NAIFA and Sales Activity Management, Inc. (SAM) have completed an educational and affinity partnership agreement, under which the popular SAM Planner can be obtained by NAIFA members at a preferred rate. Additionally, Sales Activity Management, Inc. will become a sponsor of NAIFA’s Talent Development Center of Excellence to collaborate on blog posts, webinars, and other tools focused on enhancing individual advisor/agent performance.

Join our Advocacy Partner, Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS) in San Diego in October for their annual conference. Thanks to WIFS for providing NAIFA members with a discount code to save on their registration fees. We are pleased to have our own Executive Director of NAIFA's Speciality Centers, Carroll Golden, CLU, ChFC, FLMI, CASL, LACP, LTCP, CLTC, hosting a breakout session, The Shadow Caregiving Economy.

NAIFA’s 8th Annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Symposium: REPRESENT was a resounding success! With more than 175 participants, the program featured top speakers sharing their experiences with diversity, how to recruit more diverse talent into the insurance and financial services industry, and strategies to reach underserved populations.

The event kicked off with remarks from NAIFA President Bryon Holz, NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, and OneAmerica President of Individual Life and Financial Services (ILFS) Dennis Martin. Martin addressed the ongoing efforts to increase diversity, saying, “DEI is a journey, not a destination.”

Join NAIFA’s partner White Glove at their 2023 Virtual Summit, an exciting event that sets the stage for financial professionals eager to expand their businesses. The summit will take place on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023, from 1 pm - 6 pm eastern, offering a range of insightful discussions and learning opportunities. 

Steven Saladino, RICP®, LACP, LUTCF® will join Advisorist's Virtual Advisor Power Hour this coming Wednesday, May 31 at 12 pm eastern. At this Power Hour, Steve will share why he joined NAIFA and how his involvement and engagement with the community have helped take his practice to an all-time high.

This will be a Power Hour you do not want to miss as it marks the closing chapter of a series that featured NAIFA-National President Bryon Holz and members Ken Leibow, Danny O'Connell, John D. Richardson, RICP® LACP®, and Kathleen Owings.

Kathleen Owings makes her appearance on the Advisorist Virtual Advisor Power Hour this coming Wednesday, May 24 at 12 pm eastern. Kathleen will discuss critical lessons from her book, Put Your Money to Work: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Confidence, in order to help more women with their finances with advice that was never taught in school.

Kathleen will also share the story of her non-traditional route into the financial services industry and how it has helped during times of high market volatility or challenging life events that her clients have experienced.

Recognizing the best in the insurance and financial services industry, the NAIFA Quality Award is now accepting applications through August 31, 2023.

The NAIFA Quality Award recognizes the best of the best in our industry. It celebrates outstanding advisors and agents who provide quality care, adhere to ethical standards, and is not solely based on annual production numbers. The NQA is open to all agents and advisors to apply, however, only active NAIFA members are eligible to be recognized.

See John D. Richardson, RICP® LACP®, loyal member since 2003, in action on NAIFA Talent Development Center partner Advisorist's Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) this Wednesday, April 26 at 12 pm eastern.

John will discuss why more advisors should be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and how this shift in attitude and mindset can lead to greater success in their professional careers.

We're excited to announce we are now accepting nominations for NAIFA's Advisor Today 4 Under 40 Awards.

Each year, Advisor Today magazine recognizes four financial advisors with Advisor Today’s 4 Under 40 Award, who achieve excellence in their profession by or before the age of 40. Past winners have a proven track record of continued success through industry leadership roles, speaking engagements, and increased peer recognition.

Tune in to see your NAIFA President, Bryon Holz, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, LACP, on NAIFA Talent Development Center partner Advisorist's Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) this coming Wednesday, April 5 at 12 pm eastern.

Taking place every Wednesday, the VAPH is a free weekly masterclass dedicated to helping industry-leading insurance and financial advisors grow their practices with modern sales and marketing tips, systems, and processes.

Join Talent Development Center partner, Advisorist, for their Virtual Standout Summit this Thursday, March 30, from 9 am to 5 pm eastern. This all-day, live event will feature some of the industry's top names—including several from NAIFA Nation—to help you learn industry tips, secrets, and techniques to help you get more clients, more leads, and more income.

The premier association for agents and advisors in the United States encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance and financial services industry and promotes financial security for all Americans.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce NAIFA’s 8th Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium on May 22, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Presented by NAIFA’s Talent Development Center, the Symposium will focus on the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the insurance and financial services industry to provide opportunities for financial security to all Americans. 

NAIFA is proud to announce that Advisorist has joined NAIFA in supporting the Talent Development Center to raise awareness of their respective brands and promote membership and participation in their respective organizations.

