
As Top of the Table members, we want to be accessible and be a resource for the MDRT membership, he said. If someones in Court of the Table,
how do they cross that bridge to jump into the Top
of the Table level of production? If someones a
first-time qualifier for MDRT, how can they make
sure they consistently come back?
At Koss Olinger, Rossi works with five other
advisors, an approach he prefers to being a solo
practitioner. Having the perspective of six people
is better than one, he said. Our clients appreciate
having a multi-faceted approach. We can cover all
their needs and goals.
28
WIDOFF PHOTO
Thirteen years ago, they transitioned

their business to a fee-based model.
Thats worked really well for us. Its
talking to our clients, seeing what they
need and want, and adapting our business
to meet their needs and goals.
Rossi has found meeting clients
needs and helping them fulfill their
goals fuels his ongoing dedication to
financial planning.
Helping them see a dream come to
fruition is so much fun, he said. Rossi
remembers a couple who came into his
office about 12 years ago. Their goal was
to retire in three to five years. Rossi and
his partner looked at their financial information, and then set up another meeting
with the couple.
We said, You can retire in three to
five years. As a matter of fact, you can
retire today if you want, Rossi said. They
explained the financial plan to the couple,
who left to consider their options. A few
days later, the couple was back in the office. They had given their notice at work
and bought a house in Tennessee.
They shook our hands and said,
Thank you so much. You made our
dreams come true, Rossi said. I felt like

we gave them five years of their life back.
Now they could retire and move on to
the next chapter of their lives. That really
moved me.
Money management and helping people grow their assets are important. Providing life insurance protection thats
critical, Rossi said. But when you see
someone take action on your recommendations, that just warms my heart, and
thats why Im so passionate about this.
And, while Rossi is passionate about
his roles as a financial advisor, business
partner and MDRT volunteer, he views
his first job as being a wonderful husband
and father. Rossi and his wife, Stephanie,
have three children, ages 5, 7 and 8.
Its easy to get excited with the
numbers and work, work, work, he said.
We can do all these great things for
our clients and produce these levels of
production and sales, and thats great. But
if you dont have anyone to share it with,
thats no fun. And so I have a picture of
my family on my desk, and I look at it all
day, every day. Its important for me to
keep them in mind at all times. RTT
MOVING FORWARD
WITH TOP OF THE TABLE
When Rossi first qualified for Top
of the Table, MDRT member
E. Dennis Zahrbock, CLU, CFP,
asked him to help out at a Top of
the Table Annual Meeting. He said,
Hey, you finally qualified for this,
W.J., now its time to do more than
qualify. You need to get involved,
Rossi said. His urging me was a
key turning point for me.
Rossi was a member of the Top
of the Table Program Committee in
2010 and 2011. He also has served
as Chair for the Program and Industry Relations committees.
As he takes on a leadership
role with Top of the Table, Rossi is
grateful for all the MDRT volunteers
who have gone before him. Im
fortunate to start at a time with
such good momentum, he said.
Memberships at an all-time high,
and I want to continue that.
The Top of the Table Advisory
Board is working hard to create
a fantastic 2016 Top of the Table
Annual Meeting, Rossi said. Were
excited to bring back things that
have worked well and take some of
the feedback from the surveys.
Rossi also wants to ensure Top
of the Table qualifiers receive
consistent value through additional
channels. When you come to the
meeting, thats a highlight, but
through podcasts and other Web
content, we will deliver information
to our members year-round, so
they feel the love of being part of
the Top of the Table membership.
LEARN MORE: Hear Rossi talk

about his career and leadership
plans at mdrt.org/podcast.
Rossi and his wife, Stephanie, with their three children: Nicholas, Isabella and Alexandra.
PEOPLE
Hitesh M. Shah
9-year MDRT
member
Mumbai, India
Work
I am very passionate about my
work. I am constantly thinking
about ways to take my business to
the next level.
Balancing
act
How 5 members align work
and home.
BY NIKHIL JITENDRA ANANDPARA
triking an effective work-life balance

can be a challenge, especially in a
profession where many equate longer
work hours with a higher success rate. Five
producers in India recently shared how they
try to maintain strong family and personal
lives, while still finding time for health and
education.
30
Work-life balance
I work for a maximum of eight
to nine hours per day, as I delegate the rest to the different
departments we have. I believe in
empowering my staff so they can
take on responsibilities and make
decisions. To ensure quality time
with my family, each year we go
on four vacations.
Health
I go for a morning walk and do
some fitness exercises at the gym
for an hour daily.
Education
I attend several business conferences and seminars. This keeps
me updated and gives me an
opportunity to learn best practices
across industries. My target is to
meet a minimum of 150 people
from a non-insurance background
every year to share knowledge and
exchange ideas.
Parag
Harshavadan Shah
11-year MDRT
member
Ahmedabad, India
Work
Being in this industry for the past
28 years, I firmly believe my work
ethic, integrity, constant perseverance and hard work have paid off
well.
Work-life balance
Family has been a backbone in
my life. I am fortunate enough to
have a wife who always tells me,
You may do all the hard work
and whatever it takes to reach
the summit in your industry. I am
there to take care of our son and
parents back home.
Health
To be very honest, there is not
much time left to pay regular attention to my health. But my daily
routine activities keep my body
metabolism fit, both physically
and mentally.
Education
I believe I learn something new
every day. Mentoring 50 to 70
insurance advisors enriches my
knowledge significantly.
Chirag
Madhusudan
Porecha
6-year MDRT
member
Jamnagar, India
Work
I love and give 100 percent to my
work. I believe in punctuality; I
am never late, whether its for a
meeting, filing returns or any other part of professional life. We also
adopt the clear the desk every
evening culture among my staff. I
normally work 10 to 11 hours a day
(never on Sundays). Work is my
passion.
Work-life balance
I do strike a balance in work and
family life. I give sufficient time
to my family, take holidays and attend family functions. Luckily, Ive
been able to avoid that common
complaint from family that I do
not give sufficient time to home
and home affairs. Equally, my family is also very supportive.
Health
I ensure a disciplined lifestyle, a
little bit of dietary control along
with a little exercise.
Education
Education is the only tool for
survival in this competitive world.
I keep upgrading with professional education and certification
courses. I make it a point to keep
learning new things about products, sales and the world around
me. I continuously attend mentorship programs for self-motivation
and knowledge updates.
Arvind Vithal
Hirlekar
19-year MDRT
member
Mumbai, India
Work
Planning in advance and planning
in detail have helped me reach the
success I have achieved.
Work-life balance
Days are not really earmarked
for family or work. Since I have
flexibility with work, most family
outings happen on a working day
to avoid the rush at hotels, etc.
Family is of prime importance, because its basically for them we are
working so hard. Also, early to bed
and early to rise has always been
my style. I make use of the
9 to 9 theory:
9 p.m. 3 a.m. is the best quality
sleep one can get
3 a.m. 6 a.m. is half the quality
6 a.m. 9 a.m. is one-quarter
the quality
Health
This is a bit of a neglected area, I
should admit. I have started taking
care of this now, with 30 to 40
minutes of walking five to six days
a week. This is replaced by swimming when I get bored of walks.
Education
I am always on the lookout to
learn new things.
Nikhil Jitendra
Anandpara
13-year MDRT
member
Mumbai, India
Work
I use three referability habits:
always be on time, do what you
say you would do and finish what
you start.
Work-life balance
My progress would not have been
possible without the support of
my wife and family. Even though I
devote a lot of time to my profession, I always plan to contribute a
few hours to my wife and son by
sharing optimistic thoughts and
various learning processes in life.
Almost every quarter, for two to
three days, we go touring at hill
stations or natural surrounding
places. This is possible due to my
time management program and
the delegation of office work to
our team.
Health
I used to ignore my health due to
being busy with work. Now I exercise with my personal gym trainer
to keep myself fit.
Education
I believe education should be a
continuous process. I have learned
more by sharing my knowledge
and attending seminars like
MDRT. Learning from an expert
coach and trainee has helped
me to upgrade and increase my
knowledge on various levels.
PEOPLE
McCann and his colleagues (from left) Leanne Carnegie,

