MDRT

Selling to Gen Y
10
| The best free resource 12 | Lessons from leaders 40
ROUND TABLE
the
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
HOW STAFFS HAPPINESS

AFFECTS YOUR BOTTOM LINE
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32
looking
FORWARD
Thinking in
the future tense
T
If we provide
what each
of you is
looking for,
we can retain
and attract
members,
strengthening
MDRT as
a whole.
he more things change, the more

they stay the same. This well-worn
proverb makes the observation that
even in the midst of turbulent change, what is
real and true stays the same. But change is no
longer gradual; it is constant and accelerating.
MDRT members understand change, manage
it and thrive within it. Likewise, the MDRT
Executive Committee, as stewards of MDRT,
focus on thinking in the future tense. We
understand that, as a membership association,
we must adapt, change and constantly strive
to be ahead of the curve in value creation in
order to thrive. Our members demand this and,
given our stature within the financial services
industry, they should expect nothing less.
The challenge is adapting, without disrupting,
that which we most cherish. We accomplish this
by remaining aware of member needs and, from
that awareness, creating unique experiences
that benefit large member segments. What is
valuable to some members may not be valuable to
others. Recognizing that our members draw from
different wells within MDRT is a key to our future.
We are no longer homogeneous in the way
we practice our profession. We serve different
markets, with different products, under varying
regulatory and tax regimes. Some of us are
exclusively commission-based insurance
advisors, others fee-based holistic financial
planners, and others investment advisors and
portfolio managers. Yet it is entirely possible to
bring us together, under the banner of MDRT,
with platforms built on the tradition of sharing
and mutual support, to deliver precisely what
our members need most.
We are still evolving. Our focus on the

changing and differing needs of our global
membership is central to our strategic vision
and planning effort. Thinking in the future tense
requires an ongoing commitment to asking the
questions: What next? Now what? For whom?
It isnt enough to execute a flawless meeting or
deliver a polished publication. We must create
unique experiences that are relevant, timely and
meaningful to broad member segments.
Id like to think that, if they could see us now, the
32 individuals who created MDRT almost 90 years
ago would be proud of the organization we have
become. Someone once said to me that MDRT
was just a production club with great meetings,
but I disagree. Our association is much more
than a meeting; we are more than a certificate of
membership. We are, collectively, The Premier
Association of Financial Professionals.
Mark J. Hanna, CLU, ChFC

MDRT Second Vice President
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
| ROUND theTABLE.ORG 1
contents
ROUND THE TABLE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 | VOL 43, ISSUE 1
PRACTICE
PEOPLE
22
IDEAS
10 THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
24
12
28
Despite their carefree reputation,

many Gen Y prospects have
money and need your help.
14
16
18
20
AN EASY WAY TO INCREASE

SALES
Some members say Life Happens
has doubled theirs and its free
for MDRT members.
30
TIPS & TECHNOLOGY

USING LINKEDIN FOR REFERRALS
Social media can help expand your
prospect list.
HE POWER OF GIVING
T
Why you should be an advocate of
charitable giving with your clients.
IM NOT RETIRING
Retirement may not be the best
option for all producers, Levy told
attendees.
32
34
37
IDEAS
IS YOUR STAFF HAPPY?
Keeping employees engaged is the
key to employee happiness and
productivity.
ORE GUIDANCE
M
Members in China fight against
long-held beliefs.
IKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
L
Baxter builds strong bonds in
business with her dad.
CONCIERGE PLANNING
Isaac provides wealth management
with goal tracking and reassurance
for busy clients.
OMEONE TO TRUST
S
Williams niche is transitions, and
he helps individuals define and
meet new financial goals.
24
WEB EXTRAS
www.mdrt.org
Q&A
Alan Craig Kifer, CFP, LUTCF
n MDRT PODCAST
20
Check out the first episode about

strategies for your business at
www.mdrt.org/podcast.
n WEB EXCLUSIVE
To read more about financial

professionals in China, visit
www.roundthetable.org.
n APPLY ONLINE
To apply for 2015 MDRT

membership easily, visit
onlinemembership.mdrt.org.
ROUND theTABLE.ORG | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
34
Ive found that
when clients
pay a fee, they
value the service
a lot more.
IN EVERY ISSUE
1
4 WELCOME
6 IN THE NEWS/
IN MEMORIAM
Brad Isaac, Page 32
40
LOOKING FORWARD
55
TRUE TALES
56
LOOKING BACK
INSIDE MDRT
38
John W. McTigue, CLU, Page 24
ANNUAL MEETING
2015 - JUNE 14 TO 17, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
2015 - OCTOBER 7 TO 10, NAPLES, FLORIDA
45
OUR MEETING, YOUR PACE

Y
The Annual Meetings new schedule and
sessions mean a highly customizable
experience for attendees.
48
DRT FOUNDATION: BUILDING

M
A PRICELESS BOND
By participating in service projects, Hruby
feels he receives more than he gives.
MDRT EXPERIENCE
2016 - JANUARY 28 TO 30, HONG KONG
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
HOW STAFFS HAPPINESS AFFECTS YOUR BOTTOM LINE
TOP OF THE TABLE ANNUAL MEETING
| The best free resource 12 | Lessons from leaders 40
ROUND TABLE
ROUND the TABLE
OP OF THE TABLE ANNUAL MEETING

T
Member panels mixed with new speakers
adds variety.
10
the
In our business, you need support in both your personal and professional lives.
40
Selling to Gen Y
IDEAS
HOW STAFFS HAPPINESS

AFFECTS YOUR BOTTOM LINE
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
MDRT_JanFeb2014.indd 1
50
UALIFY AS A 2015 MEMBER

Q
Here is what you need to know to become
or stay a member.
54
OURE APPROVED!
Y
Use MDRTs online application for
immediate results.
12/9/14 11:08 AM
MDRT - RTT COVER DESIGN

January/February 2015
4/c Process
ON THE COVER
12/09/14
Advice on keeping
employees engaged and
happy, which means
increased productivity and
a more successful practice.
COVER DESIGN BY MICHAEL DORICH
WELCOME
Connecting in
a constantly
changing world
hen MDRT was founded in 1927, the

premise was simple: If you have an
idea and I have an idea, when we
share them, we each walk away with two ideas.
The 32 men who met that year spent two hours
sharing ideas during a Thursday afternoon at
the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. They
found so much benefit in the meeting they decided then and there to form this organization.
As MDRTs history was built on idea sharing,
the exchange of how-to information is an im-
MDRT members
share ideas
around the table
in December 2014.
portant part of the magazine youre holding. In

each issue, the Practice section is full of how-to
information, such as Using LinkedIn for referrals. The People section features your fellow
members success stories, such as Someone to
trust, about a member who works with individuals in periods of transition. Both sections
provide takeaways you can adapt to fit your own
practice.
Our Ideas sections, found on Pages 8, 22
and 38 in this issue, feature sales and practice
management ideas we collected from current
committee members. Those who serve on
committees sit side by side at the round table at
MDRT headquarters and swap their best ideas,
much like the original members did at the 1927
meeting.
Ive been in the room to witness this. Ive seen
two members sometimes from completely
different markets connect over a new idea,
walking away with a better way to meet prospects, run their practice or close the sale.
Though tax laws, legislation and products
have changed substantially during the last 88
years, the purpose of this organization hasnt.
MDRT is about connecting one great producer
with another, benefiting both. Similarly, the purpose of this magazine is to provide a platform
for sharing those ideas.
Let us know if you have an idea youd like to
share on these pages.
Thank you for reading,
Kathryn Furtaw Keuneke, CAE

Editor in Chief
Editor@mdrt.org
ROUND TABLE
the
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE
EDITOR IN CHIEF:
10
16
BRYCE SANDERS
discusses the biggest
concerns of millennial
clients in The elephant in the room. As
president of Perceptive
Business Solutions, Inc.
in New Hope, Pennsylvania, Sanders provides
high-net-worth client
acquisition training
to the field. He is the
author of Captivating
the Wealthy Investor.
Contact him through
his website: www.per
ceptivebusiness.com.
18
ADAM STEVEN
BLUMBERG, CFP,
CLU explains how
to use LinkedIn to
develop relationships
with current clients
and new prospects in
Using LinkedIn for
referrals. Blumberg
is a four-year MDRT
member from Houston,
Texas and part of
the 2015 mentoring
committee. Contact
him at ablumberg@
chartyourwealth.com.
JOHN D. AAKRE,
CLU explains how to
incorporate charitable
giving into clients
financial planning in
The power of giving.
Aakre is an 18-year
MDRT member from
Olympia, Washington,
with five Court of the
Table qualifications.
Contact him at john
.aakre@thrivent.com.
Kathryn Furtaw Keuneke, CAE

MANAGING EDITOR: Liz DeCarlo
CONTENT EDITOR: Michael DePilla
CONTENT SPECIALIST: Abby Puchner
CONTENT SPECIALIST: Scott Rogers
ART DIRECTOR: Brandon Lane
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER:
Stephen P. Stahr, CAE
STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR:
Pamela Brown, CMP, CAE

Jennifer Schimka
MEDIA RELATIONS COORDINATOR:
MDRT Executive Committee

PRESIDENT:
Caroline A. Banks, APFS
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Michelle L. Hoesly, CLU, ChFC

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT:
Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC

Mark J. Hanna, CLU, ChFC
SECRETARY: James Douglas Pittman, CLU, CFP
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT:
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: www.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.
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.
Share your
ideas
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE:
n
n
Youre the expert!

Share what you know in
SUBMIT an article topic or idea

OLUNTEER to serve as a source in
V
your area of expertise
SHARE a professional accomplishment
Round the Table an easy
Send your ideas to editor@mdrt.org
way to reach out to other
for possible use in Round the Table.
MDRT members.
See what weve published recently by

visiting www.roundthetable.org.
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:
February 2
MDRT Annual Meeting
registration and
housing open
March 1
Completed MDRT
membership application
must be submitted
online or mailed to
MDRT, postmarked on
or before this date,
to avoid $200
additional fee
April 18
MDRT Annual
Meeting early
registration deadline
June 14
MDRT Annual Meeting
begins in
New Orleans, Louisiana
Oct. 7
MDRT Top of the
Table Annual Meeting
begins in
Naples, Florida
Giving back
Kelly M. Savage, a registered
representative for Savage

and Associates, spent her
high school years running
up and down the basketball
court at Notre Dame Academy in Toledo, Ohio. So when
the school needed to update
its gym floor, Savage, a
21-year MDRT member, was
ready to help. The gift to
refinish the gym floor, which
has both the schools and
her companys name, was
Savages way of showing her
appreciation for both, Savage
told the schools alumni
news. Savage has also served
on the schools Board of
Trustees and the Athletic
Advisory Committee.
Working on
Alzheimers
Education
advocate
Simon John Gibson, Dip PFS,
Joel A. Shapiro, MSFS, CLU,
a 15-year member of MDRT,

has been named a Champion
of Alzheimers Research UK
in recognition of his exceptional support. Gibson, of
Newmarket, England, began
supporting the dementia
research charity after his
father was diagnosed with
Alzheimers disease. Following my fathers diagnosis, I am acutely aware of the
need for more funding for
research into this devastating disease, Gibson said.
Gibson has raised more than
$30,000, including a $10,000
grant from the MDRT Foundation in 2012.
a 46-year MDRT member

from New York, New York,
received The American
Colleges 2014 Presidents
Award. Shapiro has served
on The American College
Foundation Board of Directors since 2005. He has
been a dedicated volunteer,
serving most recently as
chairman of the Nominating
Committee. During his many
years of involvement, he has
given time and resources to
support the colleges mission. The Presidents Award
highlights the importance of
leadership and stewardship
in advancement.
IN MEMORIAM
Lee B. Canfield, CLU, ChFC
Chicago, Illinois
Age: 89, MDRT: 54 years
Richard J. Duvall
Monroe, Michigan
Joseph R. Schofield, CLU

Cinnaminson, New Jersey
Dominick V. Cianciotti, CLU,

MSFS
Northport, New York
Alan L. Franklin, CLU,

ChFC

Lake Worth, Florida
Michael V. Sheehan, QFA

Cork, Ireland
Making a
difference
Innovative
thinking
Circle of
Excellence
Breaking glass
ceilings
Sherry K. Barton, CLU, a 26year MDRT member from

Oklahoma City, was recently chosen as one of the
2014 Journal Records 50
Women Making a Difference in Oklahoma. She was
chosen for her dedication
to family, commitment to
her profession, and personal
and professional contributions to the community. As a
three-time nominee, Barton
was also one of seven women inducted into the Circle
of Excellence.
Mark S. Gaunya, GBA, an
Leasha West, MSFS, ChFC,
eight-year MDRT member

from Methuen, Massachusetts, has been named Most
Innovative Broker by the
Institute of Healthcare Consumerism (IHC). This award
recognizes his contributions
and leadership as an employee benefits advisor. Gaunya
is featured in IHCs annual
Healthcare Consumerism
Superstars Awards issue,
which highlights leaders
in the health and employee
benefits industry.
a one-year MDRT member

from Portage, Michigan, was
recognized for her achievements by the Members of
Women in Insurance &
Financial Services (WIFS).
The Circle of Excellence
designation recognizes
WIFS members who
achieve significant income
levels in the insurance and
financial services industry.
This recognition is based on
production from the previous year.
Juli McNeely, a seven-year

MDRT member from
Spencer, Wisconsin, became
the first female president of
the National Association of
Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) in September
2014. McNeely served on
NAIFAs Committee on Associations for five years, was a
trustee for two years, and has
participated in many other
committees and task forces.
McNeely plans to focus on
growing the organizations
membership.
Master certification earned

Austin Hurley, FMP, building services supervisor at MDRT headquarters in Park Ridge,
Illinois, has earned his Master Certification in
Mail Communications accreditation. Hurley, an
MDRT employee for 30 years, is one of only 31
people in the U.S. to achieve this designation.
Qualifying for the certification takes years of
study and dedication.
Austins certification is an important
milestone that exemplifies his commitment
to excellence in his field, said MDRT CEO
Stephen P. Stahr, CAE. His willingness to go
above and beyond is reflected in the outstanding service he provides to both members and staff.
Im very happy to receive this, Hurley
said. This is something Ive been working
on since 2005. Hurley was required to earn
10 management certificates, receive a recommendation by the education committee
and be certified by the MAILCOM Board of
Directors. Its great how the Round Table
supports and encourages lifelong learning,
Hurley said.
START PLANNING NOW