Led by CEO Jeremiah Desmarais, Advisorist is a group dedicated to helping insurance and financial advisors generate qualified leads and appointments to help their businesses grow. Under the partnership, Advisorist will feature six NAIFA members in their live weekly Virtual Advisor Power Hour (VAPH) workshops in 2023. NAIFA will promote the VAPH and Advisorist through social media and marketing efforts. 

NAIFA marketing partner InsurTech Express recently launched their new IE Bookshelf to help promote and highlight books written by insurance and financial services professionals.

NAIFA members can have their published books listed on the IE Bookshelf to help differentiate themselves and drive sales. Current books by NAIFA members in the IE Bookshelf library include How Not to Tear Your Family Apart by NAIFA's Executive Director of the Centers of Excellence, Carroll Golden, The K-Method of Roulette by Ken Leibow, and Diversity Means Dollars by Vince Vitiello.

The National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA), a NAIFA advocacy partner, has issued a new report showing that, while insurance and financial services companies have increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, many fail to address inequity at a foundational level.

On December 6, NAIFA-National Trustee and Gateway Insurance and Financial Services Vice President Aprilyn Chavez-Geissler will be a featured speaker for the webinar "Beyond Sentiment: The Business Benefits of DEI," presented by Financial Planning magazine. 

The webinar will discuss how recent research can help you craft a strategy for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that is well-defined, driven by company leaders, and connected to business outcomes.

On November 29, Ohio National Vice President of Product Marketing Karl Kreunen will present "Skate Where the Puck is Heading: Indexed Whole Life as Your Product of Choice."

In the webinar, Kreunen will showcase Ohio National’s new Prestige 10 Pay Indexed Whole Life policy and discuss why it makes sense today and in the future. He will also give a demonstration of relevant sales applications for a multi-pay indexed whole life policy.

This month, NAIFA leaders attended the ringing of the Nasdaq opening bell. NAIFA-NM President Chad Cooper, MBA; NAIFA-National Trustee Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, LACP; and NAIFA-CA Past President Shane Westhoelter, AEP, CLU, LUTCF, LTCP, appeared in support of THRIVE, which aims to educate and activate 1 million Black and Latino investors to build wealth.

Join NAIFA's Talent Development Center for the webinar, "Life Settlements: A Product and Industry Update," this Tuesday, October 18 at 12 pm eastern. Ashleigh Hammad and Scott Kirby of Abacus Life as they guide you through a market discussion of the latest pricing, underwriting, and submission trends in the life settlement industry, and how advisors and their clients can benefit from policy valuations and audits. 

The insurance and financial services industry can be intimidating for newcomers. However, with the right knowledge and resources, it is possible to find success in the field.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance announced earlier this year that the state insurance licensing exam will now be offered in Spanish. NAIFA's Massachusetts chapter has been working with the Division of Insurance on this initiative and advocated for its adoption.

NAIFA is proud to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 - October 15. 

As the leading association for insurance and financial professionals in the United States, NAIFA promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of its NAIFA 2025 Strategic Plan, and strongly supports increasing opportunities for diverse professionals to join the profession and advance their careers in the insurance and financial services industry.  Through its decades-long Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative that is part of its strategic plan, NAIFA works to create a diverse force of skilled, ethical agents and advisors that reflects the changing composition of Main Street USA.

Whether prospecting, recruiting, or networking, your LinkedIn bio and summary are your opportunity to let your audience know who you are and what you do. That's why it's essential to make a good—and lasting—impression. 

Starting and running a new business can be daunting. There are myriad factors to consider: How do you write a business plan? How do you choose the right marketing strategy? What are your legal requirements?

NAIFA’s) Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) has received a 2022 Power of Associations Gold Award from ASAE, the Center for Association Leadership. The Power of Associations Awards honor “associations that go above and beyond their everyday mission to undertake initiatives that have far-reaching benefits important to their profession or industry.”

National Financial Awareness Day is the perfect time to talk to your clients about financial literacy. 

Did you know?

• Only 32% of American families maintain a monthly budget.
• Half of American households live paycheck to paycheck.
• 58% of Americans have less than $1,000 saved.

Congratulations to the NAIFA members who earned the Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP) certification during the July testing window.

• Julianne Hertel, LACP, (loyal member since 2009), financial advisor and founder at Dream Big Wealth Strategies, LLC, in Worcester, MA

• Robert Edgin, LACP, (loyal member since 2004), insurance agent and registered representative at American National in Colorado Springs, CO

• Matthew Georgopulos, LACP, (loyal member since 2022), insurance agent at Muir Insurance Group in Lake Zurich, IL

Join us at NAIFA's Apex Sales Summit the week of August 15 for the Learning Lab "Bridge Your Gap," presented by P2P Group President and CEO Jim Effner.