Adam McCann, Stuart Brown, Chris Waples
Working with strategy

McCann increased his production by specializing.
BY ANTOINETTE TUSCANO
F
I quickly
learned, to
effectively
engage this
market, I had
to be flexible
and show
empathy.
32
or one MDRT member, his career transformed when he seized an opportunity

and found a niche market. When that
happened, he qualified for MDRT and then Top
of the Table. It started with a mentor, an Annual
Meeting and a strategic focus.
Seven-year MDRT member Adam McCann,
CFP, of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia,
believes the more you build your life around
what you have talent and passion for, the more
successful youll become. He began to put this
belief into practice after his mentor, 40-year
MDRT member Anthony S. Bongiorno, CFP,
FCPA, asked him to attend the 2005 MDRT
Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, as an
aspirant. It changed McCanns career.
McCann credits his conversations with Bongiorno at that Annual Meeting with having a
profound impact on his path forward. At the
time, McCann was self-employed, running his

own practice based in Adelaide and licensed under the Bongiorno Group in Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia, which specializes in medical and dental
professionals. McCann began noticing how this
differentiation was the key to their success. We
work in a marketplace that is saturated with generalists, he said, so, without a point of difference,
what sets you apart from the crowd? With Tonys
encouragement and guidance, I began to nurture
a niche market mindset, which has ultimately become my point of difference in the marketplace.
Before the strategic change, McCann took any
and all clients and didnt stand out, despite hard
work. After the change, he became more disciplined and started saying no to clients who didnt
meet his criteria. He looked for opportunities to
work with medical clients. The mindset change
led him in 2010 to a directors position at Bartons
Chartered Accountants and Wealth Advisors, an

integrated chartered accounting and financial
services advisory business in Adelaide.
This gave McCann what he needed to refine
his focus. At Bartons, McCann is the head of the
medical team, and about 70 percent of clients
are medical professionals, primarily doctors.
The team effort is key, McCann said. He works
with directors and managers who have expertise in different areas, including tax, finance,
property, superannuation and accounting. These
services require seamless communications
across the team. This integration keeps clients
coming back, he said.
Partnerships and marketing
McCann oversees a wide array of activities, which
includes building partnerships. Through Bartons
affiliation with the Bongiorno Group, it has developed strong working relationships with a large
number of medical organizations. These include
the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, Australian Orthopaedics Association and the Australian
and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
To market to and engage doctors, Bartons sponsors events, attends trade fairs and provides on-site
education, information and services at hospitals
in Adelaide. Bartons also coordinates events
both social and educational for clients and their
colleagues. These may range from wine tasting and
dinner events, to information sessions on superannuation, business structuring and similar topics.
Understanding clients
Medical professionals are an interesting group,
McCann said. They have little time and a lot of
stress. To develop his understanding and empathy for medical clients, McCann collaborates
with a local doctor who is an expert in health
and well-being for doctors.
Doctors work all hours of the day and, between balancing their positions in public and
private sectors, their continuing professional
education requirements, and their personal life
commitments, theres not much time left for
worrying about things like financial advice,
McCann said. So I quickly learned, to effectively engage this market, I had to be flexible and
show empathy toward these pressures.

McCann also makes sure hes prepared before
any client engagement. He and his team learn
about their professional and personal lives. Its
great if we can know that their spouse is a medical professional or if they moved to Adelaide
only recently. This information adds value to our
initial conversation and underpins the foundation of our developing relationship.
McCann also keeps up with news that may affect the medical profession from conferences
to new medical procedures to changes in the
law. This helps us understand what it is like to
be a medical professional, he said, and nothing
builds trust quicker than this level of empathy.
This is important to McCann. Bartons sets itself
apart from competitors and gained a reputation as
a business that understands the medical profession, McCann said. The word-of-mouth factor
has been critical for growth. Doctors prefer to use
services that have already been peer-tested. As a
result, new clients can immediately put their trust
in our abilities, knowing that we have been servicing professionals just like them for many years.
Overall, McCann has some advice for those
considering a niche market. Identify your
unique ability, find a mentor, collaborate and
network, network, network! The support you
will gain from your peers is invaluable and will
be key to your future success. Likewise, dont be
afraid to be a mentor you never know what
you might be able to give to a colleague. RTT
LEARN MORE
Adam McCann
talks about his mentor,
Anthony Bongiorno,
in the video Specialization and Mentoring the
Path to Growth in the
Resource Zone at
mdrt.org.
The exterior of Bartons.
PEOPLE
United Arab
Emirates
A diverse market
Members in the United Arab Emirates sift
through a wide range of clients.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
he United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a nation

of immigrants. With less than 25 percent of an ethnic population and the rest
foreigners, the UAE is one of the most culturally
diverse and cosmopolitan countries in the world,
said Cherian Panavila John, MBA, FAIQ(CII), a
six-year MDRT member from Abu Dhabi, UAE. He
is the Member Communication Committee Zone
Chair for the Middle East and Africa. The UAE has
one of the most fascinating cultures. Its indescribable because so many people live together in cultural and religious harmony in extreme climates.
According to the CIA Factbook, less than 20
percent of the population consists of actual UAE
Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi
Managing the
expectations
of the clients in
these changing
economic
conditions
is the most
important
challenge
we face.
34
citizens. The remaining 80 percent is made up of

immigrants from around the world, mainly Iran
and South Asian countries. This environment
has created a large market for John, especially
when considering that the population is woefully
underinsured.
A survey conducted by Zurich International
says 64 percent of UAE residents have no life
insurance, John said. Two-thirds of those who
are insured have two or fewer years income cover, and 80 percent of UAE residents do not have
critical illness coverage.
This means almost two-thirds of residents
in the UAE do not have a life insurance policy
that would protect their familys financial future
in the event of the death of the primary salary
earner, he said. For John, this disparity is simply
not acceptable, especially when considering the
relative affluence of the country.
Since oil was first discovered in the country
more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone
a rapid transformation into a modern state.
Though its economy suffered due to the recession of 2008, a recent resurgence has kept clients
demands high. This means further growth for
advisors, John said.
UAEs insurance sector is likely to expand
around 10 percent every year, and growth may
Sheikh Zayed Grand