When I meet with clients in
the early stages of retirement
planning, I like to ask them
the following question: If
someone gave you $10,000
to $50,000 to do something
fun within the next 10 years,
what would it be? After
getting as much detail as
possible, I then ask, Why
not make this a part of our
plan?
Our final retirement accounts
might be segmented to:
1. Guaranteed long-term
monthly income
2. Guaranteed long-term
variable income
3. M
onthly cash for the
next 48 months
4. Growth account to
replenish the cash
account
5. New sailboat (fun)
account
John L. Gilfoil, CLU, CFP,
Springfield, Massachusetts,
21-year MDRT member
START HIGH
When discussing figures
with a client, always frame
the costs beforehand and
ski downhill. Have the
figure you wish to discuss,
but start by discussing a
higher figure or a higher-cost item beforehand,
so the figure you then
give is less than what they
have in their mind.
David Braithwaite,
DipPFS, Sevenoaks, Kent,
England, 6-year MDRT
member
HELPING OTHERS
Getting your clients involved in charity events can benefit everyone. We plan a community service project each
year and invite our clients, their friends and their families. Examples have been Feed My Starving Children and
Humanitarian Service Project. All participants wear Favia
Group T-shirts while working. For those clients who cant
join us, we ask for a donation to be made to the charity,
and we match it. We invite everyone out for dinner after
the volunteer session to enjoy time together in celebration of our work. If all goes well, you can get a vendor to
help offset costs! This is a great way to give back to the
community, socialize with your clients and their families,
and meet new prospects.
Jo Ann Favia, CLU, ChFC,
Villa Park, Illinois, 25-year MDRT member
Without written,
attainable goals,
you will never know
if you have reached
them. Write it, track
it, achieve it!
John Benton Jr., CLTC,
Edison, New Jersey,
10-year MDRT member
in
PRACTICE
Selling to Gen Y 10 | Life Happens resources 12 | Tips & Technology 14
Using LinkedIn 16 | Charitable planning 18
BOOMERANG KIDS
HELP WANTED
IT COSTS HOW MUCH?
GEN X LAGS BEHIND
57% of Americans with adult
children have at least

1 adult child living at home
Only 13% of adults

ages 1829 have a
financial advisor
Those with no life insurance

think its 3 times more expensive than it actually is
More millennials than

Gen Xers have
$2 million+ in assets
LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute,

2014
Northwestern Mutual Planning and

Progress study, 2014
LIMRA and Life Happens, 2013
Nielsen, 2014
PRACTICE
The elephant
in the room
Despite their carefree reputation, many Gen

Y prospects have money and need your help.
BY BRYCE SANDERS
Stereotyping is bad segmentation

is good
The Nielsen organization does great work. Originally associated with rating the popularity of
TV shows, they are a market research organi10
zation with impressive demographic research,

often available free online.
Nielsen owns Claritas, a market research
firm that has segmented the U.S. population into
58 segments based on personality. Lets assume
Gen Y is represented by market segments ages
25 to 44. Out of 58 segments, seven define Gen Y:
n Midlife Highlife
n Financial Rookies
n Online Living
n Rural Roots
n New Nests
n Loan Rangers
n City Strivers
The titles give a good idea what to expect in
their profiles. Claritas also gives an idea about
their asset and income levels, preferred investment vehicles, hobbies, lifestyle and TV and reading habits. You Are Where You Live allows the
user to enter a ZIP code and see the top five personality types. If Midlife Highlife is the most
successful Gen Y segment, researching where
they live locally is a good start for your Gen Y
marketing plan. Claritas sells more detailed levels
of data; however, this free, introductory level is
JOHN LUND/CORBIS
an young people be good clients? Traditionally, we look for wealthy, established

people who have found their place in the
world. As we look for the 40-, 50- and 60-yearolds worried about retirement, are we ignoring
the 80 million Americans we call Generation Y?
Marketing firms love to segment the population. Generation Y is defined as people born
between 1977 and 1995, aged 20 to 38. Ignoring
a market of 80 million is like heading out to play
18 holes of golf and deciding to stop before the
14th hole.
Do 20- and 30-year-olds have money? It depends on what they do for a living. They might be:
Technical experts Engineers and scientists
make great money starting early in their careers.
Credentialed professionals In the 2013
2014 academic year, U.S. colleges awarded
955,000 graduate and doctoral degrees.
Uniformed services Police officers and detectives in the U.S. number 780,000. About 345,000
people are employed as career firefighters.
Medical personnel Registered nursing is
usually the most popular job for college graduates in major metropolitan areas, with almost
2.7 million across the U.S. and a median income
greater than $66,000 a year.
quite useful. Its easy to find. Go to Google and

search: Claritas you are where you live.
What does Gen Y worry about?
Gen Y are stereotypically self-absorbed and enjoying life. But they have their worries, too. Here
are three examples:
Underestimating the costs of raising a young
family. As insurance professionals, we advise
young parents that college is going to be a significant expense. They often duck the issue or assume their parents will either ride to the rescue
in 20 years or die beforehand and leave a sizable
inheritance. They dont see a need to save. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the
cost of raising a child to age 17 at $245,340 a
number that doesnt include college expenses.
Gen Y can be pretty savvy about money. As their
advisor, you can make a great case for establishing
a college saving plan immediately. Give uncles and
aunts who promise help down the road a place to
put those funds today. In the meantime, Gen Ys
grandparents might be concerned about estate
taxes. If they can gift $14,000 a year to several
people tax free, this helps make it easy for them to
contribute to future college costs.
Demonstrating fiscal responsibility to parents

and grandparents. Gen Y often gets bad press.
They are considered slackers or entitled. They
want to be artists or musicians. They feel the
world owes them a living. Meanwhile, their
grandparents are thinking about their own
mortality. Who is going to inherit? Certainly not
those slackers.
But your Gen Ys are engineers, nurses, firemen or otherwise-responsible professionals.
They are getting started in the world. You can
help with financial planning. They have young
children to educate or student loans to pay
down. Having a plan to address these issues and
talking up their progress will impress the older
generation. A Gen Y investor with money in
the stock market will remind boomers of their
own successes and/or missed opportunities.
You can get them started by opening these accounts.

Paying down significant college debt.
Parents cant solve every problem. Your Gen Y
client might have taken out student loans. In
December 2012, the average amount of student loan debt was $29,400, according to the
Institute for College Access & Success Project
on Student Debt. As their advisor, you might be
their parents advisor, too. If their Gen Y child
is employed locally and paying a hefty rent,
parents might be agreeable to a return to the
nest. Its pretty common: 29 percent of Gen Y
has returned home to live at some point after
graduation. Astute parents see it as a way
to help their child accelerate college loan
payments or save for a down payment for
their first house. Its important for parents
to establish ground rules. How long can they
remain at home? Do they pay a nominal rent
while saving the rest? Will they have household
responsibilities?
Where does insurance fit in? Everywhere.
Young people have an advantage: Insurance is
often cheap. They might have a young family
and be saving for college. What if something unexpected happens to them? Insurance meets a
need. Buying insurance is another way of showing fiscal responsibility to the older generation.
They bought it, too. RTT
Gen Y are
stereotypically
self-absorbed
and enjoying
life. But they
have their
worries, too.
PRACTICE
An easy way to increase sales

Some members say Life Happens has doubled theirs and its free for
MDRT members.
BY LIZ DECARLO
hen Ryan Pinney makes a sales call,

he doesnt use a sales pitch. Instead,
Pinney, a six-year MDRT member, walks the prospect through Life Happens
Human Life Value calculator. The calculator
asks the prospect to answer six simple questions
regarding their financial situation. Seconds later,
it churns out a figure for how much life insurance they need.
We use math and science and show you the
answer, and then ask, What do you want to
do about it? explained Pinney, of Roseville,
California. With six inputs, you can very easily
get this number and figure out this persons
worth. If you do it together, you can say, Im not
telling you this number, its from this third-party
nonprofit.
Life Happens was formed in 1994 by seven
leading insurance producer organizations, including MDRT. They said, we need a nonprofit
to help educate consumers and clear up misconceptions about this industry, said Marvin H.
Feldman, CLU, ChFC, president and CEO of
Life Happens and a 40-year member of MDRT,
who was President in 2002.
The organization provided resources to agents
as well, everything from fliers to online calculators, to establish a conversation starting point
about life, disability or long-term care insurance. We create resources for them to use that
arent branded by any company, Feldman said.
Theyre neutral.
That neutrality, along with the online calculators, has been a great help to Pinney. I dont
have to be the one who said, I made these numbers, he said.
In 2014, Life Happens resources became
12
Life Happens offers printouts of Real Life Stories

producers can use.
completely digital, which means MDRT members can access them instantly.
One of the more popular offerings on Life
Happens website is the Real Life Stories section, which uses videos and fliers to highlight
real families and businesses that have benefited
from life, disability or long-term care and the
agents and advisors who helped put that planning in place.
The videos and fliers also show the familys
long-term financial struggles when a breadwinner died with little or no life insurance.
One of our greatest resources is our Real
Life Stories and Life Lessons, Feldman said.
Nobodys going to buy insurance because
someone quotes statistics. Theyre going to buy
it because they see a family like theirs going
through something like this.

Pinney agreed. The videos work. Its huge, he
said. Pinney also uses Life Happens prepackaged
social media posts. Throughout the year, Life
Happens does several thousand posts. Its a great
tool to augment your own social media effort, he
said. You can share and add your own commentary about it, and its from a nonprofit, so its a
third-party endorsement.
Feldman said Life Happens library of prewritten Facebook and Twitter posts, stats and
graphics give users a wide variety of ready-to-go
tools. They might even be savvy with social
media but just dont have the time, so they can
just grab a half-dozen posts, he said.
The feedback from the digital and social media aspects of Life Happens has been incredible,
Feldman said. The beauty of digital is that
youre able to measure your results. You get an
automatic report card.
When we switched to digital, we shortened
the Real Life Stories videos to 30-second and
60-second ads. We increased impressions by
1,800 percent. And, if youre increasing your
reach, youre acting on your mission to educate
the public.
During Life Insurance Awareness Month last
year, Life Happens tracked the success of the
new, shorter ads. As part of our advertising
outreach, we had an independent survey conducted, Feldman said. We found that people
were 57 percent more likely to consider buying
life insurance after seeing Real Life Stories than
those who hadnt seen the video.
Unfortunately, Life Happens is the most
underutilized service in the industry, said Van
Mueller, LUTCF, a 26-year MDRT member
from Brookfield, Wisconsin. Not only does it
increase sales, but Mueller also thinks using Life
Happens resources is a great way to train new
agents.
It gives you empathy, energy and enthusiasm. It reminds you of the reason you do this,
Mueller said.
Whats so neat about Life Happens is I dont
have to participate at all. Instead of me telling
them something, if they watch someone else in
a similar circumstance, I dont have to tell them
anything, Mueller said.
Pinney also thinks not enough MDRT members are taking advantage of Life Happens. I
feel like our industry is missing this great opportunity to use these tools and the third-party
aspect, he said.
If we could get everybody in MDRT to go to
the Life Happens website once a week and study
whats on there, Mueller said, I think we could
double our sales. RTT
EASY, FREE SALES TOOLS

What youll find on www.lifehappens
.org/industry:
Sign up for your free account
and choose MDRT as your affiliated
association.
1. Calculators: Life insurance needs
(www.lifehappens.org/howmuch),
disability insurance needs (www.lifehap
pens.org/DIcalc) and human life value
(www.lifehappens.org/humanlifevalue)
2. Life Happens videos: Real Life
Stories, Life Lessons, Insurance 101.
(www.lifehappens.org/videos)
3. Prewritten social media posts:
Relevant statistics, graphics and other

information that can be shared. Get
links to all Life Happens social media
properties. (www.lifehappens.org/
socialmedia)
4. Complete marketing resources:
For Life Insurance Awareness Month
(September), Disability Insurance
Awareness Month (May) and the Insure
Your Love campaign (February).
(www.lifehappens.org/industry)
5. Weekly email: Sign up for a weekly email that outlines new resources
and up-to-date industry information.
TIPS & TECHNOLOGY

life hacks | apps | time-savers
Office on the go
Getting kids attention

Tired of your teen or tween ignoring your phone calls and text messages when
theyre out and about? If youre a parent, wondering if your child is in danger
or just not responding can be very frustrating. No one felt more frustrated
than Sharon Standifird. After having her own texts and calls rebuffed, she
developed an app called Ignore No More! that allows parents to remotely lock
kids phones until they call back. While the phone is locked, the child cant
text, surf the Web or play games. The app is easily downloaded onto a familys
phones. Then, if a parent wants to shut down a childs phone, they just touch
the app and type in the childs name (the app works for multiple family members), enter a four-digit code and press lock. When the child picks up the
phone, they see nothing but a blank screen. Kids are able to call an approved
list of contacts who can unlock the phone, and they can dial 911 even when its
locked. The app is available for $1.99 at www.ignorenomoreapp.com.
Make your TV work better

Google Chromecast is a pocket-size device that plugs into the HDMI port
of the majority of flat-screen TVs, and is great for both business and
family applications. Chromecast links to your WiFi network and lets you
broadcast anything you can view in a Google Chrome browser from your
laptop, tablet or phone without any wires. It can also broadcast apps
such as Hulu and Netflix. From a business standpoint, there are many
applications, such as being able to cast your presentation or PowerPoint
onto your office TV or a clients TV with no wires. Chromecast is available
for $35 at www.google.com. Similar products
include Amazon Firestick ($39) and Roku
Streaming Stick ($49).
Brandon Green, CLTC, LUTCF,
Katy, Texas, 5-year MDRT member
14
One of the most significant pieces of

technology I have used is Mobile Assistant,
a mobile dictation service. After calling
a prearranged number, I can dictate for
as long as I wish. The dictation is then
emailed to my team. My team cuts and
pastes the email into my CRM and reviews
my dictation for any specific notes or tasks
that need to be implemented. I use it after
every client appointment or interaction.
With our compliance-focused industry,
the copious notes from these dictations
have been extremely valuable for any confusion, concerns or complaints. Also, the
efficiency of using this service has
significantly reduced wasted communication between my staff and me. Mobile
Assistant is available for $54.37 per month
at www.mobileassistant.us.
Timothy Daniel Clairmont, CFP, MSFS,
Lake Oswego, Oregon, 4-year MDRT member
Easy mobile messaging

If youre a frequent international traveler, you
might want to give WhatsApp Messenger a
try. WhatsApp is a cross-platform text messaging alternative that allows you to exchange
messages without having to
pay for a messaging service.
The app is available for most
phones and, because it uses
the same Internet data plan
you use for email and Web
browsing, there is no cost
to message. In addition to
basic messaging, WhatsApp
users can create groups,
enabling users to send each
other unlimited images, videos
and audio media messages.
WhatsApp is free for the first
year and 99 cents per year
after that. Download the app at
www.whatsapp.com.
No more extra fees