In the session, Effner will share insights from his decades in the insurance and financial services industry, including how to bridge “the gap” and overcome the divide between advisors’ performance and their potential. 

Join "the new face of finance" for the Learning Lab, "How to Create a Powerful Message by Winning Stages," exclusively at NAIFA's Apex Sales Summit.

Caleb Guilliams will bring the engaging conversation and perspective of his BetterWealth Podcast live to you. This interactive coaching session will introduce concepts that are largely unknown and barely utilized among advisors. However, once learned and leveraged, Caleb’s insights can change everything.

On August 10, 2022, tune in for "DEI Success: From Making a Great Hire to Serving a Wider Audience."

Presented by InsuranceNewsNet, this special webinar will feature two NAIFA members: Toni L. Gonzales, MBA, LACP, VP of Sales at Ohio National Financial Services and VP of Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS) and Kristen Hall Eskew, VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at OneDigital.

Join us for a special Learning Lab, "8 Core Business Principles for Transformative Growth," happening at NAIFA's Apex Sales Summit on Thursday, August 18 at 1 pm and 2 pm.

Founder of The 8% Nation Conference, and starting in the insurance industry at just 20 years old, Cody Askins will share his life-changing insights in this interactive coaching session. In his keynote presentation, you can learn more about Cody's innovative system that created eight companies, totaling more than $30 million in annual revenue.

A career as a financial advisor or insurance agent can be incredibly rewarding. Financial advisors have flexibility, high earning potential, and can sleep at night knowing their work helps others become more financially literate and secure. Nonetheless, big rewards don't come easily. 

NAIFA is a proud member of the Coalition for Equity in Wholesaling (CEW), a group founded by Equitable to increase the number of diverse professionals in the role of insurance wholesaler. Wholesalers play an important role by building relationships with insurance and financial advisors and providing them with insurance and investment products that meet the specific needs of consumers. These partnerships are key to ensuring that all Americans have access to insurance and financial products, services, and advice. 

In the past decade, the insurance and financial services industry has undergone massive changes. As a result, fewer people are applying to be agents and advisors, and even fewer are staying in the industry after their first 3-5 years in the game. 

With new regulations, it's more difficult than ever to stand out, but you can build a successful career with the right knowledge, motivation, and guidance. 

Read on for tips to help you on your journey toward building a long-lasting career in insurance and financial services.

What’s your money story? 

In California Broker, Win Havir, CPCU, CLF, LUTCF, LACP, tells her “money story” of growing up in East Los Angeles as the child of an immigrant. Her father, who immigrated from China as a child, would often say “We don’t have any money.” Havir talks about the effect this mantra had on her developing inner narrative, saying, “I was embarrassed and didn’t understand why we stood in line to get huge blocks of orange cheese, powdered milk, and a loaf of white bread.” However, this mindset helped her be empathetic and help others develop financial literacy. 

Join us on July 8, 2022, at 11 am eastern for the webinar "Retirement Risks in a Post-COVID World."

Financial services speaker and bestselling author Joseph Jordan will identify the challenges facing the insurance and financial services industry after the COVID-19 pandemic ends and address the six retirement risks consumers should consider:

• Longevity – Risk of Outliving Assets
• Market and Interest Rate Risk
• Withdrawal Rate Risk
• Sequence of Return Risk
• Purchasing Power/Inflation Risk
• Health Risks

The purpose of NAIFA is to advocate for, educate, and differentiate its members in the industry. NAIFA Arizona member Thomas Shultz understands the need for an advisor to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. From the way he prospects for clients, the name he has given his practice, and the credentials he has pursued, Shultz takes every opportunity to stand out in the industry.

Shultz has set up his firm as Medicare specialists who help clients with Medicare supplement plans, a prescription drug plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan and then, as appropriate, transition them to a broader financial planning client. All his clients come through Medicare marketing. He says his experience shows, “If you do a good job servicing that book of business, you’re able to get to a lot of assets.”

Congratulations to loyal NAIFA member Gilbert Mares, MPA, LUTCF, 2022 winner of the prestigious Will G. Farrell Public Service Award!

Obstacles can open a whole new world of opportunities for growth and success. Han Suk Kim, a New York Life financial professional and agent, took every obstacle thrown his way with grace and resiliency, cultivating a successful career and giving back to the community in Fort Lee, NJ. 