Mosque
accelerate in the future due to the drastic economic and infrastructural developments currently underway, John predicted. Managing
the expectations of the clients in these changing
economic conditions is the most important challenge we face.
However, this is nothing new, he said. The
changing needs of the clients personal circumstances always create difficult situations. These
types of challenges come up while dealing with
investment portfolios. Clients selecting pure
insurance products such as level term, universal and whole life are far less challenging than
those with higher expectations of financial gains
through investments.
Unlike many other MDRT member countries,
regulation has yet to greatly affect producers in
the UAE. Though the government has gotten
involved, John notes they have largely focused on
smaller, less credible practices.
The insurance authority got started by
cleaning up the grassroots practices, he said. As
a first step, they tightened the licensing procedures, operational objectives and guidelines of
brokerages, insurance agencies and insurance
companies.
Looking into the future, John thinks further
regulation will begin with ethics, rules and regulations at the advisory level. I believe the regulators are going to implement qualification levels
and licensing for every advisor, which will be
strictly in accordance with best practices in the

field, he said. Licenses will be renewed annually, taking into account each advisors professionalism and adherence to the code of ethics. But I
dont think a fee-based practice requirement will
hit this market in the near future.
Until further regulation is implemented,
however, John will continue to run his practice
with the high ethics and standards requisite of an
MDRT member. First getting into the industry a
decade ago, he was initially hesitant about joining
the profession. An agent repeatedly asked John
to join his team, and despite his desire to switch
careers, entering into a commissions-only financial lifestyle seemed like an unnecessary risk to
him. But the agent did not give up on me, he
said. His persistence made me rethink, and in
2006, I finally decided to give it a try.
MDRT membership followed shortly after, as
John first became a member in 2010 and attended his first MDRT Annual Meeting that year in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. MDRT
broadened my belief in the industry while also
paving new avenues for me. It became not just a
career to me, but also a way of helping others,
he said. I started loving the industry and loved
my profession even more when I saw how many
families I was helping. After that, I started going
every year and made it a habit to renew the
relationships and learn from the masters of this
industry. It is an annual pilgrimage now. RTT
CONTACT:
Cherian Panavila John
mdrtuae@gmail.com
PEOPLE
adrift
Millennials have no money,

yet hold the key to your future.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
36
AGE FOTOSTOCK/OJO IMAGES
A generation
hen I turned 16, my dad told

me two things. One, I was no
longer going to receive an
allowance, and two, I needed to get a job.
So, I said goodbye to the weekly $8 I had
come to depend on and started working at
a grocery store. When I received my first
check, it felt momentous. I couldnt help
but imagine where Id spend all my money.
But, before I could act on these dreams,
my dad materialized again, telling me we
needed to put 20 percent of my check in a
savings account.
So I did, and eventually this led to me
being able to buy my first car. It was an important, fundamental lesson for me on the
value of saving. Unfortunately, as a member
of the generation commonly known as millennials, a group of people born anywhere
from the early 1980s to early 2000s, this
is where my financial education began
and ended. And, unfortunately again, this
is where the majority of my generation
currently sits as well. Luckily, there are
advisors out there seeking to remedy this.
Paula C. Brancato, MBA, CFP, a threeyear MDRT member from New York, New
York, has worked in a wide range of careers. An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, she has indulged her artistic
side by writing award-winning film scripts,
novels, short stories and poetry, while also
keeping a firm foot in the business world
as a consultant for investment banking
clients and insurance companies. In 2009,
she switched over to financial advisory
services.
Her varied background gives her unique
insight into a significant issue facing the
global financial services industry what
do you do with these millennials?
Millennials are a huge opportunity,
Brancato said. But they dont yet have enough
money, and they are swimming in debt.
This is the big obstacle to targeting
millennials they simply dont have the
money to make a meaningful dent in your
practice. However, as Brancato says, the
future of the profession depends on them accruing wealth. So, the key issue becomes how you
grow this large segment of the global population
into the clients that will one day make up the
backbone of your practice.
According to a survey by the Consumer Federation of America, millennials are more likely
than other generations to save their money, but
their knowledge of finance is extremely limited.
Furthermore, they view the financial services
profession in an overall negative light. Some of
this can undoubtedly be traced to the recession
of 2008, and it has made working with this generation difficult for advisors. With this perception comes many risks. If left unchecked for the
next few decades, prospects will eventually dry
up. Or, rather than seeking out standard advisors, a generation raised on technology will feel
more comfortable having their finances managed by robo-advisors (see Page 14 for more on
this term). For Brancato, this is unacceptable.
There will have to be solutions, she said.
But were looking at the wrong problem. If
youre looking at the wrong problem, youre going to create the wrong solution. Were looking
at how we can protect people by just making
them have safe things in their 401(k). Well, no,
thats not going to help, thats going to make the
whole problem redundant.
She compared this to using old science, like
the laws of Newton, to solve new problems, like
getting to Mars. Newton was great if you want
to go watch an apple drop from a tree, maybe
even to get to the moon. But the system that
Newton had is not going to get you to the end of
the galaxy, she said. Youve got to use Einstein
and relativity. So we need to find our Einstein.
We need to find our next process. Classical economics dont work.
This issue is bigger than just the U.S., Brancato
said. Its global. There are some countries that
are young, like India, and may do well, age-wise.
China, on the other hand, has a real problem.
Their one-child policy has made it virtually
impossible to continue to support their aging
population, she said.
Beyond being just a smart business move,
Brancato feels a strong social responsibility to
help these younger clients get started on the

right foot. (This profession) started out to protect people. And then somehow we lost sight of
that, and that intent petered out. I think now it
has come back, she said.
Brancato suggests advisors get involved in the
education system, to teach kids the importance
of finance and relieve the societal stigma around
discussing money. College education in the U.S.
in particular is so expensive now. Meeting with a
financial advisor beforehand to go over the costs
and long-term repercussions of student loans
could be of great assistance, and could change
the face of the financial services industry with
this generation, for example.
But not everybody has that desire to influence things, understandably. Most people are
just on a treadmill trying to take care of their
immediate family, Brancato said. Most advisors
have been trained in silos, so may lack a broader societal view on the responsibilities of the
industry. But, she sees this more as a function of
our current environment than any specific flaw
within the field. Nearly everyone today is specialized, so its hard to see the big picture.
Brancato believes that through organizations
like MDRT, this issue can be addressed. Much
like how MDRT was founded in a period of
economic turmoil the Great Depression
and had to change the mindsets of clients who
preferred to hide their money in mattresses,
members will have to adapt to the needs of
millennials.
I have a vision for what I think the industry could be, Brancato said. I have met a few
people who share that vision. Ive met a lot of
people on the treadmill, and some of these are
good people who just need support to get off the
treadmill. I think theyd be able to do more.
My generation needs advisors like Brancato
to step forward. College debt isnt going anywhere. Entry level jobs are harder and harder to
come by. These problems may not be solvable by
advisors, but you can provide a steady point for
millions of adrift young adults. Instilling some
confidence in millennials may not pay immediate dividends, but it will shape the next half
century of the financial world. RTT
Millennials
are a huge
opportunity.
But they dont
yet have enough
money, and
theyre swimming
in debt.
Paula Brancato
CONTACT:
Paula Brancato
paula.brancato@
nm.com
PEOPLE
Succeeding
the successor
Youngentobs maintain business through
generational partnerships.
BY ELIZABETH FUHRMAN
Eugene Youngentob with his son Stuart (left)