If youre a frequent traveler, youre
familiar with overweight baggage fees.
One way to avoid them is to use a digital luggage scale like the one made
by Balanzza. The portable scale has
a heavy hook that wraps around the
handle of your suitcase. The automatic
hold allows you to lift the luggage, set
it down on the floor and then read the
weight. If youre over the limit, you can
always move clothes and other items
from one bag to another before you
arrive at the airport, reducing wait
times and extra baggage fees. The
Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale is
available on www.amazon.com for less
than $25, depending on the size of the
scale.
A better view
Laptops and tablets give you the opportunity to use PowerPoint presentations,
charts, spreadsheets, videos and other
materials when meeting with a potential client. However, when presenting
to more than one person, you and your
clients have to sit uncomfortably close
to see the presentation on the screen. If
the clients are uncomfortable or having
difficulty seeing the screen during the
presentation, their focus moves away
from the concepts you are trying to
explain.
The Brookstone Pocket Projector
helps solve this issue. Compared with
the previous generation of projectors, it
is small, lightweight and easy to transport. The Brookstone Travel Case and
Tripod provide a tripod stand for the
projector thats easy to carry around.
The powerful light and high-definition
resolution provide sharp and focused
images, even at a distance of 6 feet, and
the projection on the wall can be as large
as 8 feet by 6 feet. The setup can be done
in the clients office or home with the
use of an HDMI-compatible cable, and
any blank wall can be used. The lightweight, powerful lamp and great focus
make this a powerful technology tool to
use in the field.
The projector is available for $299 and
the travel case and tripod for $39.99 at
www.brookstone.com.
Paresh B. Shah, Rego Park, New York,
7-year MDRT member
PRACTICE
Using LinkedIn
for referrals
Social media can help expand your prospect list.
BY ADAM STEVEN BLUMBERG, CFP, CLU
inkedIn can be such a powerful tool, giving us access to a multi-tiered network

of potential clients through our current
trusted relationships. With LinkedIn, we can
use these relationships to tap into an extended
network, reach more prospects and clients in
a very targeted manner, and do it in a way that
allows our clients to be a valuable part of the
process.
We have already learned of countless ways
advisors are using the social networking site,
and Ive added another process that has helped
me expand my client base.
I dont like asking clients for vague referrals
(who do you know that owns a family business?). Instead, I use LinkedIn to try to gain
introductions to people who might make good
prospects for me.
Each Friday, I identify three of my clients or
close contacts who I know trust me. I choose
a new three each week and track them in a
spreadsheet. I then look through their contacts
and choose between five and eight people to
whom I would like to be introduced. These are
people who fit my profile for an ideal client,
usually business owners or CFOs.
Monday morning I allot some time to writing
emails to my contacts, asking if they will please
SAMPLE EMAIL
Richard,
How are you? I hope things are going well with the
business and your family.
As you know, Im always looking to meet entrepreneurs like yourself. I noticed a few who are
LinkedIn connections of yours, and was hoping you
could make the introduction for me.
I promise not to hurt your relationship with them,
and I will not be pushy or bothersome. I am simply
looking to make more connections. If you dont
feel comfortable introducing any of the contacts, I
completely understand.
Here are the contacts I would like to know:
Robert Jones, President, TriStar Construction
James Smith, Owner, Iron Manufacturing
Gina McAndrews, Owner, McAndrews Underground
16
make the virtual introduction. I make sure they

know it is all right to decline making the introduction if they dont feel comfortable, and I try
to take as much of the work out of their hands as
possible. Within the email, I write language my
contact can copy and paste into their own virtual introduction email. I also ask to be copied on
the email.
This technique can work for all target markets. For example, if you focus on retirement
planning and have a client or two who have recently retired from a particular company, search
your LinkedIn expanded network for more
employees of that company. You can then ask
for introductions to those employees, and your
contact will let them know you have experience working with employees rolling over their
retirement plan.
Next steps
As we all know, just getting the introduction is

not enough. We need to follow up and track our
efforts.
Once the email is sent to the contact, I reply
to all, thanking my contact who made the introduction for both the message and the trust.
I then ask the prospect when we can meet
for coffee. Usually, at this point, the prospect is

a little worried about getting sold something,
so I assure him/her that I simply enjoy meeting
entrepreneurs and learning about the business.
Since the contact who introduced us is still on
the email chain, the prospect seems more likely
to agree to a coffee meeting.
When I meet with the prospect, I use all of
the other words of wisdom, questions and techniques Ive learned from MDRT members in an
effort to turn that prospect into a client.
As I am browsing my contacts, choosing their
contacts, meeting with prospects and doing
some business, I try to track the introductions
and the resulting fees and commissions. The
tracking can be done with a simple spreadsheet
including the name of my original contact, the
date of the email messages and any dates of
appointments. I also add any business completed so I know which contacts and clients have
helped me grow my business.
With the help of LinkedIn, I have expanded
my ability to reach out to potential clients while
also working closely with current clients. Try
it and see how easy it is to use social media to
boost your sales it wont cost you anything but
a little time, and the payoff can be great. RTT
To make things a little easier, please feel free to copy and paste the
following into an introductory email.
<NAME>,
I am writing to introduce you to a friend of mine, Adam Blumberg.
Adam is a wealth manager and financial planner focusing on family
business owners. He also is very connected in the city and to others in
your field.
I dont know if you will need his services, but I think you two should
know each other. We can even set up a coffee meeting for the three
of us.
Thanks so much for your help, Richard. I really appreciate it.
Next time we grab coffee, its on me.

Best regards,
Adam
PRACTICE
The power of giving

Why you should be an advocate of charitable giving with your clients.
BY JOHN D. AAKRE, CLU
Gather
like-minded
prospects and
friends at the
home of a
member who
has already
done charitable planning.
18
tection to families, as well as the ability to leave

a legacy through charitable organizations. Many
people have charitable causes they value and believe in, and they spend time and money helping
those organizations carry out their mission. These
charities make a difference in the lives of our
members and in the local community.
Because of this core belief, my wife and I have
made helping our members achieve their charitable goals one of the centerpieces of our financial
practice.
Why would this make sense for your practice?
Would you like to have clients so loyal they would
never look to another advisor? Would you like to
have clients who volunteer to work side by side
with you to support a common cause you believe
in passionately? Would you like to see the excitement in clients eyes when you move beyond
AGE FOTOSTOCK/ARIEL SKELLEY
hen I was hired into this career, my

boss asked me what I liked most
about my previous work in higher
education. I responded that I enjoyed the relationships we built with so many people at the
university and our shared values of giving back.
When my wife and I made the career move to
the financial services profession, we wanted to
choose a company that shared our belief that a
members values and financial decisions are connected and we found that at Thrivent Financial. Thrivents purpose is to serve members and
society by guiding both to be wise with money
and live generously. Thrivent is a membership
organization, so we dont call our members clients. We function on the belief that our members are a critical part of what were building.
All of us in MDRT know life insurance is a
critical piece of a financial strategy, providing pro-
talking simply about retirement income to the

larger question of what kind of legacy they can
leave to the charities they care deeply about?
Clients who are connected to you through
charitable planning are extremely loyal because
you help them live out their values. And, more
importantly for my wife and me, they are among
the most interesting, engaging and fun people to
spend time with. Why not spend your time with
people you truly enjoy?
Positioning your practice
People who volunteer in leadership roles in their
community to support charitable causes are
excellent prospects for our services. They are
well-connected, successful and have the financial
resources to need our services. However, to work
successfully in the charitable market, you need to
walk the walk and be prepared to volunteer and
give your own time and resources in a significant
way. It only works if you truly work side by side
with your clients.
I volunteer on several charitable boards in
our community and, as a result, I have met
many current and prospective members.
Many of these members value the assistance
I can give them in charitable planning, which
ultimately will help the institutions where we
volunteer together. This planning also involves
their larger estate plan, insurance protection
and retirement funds.
A recent referral to a new member with more
than $2 million to invest came as the result of
multiple referrals from fellow volunteers at
nonprofits where I have been involved. When the
member inquired about how I knew my referrers,
she was impressed with the many charitable connections I had built among friends she respected.
This led to conversations about her own charitable plans, which we are now exploring together.
Fact finding for charitable interest
During initial fact finding, I intentionally ask
members about their interests outside of their
work, including hobbies and charitable activities.
When I find that charitable work is an important
factor for them, I probe deeper to discover if they
have made any plans in their estate to continue
the giving they are doing now. For many members this is a new subject but one that interests
them greatly.
I often ask, Will the charities you support
now miss you when you are gone? The answer
is usually yes. This opens the door to a discussion
about charitable planning.
Best practice idea
One of the best ways Ive found to open doors
with clients in the charitable marketplace is to
gather like-minded prospects and friends at the
home of a member who has already done charitable planning. I usually invite about 15 to 20
couples who I believe would appreciate learning
more about charitable planning. Among the invitees are at least five individuals and/or couples
who have made a charitable gift and are willing
to take about three to five minutes to explain how
and why they did it.
In addition, I also invite the executive director
of a community foundation to be present to lead
what we call charitable conversations. This is
a low-key way to introduce others to the idea of
charitable planning. Real-life stories are the best
way to open the door to new charitable planning
members. The formal program time lasts no more
than 15 to 20 minutes. Allowing for some social
time after the presentation is crucial because it
gives members the opportunity to visit with each
other and ask questions of those who shared their
personal stories.
The power of your personal story
There is a special power in sharing your personal
giving story with members. In our case, I mention that my wife and I have asked the question
How much is enough? when deciding about
gifts to our children and family. We have decided
to divide our estate into thirds: one third each to
my adult daughter and son and one third to charity. We have set up a donor-advised charitable
gift fund in our names, which will receive those
assets when we are both gone.
Sharing the story of our personal charitable
plan in client conversations has encouraged many
members to consider passing on the example of
giving back to their children as well. RTT
PRACTICE
2014
Im not retiring
PANEL
MODERATOR:
Clay Gillespie, CFP, CIM,
13-year MDRT member from
Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada
PANELISTS:
Malcolm Charles Baxter,
Tring, England
Katy Baxter,
Tring, England
David H. Levy, CLU, ChFC,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Leon L. Levy, CLU, RHU,
20
Retirement may not be the best option for all

producers, Levy told attendees.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
At the 2014 MDRT Top of the Table
Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California,
members took to the Main Platform stage,
sharing their thoughts on issues facing the
industry in panel discussions.
One panel discussion, titled Generations
of Success, featured father and son Leon
and David Levy talking with father/daughter team Malcolm and Katy Baxter. This
discussion was moderated by Clay Gillespie
and focused on the concrete details of
succession planning. How did they handle
the transition? How did they plan it? When
does the senior advisor think he may retire?
It was this latter question that took the
panel aback. Malcolm Baxter answered the
question first.
DO YOU PLAN ON
RETIRING?
is response was simply, Yes,

I think I do. Although Im
enjoying it a bit at the moment,
so well see. How is it going to happen?
I just dont go into work one morning? I
dont know.
The audience laughed at this response, but within the laughter was a
shared sentiment. Most producers dont
know what retirement means for
them. Stepping away from the clients
youve spent your professional life
growing with is not an easy thing to do,
after all. Neither is knowing what to
(from left to right) Leon Levy, David Levy, Katy Baxter, Malcolm Baxter
do with yourself when the thing youve loved

doing for most of your professional life comes
to an end. Maybe retirement just isnt the right
answer for everyone.
Gillespie then turned to Leon Levy. What
about you?
Well, Ill tell you what Im retiring Im retiring my old clothes. Im going out and buying
a new wardrobe, Levy responded.
I love to get dressed up every morning. I
lay my clothes out at night. I know what Im
going to wear the following day. I love getting
dressed and going to the office. I love the atmosphere of what we have. I have an office that
has a skyline.
You get to a point and an age when you can
get on the phone and have some fun. I dont
want to use the word age. At my experience
level, you get on the phone and have some fun.
At the same time, youve outlived a lot of other
people, and you become the doctor, you become the lawyer, you become the person they
call. Help me get something done, they say.
Thats part of my job, too.
I tell everyone Im in my third job. I would
have liked to have been a doctor. The second I
would have been a rabbi. Now in this third job,
I do a little bit of both.

Ill give you another thought process in case
you havent done it yet. How many of you in
this audience have bought your own cemetery
plot? One hand, two hands. Guys, you want
You want to talk

about retirement?
Talk about eternity.
to have some fun? Go buy a cemetery plot.
We made it a family function. We went out
shopping for a cemetery plot. Remember that
normally someone else is making that decision
for you. Where I come from, its usually in 24
hours. Someone is making that decision. You
want to do some advance estate planning on
yourself? Find out where youre going to spend
eternity.
You want to talk about retirement? Talk
about eternity. We did that. I hate to tell you
what it cost me. And its still in the process, but
this decision was made by my sons and their
wives the whole family. If you want to come
around, I think Ive got room for you too.
Im not retiring. RTT
PONDERING ON PAPER
Whenever I meet a new client, I always use this illustration. I
have a piece of paper with a big circle drawn in the middle.
I draw a stick person in the middle of the circle and write
the prospects name on it. I ask about his monthly expenses
and write each expense around the circle, e.g., mortgage,
transportation, education, grocery and food. After all of his
expenses are indicated, I add them up and write the figure on
the top of the paper very prominently.
I fold the paper in half horizontally and then in half vertically. While tearing off the corner of the paper, I say, Mr. Prospect, suppose tonight as you were going home, something
happened to you so that tomorrow, when your loved ones
wake up, you are no longer in the picture. I open up the folded paper with all the expenses written on it and a big, gaping
hole right in the middle where he used to be. I keep very quiet
and let him imagine what would happen to his loved ones if
he is no longer around to provide for them.
I have just graphically shown him that should anything happen to him, his loved ones would be in big financial trouble.
It is very difficult to imagine not being around for your loved
ones, so I literally take him out of the picture so he does not
need to imagine it anymore. More often than not, that leads to
a very serious discussion of how he can still provide even if he
is no longer around.
Manuel Dy Chuaunsu Jr., Manila, Philippines, 7-year MDRT
member
Hire an assistant
as soon as you
can, then learn to
delegate. It is not
a cost; it is an
investment in
your business.
This made a
major difference
in my career.
H. Larry Fortenberry,
CLU, ChFC,
Jackson, Mississippi,
38-year MDRT member
22
ROUND theTABLE.ORG || NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

2014
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

When meeting a prospect for the first time, I ask the
question: If we were to engage each other, in 12 months
time, what things would have to happen, and how would
you need to feel about your finances and our relationship,
for you to consider it a success? I picked up this question at an MDRT event, and it gives me great insight into
what a client is truly looking for.
Gino Saggiomo, CFP, Fortitude Valley, Queensland,
Australia, 7-year MDRT member
DEMONSTRATION THAT WORKS

Design your stationery
to meet your needs and
reflect who you are. In
meetings, I have plain
paper printed with our
logo on the bottom so
I can draw pictures to
illustrate points. If the
client wants to take it
with them, my name,
logo and disclosures
are all there. If you use
Post-its when you mail
forms to clients, have
your name on them.
Pads of Post-its are
great to give out as
well. One pad puts your
name out 25 times. I

have note cards I use
for handwritten communications. People
still like handwritten
notes and tend to keep
them.
Nan M. Zimdars, CFP,
CLU, Madison,
Wisconsin, 32-year
MDRT member
JOE SMITH
our
PEOPLE
Why you need a happy staff 24 | Exploring China 28
Family business 30 | At your service 32 | Guiding change 34
CHINA
GOING UP
HIGHER PROFITS
NAVIGATING TRANSITION
China is home to the largest

population in the world,
with more than
1.3 billion people.
The average
retirement age in the
U.S. is now 61, up from
57 in the early 1990s.
Businesses with high levels

of employee engagement
report 22% higher
productivity than
businesses with lower
engagement.
Keeping a team of
people motivated
is the biggest
challenge.
Gallup, 2013
Gallup, 2013
Katy Baxter speaking at the 2014

Top of the Table Annual Meeting on
succession planning
Is your staff
happy?
Keeping employees engaged is the key
to employee happiness and productivity.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
eeping employees happy is an essential
part of running a successful business.