Han Suk Kim, CLTC, LACP, Chairman’s Council 2021; The Chairman’s Council is an annual New York Life recognition program based on agent production from July 1-June 30. Kim has achieved membership with The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) since his first year with New York Life and has been a NAIFA member since 2008. The Million Dollar Round Table, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals, is recognized globally as the standard of excellence for life insurance sales performance in the insurance and financial services industry. Kim is an established agent and financial professional who has been with New York Life for over 16 years in Fort Lee, NJ, with an impressive record of accomplishments. 

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to return in-person for our NAIFA’s 7th Annual Diversity Symposium on May 23, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Presented by NAIFA’s Talent Development Center, NAIFA’s 7th Annual Diversity Symposium will focus on the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the insurance and financial services industry to provide opportunities for financial security to all Americans.

The NAIFA Foundation for Financial Security, created by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), aims to grow the number of ethical financial services professionals to better serve American households and small businesses. By increasing the pool of practicing advisors, the Foundation will advance financial literacy and promote financial security among all Americans with an emphasis on traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations.

Don’t miss NAIFA’s 7th Annual Diversity Symposium on May 23, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Each year, NAIFA spotlights the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the insurance and financial services industry to provide opportunities for financial security to all Americans.

This year’s event will take place on May 23, immediately followed by the kickoff of NAIFA’s 2022 Annual Congressional Conference. Join powerful industry DEI thought leaders for this free event.

Join us on April 29, 2022, at 2 pm eastern for the special webinar "Compliance & Home Equity Conversion Mortgages."

NAIFA Trustee Jamie Hopkins Esq., LLM, CFP, ChFC, CLU, RICP, Managing Partner of Wealth Solutions at Carson Group, and Harlan Accola, CRMP, National Reverse Mortgage Director of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, will discuss how reverse mortgage loans are being used as a financial planning tool to maximize cash flow, reduce taxes, and minimize risks.

What happens if you die without a will? Who needs a trust? What other important documents should you consider?

Join us on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 2 pm eastern to learn the answers to these questions and more in the special webinar "What Everyone Should Know About Estate Planning."

After 10 years working in the corporate office of American National Insurance Company in Springfield, MO, Stephanie Hohenshell was recruited into the field. She loved her career in the corporate office, so it was a big step to resign from that job to take on the role of a 1099 advisor. It took about a year and a half of encouragement before she made the leap. Seven years later, she only wishes she had done it sooner.

Are you looking around wondering why other financial professionals are doing better than you? Maybe you’re looking for the right niche or just want to up your game. Either way, you must know the best kept secrets successful financial advisors use to up level their business.

1. Get to know your clients

Don’t just get to know how much money your client has or what assets they own, but instead, get to know all areas of their lives. What makes them tick? What are they passionate about? These answers may not affect their financial goals, but when you’re marketing your business, you’ll know what your clients love.

On December 6, 2021, OneAmerica announced strategic leadership changes in its Individual Life and Financial Services (ILFS) line of business aimed at strengthening distribution, recruiting, and business development operations. New ILFS appointments include:

Apply today to take the LACP exam during January! The final deadline is December 15, 2021. NAIFA members receive a $200 discount on the application. There is a $50 late sign-up fee, but NAIFA members can use the code Late50 for a $50 discount when applying.

Join OneAmerica for “One for All: Delivering the Experience That Matters to You” on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at 2 pm eastern. This will be the final session of this season's Leading Tomorrow speaker series.  

The session will provide a recap of 2021 at OneAmerica and a preview of what’s in store for 2022. The speakers will discuss OneAmerica’s commitment to growth, diversity and inclusivity, and financial strength and stability.

Over six months ago their journey began, six students in NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) embarked on a path of study, introspection, and personal growth. On Tuesday November 19th, these students were joined by NAIFA President Tom Michel and 40 LILI alumni for an online commencement celebration.

Themes of self-improvement, perseverance through tragedy, and life-long friendships formed in the LILI class were in evidence as each graduate took time to share their LILI story.

A past president of NAIFA Los Angeles, incoming president of the Los Angeles chapter of Women in Financial Services (WIFS), and graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI), Joanna Dellosa is a proven leader. So, it is no surprise she was one of the first advisors to earn the Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP) certification when it was launched in 2017.

NAIFA congratulates the members who earned the Life and Annuity Certified Professional (LACP) certification during the July testing window:

The financial services industry is overlooking or underserving a potentially huge and growing market according to a new study from the Center for Economic Empowerment and Equality, part of The American College of Financial Services.

Join us in congratulating Christopher L. Gandy and Brian Haney, winners of this year’s ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Award in Diversity and Inclusion.