and Joshua Jeffries.
38
eing in a partnership with

your father can be a blessing
and a curse. The blessing
is the wisdom, experience and opportunity to work with your father.
The difficulty is the ability to grow
a business that others may perceive
as having limited possibilities for
nonfamily members.
It is more challenging to bring
other people into the organization
because they fear there arent opportunities for them when there is already a father-son team, said Stuart
L. Youngentob, J.D., MBA, a 21-year
MDRT member with 14 Top of the
Table qualifications, from Bethesda,
Maryland.
Nonfamily partnerships also
become harder to facilitate. In
2001, Stuart had a chance to merge
with three other peers, but being in
partnership with his father, who was
quite a bit older than these peers, was
an obstacle. A deal never happened.
In hindsight, its the best thing
that I never did, said Stuart, a principal of Arkin Youngentob Associates.
But at the time there was some significant merit to looking at that type
of structure.
From father to son
The partnership structure is something the Youngentobs have been
familiar with for decades. Stuarts father, Eugene K. Youngentob, CLU,
ChFC, a 40-year MDRT member, is a
principal and founder of Arkin Youngentob Associates. Gene teamed up
with Rudolph Arkin in 1978 to form
the business, which is now an independent firm adjoined with Partners
Financial, a part of National Financial
Partners Corporation.
Since its inception, the practice has
been a broad-base insurance practice
that can be broken down into three
components: life insurance, employee benefits

and pension/executive compensation. The firm
primarily focuses on Washington, D.C.-based
closely held businesses, such as white-collar
professional services, and high-net-worth individuals who are local industry and community
leaders.
In many cases, the high-net-worth individuals
are owners of the businesses we deal with, and
the business is their biggest asset, Stuart said.
Today, a typical employee benefits client of the
firm has more than 100 employees.
Younger advisors had intentionally been
brought into the firm from the beginning, and two
such partners were singled out for the purpose of
succession. Never did it cross anyones mind that
Stuart would enter the business with his father.
By training, Stuart is a lawyer and certified
public accountant. He worked as an accountant,
as well as in real estate. When the real estate market plummeted, Stuart analyzed his competitive
advantage, which led him to financial services
and his father.
Stuart entered the business in 1992, and
learned the industry from the ground up. Many
of his contacts in the real estate market became
his clients. His degrees in law and accounting
gave him a competitive advantage with lawyers
and accountants. About two years after Stuart joined the practice, the firms two younger
partners left.
When I came into the business, that clearly
changed the dynamics. The two younger partners
looked at the situation and said, Where is my
future? Stuart explained. People have to clearly
see the opportunity available to them.
Arkin, Gene and Stuart carried forward until
Arkin retired in the mid-1990s. Stuart and Gene
became formal partners in 1997. The father and
son were equal partners within the business,
splitting work until 2001 when they decided they
needed their own succession plan.
They entered into an eight-year succession plan,
in which Genes 50-50 split of the firms revenues
would decline annually as he worked less. They
shared the businesss expenses equally, which
Stuart said was very fair from the beginning.
Weve been very fortunate that there has
never been a year that revenues have declined,

Stuart said. They have continued to go up every
single year, and as I became more seasoned in the
business, the revenue kept expanding.
Today, Gene, 84, still receives a founders
compensation as a fixed monthly amount, but he
has no equity in the business. He comes into the
office about four days a week during the summer
and spends most of the winter in Florida. While
If you want to be a top-notch

insurance professional,
you have to have a recurring
revenue base.
Stuart Youngentob
Gene is admittedly not working at the business
while in Florida, he has created prospects on
which the office is able to work.
Hes phenomenal in public relations, Stuart
said. At the same time, there is still wisdom and
there are still old relationships that continue to
exist that we preserve and from which we continue to generate new opportunities today.
Positioned to grow
About six years ago, Stuart was introduced to
Joshua Jeffries, a young producer who only
worked in health insurance. Jeffries soon joined
the firm as a producer.
It helped bolster our benefits practice, as
we looked at the benefits practice as a critical
core element, Stuart said. One of the pieces of
wisdom my dad has always brought is that if you
want to be a top-notch life insurance professional, you have to have a recurring revenue base in
your business. We view the benefits practice as
our core recurring revenue as it complements the
business focus of our life insurance practice. We
have decided not to pursue building an investment business.
As the practice grew, Stuart let Jeffries run the
employee benefits sector. Jeffries had become an
expert in health care reform, understanding not
just the rules but the new paradigm businesses
faced in adapting to the new benefit planning
environment. >>
PEOPLE
Never look at
what you are
losing when
you do something with
somebody
else. Look at
ultimately
what you are
gaining.
Stuart Youngentob
Given Stuarts previous experience with

trying to build outside-the-family partnerships,
he wanted to be cautious about not bringing
someone in who might be intimidated by the father-son scenario. Stuart and Gene had disagreements on how to add Jeffries into the business, so
Stuart decided a family-business facilitator would
be an ideal person to help him work through the
logistics of making a deal happen with Jeffries.
Often when advisors think about the succession process, they only focus on the financial
aspects, but governance and control are equally
important parts of the process, Gene said. He
advises that the older member take a back seat.
I do not interfere with operations, he said. I
made a decision some time ago to transfer to Stuart, that this was his business to take it the way he
felt best for him and have absolute unconditional
love and at the same time recognize his talents
for the business.
Stuart concurs with Genes perception of their
succession process. There was a real willingness
to let me run the ship, he said. I was apprehen-
CONTACT:
Stuart Youngentob
syoungentob@
ayallc.com
40
sive personally when bringing on Josh about how

to handle the governance. The facilitator helped
me though that.
The process started two years ago, and concluded in January with Jeffries and Stuart forming an equal partnership in the benefits practice.
Granted, you need the right person to be a
partner, Stuart said. But at the same time, Ive
been in business now 30 years, and Ive had multiple occasions over my career that I would come
back and say, Never look at what you are losing
when you do something with somebody else.
Look at ultimately what you are gaining.
Stuart and Jeffries are experiencing rapid
growth, along with their thriving office of 15
employees. In turn, bringing in Jeffries as a
nonfamily member opened up the opportunity to
have another young producer who works under
Jeffries.
To me, the industry is fluid, Stuart said. You
have to be opportunistic, and you have to continue to invest in your business and grow your
business. RTT
QA
&
PEOPLE
Zheng Yu Wu
Location: Beijing, China
Membership status: 9-year member, 1 Court of the Table qualification
MDRT involvement: Member Communication Committee Zone Chair for China
How do you describe your practice?

My practice is to provide professional protection
and financial service to my clients and to develop
my professional team by providing them with the
best training and support.
The return
cant be
measured
with numbers.
What is your target market?