This probably goes without saying, or at
least you probably think it should. But
youd be surprised how many organizations neglect this fundamental tenet.
According to an October 2013 Gallup poll of
American workers, 63 percent of employees say
they feel not engaged by their jobs.
This number is staggering. An unengaged employee leads to a bored and unhappy employee,
which in turn creates an unproductive employee.
Creating an engaging environment full of happy
and motivated employees should be the goal for
any business. The businesses owned by MDRT
members are no exception.
So, how do the best in the profession keep their
employees engaged? We talked to a few to find out.
24
John W. McTigue, CLU, a 31-year MDRT

member from Chicago, Illinois, runs Northwestern Mutuals McTigue Financial Group. The
group is staffed by 172 financial representatives
and 115 associate financial representatives all
independent contractors while also employing 38 direct members of staff.
McTigues business was notably named the
seventh-best place to work in Chicago by Crains
Chicago Business in 2014, extending their streak
to six consecutive years on this list.
In our business, you need support in both
your personal and professional lives, McTigue
said. To be honored in this way validates our
vision to be the best at what we do, and to provide a supportive environment where all of our
people can thrive.
He said creating an environment that can
succeed and be honored like his begins at the
earliest step of putting a team together the
hiring process.
AGE FOTOSTOCK/ERIK ISAKSON
So, who do I hire?
McTigue depends on referrals to attract staff.

Whether its a financial representative or
member of staff, we see most of our candidates
come from internal referral sources, he said. It
speaks volumes to the culture we have built.
We are looking for individuals who share our
values of accountability, integrity and growth.
They need to be goal-oriented, have an incredible work ethic, strong relationship skills and the
desire to help others.
Colin R. Parkin, Dip FA, CeMap, a 36-year
MDRT member from Lincoln, England, uses
personality tests in the interview process to
determine the best fit. He uses Occupational
Personality Questionnaires, or OPQ32, which
help an employer see what an individuals preferred behavioral style at work is, along with the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which measures
psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.
This is an integral part of the process and an
invaluable tool, depending on the kind of position
we are looking for, Parkin said. We find the Myers-Briggs tremendously helpful, as it allows us to
fit the best employees into the roles that complement each others working practices.
Likewise, David Batchelor, Dip PFS, CFP, a
17-year MDRT member from Thame, England,
uses the Kolbe assessment systems, which mea- >>
How do I keep them engaged?

There is no universal right way to foster employee engagement, as most of it depends on
the personalities of your staff. What types of
rewards or recognition do they respond best to?
The previously mentioned personality tests can
be a great tool for figuring this out.
A lot of the time we think that people

will be happy with video machines
and basketball hoops in their office.
But people are the happiest when
they feel appreciated and valued.
26
Batchelor uses a unique system in which he

provides his employees shares in the business.
After five years of employment, employees receive an amount of shares taken from a set
30 percent of the business. After an employee
has been there for 10 years, their shares double, and the same happens again if they stay for
another five.
He cites this initiative as one of the reasons
his employees are so engaged in the business.
Out of his 15 members of staff, four have stayed
there for 10 years or more, while two have been
there five years. This method has helped his
employees see themselves as owners in the business, thereby directly tying their production to
the success of the business and, essentially, the
value of their ownership in the business. As the
business grows, so does their wallet.
Batchelor also notes that he thinks the first
thing to do is to overpay everybody, and immediately letting them know how you think they
are worth more to you than any other business
from the get-go.
He also takes his staff on a week-long trip
once a year and has implemented a points
system leading to a shopping reward for his employees. Employees receive a point for a referral,
two points for the referral turning into business
and three points for bringing in regular clients.
Once the business reaches a certain amount of
points, his employees are treated to a shopping
dash where they are all given 500 pounds with
direction to only spend the money on gifts for
themselves.
McTigue provides similar motivating events
for his employees, from renting museums in
Chicago for employees and their families to
hosting office Olympics and mini-golf events.
McTigue notes that these initiatives are ultimately pointless if the way employers treat their
employees is lacking, especially when it comes
to respect.
A lot of the time we think that people will
be happy with video machines and basketball
hoops in their office, McTigue said. But people
are the happiest when they feel appreciated and
valued. We show in both thoughts and actions
that we believe in them more than they believe
in themselves.
McTigue places a large emphasis on retaining
employees, noting how important it is to the
health of the business. We place a strong em-
CORBIS
sure what methods employees use to get things

done. The goal with this test is to simply understand what thoughts and behaviors applicants
use as they go about their everyday work.
Batchelor notes that he finds it essential to
stay out of the hiring practice. Instead, he allows
a professional on staff to carry out the hiring
process. Batchelor also makes it a point to create
the job role, then look for the person, as opposed
to finding someone you think would be great for
your business, then struggling with figuring out
where to place them. This, he said, can lead to
poor productivity and a lengthy learning curve.
Once your ideal staff is in place, the next step
is to figure out what you need to do to get the
most out of them.
phasis on growing others by growing ourselves,

he said. There is training, mentoring, guidance
and support that doesnt just span the first 30 or
60 days, its ongoing. We want people to know
they are part of a team and they will be supported throughout their career journey.
What if it just isnt working?
There are multiple options of action to consider if a member of your staff just isnt working
out or is failing to respond to your engagement
techniques. Simon John Gibson, Dip PFS, a
15-year MDRT member from Newmarket, England, notes this is an issue everyone runs into,
and members should take a proactive stance on
figuring out the cause.
I dont believe theres anyone among us
whos never made a mistake when weve hired
somebody, he said. You have to make sure
those situations are managed, and you can either
manage people out of the business, or you can
manage them to a position where they can improve. You can turn it around. There are people
who perhaps need to be taken in a different
direction, maybe even being given a different
role in the business.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, an employee may not be the best fit for your business,
regardless of their position.
Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC, a 15-year MDRT
member from Exeter, New Hampshire, shared a
story of a longtime employee who was becoming
increasingly disruptive to the rest of his staff.
After undergoing coaching seminars, he decided
that the best course of action would be to simply
let the employee go. Surprisingly, Gagne said,
this led to an uptick in business and the greatest
success he has ever had.
It may make sense, if your guts telling you
that this is where its going, to get it over with
sooner rather than later. The opportunities will
present themselves as soon as you do it, Gagne
said.
MDRT PODCAST
In the first episode of the MDRT Podcast,
Simon John Gibson, Gregory B. Gagne and
Clay Gillespie share their thoughts on staffing their
businesses, among other ideas on how they run
their businesses. To hear more from them,
please visit www.mdrt.org/podcast.
st
Sometimes, despite your be
t be
efforts, an employee may no
s.
the best fit for your busines
Firing an employee is never easy and should

be handled with care, but could be for the best.
Its a difficult decision but, typically, its better
for everybody, said Clay Gillespie, CFP, CIM, a
13-year member from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Why is employee
engagement so important?
There are numerous benefits to keeping your

staff engaged, some you may not even consider
when thinking about this matter.
Batchelor said having an engaged staff has
helped promote his business. Our staff cares
more, he said, pointing to the various ways hes
incentivized them to go the extra mile and bring
in more prospects.
A practice with even the most charismatic
and knowledgeable producer in charge can
only go so far. The employees who answer your
phones or type up notes on meetings need to
feel engaged and invested. That extra something you get from an engaged employee will
help shape your clients perceptions of you in a
positive way.
Perhaps most importantly, coming up with
ways to engage your employees allows you some
control over the way the people you see most
often are treated.
The neatest thing to me is we can create
a world that doesnt have to be like the real
world, McTigue said. We can, and do, treat
people with respect. This is a special place we
have created, and people want to be a part of it.
And even more so, its a true testament of the
people who make up our firm. RTT
HAVE AN IDEA
ON STAFFING
youd like to share?
Email them to
editor@mdrt.org and
we might share them on
www.roundthetable.org.
PEOPLE
China
More guidance
Members in China fight against long-held
beliefs.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
ou dont talk about death in China. For

a variety of reasons, a stigma surrounds
the topic. In fact, it is considered offensive to even mention death during most social
occasions. The reluctance to discuss this stage
of life has led to understandable troubles for
producers in the country. How do you sell life
insurance when you cant mention the inevitability of death?
Luckily, larger cultural trends are changing.
China is the worlds most populated country,
with more than 1.3 billion citizens, many of
whom are beginning the process of planning
for their retirement. Around 47 percent of the

population falls within the working demographic
of 25 to 54 years old, according to the CIA World
Factbook.
With China continuing its emergence as a
world power and adopting more and more Western cultural habits, this wall of avoiding addressing death is starting to crumble. This has created
opportunities for producers.
Tan Xiao Hong, a seven-year MDRT member
from Shenzhen, China, and Wu Zheng Yu, an
eight-year MDRT member from Beijing, China,
have worked hard to change these perceptions
over the past few years.
When I entered the business 10 years ago,
the acceptance level of insurance was very low
among the public, Yu said. Many people did
not know much about insurance, and they had
objections to the product. Today, as more and
more people have higher levels of education and
earn more money, the awareness for insurance in
the public has significantly increased. They are
more willing to accept insurance and recognize
its benefits and values. The current issue is not
what is insurance, but instead, how to allocate
insurance and protection.
This change in perception was largely brought
on by the state. The premier of the State Council
Beijing, China
When I entered
the business
10 years ago,
the acceptance
level of insurance was very
low among the
public.
Wu Zheng Yu
28
Shenzhen, China
organized and hosted a national meeting, stressing

that the development of the insurance sector is
the pillar of the other industries, Hong said. The
government is supportive of the life insurance
business. Chinas new leadership teams give more
support to commercial insurance and provide
more guidance through legislations and policies.
Furthermore, the cultural view on death began
to shift once Chinas communist party gained
control of the state. Traditionally, China was a
country rooted in Confucian principles, which
largely disregarded death as something not worth
thinking about, saying that since it is unknowable
by nature, you should instead focus on improving life. The communist ideology that took hold
of China, on the other hand, stressed there was
nothing after death, which temporarily covered
this stigma. Ultimately, the longer-held anxiety
about death won out.
Chinas economic growth has naturally contributed to the growth of the insurance market.
For the past 30 years, China has been the fastest-growing economy in the world, and though
it has somewhat slowed in recent years, the
average income of the public has still increased
exponentially during this time period. According to the World Bank, 500 million people have
been brought out of poverty since 1978 thanks to
economic reforms. This brings plenty of opportunities for producers, along with plenty of
challenges.
There are higher-net-worth people than in
previous years. This makes my target market
larger, Yu said. Despite that, I still need more
time to educate them on their knowledge of
finance and asset allocation.
Jennifer Chen, MDRTs membership devel-
opment coordinator, recently visited members

in China to learn about issues they are facing.
Members are focusing on building up professionalism to differentiate themselves from others
and reach to the next production level, Chen
said. Thats a major focus in the market now.
Chen notes they are doing this by focusing on
continuing their education in a variety of different areas, from taking classes on tax law to earning their Executive Master of Business Administration degree and certified financial professional
designation. Members are also more frequently
attending industry conferences, along with taking practical classes on how to dress properly for
different situations and how to become a more
persuasive presenter, she said.
For Yu and Hong, seeking professionalism has
never been an issue.
I became an insurance agent because I
wanted to make a living and have a better life,
Hong said. After 13 years in the profession, I
understood that our work is very important. I
often share with my colleagues and clients that,
as insurance agents, we learn how to become a
better person through our business.
Likewise, Yu related that he felt a personal pull
to become an agent. People around me all needed service and support in this field. Through this
profession, I can offer great help to my friends
and family members, he said.
Yu has taken this spirit and applied it to his
business. Love, value and appreciation are the
philosophy of my team. he said. Love refers
to loving ourselves, our family, clients and the
people around us, and to always spread and accept love. We explore our own values, prove how
worthy we are and give back to the society. RTT
We learn how
to become a
better person
through our
business.
Tan Xiao Hong
CONTACTS:
Tan Xiao Hong
tanxiaohong1@
pa18.com
Wu Zheng Yu
8601000907@
metlife.com.cn
PEOPLE
Like father, like daughter

Baxter builds strong bonds in business with her dad.
BY LIZ DECARLO
Katy Baxter and her

father Malcolm Baxter
speak at the Top of the
Table Annual Meeting.
30
aty Baxter was an artist with her

sights set on owning her own graphic
arts business. But then she decided
to take a year off before attending university to
help her dad and his partner get their new financial services company off the ground.
That was 26 years ago. Baxter has never left
the agency, located in Tring, Hertfordshire, England. She started out helping with the paperwork. To call me an office manager would be
quite grand, she said. We were working out of
my parents house.
As the business grew and Baxter learned more
about the profession, she realized she wanted to
set art aside and become a financial advisor at
her dads company instead.
I had a great education, but it was very artistic, and I imagined that was where my career
was going to go. I think I was motivated by
owning my own business, my own graphic arts
business, said Baxter, an eight-year member of