Swapan Munshi, LACP, is a principal with Council Financial & Insurance Services in San Francisco and a member of NAIFA California. Born in the United States to parents who immigrated from India, Munshi grew up watching his father develop and maintain a successful financial services practice by building great relationships with his clients. But Munshi’s father never tried to bring him into the business. Instead, he encouraged him to chart his own path. Munshi found his purpose and initial career helping people through difficult times as a mental health care professional working with individuals in Veterans Administration hospitals and the state prison system.

Today is the last day of National Hispanic American Heritage Month. We want to give a shout-out to NAIFA-Connecticut for the programming they offered to honor the contributions of Hispanic-Americans this month. Frank Emanuele, Jr., FICF, Connecticut National Committeeperson and loyal member since 2011, stated, "We are very excited to have offered these programs in our community. I'm very proud to have been involved in this program. This is truly my passion." Each of these events touched on the importance of financial literacy and NAIFA's mission to achieve financial security for all.

The Board of NAIFA-New Jersey is proud to announce that the state chapter's annual meeting will be held on October 19, 2021. The event will be held from 9 am - 12 pm as a virtual event for the health of all participants.

Newly released findings from the 2021 Barometer Study reveal the majority of Black Americans own life insurance (56%), up three percentage points from 2020 and four percentage points higher than the general population. Yet this still represents a 19-point gap from the 75% of Black Americans who believe they need life insurance.

Carina Hatfield, LUTCF, CLCS, LACP, is the owner of Weigner Insurance & Financial Services Inc. and recently served as a subject matter expert in the development of the new LACP online prep course. Located in Pottstown, PA, Hatfield's practice serves small businesses and young families in southeastern Pennsylvania. Her clients are quintessential Main Street USA.

NAIFA is proud to announce the general availability of its online version of the Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) program. The online version of LILI is a new extension of the product line that allows for participants to undertake the six-month program without the need to travel.

NAIFA’s 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Week is a virtual event featuring three days of programming, April 6-8. Presentations and discussions will focus on increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion withing the insurance and financial industry and providing needed products, services, and advice to traditionally underserved communities.

Mary Greene is a Black woman who became a financial advisor with Prudential after working for several Fortune 500 firms in other industries. Prudential offered four things she says are necessary for young advisors to make it: Name recognition among prospective clients, a strong training program, solid support from her manager and managing director, and a feeling of confidence that she “could flourish and really bring some great things to the clients because of the needs of the African American community.”

NAIFA is pleased to announce that Prudential has approved the Life and Annuities Certified Professional (LACP) certification for use by the agents and advisors who provide its products. The LACP demonstrates a professional knowledge of life and annuity products and an ethical approach to sales.

NAIFA is now accepting nominations and applications for its 2021 awards, recognizing outstanding leadership, performance, and achievement that differentiates NAIFA members from their colleagues in the insurance and financial services industry. NAIFA bestows these annual awards as programs of the Talent Development Center, which recognizes exemplary NAIFA members, promotes professional growth, and encourages a new generation of agents and advisors to join the business.

ASAE recognizes NAIFA’s efforts to bolster insurance and financial professionals who are new to the industry.

Advisor Today, the official publication of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, is pleased to announce the winners of its 2020 Four Under Forty awards: Andrew Bartling, FIC, LACP, of Modern Woodmen of America in Rapid City, SD; Richard M. Demko II, LUTCF, LACP, of Guardian Group in The Woodlands, TX; Samuel G. Sones, LUTCF, of Lincoln County Farm Bureau in Brookhaven, MS; and Joyce J. Yoo, of Wisely Financial in San Francisco.

In sports, it's known as a hot streak and there can be little doubt that Chris Gandy is on one...again. According to the NCAA, the chances of going pro in men's basketball is 1.2% beyond high school, but Gandy did it. The chances of making it through the first years in the financial services industry is often cited as less than 15%, but Gandy did it. Being featured in GQ? Done that. Top producer in OneAmerica? He's got that accolade, too. Making the cover of your industry's magazine? Check. President of NAIFA-Chicagoland? Game on. Key stakeholder in the future of the premier association in the financial services industry that is the voice of the American advisor? He's our guy.

During yesterday’s Life Happens webinar, attendees gained some helpful hints on recruiting people of color (POCs) from two industry experts: Delvin Joyce, CLU, ChFC, RICP, Founder and President of Prosperity Wealth Group based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Kristen Eskew, a Business Development Executive at OneDigital in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Carina Hatfield, LUTCF, LACP, CLCS, of Spring City, PA, is the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year for 2020.

Stephen Kagawa, LUTCF, FSS, of Monrovia, Calif., has been recognized as the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ 2020 Diversity Champion. Kagawa is CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Pacific Bridge Companies.