Middle-market and high-end clients in Beijing,
including white-collar workers from foreign and
local companies, executives working in big companies and business owners.
What is your best marketing tip?
Working in the business for more than 11 years,
I think the most effective marketing tip is to treat
clients and team members like family members.
I put their best interests and benefits before my
own. I believe they know how wholeheartedly
Im working for them.
What do you find most fascinating about
our profession?
Its the most rewarding profession Ive ever
worked in. We can get much more than what
we give. The return comes in different ways and
cant be measured with numbers.
What can the MDRT membership expect from
your committee this year?
We will carry out two major plans. First, we will
develop innovative ways to enhance our membership benefits while recruiting new members.
Second, we will rely on our virtual network to
improve our quality of service to current members and attract more competitive producers to
become MDRT members.
What do you do to stay motivated month

to month?
When you decide to do more for other people,
youll find an infinite source of power. If you
do everything for your own benefit, youll
soon lose inner strength after the goals are
achieved.
What is the main benefit of attending
an MDRT meeting?
For me, there are three major benefits:
1. Networking and idea sharing. With these
opportunities, my professional skills have
been improved.
2. Inspiration and motivation. Listening to
the powerful speeches, I feel more confident
and determined to work in this honorable
profession.
3. Passion and pride. The veteran members
show me how they are enthusiastic and
proud of working in the business. Thats the
core of MDRT culture.
What tips would you give to new advisors?
Its a profession of love and care. When you care
about your clients and team members from the
bottom of your heart, you can make extraordinary achievements.
What are your interests outside of business?
I enjoy horseback riding, keeping fit, skiing,
racing and kickboxing.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself becoming a real leader, making a
difference in other peoples lives. RTT
PASS IT ON
THE 4 CS OF WEALTH
I walk my clients through a wealth concept called the four
Cs with flash cards, revealing each card one at a time. The
first C is creation, i.e., income or salary. The second C is
consumption, using that created wealth for things like
food, clothing and shelter. I leave the third C hidden until the
end. The fourth C is conservation, which is creation minus
consumption, your bottom line. What are the three hindrances that can stop conservation? I ask. Death, retirement or
disability. That is when I reveal the third C: continuation.
Having insurance, I tell them, eliminates the hindrances and
preserves the entire cycle of your wealth.
Jayang Nagrecha, Mumbai, India, 4-year member
Hand someone a business card with

the back facing them. Ask them
to write down the names of three
people who will pay them money
if they cant work. Wait for them to
not have anyone, then flip the card
over and say, There is one.
Minh Duc Vo, Houston, Texas, 4-year member
42
In the United States, individuals are required to take a

minimum distribution from their retirement plans beginning
at age 70. Individuals who do not need this money to pay
living expenses usually reinvest the funds back in the market
in mutual funds or bonds. I prospect for such individuals and
ask them the purpose of their retirement account.
If they say it is to provide funds for their spouse, children
or grandchildren when they die, I ask if they want to reinvest
their money in the market and hope for a 6 percent taxable
rate of return, or if they would like to see a way to increase
this money immediately by a factor of 20 and have it go
tax-free to their spouse, children or grandchildren.
I then show a guaranteed level premium life policy for
the exact insurance amount their required distribution
will purchase. This approach allows those individuals with
unneeded dividends to reinvest and pass that asset, plus
growth, to family members.
J. Marvin Walker, CLU, ChFC
San Antonio, Texas, 25-year member
CORPORATE SEMINARS
With the reduction of corporate pension benefits,
and the general aging of the workforce, individuals today must be better prepared for financial
planning than ever, and their companies have the
responsibility to educate them. To this end, I deliver
life insurance planning seminars to employees as a
benefit provided by their companies.
Having a certified financial planner deliver a
seminar on life insurance and annuities saves on
costs for the company while giving me prospecting
opportunities. It is a win-win relationship. Prospects
see me as reliable and professional, which results in
much higher closing rates.
Kazuhiko Sagara, Tokyo, Japan, 8-year member
inside
MDRT
Visit Vancouver 44 | MDRT in Hong Kong 46 | The benefits of membership 48 | MDRT Foundation 50
Nine OClock Gun
BE KIND
MDRT SUCCESS STORIES
NOISY TIMEKEEPER
Those who benefit from

kindness tend to find it
contagious and pay it
forward by helping others.
Accounting for age, gender and total

years of membership, 2014 MDRT
members who attended one to four
Annual Meetings reported an average
of $14,134 more in annual commissions
than nonattendees. Those who
attended 10 or more Annual Meetings
reported commissions $66,299 higher.
The Nine OClock Gun in

Vancouvers Stanley Park
has been fired at 9 p.m.
for more than 100 years. Its
original purpose was to tell
nearby ships what time it was.
Researchers at the
University of California, San Diego
INSIDE MDRT
View Vancouvers vistas

Annual Meeting location offers city, ocean and mountain scenery.
estled amid mountains, rainforests and

the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada, is considered by
many to be one of the most beautiful cities in
the world. While visiting Vancouver for MDRTs
Annual Meeting June 1215, 2016, you can enjoy
gourmet meals, outdoor adventure, boutique
shopping and spectacular scenery.
The official languages of Canada are English
and French, but in Vancouver youre more likely
to hear English mixed with Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog and Korean just a few of
the 70-plus languages spoken there.
The Vancouver Convention Centre, where the
Annual Meeting will take place, is located in the
heart of the citys downtown, right on the waters
edge with a dramatic mountain backdrop. Easily
navigable, Vancouver has excellent public transportation, and is also a great walking city clean,
green, safe and easily accessible, according to
Vancouvers tourism bureau.
Here are a few ideas from Tourism Vancouver
about things to do while in town.
44
Visit Vancouver attractions

Enjoy a full days adventure in North Vancouver: Hop aboard a Seabus to get there, then visit
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and Grouse
Mountain. Hardier members may want to check
out the mountain biking trails too.
METRO VANCOUVER CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
n Go airborne. Take a scenic ride over the city

in a seaplane, or enjoy a private helicopter tour
over the city or the Okanagan Valleys vineyards.
n Spend a day zipping up the Sea to Sky Highway to neighboring Squamish with stunning
views at every turn and riding up the Sea to
Sky Gondola. Awe-inducing views, hiking trails
and a clifftop restaurant await.
n Hop aboard an aquabus mini-ferry and cruise
to Granville Island, where youll find a bustling
Public Market, a couple of breweries, a distillery,
an artisan sake maker and many shops selling
handcrafted wares.
n Check out downtown Vancouvers major
attractions, which include the Vancouver Aquarium, the Science World museum and the numerous public art installations.
Dining
Vancouver is situated on the Pacific Coast, which
boasts bountiful sustainable seafood. To the east
lies the fertile valley where farmers harvest organic delights. The Okanagan Valleys vineyards
are home to award-winning wines.
n Sample fresh seafood. Vancouvers location
puts it in prime position to reap the fruits of the
sea. Enjoy mussels, oysters, cedar-plank salmon,
Dungeness crab or one of the many other West
Coast specialties.
n Find international fare. Vancouver has some
of the most diverse and authentic culinary choices
in Canada. Whether youre looking for spicy Cajun
jambalaya, crispy Greek calamari or comforting
Vietnamese pho, you can satisfy your hunger here.
Japanese food is ubiquitous, from small sushi
joints to upscale barbecues. And with one of the
largest Chinatown districts in North America, dim
sum is another staple of Vancouver dining.
n Check out Vancouvers locally sourced craft
brews and specialty wines. More than 50 local
brewers create 200 beer varieties, from pale ales
to smoked-malt porters. And by making small
batches using local ingredients from barley
and yeast to raspberries, cherries and even honey Vancouver microbreweries offer up unique
brews at their absolute freshest. Prefer grapes to
hops? The citys budding wine scene also offers
plenty of sample-worthy vintages.
Shop neighborhood markets