MDRT.
Baxter, who also enjoyed pottery, often had
her arms buried in clay while in school. Now
she has a desk buried with paperwork. But she
doesnt regret the change in career goals. In
reality, not many people make sensible money
out of it, do they? she reflected on her former
artistic goals. Im relieved I didnt go down that
route.
As she became more engaged in her dads
business, Baxter had another revelation. I think
it was owning the business that was the motivating thing for me, so this allowed me to fulfill this
desire of starting a company, she said. The art
turned out not to be the deal.
Her father, Malcolm Charles Baxter, an
11-year MDRT member, had been in the financial
services profession for 10 years before he and
Malcolm Lindley started Baxter & Lindley
Financial Services. Katy Baxter found the perfect mentor in her dad.
My father is exceptionally good. Hes a
successful advisor, and his clients absolutely
adore him, Baxter said. He was an amazing
mentor and he still is. Were very different in
many ways, but the combo of the two of us is
very strong.
Balancing work and family isnt easy when
work is family, but Baxter has managed to find a
way. The agency quickly moved into office space
instead of staying in the family home, which
helped create a separation. The only problem
is that both daughter and dad are so passionate
about their work they could talk about it 24
hours a day.
Were frequently told off by my mum, my
husband and Alex [her 15-year-old son]. They
will put a stop to it. So thats how we balance
it were frequently told off, Baxter said with
a laugh.
Baxter & Lindley is located in the town where
Katy Baxter has lived since she was 12, and she
focuses on working with local clients, making
it a point to have them come in to see her at
her office. That wasnt the case when she first
started.
When my dad and Malcolm Lindley started
the business, theyd been at a firm that gave
advice to medical and dental clients in many
places, and they carried that through, Baxter
said. When I started cold calling, it was to people in the medical profession, but it very quickly
became obvious that I would see the children of
my fathers medical professional clients.
As Baxter developed in her role, she saw a
different path, one that was fee-based versus
commission-based. This didnt go down particularly well with her father and co-director at the
time, although they ultimately agreed to make
the change.
There were times perhaps when we did have
different views, but I think it may have been
me just maturing in my role in the business and
needing to be myself with two older advisors.
Ultimately, the change to a fee-oriented business put the company ahead of the curve, since
the United Kingdom went to a mandatory fee-
based model in 2013.

Now, almost 20 years into her career, which
focuses mainly on wealth and estate planning,
Baxter finds herself offering more than just
financial advice. I tend to give very holistic
financial planning advice, she said. Its about
counseling people where they are in their lives.
As Baxter finds some of her earlier clients
hitting retirement age, she is encouraged by
their successes. Just the other day I had a client
say to me, I wouldnt know where to start, Katy,
but because of you I can retire early, she said.
I just love that.
My father is exceptionally good.

Hes a successful advisor, and his
clients absolutely adore him.
In spite of the success of the business, Baxter
is determined to continue to place her family
and the local community as her priorities. She
travels with her husband, Stuart, and son, Alex.
Right now, Alex is taking important exams
for school, so Baxter wants to make sure shes
giving him enough support as he moves through
the exam process. I try not to be a workaholic
because thats not very popular with the family.
Baxter connects with the local community
through her support of an emergency night
shelter charity and a nonprofit organization
that helps people get out of debt. As Chair of the
MDRT UK, she is also busy with the responsibilities of that role. We have a one-day meeting in February, and Im very blessed to have
an amazing committee working with me who
are extremely helpful because that is a very
time-consuming thing.
Baxter has also found that her journey into
business with her father has been just as much
of a blessing. They give seminars together on
wealth and estate planning. This year they
spoke at the Top of the Table Annual Meeting
about succession planning and family-owned
businesses.
On the whole, its been an amazing experience, Baxter said. RTT
CONTACT:
Katy Baxter
katymdrt@baxterlindley
.co.uk
PEOPLE
Concierge
planning
Isaac provides wealth management with goal
tracking and reassurance for busy clients.
BY ELIZABETH FUHRMAN
32
rad Isaac, ADFS, owner of Finstyle

Planning Solutions, in Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia, developed his companys name by combining the words financial
and lifestyle. He spends a lot of time speaking with clients about their lifestyle goals and
dreams, which becomes a large part of their
financial planning process. Its not about selling
products, the six-year MDRT member said,
but more about how Finstyle can help clients
achieve their dreams of paying off their house,
buying a new car, putting children through
school or anything else.
They are protecting themselves in the event
of any unfortunate things that can happen in life,
Isaac said.
He began Finstyle five years ago, following the
global financial crisis. Isaac left a partnership with
four others to set up a new firm that would support his existing clients goals and his preferred
method of providing advice.
Finstyle offers what Isaac calls concierge service to his clients and operates as a holistic financial planning practice. He explained that most of
Finstyles clients are too busy dealing with day-today issues to concentrate on wealth creation and
management, which is where the firm flourishes.
They want to make sure that if anything
happens to them or their family, they are going to
be financially secure, but they also want someone
they can bounce ideas off of, Isaac said. And
they want someone who can regularly review
how they are tracking every quarter, whether it
be cash flow, budgeting, tracking their retirement
goals and just to make sure they are allocating
funds in the right area.
Isaac places a strong emphasis on wealth
protection, as well as wealth creation. Forty to 50
percent of the business he writes is life insurance.
Stealing another MDRT friends quote:
Through investments, we look after clients if
they live too long, if they die too soon or if they
get sick along the way, he said. Thats been an
easy way to explain what I do for people.
Finstyle looks after about 200 clients, the
majority meeting Isaacs definition of wealth accumulators between 30 and 40 years old. These
people are typically moms and dads wanting to
build investments, reduce taxes, put their kids

through school, pay off mortgages and make
sure they are protected if anything happens.
The average annual family income for Finstyles
clients is about $200,000 to $300,000.
They are making good money, but I say to
them: Its not about how much you earn; its about
how much you save, Isaac said. Weve got clients
that turn over $1 million a year, and Ive got other
clients that are only turning over $80,000 a year.
There is a lot you can do with everyone.
As such, Finstyle also works with younger
wealth accumulators young adults starting their
careers who generally come to the firm through
multigenerational planning. On the other side, 20
to 30 percent of Finstyles clients are retired, so
the firm does retirement planning, as well.
Finstyles youngest client is 18 years old and
its oldest is 78. Isaac acknowledges the firm is
picky about who it takes, as it operates with a
fee-for-service model and charges an annual fee.
Not all clients are comfortable with paying fees,
Isaac said.
One of the things I wanted when we set
up Finstyle was to have transparency in our
business, he said. There is a lot of noise in the
media all of the time about hidden commissions
and how financial planners only get people into
products because of fees and commissions. If
there happens to be commissions associated with
the work we do, then that offsets their fee for the
year. So we still do receive commissions, but they
go toward what my clients pay per annum.
Ive found over the years that when clients pay
a fee, they value the service a lot more, he said.
While Finstyle does some marketing through
social media to relay its lifestyle image, the company mainly takes referrals from existing clients.
Ive found the more I see my top 20 percent,
the more likely we are to receive referrals from
their friends and family, Isaac said. We see our
top 20 to 30 percent of clients once a quarter
they know we care.
Isaac said he is always on the phone, as well,
and for 16 years has made it a point to be the
first person of the day to call his clients on their
birthdays. Finstyles clients also know Isaac will
ensure the right outcome for them, regardless
of whether it is profitable to his business. For

example, last year Finstyle took an insurance
company to court on behalf of one of its clients
who had become a quadriplegic and ended
up getting a $2.2 million payout for the client.
From the work Finstyle did with that client, the
word spread, and the business received many
referrals.
I believe when you are out there doing
the right thing for your clients, putting their
interests before yours, seeing people, talking
They are making good money,

but I say to them: Its not about
how much you earn; its about
how much you save.
to people about their goals and helping them
achieve their goals, the good work you do will
just spread and people will talk about you, Isaac
said. They become advocates for your business,
as well as clients.
To aid clients, Isaac employs two full-time
staff members one who focuses on compliance issues and another who handles client
services. Another part-time staffer helps with
administrative work. Finstyle also uses mortgage brokers, lawyers, accountants and estate
planning specialists. In addition, Finstyle uses a
research group for property investments.
These guys are there to ensure that I can do
what I do best and what I get my energy from
my unique ability in the business which is seeing my clients and serving my clients, Isaac said.
Isaac has also made it a point to work with
coaches and continue his education, and MDRT
has factored heavily in his different committee
and event involvement.
To be able to bring back to Australia a bit
of view from the world stage is pretty important, and clients understand that, too, he said.
When youve got clients talking about MDRT
to you, its a bit weird because Ive obviously
spoken about it so much. RTT
CONTACT:
Brad Isaac
brad@finstyle.com.au
Elizabeth Fuhrman is a freelance writer and editor.

PEOPLE
Someone to trust
Williams niche is transitions, and he helps individuals
define and meet new financial goals.
BY ELIZABETH FUHRMAN
n 2005, after a near-fatal car accident with

a snow plow, six-year MDRT member
Antoine Troy Williams, AAMS, CDFA,
began to look at his practice and at what he was
doing for people in a whole different light. While
he had been in the industry since 1999, it was no
longer enough to sell someone the appropriate
life insurance policy or investment.
My job was to make sure they were fully
prepared for the worst-case scenario, as well as
the best-case scenario, said Williams, of Antoine
Williams & Associates Financial Services in Shelburne, Vermont. That, I would say, set me aside
and made me who I am now.
Williams now owns a sole proprietorship,
which he operates as a holistic financial planning
firm. He and one employee, a client services
manager, manage more than $80 million in
advisory and brokerage assets and work with
183 households.
We help a select group of individuals going
through a transition due to death, divorce, inher-
AGE FOTOSTOCK/GAIL ARMSTRONG
This is a group
of people
who are
really looking
for somebody
to trust.
34
itance or retirement make smart decisions with

their money that are in line with their values and
their goals, Williams said. We do this by using a
consulting process to identify where our clients
are now, where they want to go and any gaps for
getting there. Then, we work with a network of
professional advisors, such as accountants and
attorneys, to help our clients make informed
decisions to increase the probability of them
achieving their goals.
Williams town of Shelburne consists of fewer
than 10,000 people, and his county is about
150,000 people. Most of his clients, he said, are
just regular individuals and couples between ages
55 and 70. His clients incomes span a wide range
since many people are first coming to him through
a transition. For example, someone who has never
invested before might have inherited $1 million.
This is a group of people who are really looking for somebody to trust or someone to work
with them through a traumatic process, such as
divorce, death or loss of a job, Williams said.
About half of Williams clients are women,
many of whom have gone through a divorce. This
led Williams to become a certified divorce financial analyst and join the Association of Divorce
Financial Planners and the Institute for Divorce
Financial Analysts.
I can really understand not just the numbers,
but understand the process and understand what
people are going through, he said.
A unique quality of many of his clients is disinterest in the markets and/or insurance products
they are really looking for a person to trust and to
delegate many decisions to.
These are people who needed more than
someone to just pick a stock for them or to sell
them a life insurance policy, Williams said.
They needed a long-term partner who is going
to educate them and help them work toward
their goals in worlds they are not familiar with.
Williams didnt develop this transitions niche
without help. He coordinates with a group of
strategic partners, including accountants and
trust attorneys, who from time to time have
clients with a need for a financial advisor. These
relationships developed from his consistent work
throughout his career.
Luckily enough for me, Ive taken care of my

community of clients extremely well, Williams
said.
Williams believes the key to his success is looking after his clients but also being very proactive.
Our clients get called on every birthday or if
there is a death or any change, such as getting a
raise or changing a job, he said. Our clients are
acknowledged for things we find. Were acknowledging that our clients are people and not just
dollar figures or account numbers.
Because of this investment in his clients, they
have become Williams source for most of his
referrals.
In our practice, our best clients are our current clients, and thats how we run our business:
We do all we can to take care of our clients, he
said. As we do that, I continually grow our business with the appropriate kinds of clients.
He also handles his workload by delegating
the things he doesnt need to handle, and he has
built a practice that is truly efficient. For example, the client service manager ensures proactive
appointments are scheduled and that the office
runs efficiently. Subsequently, Williams really
analyzes his processes so his clients have a consistent experience. In addition, the majority of
the money he manages on the investment side is
managed by other institutions.
I like to think there are a lot of people that
can manage money when were talking about
that side of the business, but my job is to get to
know my clients so well that I can anticipate
and/or make recommendations that are appropriate and timely and to do it consistently,
Williams said.
Above everything else, Williams clients know
he cares, and they know he will do whatever he
can in his power to aid in achieving their goals.
He calls his business a lifestyle business because
it isnt just about making money and working, but
building a practice that allows him to drop off
his kids at school, get home at a decent hour and
take off when it is appropriate.
All of my recommendations to my clients are
in line with this, as well, he said. RTT
CONTACT:
Antoine Williams
antoine@antoinewil
liamsandassoc.com
Elizabeth Fuhrman is a freelance writer and editor.

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Short-term
memory lapses
lead many
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irrational, risky
measures.
PEOPLE
Alan Craig Kifer, CFP, LUTCF

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Membership stats: 10-year MDRT member, 10 Top of the Table qualifications
MDRT involvement: Industry Relations Committee member
How do you describe your practice?

I help families succeed at retirement planning.
This means ensuring their assets are protected,
ensuring they have income security for the rest
of their lives and assuring those they love have
peace of mind. My highest priority is to help
them live their purpose.
What is the main benefit of attending an

MDRT meeting?
Insurance and financial professionals can continue to learn the tools and techniques necessary
to guide the families they serve. MDRT meetings
allow you to engage openly with like-minded
professionals from around the world.
What is your target market?

I serve three distinct generational types. First,
folks already retired, known collectively as Henry
Fords (80+) and Bob Hope-ers (6580). There
are 60 million of them. Second is baby boomers
(5065). Theyre 100 million strong. Third, Gen
X (3550). These are the 45 million hard-working, middle-class Americans.
What tips would you give to new advisors?

The secret to a successful career is hard work!
There is no shortcut. When serving in the Air
Force, I didnt go from flight school directly to
Top Gun instructor. There was a path that needed to be taken.
What is your best marketing tip?

Dont forget your roots! If we forget where we
came from, well never know where were going.
We shoulder the huge responsibility of teaching
people how to be better stewards of the assets
theyre blessed with now and in the future.
What do you find most fascinating about our
profession?
How it takes cycles of uncertainty and stress about
the future before people turn back the page to the
secret of life insurance and annuities. Short-term
memory lapses lead many to take irrational, risky
measures to overcome feelings of inadequacy
about their personal financial situation.
How do you stay motivated month to month?
Surround yourself with others who have the
same moral compass. When you truly feel like
part of an extended family, it is an unbelievable
inspiration.
What are your interests outside of business?

Playing chess; reading on a sandy, sunny beach;
riding bikes with my wife; playing games at
Chuck E. Cheeses with my 4-year-old grandson;
being challenged at racquetball with my youngest son; deep-sea fishing with my children. Most
memorable are my daily morning walks hand-inhand with my wife.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I leave where Ill be in 10 years in Gods hands.
However, just in case his plan is for me to
be around that long, I share the following: I
will be ever so slightly older, I will have had
120 months of goals and priorities, 522 weeks
of bite-size challenges, 2,922 days of unique
opportunities, 5.2 million minutes of time to
use wisely in becoming better and 325 million
breaths of life to live the purpose God has
helped me choose doing what I do to serve
others. RTT
Contact Alan Kifer at alan@life-services.net.
DISASTER BY CANCER
One out of two men and one out of 2.5 women in Japan have
cancer in their lifetime. Japan has a very good social security
program and national health insurance program, so people
may feel as if they dont need extra money for treatment. But
they do. The type of treatment you can receive from the National Health Insurance is determined by a guideline which
encompasses traditional therapy. Advanced treatment, such
as heavy particle radiotherapy or proton therapy, are effective
with fewer side effects but are not included. If you choose
to take these treatments, it could cost you a fortune.
I have come across several cases in my career. One was a
teenage girl with cancer in her leg whose physician recommended standard treatment, which was to amputate her leg.
A second opinion from a specialist recommended advanced
treatment that saved her leg. In another case, a man had a tumor near the base of his tongue. The physician explained the
standard treatment was to remove his tongue, as well as half
of his face. Advanced treatment could have saved his tongue
and face, but he could not afford the expensive medical fees.
Having a fund to fight the disease can definitely change the
quality of life of my clients. That is why I strongly recommend
Three Dread Disease Insurance (similar to critical illness
plan) to all of my clients.
Junji Yamaguchi, Tokyo, Japan, 13-year MDRT member
At the end of every client meeting,

ask: What do I need to do to earn
your referrals?
Judy Byle-Jones, CLU, CH.F.C.,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
31-year MDRT member
38
RETIRING HAPPY
Retirement lifestyle planning is planning for a balanced
life. Retirement should be the best years of our life. Start
with a vision. Add some plans for activities. Be prepared
to have enough money to sustain your lifestyle. Plan what
you want to do with your time. Finally, add a dash of
good attitude. Retire happy.
Cristine Tan, Manila, Philippines, 2-year MDRT member
DELIGHTFUL DINNERS
While having vendor-sponsored dinners at a lovely
restaurant is not new, I make sure I place clients and
prospects together at a table where a connection
can be made or they have similar interests, like
travel, golf or dancing. We have place cards made,
and I call the clients that morning to tell them about
some of the people who will be at their table and
their connection. This reduces no-shows and makes
the dinner conversation lively.
Karin Tyson, CLU, CFP,
Houston, Texas, 15-year MDRT member
inside
MDRT
Top of the Table wrap-up 40 | Annual Meeting update 45 | MDRT Foundation 48

Production and application 50
POWER OF YOUTH
ONLINE SUCCESS
PAST WISDOM
HELPING OTHERS
The youngest current

members of Court of the
12,113 members
used MDRTs online
application in 2014,
the first year it was
available.
One of the sales techniques

shared at the first MDRT
meeting in 1927 was,
Since 1959, the

MDRT Foundation has
awarded more than
$29 million in grants
to charitable
organizations
worldwide.
Table are a 22-year-old

woman in Thailand and
a 20-year-old man
in Indonesia.
Promise to buy a rural

fellow a fine new pair of
pants if hell sign up.
INSIDE MDRT
Ian Green interviewing

Condoleezza Rice.
Top of the Table Annual Meeting

Member panels mixed with new speakers adds variety.
BY SCOTT ROGERS
M
Dudum
40
embers and renowned speakers shared the Main Platform

stage at the recent Top of the Table Annual Meeting in San
Francisco, California.
Programming segments were divided between panel discussions
among members and the regular Main Platform format. Running from
September 17 to 20, the meeting provided MDRTs top producers with
inspirational messages on leadership, and strong takeaways that attendees could implement into their businesses immediately.
As we stand here in San Francisco, we are in the epicenter of
strategic thinking, Top of the Table Divisional Vice President, Jason
J. Dudum, LUTCF, a 10-year MDRT member from Lafayette, California, told attendees.
Follow along across the next several pages for a recap of the event,
broken down by individual speakers and panel discussions.
Speakers
Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of

state, shared her views with attendees on the
state of national affairs. She discussed the
September 11, 2001, attacks and the terrorists
who carried them out, along with the economic
crisis of 2008. She noted how these two events
have changed the way people think of how their
governments interact with them, from security
to keeping financial institutions viable.
Touching on the ongoing turbulence in the
Middle East, Rice noted how unfair it was for
most of the Western world to become fed up
with newly liberated countries in that region,
stating that their systems of government were
coming completely apart, and cautioning that
it will take patience and years for these areas to
stabilize completely.
After a wide-ranging discussion on foreign
affairs concluded, 16-year MDRT member Ian
Green, from London, England, joined Rice on
stage to pose members questions. Rice told attendees that if she could do anything in the world,
it would be to empower women worldwide.
Dick Vitale always wanted to be a basketball
coach. Stepping down from the Main Platform
stage to walk among the rows of seated members, Vitale shared his experiences growing up
in New Jersey and working his way up through
the basketball coaching ranks. It wasnt an easy
process he told attendees that early on, I got
more rejections than the Harvard dean of business gives out!
Vitale
Sullenberger
Eventually getting his shot as a high school

head coach, Vitale made his way up to the college
ranks, coaching the little-known University of
Detroit to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament, and ultimately reaching the professional
level as the head coach for the Detroit Pistons.
After being unceremoniously fired following
just a season and a half coaching the Pistons
which Vitale noted his heart simply wasnt in
he entered into broadcasting in what he thought
would be a stopgap in his coaching career.
Against his best-laid plans, he ultimately fell in
love with his new job, he said. Since then, Vitale
has become one of the most prominent sports
personalities in the world and has used this
standing to actively support charities, including
the foundation of his close friend and former
basketball coach, the late James T. Valvano. He
implored members to check out this charity, the
V Foundation, and to give back to any institution
they feel is important.
Most importantly, Vitale inspired members
with his abounding positive energy, telling them,
When you think youre mediocre, youll be
mediocre. When you think youre special, youll
be special.
Chesley Burnett Sully Sullenberger III,
burst into the public consciousness when he
successfully landed a plane in the Hudson River
following a plane malfunction. Sullenberger
recounted this experience to attendees, using
flight audio from the cockpit to tell his story. Attendees couldnt help but laugh at the recording
of Sullenbergers demeanor as he prepared to
land the plane on water, calmly answering the
flight controllers question of if he would be able
to make it to a nearby airport with a simple, We
cant do it; were going to be in the Hudson.
After sharing this harrowing experience, >>
JIMMY V: To read an
excerpt from James
Valvanos classic 1987 Main
Platform presentation, check
out the January/February
2014 issue of Round the
Table. To purchase the full
presentation in audio or
video formats, please visit
www.mdrtstore.org.
INSIDE MDRT
Sullenberger discussed his life and what hes learned

about being a strong leader, and recapped how his
parents and grandparents always expected him to strive
for excellence. Sullenberger advised attendees to, Live
your life in such a way that your values are inherent.
He closed with a quote from a friend, telling attendees,
When leaders treat followers with respect, followers
respond with trust.
W. Luther Pierce IV, CLU, told attendees, We are
in the and then what? business. The 31-year MDRT
member from Greensboro, North Carolina, talked
about the cases that have really stuck with him over
the course of his career. Going through his briefcase,
Pierce pulled out one case after another, commenting
on their significance and what each taught him.
To Pierce, these cases represent the progression of
his career, and through each one, his belief in the importance of life insurance was further strengthened.
I take financial dreams and turn them into financial
realities, he said.
The founder of charity: water, Scott Harrison,
played a moving video showing just how difficult life
can be for millions of people around the world who
lack clean water. Starting his career as a nightclub
promoter, Harrison explained how after several years
in this profession he was emotionally bankrupt.
I wanted my life to look exactly the opposite of
everything I was doing, he said. This led Harrison to
quit his job and visit Africa in an attempt to find some
purpose. This is where he first encountered the clean
water crisis, leading to the founding of charity: water
in an attempt to reinvent charity by remaining completely transparent to all donors.
Harrison noted that since its founding in 2006,
4.4 million people have been given clean water, but
another 800 million still need help. He asked for the
help of MDRT members and was presented with a
$30,000 check.
Mark Sanborn discussed principles of leadership
with attendees and how to continue to reach a high
level of success. The truth is transferable; change
the questions to change your life, he told attendees,
urging members to fulfill their potential. Throughout
his presentation, Sanborn struck on how members
can enhance the value of their services by enhancing
the value of themselves. Once a day, find someone or
something you can do something extraordinary for,
he said. Little things make a big difference.
42
PANELS
LESSONS
FROM LEADERS
Moderator
Philip E. Harriman, CLU, ChFC
Falmouth, Maine
Panelists
Ralph Antolino Jr., JD, CLU
Columbus, Ohio
Van Mueller, LUTCF
Brookfield, Wisconsin
Michael L. Weintraub, CLU
Walnut Creek, California
Moderated by 2007 MDRT

President Harriman, this panel
discussion touched on how
these members started in the
business and where they see
the field moving in the future.
I want to be like my dad,
Lessons From Leaders
Antolino said, noting how his

father was an insurance salesman for his entire life and
always treated the profession
with such dignity.

Mueller said his practice
is built on getting about as
many people as I can, and
asking them not telling
them what products theyd
like, while also mentioning
that soon he will have to
become more fluent in social
media. Weintraub said he
foresees revolutions in the
field, where large companies
like Google and Amazon will
begin selling life insurance
and going after the middle
market, but that this will
create more opportunities for
MDRT members with highnet-worth clients.
Harriman summarized
what he learned from the
conversations, saying that the
panelists were three icons of
our business that went from

selling products to earning
the right to give advice.
SALES STRATEGIES
NOW
them that growth is a longterm process.
GENERATIONS
OF SUCCESS
Moderator
Panelists
Clay Gillespie, CFP, CIM
Alphonso B. Franco, RHU, RCIS
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Panelists
Randy L. Scritchfield, CFP, LUTCF
Malcolm Charles Baxter

Damascus, Maryland
Tring, England
Howard E. Sharfman
Katy Baxter
8-year MDRT member from Tring,
Chicago, Illinois
England
Donald P. Speakman, MSFS, CFP

David H. Levy, CLU, ChFC

MARKETS MATTER
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Moderator
This presentation did not

have a moderator, but instead
featured the panelists taking
turns walking to the stage
and giving some of their
best ideas for how to bring
in sales. Scritchfield advised
attendees to keep in mind
that, when dealing with affluent clients, you have to find
the individual they delegate
their finances to. How do rich
people handle their finances?
They dont, he said.
Speakman noted how he
installed a chart on his desk
that outlines how the economy has gone up and down
over the years. If his clients
are feeling nervous about the
value of their funds in the
market, he said, hell simply
point to the chart to remind
Leon L. Levy, CLU, RHU
Simon John Gibson, Dip PFS


Markets Matter
everyone involved.
To learn about whether or
not these advisors plan on
ever retiring, turn to Page
20, and for more about Katy
Baxter, turn to Page 30.
Newmarket, England
Panelists
Two generations of producers
shared the stage during this
presentation, discussing what
it has been like for them to
transition the business down
to the younger advisor, who
also happens to be their child.
David Levy shared that one
of the biggest challenges a
transitioning business can
face is getting employees to
buy into the new generations
leadership, but noted that,
once accomplished, the skys
the limit. Weve developed
plans for if the grandkids
want to enter the business,
he said, showing how positive
this experience can be for
Sanjay Tolani
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dale McLeod, RFC
Maraval, Trinidad and Tobago
Susan Catherine Paterson, FChFP
Loganholme, Queensland, Australia
Micheline Varas, RHU
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
This presentation, hosted by

Gibson, took on a game show
format. Humorously introduc-
ing his contestants to the

stage, Gibson asked each to
describe the markets where
they focus.
Tolani mentioned how he
works in 53 different territories, often working with a
multitude of specialists to
meet each clients needs.
McLeod has chosen to
delegate most of his work,
he said, instead investing his
time in working directly with
his clients. When you make
a connection, people believe
you, he explained.
Paterson and Varas discussed how regulations have
impacted their businesses, with
Paterson explaining the media
is often leading the regulators to build bad headlines
in Australia, but that the
media doesnt always portray
the right story. Varas noted
increased regulations have
made working with specialists
different, and they must often
use agreements with other advisors. Its our responsibility to
remain as transparent as possible, she said, and cautioned
attendees to do the same. RTT
NOW
AVAIL ABLE
2014 Top of the Table
Meeting Presentations
GAI N A N E W P er sp e c t iv e
f e at u r e d p r e s e n t e r s
Mark Sanborn
Jason J. Dudum, LUTCF
Laurence Vincent Plummer Sr., LUTCF
V i s i t w w w. m d r t s to r e . o r g f o r a c o m p l e t e l i s t i n g o f p r e s e n tat i o n s
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Phone: +1 847.692.6378 | Fax: +1 847.692.4615 | Email: orders@mdrt.org | Website: www.mdrtstore.org
INSIDE MDRT
Your meeting, your pace