n Yaletown. Although evidence of Yaletowns
warehouse era still lingers, the neighborhood has
transformed into a trendy district for al fresco
dining, home decor shops and fine art galleries.
n Gastown. As Vancouvers birthplace, Gastown sprang up in 1867 around John Gassy
Jack Deightons tavern. Today, its cobblestone
streets are lined with galleries, trendy bars and
restaurants, and stylish clothing and home decor
boutiques.
Find outdoor adventure
With quick and easy access to mountains and the
ocean, Vancouver offers year-round water and
land sports.
n Rent a bicycle and cycle around the seawall
and through the citys more than 400 kilometers
of bike lanes.
n Sail around scenic Vancouver Harbour.
n Snorkel with seals or take a chartered
cruise to see seals, eagles and maybe even a
whale or two.
n Try stand-up paddleboarding (or stand-up
paddleboard yoga!) or kayaking out of English
Bay or Granville Island. RTT
INSIDE MDRT
The Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre is hosting

the MDRT Experience and Global Conference in 2016.
MDRT in Hong Kong

More speakers announced for upcoming global conference.
BY LIZ DECARLO
ith a lineup of internationally renowned speakers and interactive

workshops, the 2016 MDRT Experience and Global Conference offers plenty of inspiration and education to members and nonmembers.
The conference will take place in Hong Kong
from January 28 to 30. In addition to the Main
Platform, workshops and ConneXion Zone,
MDRT members can attend an exclusive presentation hosted by the Executive Committee. These
MDRT leaders will share powerful ideas about
prospecting, productivity and sales psychology.
MDRT leaders
will share
powerful
ideas about
prospecting,
productivity
and sales
psychology.
46
SPEAKERS
Motivational speaker Delatorro L. McNeal II, MS,
CSP, has a masters degree in human performance
enhancement, and his personal mission is to help
individuals and organizations grow to the next level.
Ross Bernstein has spent the past 20 years
studying the DNA of championship teams. He
will discuss what it takes to become the best of
the best, while exploring the fine line between
cheating and gamesmanship in sports as it relates
to values and integrity in the workplace.
Adelia C. Chung, CLU, ChFC, was the first
female MDRT President, serving in 2005, and a
33-year MDRT member from Honolulu, Hawaii.
Chungs son, Spencer Dung, will also speak with
her on Main Platform and in the ConneXion
Zone. In his current position, Dung is responsible
for recruiting and hiring new representatives,

developing and implementing training programs, and maintaining an office of more than 30
advisors. Their session title for Main Platform is
An Unexpected Journey. The ConneXion Zone
discussion is Mentoring: A Family Tradition.
Mary Fenwick is a business coach and advice
columnist for Psychologies magazine. Throughout
her career, she has learned how to translate ideas
into lasting results and helped people acquire
skills to build genuine relationships.
Mark Gungor is an international speaker on
marriage and family. Gungors candid and comedic approach uses illustrations and laughter to
teach strategies to strengthen marriages.
Christina Y. Liu is managing director of
Bellwether International Group and a committee
member of the Hong Kong Economic Development Commission. She has formerly served as the
minister of finance in Taiwan. She received her
MBA in finance and Ph.D. in economics from the
University of Chicago.
Hsuan Hui (Anner) Lu, a 12-year MDRT
member from Taipei, Taiwan, and Sukanta Singha Roy, CFC, FSS, a two-year MDRT member
from Kolkata, India, will be among the member
speakers in the ConneXion Zone. Lu will conduct
a session in Mandarin on using marketing tools to
improve service. Roy will discuss how using the
mdrt.org website can increase your knowledge. RTT
MDRT STORE
Insignia Collection
As a member you can display your commitment to
excellence with the MDRT logo. The Insignia Collection
offers one-of-a-kind branded merchandise to
commemorate your membership in style.
Visit mdrtstore.org to view the complete collection.
INSIDE MDRT
Memberships
many benefits
Learn more about all MDRT offers
members worldwide.
BY LIZ DECARLO
arning membership in MDRT is just the

beginning. Your membership unlocks
the keys to myriad benefits that include
a global network of some of the best minds in
the financial services profession, as well as online access to ideas members are using to boost
productivity and build their business. Whether
its the Annual Meeting or online resources,
MDRT is ready to provide you with the tools for
success.
Information at your fingertips
If you have a question, chances are MDRT has
an answer. If youre thinking about moving to
a fee-based practice, we have tips and suggestions from members who have made the change.
Watch videos that feature some of the best and
brightest in the industry who share ideas on increasing sales or balancing work and life. Or visit
mdrt.org for Financial Wellness Survey graphics
you can use in client education. This wealth of
information is available online, through podcasts
and videos, via email, and delivered right to your
door in MDRTs bimonthly magazine.
The Resource Zone on mdrt.org. The
members-only section of the website
houses educational content, video, podcasts,
presentations from past MDRT meetings and
much more. Find worksheets, how-tos, and
tips for increasing sales and streamlining your
business. The Annual Meeting presentations
allow you to enjoy the wealth of information
1.
48
Well share plenty of stories

about members who have
reached the highest production
levels, and tips on how they
accomplished their goals.
shared at the meeting, even if you were unable
to attend. You can study the lessons presented
by world-renowned speakers and apply those
ideas to your business as if you had sat in the audience. Members also receive their own digital
version of the meetings presentations each year.
Tools to use. The MDRT website puts
all the tools you need in one place. Find
press release templates you can customize and
send to local media to share the news of your
MDRT qualifications. Youll also find logos,
members in the news and a member search
function to connect with members around the
world.
2.
3.
Roundthetable.org. MDRTs bimonthly

publication, Round the Table, zeros in on
trends and opportunities specific to the financial
services industry, creating an in-depth look at
how MDRT members are overcoming challenges
to optimize their success. Each issue includes
transferable ideas, member profiles and feature
articles about specific markets. Delivered to
your door every two months, the current edition
and archives of past issues are always available
online.
E-newsletters. MDRT newsletters
target the general MDRT membership
and Top of the Table members, as well as Latin
American, Asian and European members. Each
newsletter contains information relevant to that
members market or level of production.
Mentoring assistance. Visit MDRTs
website to manage a mentoring relationship, where you can track both your own production and that of your aspirant.
4.
5.
Meetings, big and small

Annual Meeting. Each year, MDRT holds
an Annual Meeting filled with inspirational,
educational and networking opportunities for
members. Recognized industry-wide as the
best of its kind, the meeting has set attendance
records in recent years as 10,000 MDRT members from around the globe come together. The
next Annual Meeting takes place in Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada, from June 12 to 15,
2016.
MDRT Experience and Global Conference.
Taking place every other year, this meeting gives
members who may not be able to travel to the
Annual Meeting a chance to get involved, network and enjoy presentations and special events.
The next meeting takes place from January 28 to
30, 2016, in Hong Kong.
Top of the Table Annual Meeting. This is
a more intimate meeting, designed for MDRT
members who have qualified at the top level
of production. During this meeting, hosted at
an upscale resort, members have the chance
to learn, be inspired and network with other
top producers like themselves. The next Top
of the Table meeting will be September 21 to
24, 2016, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Localized focus groups and networking
opportunities. New this year, MDRT has begun
holding small gatherings of MDRT members in
their local area. The most recent meeting in New
York, New York, allowed a small group of members to talk, share ideas and network in a group
facilitated by other MDRT members and staff.
The chance to reach new heights
MDRTs ever-increasing membership production requirements, and the higher Court of the
Table and Top of the Table membership levels,
reinforce the importance of setting and achieving
bigger goals. MDRT provides many resources to
help members reach the next level of production from sales techniques presented during
meetings to helpful tips sent out in monthly
enewsletters. Plus, well share plenty of stories
about members who have reached the highest
production levels, and tips on how they accomplished their goals. RTT
INSIDE MDRT | MDRT FOUNDATION
The hidden benefits of giving