The Annual Meetings new schedule and sessions mean a
highly customizable experience for attendees.
BY ABBY PUCHNER
he MDRT Annual Meeting

is evolving. In late 2014, MDRT
members began seeing this teaser for
the 2015 MDRT Annual Meeting, taking place
June 14 to 17 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
What it meant for members is, after two years
of record-setting attendance, the Executive
Committee seized the opportunity to consider new ways to optimize and update MDRTs
largest meeting of the year. The goal became to
reflect a more progressive learning style continuing to encourage members to take advantage
of its opportunities for personal and professional
growth.
So MDRTs Program Development Committee (PDC) and Executive Committee sat
down to brainstorm. They surveyed members,
combing through past meetings to determine
what worked and what didnt resonate with
past attendees. The early discussions included
adding an extra day to the meeting and completely reimagining Main Platform. Both ideas
were eventually scrapped, but everyone agreed
the programming format could benefit from retooling, according to PDC Focus Sessions Chair
Edward C. Skelly, CLU, ChFC.
A lot of members wanted a more interactive
educational experience, the 21-year member
from Ashburn, Virginia said. The challenge
going in for us was to keep the best parts of past
meetings while using new concepts to make
their Annual Meeting experience as valuable
and innovative as it can possibly be.
This year, attendees have the chance to experience the result: four additional types of session
formats, resulting in a reworked schedule from
years past with more participant-based content

to maximize interactivity. Too many educational
presentations, Skelly said, dont offer the engagement the audience needs to maintain those ideas
once the session ends particularly when theyre
still recovering from a long flight, finding time
to connect with friends and sightsee, or trying
to navigate the meeting as a first-time attendee.
What might be a great takeaway idea on its own
can still get lost by the time the meeting ends.
Schedule at a glance
Traditionally, Annual Meeting attendees spent

their mornings in Main Platform presentations, a series of motivational, entertaining and
inspirational messages designed to energize
attendees for the rest of the meeting. In the >>
ConneXion Zone
INSIDE MDRT
Main Platform
SCHEDULE
HIGHLIGHTS
Monday morning
n Main
Platform
Monday afternoon
n Special Sessions
n MDRT Speaks
Tuesday (all day)
n Special
Sessions
n Focus Sessions
n no Main Platform
Wednesday morning
n Cornerstone
Presentations
n Echo Sessions
Wednesday afternoon
n Focus
n Main
46
Sessions
Platform
afternoon, they transitioned to Focus Sessions,

which comprise industry education components
led by member and nonmember experts. More
technical in nature, these presentations include
a more niche perspective that captures MDRTs
seven educational pillars: Wealth Management,
Protection Planning and Products, Whole Person, Sales Ideas, Marketing, Top of the Table and
language-specific content.
In between these sessions, attendees could
browse the MDRT Store, make a donation at
the MDRT Foundation Booth, sit in on informal
round-table discussions or drop by Special Sessions, longer and more specialized sessions on
topics not covered in the Focus Sessions.
The 2015 Annual Meeting still includes each
of these sessions and exhibits, but will debut
three new ones, giving attendees more room to
tailor their experience and glean more information than ever before no matter their professional experience or their past involvement with
MDRT. The following highlights the scheduling
changes in 2015:
New sessions
Cornerstone Presentations Taking place

Wednesday morning, Cornerstone Presentations
give audience members the chance to choose
from a number of Main Platform-quality sessions on practice management, sales strategies,
technology, and health and wellness. Immediately following each presentation is a Focus
Session to further explore the related topics.
MDRT offers Cornerstone Presentations in
several languages.
Echo Sessions Featuring MDRT native-language speakers trained in the echoing process,
these language-specific sessions are designed
for attendees to meet and discuss the presentations taking place during the Annual Meeting
on Monday and Tuesday. Structured to focus on
reviewing and digesting key takeaways, Echo
Sessions provide attendees additional context
for fitting what theyve just learned into their
local markets. These gatherings take place concurrently with the Cornerstone Presentations
and serve to solidify members understanding of
the tips and principles introduced.
MDRT Speaks This general session takes place
Monday afternoon in the Main Platform hall and
includes a series of creative and innovative business concepts delivered by MDRT members in
a variety of presentation formats. A faster-paced
session, MDRT Speaks is designed to provide
quick productivity and business practice tips.
Recurring sessions and highlights
Aside from Main Platform, Focus Sessions and

Special Sessions, MDRT will again set up the
ConneXion Zone. In its third year, this space
fuses speakers and exhibitors via more than 120
sessions. Speaker Zones, the Big Idea Theater,
the Great Conversations area and the Technology
Zone are some of ways attendees can learn from
fellow members, check out the latest technology, hear what is happening in the industry from
leading exhibitors, or view video clips of popular
speakers from the Annual Meeting archives.
The popular Idea Exchanges also return to
the Annual Meeting in 2015, giving attendees
a chance at the microphone to share their best
sales tips, marketing methodology and practice
management ideas. Headed up by a moderator,
Idea Exchanges offer the audience the utmost
level of interactivity and give voice to members
in a more non-traditional, pared-down setting.
Were truly excited about the changes in the
programming this year, Skelly said. On behalf
of the PDC, I think the inclusion of these more
interactive sessions means more opportunities for
development in the MDRT membership than ever.
Featured speakers
The year prior to the Annual Meeting is a busy

time for the PDC and when facing a scheduling adjustment like the one in 2015, the responsibility of selecting engaging, expert speakers
becomes a very real challenge, according to
Focus Session Captain Kimberly A. Harding,
CLU, a nine-year member from Woburn, Massachusetts.
Were really committed to driving content
this year, she said. As we face a changing
industry and embrace a new generation of advisors, we want to establish MDRT as a resource
early on.
The market is alive and
well for clients to protect
their income regardless of
whether they have disability
insurance coverage. Corey
Lee Anderson, a three-year
MDRT member from Minneapolis, Minnesota, addresses how easy it is to
supplement existing (if they have any) coverage
to make it complete protection instead of the
flawed plan many clients have in Protecting the
Dash instead of the Period. The plan doesnt
matter until it matters and then it is all that
matters, according to Anderson. A frequent
industry speaker, he has more than 15 years
experience in disability insurance.
We all want our children
to be generous when they
grow up, but do we lead by
example and share those acts
with our children, family and
friends? In this Whole Person session, 30-year MDRT
member Robert N. Garneau, CLU, ChFC,
of Bedford, New Hampshire, pulls together
examples of MDRT members touching lives via
random acts of kindness that truly made a difference. The Whole Person concept teaches that
living a balanced life can help show your children how to become outstanding individuals.
By taking action when you get home, Garneau
said, you touch lives in ways you could not have
imagined.
Its no secret people tend

to do business with people they like, according to
Joseph A. Trovato. You can
be the best financial advisor
in the world, but if no one
knows or trusts you, you
will be a very good, but lonely financial planner
with lots of time on your hands. Using a play on
the TV show Seinfeld, where nothing really
means everything, the 12-year MDRT member
from Bakersfield, California, explains how and
why to do successful client events also illustrating why traditional mission statements dont
work and how he achieved Court of the Table
status in just two years.
Reclaim and reinvest hours
of time from your week doing
what matters developing
deeper relationships with
clients and high-net-worth
prospects. Author of the
acclaimed The Fast Forward
MBA in Selling, Joy Baldridges 25 tips incorporate words, phrases and questions sure to help you
close more sales and significantly impact your year.
Thousands have taken advantage of her Listening
Challenge to discover how to make minor changes in their selling styles to achieve results.
Generation X is a group of
young executives and community leaders. They obsess over
serious issues yet are reluctant
to discuss them, according
to longtime financial advisor
Bryce Sanders, who provides
a spotlight on this generation of 30- to 50-yearolds including the wrong solutions they often
embrace. A frequent Round the Table and Financial Times contributor (see his article on Page
10), Sanders discusses how to tactfully bring up
sensitive subjects with this market and put them
at ease. RTT
VIEW THE DETAILED SCHEDULE
for the 2015 MDRT Annual Meeting at
www.mdrt.org/2015am.
INSIDE MDRT | MDRT FOUNDATION
Building a priceless bond

By participating in service projects, Hruby feels he receives
more than he gives.
BY FIONA ODUMOSU-WATKINS
rom time to time, the

MDRT Foundation
partners with charitable organizations to develop
volunteer service projects
for MDRT members to give
back to communities in need.
In the past, MDRT members have built homes,
constructed playgrounds and distributed shoes
for adults and children.
Seventeen-year MDRT member Todd D. Hruby, LUTCF, an MDRT Foundation Silver Knight
from Lincoln, Nebraska, explains what motivated
him to volunteer for the MDRT Foundation Camp

Riley service project in May 2013 and why he
encourages MDRT members to volunteer.
What inspired you to volunteer for your first
service project?
The motivation and inspiration really came
from two areas: my fellow MDRT members and
a cause close to home. My MDRT friends who
participated in past service projects had such an
inner glow about them, and I wanted to be part
of that.
Volunteering to build a fence for Camp Rileys
WHERE YOUR GRANTS ARE NOW

The MDRT Foundation partnered with the
International Book Project at the 2007 MDRT
Annual Meeting and with Heifer International
at the 2009 Annual Meeting. These charitable
organizations have made the following program
advancements to provide sustainable change,
education and economic empowerment for
children and adults around the globe.
International Book Project (IBP): Ships donated
books to underserved communities worldwide.
Alex
Sheen
48
$76,000 in MDRT Foundation funding

n IBP launched its first pilot project providing students in South Africa with 75 e-readers
stocked with almost 8,000 e-books. The e-reader library serves six schools, and this digital
literacy program allows IBP to send more books
at a reduced cost, while the students have the
added benefit of access to technology many
of them for the first time. This year, IBP passed
the 6 million mark in books shipped to its international partners since its founding.
To promote reading and cultural literacy in
Kentucky, where the IBP office and warehouse
are located, IBP developed the Books as Bridges
program. American students are matched with
international students to develop a pen-pal
exchange, which builds global friendships and
excitement about writing and learning.
n
To find out more, go to: www.mdrtfoundation.org
horse therapy program for children with disabilities was something I really cared about. My
wife, Deb, and I had talked about volunteering
for a service project and, since this would help
with children, we knew we had to do it. My wife
is a pediatric nurse and we both love kids, which
is why we have five of our own, and also love
giving back to help youth in our community. This
service project took place the week of our 25th
wedding anniversary and without a doubt, it
turned out to be the best anniversary we have
ever had. Volunteering together to build a fence
also built a priceless bond.
Whats your favorite memory from this event?
During lunch, some Camp Riley campers came
by to meet the volunteers. What an incredible experience to see the profound effect the camp has
for not only the kids, but their families as well. To
hear a mother say the only time she had ever seen
her child smile was on a horse at the camp was
very moving. Dry eyes were not an option.
Why do you think service projects are an

important activity?
The MDRT Foundation service projects bring our
membership together to benefit others in a way
that isnt typical for us. To see a diverse group of
members come together for a single purpose is
amazing. Working hard together to help others is
good for the soul.
Why would you encourage MDRT members to
volunteer for a future service project?
Volunteering for a service project provides a
unique opportunity to give back on a level you
may not have previously done. If you try it once,
you are hooked. When you are volunteering, you
may think you are the one making a difference,
but then you realize the people you are helping
are making the difference in your life. You get
back way more than you could possibly give. RTT
Fiona Odumosu-Watkins is the MDRT Foundations communications and recognition supervisor. Contact her at
fodumosu@mdrt.org.
Heifer International: Provides livestock and

agrarian training to people in impoverished
communities.
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
$171,000 in MDRT Foundation grant funding

n Last year, Heifer launched the Heifer Global
Impact Monitoring System, which was developed as
a means to collect data related to its development
work. This data shows the clear impact Heifers work
has in the livelihoods of the families they work with.
n Heifer reports that, among the sample families included in the 14 projects from 10 country
programs, household incomes increased an average of 98.4 percent. The number of meals eaten
per day increased an average of 8.42 percent,
and womens control over productive assets
improved an average of 115 percent. Heifer has
increased participation from about 150 families
per program to more than 1,000 up to 10,000
families and more in some areas.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
If you are interested
in volunteering for a
future MDRT Foundation
service project, please
email foundation@
mdrt.org.
INSIDEMDRT
MDRT
INSIDE
Qualify as a
2015 member
Here is what you need to know to become
or stay a member.
BY THOMAS ENSIGN
DRT has made significant changes to

the application criteria and process
in recent years. The newest and
biggest is the Online Membership Application
System. When it launched in December 2013,
more than 12,100 applicants used the system to
apply for and receive 2014 membership approval. The entire process, start to finish, took each
online applicant only about 10 minutes.
Whether applying for membership online or
with the traditional paper form, returning MDRT
members are reminded of the 2015 membership
requirements, as described below.
Qualification methods
2015 MDRT membership (based on 2014 production) may be renewed with commissions, premiums or income earned in 2014. First-time members
must choose either the commission or premium
qualification methods. (Note: Monetary amounts
are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.)
Commission A minimum of $92,000 of eligible
commissions paid is required, $46,000 of which
must come from products listed under unlimited
credit/risk protection. The remaining production may come from products listed in either
50
the unlimited or limited credit categories. The

production requirement for Court of the Table is
$276,000 in eligible commissions and $552,000
for Top of the Table.
Premium A minimum of $184,000 in eligible
premiums is required, $92,000 of which must
come from products listed in the unlimited credit/risk protection category. The remaining production may come from products listed in either
the unlimited or limited credit categories. The
production requirement is $552,000 for Court of
the Table and $1,104,000 for Top of the Table.
Income Anyone with prior MDRT membership is eligible to apply using the income method.
(First-time members must use commission or
premiums to demonstrate qualification for membership.) A minimum of $158,000 in annual gross
income from the sale of insurance and financial
products is required. At least $46,000 must be
income from new business generated during the
production year, and $46,000 must come from
income associated with risk protection products (listed in the unlimited credit/risk protection
category). The same business could satisfy both
requirements, such as with the sale of new life
insurance policies. The requirements for Court of
the Table and Top of the Table are $474,000 and
$948,000, respectively, in eligible gross income.
Both Court of the Table and Top of the Table
applicants qualifying with income must meet
the minimum of $46,000 in new business and
$46,000 in risk protection business.
Verifying production
The change in production reporting saves time

for members by streamlining the membership renewal process. Current members with 10 or more
years of membership (Qualifying and Life or Life
members) who have met the current production
requirements may apply for Qualifying and Life
status without submitting certifying letters.
Qualifying member A first-time applicant
becomes a Qualifying member when their
UNLIMITED CREDIT/RISK PROTECTION PRODUCTS

At least $46,000 of the commission or income and $92,000 of the premium production requirement must come from products listed in the unlimited credit/risk protection category. This serves as a threshold that must be crossed before an applicant
can use any credit from the limited credit category. Once crossing the threshold, applicants may use all credits from limited
credit products to meet the MDRT requirement.
In addition, if using the income method of qualification, an additional $46,000 must be attributable to new business income.
It is possible that the same business could satisfy both the unlimited credit and new business categories.
Products from life insurance companies
Commission/fee credit
Premium credit
Accidental death and dismemberment (individual)
100% of first-year commission
100% of first-year premium
Critical illness (individual)
Disability income contracts (individual)
Up to annual premium/target premium
Deposits in excess of annual/target premium/top up
100% of commission paid
6% of excess premium
Single premium (whole life and investment)
Short-term endowment rider (max. 15 years)
Long-term care (individual)
Accidental death and dismemberment (group)
Critical illness (group)
Disability income contracts (group)
Life (group)
Long-term care (group)
Annuities (individual and group)
100% of all commissions
6% of new money invested
Single premium and/or short-term endowment

(max. 15 years)
Life (individual)
LIMITED CREDIT
Products
Commission/fee credit
Premium credit
Health care (individual)
Health care (group)
Mutual funds
Securities
100% of commission on
new money invested
Wrap accounts/asset management accounts
Financial planning fees/fees for advice
100% of the net fee
100% of the gross fee
INSIDEMDRT
MDRT
INSIDE
application papers are approved. Applicants for Qualifying status under the commission or premium qualification methods
must submit certifying letters that list the
amount of commissions paid or premiums
collected. The certifying letter(s) need to
be signed by an official of the company that
pays the applicants commissions. Also
acceptable is a certifying letter completed
by a representative of the company, broker-dealer or brokerage agency; a certified public accountant or equivalent; or a
representative of the applicants personal
agency, corporation or office.
Returning members applying under the
income method (first-time members are
not eligible) may sign their own income
certifying letter. Applicants submitting
with income need to meet the minimums
required in both risk-protection (unlimited
products) and new business products. It is
possible that the same business the sale
of new life insurance policies, for example
could satisfy both requirements.
Qualifying and Life member An applicant with 10 previous years of membership
status may apply as a Qualifying and Life
member by attesting that they have met
current minimum production levels and by
paying dues.
Life member Applicants for Life status
do not need to meet qualifying production,
but they must submit an application and
pay dues every year to renew membership.
Thomas Ensign is MDRTs Member Services
director. Contact him at tensign@mdrt.org.
LEARN MORE: The Executive

Committee has established production
requirements for 2016 (earned with
2015 production). Visit www.mdrt.org
for details.
52
COUNTRY
COMMISSION
PREMIUM
INCOME
ANGOLA
82,800
165,600
142,200
ANGUILLA
44,900
89,800
77,200
ANTIGUA
139,700
279,400
240,300
ARGENTINA
193,200
386,400
332,300
ARMENIA
13,533,200
27,066,400
23,277,100
ARUBA
86,400
172,800
148,600
AUSTRALIA
128,300
256,600
220,700
AZERBAIJAN
38,500
77,000
66,200
BAHAMAS
72,500
145,000
124,700
BAHRAIN
25,500
51,000
43,900
1,168,400
2,336,800
2,009,600
108,600
217,200
186,800
66,994,400
133,988,800
115,230,400
BELGIUM
82,700
165,400
142,200
BELIZE
86,200
172,400
148,300
BERMUDA
131,100
262,200
225,500
BOLIVIA
266,800
533,600
458,900
45,100
90,200
77,600
BOTSWANA
230,000
460,000
395,600
BRAZIL
110,400
331,200
189,900
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
92,000
184,000
158,200
BRUNEI
51,800
155,400
89,100
BULGARIA
55,200
110,400
94,900
CAMBODIA
BANGLADESH
BARBADOS
BELARUS
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
141,984,500
567,938,000
244,213,300
CANADA
116,100
232,200
199,700
CAYMAN ISLANDS
59,200
118,400
101,800
CHANNEL ISLANDS
56,000
112,000
96,300
CHILE
28,786,800
57,573,600
49,513,300
COLOMBIA
73,002,000
146,004,000
125,563,400
COSTA RICA
18,611,600
37,223,200
32,012,000
CROATIA
349,600
699,200
601,300
CURACAO
62,700
125,400
107,800
CYPRUS
35,100
70,200
60,400
1,276,100
2,552,200
2,194,900
111,000
222,000
190,900
1,113,200
2,226,400
1,914,700
ECUADOR
40,600
81,200
69,800
EGYPT
147,200
441,600
253,200
EL SALVADOR
42,200
84,400
72,600
ESTONIA
671,600
1,343,200
1,155,200
FIJI ISLANDS
65,900
131,800
113,300
FRANCE
82,800
165,600
142,400
GEORGIA
64,400
128,800
110,800
CZECH REPUBLIC
DOMINICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
COUNTRY
COMMISSION
PREMIUM
INCOME
COUNTRY
82,800
165,600
142,400
PERU
GHANA
146,491,600
292,983,200
251,965,600
GREECE
59,300
118,600
102,000
GRENADA
162,400
324,800
GERMANY
GUATEMALA
COMMISSION
PREMIUM
INCOME
138,000
276,000
237,400
1,177,600
2,355,200
2,025,500
POLAND
165,000
330,000
283,800
279,300
PORTUGAL
64,400
193,200
110,800
QATAR
PHILIPPINES
377,200
754,400
648,800
3,827,800
7,655,600
6,583,800
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
HONDURAS
616,400
1,232,800
1,060,200
ROMANIA
HONG KONG SAR
552,000
2,208,000
949,400
11,095,200
22,190,400
19,803,700
GUYANA
HUNGARY
INDIA
845,300
3,381,200
1,453,900
271,740,400
543,480,800
467,393,500
IRELAND
82,800
165,600
ISLE OF MAN
56,000
ISRAEL
ITALY
RUSSIA
SAUDI ARABIA
457,400
393,400
182,574,000
125,610,900
37,000
74,000
63,600
1,094,800
2,737,000
1,883,100
266,800
533,600
458,900
2,502,400
5,004,800
4,304,100
SINGAPORE
128,500
385,500
221,000
142,400
SLOVAKIA
56,400
112,800
97,000
112,000
96,300
SLOVENIA
71,400
142,800
122,800
295,000
590,000
507,400
SOUTH AFRICA
248,400
496,800
427,200
73,500
147,000
126,400
SPAIN
73,600
147,200
126,600
JAMAICA WEST INDIES
3,994,500
7,989,000
6,870,600
2,300,600
4,601,200
3,957,000
JAPAN
12,069,700
36,209,100
20,759,900
ST KITTS AND NEVIS
130,200
260,400
223,900
27,600
55,200
47,500
ST LUCIA
165,100
330,200
284,000
KAZAKHSTAN
4,544,800
9,089,600
7,817,100
ST MAARTEN
62,700
125,400
107,800
KENYA
3,293,600
6,587,200
5,665,000
ST VINCENT
165,100
330,200
284,000
KUWAIT
27,500
55,000
47,300
SURINAME
19,790,100
39,580,200
34,039,000
LATVIA
27,600
55,200
47,500
SWEDEN
883,200
1,766,400
1,519,100
124,614,000
249,228,000
214,336,100
SWITZERLAND
165,600
331,200
284,800
INDONESIA
JORDAN
LEBANON
SERBIA
228,700
73,029,600
SRI LANKA
LITHUANIA
128,800
257,600
221,500
TAIWAN R.O.C.
1,930,100
3,860,200
3,319,800
LUXEMBOURG
94,800
189,600
163,100
THAILAND
1,186,800
2,373,600
2,041,300
429,200
1,716,800
738,200
TONGA
104,900
209,800
180,400
1,803,200
3,606,400
3,101,500
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
421,100
842,200
724,300
MALAYSIA
161,300
483,900
277,400
TURKEY
70,000
140,000
120,400
MALTA
21,900
43,800
37,700
TURKS & CAICOS
25,400
50,800
43,700
1,039,600
2,079,200
1,788,100
UNITED KINGDOM
55,200
110,400
94,900
688,400
1,376,800
1,184,000
UKRAINE
101,200
202,400
174,100
MONTENEGRO
4,500
9,000
7,700
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
313,700
627,400
539,600
MOZAMBIQUE
488,800
977,600
840,700
URUGUAY
1,085,600
2,171,200
1,867,200
NAMIBIA
248,400
496,800
427,200
UNITED STATES
92,000
184,000
158,000
1,214,400
3,643,200
2,088,800
VENEZUELA
121,725,200
243,450,400
209,367,300
NETHERLANDS
82,800
165,600
142,400
VIETNAM
293,926,100
587,852,200
505,552,900
NEW ZEALAND
146,900
293,800
252,700
ZIMBABWE
48,800
97,600
83,900
NIGERIA
5,667,200
11,334,400
9,747,600
NORWAY
883,200
1,766,400
1,519,100
18,400
36,800
31,600
P.R. CHINA
175,000
525,000
301,000
PAKISTAN
1,516,700
3,033,400
2,608,700
55,000
110,000
94,600
MACAU
MACEDONIA
MAURITIUS
MEXICO
NEPAL
OMAN
PANAMA
INSIDEMDRT
MDRT
INSIDE
Youre approved!
Use MDRTs online application for immediate results.
BY THOMAS ENSIGN
DRT members must complete an

application each year to renew their
membership and continue Round
Table benefits. Last year, MDRT introduced an
Online Membership Application System.
Through the online application, you can connect to your membership record (or create a new
one), update personal information, enter your
production, upload an electronic copy of certifying letter(s) and select the level of membership
desired. Upon completion and payment of dues,
youll receive immediate approval.
The online system also interfaces with your
membership record and information, and shows
membership options for which you are eligible. It
validates entries along the way to keep applicants
from proceeding until an error is resolved.
The online application is a quick process, but
allow time to correctly and fully complete it.
While paper applications can be accepted with
missing information or errors, online applications
must be submitted and approved no later than
March 1, 2015, to avoid an additional $200 fee.
Should you encounter difficulty completing your online application such as missing
certifying letters save and exit the system. You
will be able to return to where you left off. If the
documents do not become available to complete
the online application before the deadline, print
a personalized paper application to meet the
postmark deadline.
The online application is available in English,
Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese, Korean, Spanish,
Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
Apply by mail
You can also apply using a paper application. Applications with problems slow the process. The
54
following tips can help:

n Request an application early or download
your personalized application from www.mdrt.
org/membership.
n Contact your company(ies) early for certifying letter(s) and send with the completed
application.
n Use the personalized application sent by
MDRT.
n Return your application as early as possible.
n Contact MDRT prior to the deadline if you
encounter difficulty securing a certifying letter or
have other application problems.
n Sign the application and answer the ethics
question.
n Answer the professional association membership question (if you reside in a country where
the requirement applies).
n Calculate the production on your certifying
letters to ensure you have met the production
requirement. If applying for Court of the Table or
Top of the Table, submit sufficient production, as
well as the required additional dues.
n Use MDRTs secure online payment portal in
the Membership section of www.mdrt.org to pay
by credit card and attach the payment confirmation to your application. Or, indicate all requested
information on your application, and mail it prior
to March 1. If paying by check, submit payment in
U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank.
All members, including those with Life membership status, must apply and pay dues annually.
MDRT does not accept faxed or emailed applications. RTT
Thomas Ensign is MDRTs Member Services director.
Contact him at tensign@mdrt.org.
TRUE TALES
When business
becomes personal
After two losses, Mary Amen describes the magic of life insurance.
BY LIZ DECARLO
ary Amen, LUTCF, CLU, has given

many speeches on the power life insurance had after her husband, Oscar,
died in 1994 at the age of 50 and left her a widow
with four small children. She refers to it as her
Life is Good speech, and she gave it several
times in 2011. In 2012, Amen realized life wasnt
as good as she thought her fianc, Marty, died
in his sleep at the age of 56.
Amen is a 33-year MDRT member from
Huntington Beach, California. Her industry
experience and personal losses have given her a
different outlook on life, death and insurance.
The first death claim Amen ever filed was for
Oscar, who died three months after being diagnosed with cancer. The couple had been married
13 years and had four children between 3 and 10
years old.
One thing I will say, the peace of mind of
having life insurance during Oscars illness was
immense, she said. Money wasnt an issue, so it
didnt enter into the stress.
Instead, Oscar was able to focus on attending
his sons baseball games, being with his family
and writing letters to his children that would
become a lasting legacy of his love. The idea for
those letters came from an MDRT Annual Meeting Oscar attended with Amen, at a time when
spouses could attend.
He heard someone that set up a trust with
letters that said Grandmas thinking of you and
had a $100 bill each year for the grandchildren,
Amen said.
Filing the actual death claim paperwork for
Oscar was difficult, Amen said, but it also gave
her a firsthand look at the effect of what she
does every day. I had the feeling of, this is why
Mary Amen (second from left) with her children at her

sons wedding.
I do what I do; this is why I recommend this to

people, she said. People die. The insurance
companies arent the big bad wolf. Theyre there
to help.
Going back to work after Oscars death, Amen
said her passion and belief in what she was doing probably increased tenfold. Eighteen years
later, she had to go through it all over again with
Martys sudden death, reinforcing even more the
importance of what she does.
She tells people now that one of the most
important things that made a difference after
both men died: They had enough life insurance
to care for the families they left behind.
When people say theyre too young to think
about life insurance, Amen points out statistics.
The average male dies at 80. That means
50 percent actually die younger than 80.
And, if she has built a close relationship with
her client, shell often share her story: Two men
who never made it to that average age of 80, but
who did leave financial security for those left
behind. RTT
CONTACT:
Mary Amen
mary@amstein.com
looking
BACK
Cited
for bravery
At the 1967 MDRT Annual Meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland,

H.J. Harris of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, saved the life of Mrs. Max
Silberg of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when the gangplank of a lake
steamer fell into Lake Lucerne and dropped them into the water.
Without regard for his own safety, Harris rescued his fellow members wife, who could not swim, by pulling her from under the boat
and bringing her to the surface so her husband could hold her arm
until help arrived. Harris suffered two broken ribs and multiple
bruises in the accident, but fortunately Silberg was not injured.
The Executive Committee commended Harris bravery, and on
behalf of MDRT, honored him with a special citation. The plaque
read: Whereas Hyman J. Harris, Qualifying and Life member of
the Million Dollar Round Table, Ottawa, Canada, on Wednesday,
June 7, 1967, with valor and without regard for his own safety
saved the life of Mrs. Max Silberg, in Lake Lucerne, Switzerland.
Now, therefore be it resolved that the Executive Committee of
the 1967 Million Dollar Round Table hereby commends and thanks
Hyman J. Harris for his selfless and courageous deed. RTT
Contributed by Jennifer Witkov, MDRTs knowledge coordinator.
56
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In our business, you need support in both your personal and professional lives.
John W. McTigue, CLU, Page 24
ANNUAL MEETING
2015 - JUNE 14 TO 17, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
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OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ROUND TABLE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

HOW STAFFS HAPPINESS

JOIN US IN NEW ORLEANS FROM JUNE 14 TO 17, 2015,

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10 THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

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