Heres how helping others can help you.
BY FIONA ODUMOSU-WATKINS
t has been said it is better to give than to

receive. Now, researchers have discovered
this statement is actual scientific fact.
The act of giving, via volunteering or making a
financial contribution, has a physiological effect
that can reduce stress and provide a renewed
sense of purpose in your life. Recent studies
have shown that people who volunteer and give
back generally live longer, suffer less chronic
pain, have stronger immune systems and experience overall physical benefits similar to people
who exercise regularly. People who give often
have higher levels of oxytocin and progesterone
in their blood, calming hormones that can help
their bodies react to future stress as well as keep
a slower heart rate.
In an article on the topic, Stephen Post, Ph.D.,
professor of preventive medicine and bioethics
at Stony Brook University School of Medicine,
explains the benefits people experience emotionally and physically when they help others.
The helpers high was first discovered by
Allan Luks, who surveyed thousands of volun-
HOLIDAY HELPING
Alex
Sheen
50
In lieu of buying material holiday gifts for my

clients, at the end of every year I send them
a letter thanking them for their business and
telling them about the charitable donations I
made in their honor. I get to share my passion for
philanthropy with my clients and help charities in
the process.
Brent R. Kimball, CFP, ChFC, 27-year MDRT
member and Legion of Honor Excalibur Knight
from Pembroke, New Hampshire
teers and found people who helped other people

consistently stated their health improved when
they started to volunteer, Post wrote. About
half reported experiencing a high or happy
feeling.
Giving also plays an important role in
strengthening the community. When a person
is on the receiving end of generosity, they are
more likely to pay it forward and give back in the
future.
In the same way, giving builds stronger social
bonds and motivates the givers peers, family
and friends to become givers themselves. Many
people attribute their belief in philanthropy to
the significance their parents placed on it. This
type of family tradition is a powerful illustration
of the contagious nature of giving and power to
influence younger generations.
As we practice giving, we are reminded how
gratitude can affect our state of mind in a positive way, a welcomed side effect of showing care
and compassion that can help us live happier
and healthier lives. RTT
To find out more, go to: mdrtfoundation.org
Inner Circle Society

Investing in MDRT at the highest level.
BY KAREN MATTS
fortable knowing my money is going to support
great causes.
Brad J. Myers, South Jordan, Utah, 13-year MDRT
member, MDRT Foundation Diamond Knight
hen our dollars are combined

with other MDRT members
money, it can make a huge
difference globally in the lives of others, said
Barbara Pietrangelo.
Pietrangelo and the other members featured
here are members of the Inner Circle Society, a
program to recognize people who make significant annual contributions at least $5,000 to
the MDRT Foundation. Such generosity contributes directly to supporting organizations in our
members communities.

Barbara A. Pietrangelo, CFP, ChFC, Ada, Michigan,
17-year MDRT member, MDRT Foundation Royal
Order Excalibur Knight
What was the first charity you supported?

The Salt Lake City Homeless Shelter in Utah.
My family and I support their annual drives
each year to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to people who are homeless.
Why do you give at the Inner Circle level?
With the MDRT Foundation, you can be assured
the donation is enriching peoples lives through
its grant program, which supports a diverse
group of reputable charities.
Adrian P. Baker, Dip PFS, Bristol, England, 33-year
MDRT member, MDRT Foundation Platinum Knight

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, based in the United Kingdom.
NSPCC helps children who have been abused
rebuild their lives, protects those at risk and finds
ways to prevent abuse from ever happening.

Our family supports a local womans shelter in
Hastings, Michigan, and a soup kitchen in Grand
Rapids, Michigan. Its important for me to support
people in my community who are less fortunate.

For me, Inner Circle suggests you are at
the center or at the heart of things. It is a
priority for me to be involved at that level
to help the MDRT Foundation further
achieve its mission of helping people in
need worldwide. RTT

The MDRT Foundation thoughtfully researches
the charities it provides grants to, so I am com-
Karen Matts is the MDRT Foundations fund development

manager. Contact her at kmatts@mdrt.org.
INSIDE MDRT | MDRT FOUNDATION
Grants in action
Vacation friendship leads to girls life-changing surgery.

BY FIONA ODUMOSU-WATKINS
Murphey
and Mirke
O
Alex
Sheen
52
n a 2007 scuba diving trip off the shore

of Honduras, Kevin J. Murphey, M.Ed.,
RFC, met the mother of a 10-year-old
girl, Mirke, who was born with a genetic facial
deformity. Due to her deformity, Mirke was unable to live a normal life. Murphey couldnt shake
this memory. He needed to do something.
After getting to know her mother, I promised

I would do my best to try to find a way to help
her daughter, said Murphey, a 25-year MDRT
member and MDRT Foundation Diamond
Knight from Hixson, Tennessee. When Murphey returned to the United States, he called the
MDRT Foundation to see if there was a charitable organization that could help Mirke.
William J. Kalmer, CLU, ChFC, a 46-year
MDRT member and MDRT Foundation Silver
Knight from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, previously
sponsored grants for a charity, ReSurge International, which provides reconstructive surgeries
and medical care in developing countries. Murphey reached out to Kalmer, and was soon in
communication with Dr. Brent Seagle, a plastic
surgeon who volunteers for Interplast South a
charitable organization that performs reconstructive surgeries in Honduras to inquire if there
was any possible way they could help Mirke.
Luckily, Seagle had a previously scheduled
volunteer medical trip planned for the region
in Honduras where Mirke lived, and agreed
RESURGE INTERNATIONAL/JEFFERY DAVIS/DAVID SNYER/ZANE WILLIAMS
To find out more, go to: mdrtfoundation.org
to examine her for possible surgical reconstruction. In 2009, Mirke received the first of
three life-changing surgeries performed by
Interplast Souths volunteer medical team.
Murpheys promise to Mirkes mother was
fulfilled.
More than 2 billion people worldwide lack
access to surgical care. Common ailments
that could be improved with surgery often go
untreated, affecting peoples daily lives and, in
some cases, children and adults are shunned
by their communities. Since 1995, the MDRT
Foundation has awarded $95,000 to ReSurge
International to fund their surgical training
program and reconstructive surgeries for
people in 15 developing countries worldwide.
Reconstructive surgeries not only improve the
health of patients, but also support medical
training for local doctors.
In 2015, Murphey was awarded a Quality of
Life grant in honor of his work with Interplast
South, and a $5,000 grant was presented to
the charity in his name. Today, Mirke has fully
recovered and lives with her sister in Honduras, eternally grateful to the promise fulfilled
by Murphey and the connection made through
MDRT and the MDRT Foundation.
The MDRT Foundation is one of the best
things about MDRT; it reminds us how to be a
better human, Murphey said. RTT
The MDRT
Foundation
is one of the
best things
about MDRT;
it reminds us
how to be a
better human.
Kevin Murphey
Fiona Odumosu-Watkins is the MDRT Foundations

communications and recognition supervisor. Contact her
at fodumosu@mdrt.org.
The MDRT Podcast
your voice, your solutions, always

streaming at mdrt.org/podcast.
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54
TRUE TALES
A sons legacy
Final gift repays parents sacrifices.
BY NAOKI NODA
RENA SCHILD /SHUTTERSTOCK
n July 1, 2012, I participated in a bicycle

race in Nagano Prefecture in Japan.
After I completed the race, I returned
to my home and spent a quiet evening watching
television with my family.
That same night, I received a Twitter message about my client, Jackie. His friend told me
Jackie had a serious accident during the bicycle
race and was rushed to the hospital. The doctors
werent sure he would survive.
I hurried to the hospital, where I met Jackies
parents for the first time. Jackies physician came
to them and allowed me to join the conversation.
It is almost a miracle that he is still alive, the
doctor told them. He may not make it.
It was past midnight. Jackies mother told me,
You must have work tomorrow. Please go home.
There is not much we can do here.
I left the hospital, and checked into a nearby
hotel. I was thinking of things I would have to
do, in the worst-case scenario, as his financial
advisor. At 4 a.m., a text message came from
Jackies father: Our son passed away.
I returned to the hospital. When I got there,
Jackies mother was distraught. How could you
have left us? Why did you leave us? she asked
Jackies body angrily. Dont you know how

much you mean to us? How could you go?
I stopped her, and she broke down crying. I
told her, He was very thoughtful of his parents.
I took her to another room and explained what I
heard from Jackie only five months before, when
he purchased a life insurance policy from me. I
had taken notes during that meeting, and I now
referred to them as I discussed Jackies words
with his parents.
He was fortunate to be raised by loving parents, he had said. His father lost his business
following the Depression in the early 1990s.
Then the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in
1995 destroyed their hometown.
When Jackie came to buy his insurance policy,
his father was working at age 79 to feed the family.
His mother ran a small shop, even though she had
medical conditions. The family did not have much
money, but they sent their only son to college, and
Jackie was appreciative.
Now that he was an adult, Jackie said he was
determined to take care of his parents. That is why
he wanted to purchase life insurance.
I canceled all my appointments for the next
few days. I helped Jackies parents organize his
funeral, pay medical bills, sell Jackies car, close
his bank accounts and file the death benefit
claim. Because of the insurance, his parents
were able to pay off their debts and will receive
about $2,000 every month until they are 90.
Some time later, his mother wrote to me that
each month as the money is deposited, she feels
the love from her son.
This was an important lesson for me. When a
client dies, we are the only ones to tell the family
why he or she purchased the insurance plan in
the first place. I was very proud of what I could
do for Jackie and his parents. RTT
looking
BACK
Technology past and present

MDRT members have always been eager
to incorporate new technologies into their
practices. Whether its learning how to
effectively market their businesses through
social media today, or discovering how
personal computers could help with office
efficiency 25 years ago, the Annual Meeting
has provided educational opportunities for
members.
At the 1989 Annual Meeting in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada, James Alfaro of IBM led a
daily session titled The Agency of Tomor-
row. Members had a chance to try out new

technologies that offered opportunities to
streamline their work.
Alfaro showed them how this technology
could store client information electronically
and extract sophisticated reports. It could
also generate letters to clients on special
occasions, anniversary dates or policy
renewals.
The session also introduced members to
an electronic calendar that could track appointments and callbacks. Finally, members
James Alfaro taught MDRT members about

technology at the 1989 Annual Meeting.
56
learned how to send an illustration or letter

to a clients fax machine from their computer.
The sessions were popular, and Alfaro
came back the next year to present The
Automated Agent. Similar topics were
covered from the previous year, but he
also showed a local area network (LAN) in
action and demonstrated its benefits as an
ideal link between agent and secretary.
Contributed by Jennifer Witkov, MDRTs
knowledge coordinator.
MDRT STORE
Display Your
MDRT Achievement
Find stylish plaques to display in your home or office that
show your commitment to excellence year after year.
Visit mdrtstore.org to view the complete collection.
Robots will work for some people. But the simple fact is that human beings
have emotions, and what we do for our clients is emotionally based.
Douglas John Bennett, Dip PFS, Page 14
ANNUAL MEETING
2016 - JUNE 12 TO 15, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
TOP OF THE TABLE ANNUAL MEETING

2016 - SEPTEMBER 21 TO 24, QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC, CANADA
MDRT EXPERIENCE AND GLOBAL CONFERENCE

2016 - JANUARY 28 TO 30, HONG KONG

Phone: +1 847.692.6378 Fax: +1 847.518.8921 Website: www.mdrt.org

MDRT

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Use seminars to sell 18 | Find the right people for study groups 20 | Why millennials matter 36

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Taking a closer look at the impact of technology

2016 MDRT EXPERIENCE AND

THURSDAY, 28 January 2016

The MDRT Experience and Global Conference offers

0900 1730 hrs Registration open

0800 1730 hrs Registration open

Sheen is the founder of Because I

0830 1130 hrs Main Platform

0800 1200 hrs Registration open

Schedule is subject to change. Visit mdrt.org/

Hansen is an internationally recognized

REGISTRATION FEES AND

29 June 31 October 2015

Chung was the first female MDRT

1 November 2015 27 January 2016

28 January 30 January 2016

eading a successful organization of

We have also increased opportunities for

Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC

ROUND THE TABLE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | VOL 43, ISSUE 6

10 TARGET THE WEALTHIEST 2%

10 steps to tap into this market.

12 TIPS & TECHNOLOGY

MDRT members discuss how

18 INSIDE SEMINAR SELLING

BUILDING YOUR TEAM

23 CLOSING THE DEAL

5 keys to successful workplace

HEART VS. MIND

The team approach helps Rossi find

How 5 MDRT members align work

32 WORKING WITH STRATEGY

McCann increased his production

Members in the United Arab

Millennials have no money, yet

38 SUCCEEDING THE SUCCESSOR

Youngentobs maintain business

Episodes of the MDRT Podcast

ROUND theTABLE.ORG | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Find more information and register

Douglas John Bennett, Dip PFS, Page 14

2016 - JUNE 12 TO 15, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

TOP OF THE TABLE ANNUAL MEETING

2016 - SEPTEMBER 21 TO 24, QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC, CANADA

46 MDRT IN HONG KONG

ALGORITHMS VS. ADVISORS

Annual Meeting location offers

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

ROUND the TABLE

44 VIEW VANCOUVERS VISTAS

MDRT EXPERIENCE AND GLOBAL CONFERENCE

More speakers announced for

48 MEMBERSHIPS MANY BENEFITS

Taking a closer look at the impact of technology

Million Dollar Round Table

The hidden benefits of giving,

Advisors vs. algorithms.

early five years ago, we ran the image

arketing is about the relationships, not the medium.

n Grossman, advertising, marketing and social media strategist

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE

MDRT members discuss how

18 INSIDE SEMINAR SELLING

5 keys to successful workplace

The team approach helps Rossi find

How 5 MDRT members align work

McCann increased his production

Members in the United Arab

Millennials have no money, yet

Youngentobs maintain business

Annual Meeting location offers

More speakers announced for

The hidden benefits of giving,