Category: Build Your Practice

Sam Halpern – Online Insurance Marketing Pioneer and Innovator

Sam has been marketing and selling insurance on the Internet since January of 1999, gaining national prominence as an expert in travel insurance, international benefits and war risk insurance before transitioning focus to the senior market in 2004. Transferring lessons learned from online travel insurance, Sam developed innovative, first generation web-based tools and services throughout the 2000s for producers in the senior market to access and distribute high quality/high volume leads from vendors, associations and carriers, then quote and sell Medicare Supplement insurance, leveraging proprietary SMS technology comprising secure email, single-sign-on authentication, and various electronic signature methods in order to integrate with the then burgeoning electronic applications adopted by the leading national carriers.

Sam helped develop the industry’s first electronic scope of appointment process, healthcare provider look up and Medicare Advantage network filter; Medicare Blue Button integration. These groundbreaking tools and services —  available exclusively via SMS’ proprietary lead management and sales platform Lead Advantage Pro — helps agents “leverage their time, make more money and put their business in a position of distinction.” With the explosive growth of mobile devices and increased expectation by agents and Medicare beneficiaries that they have 24/7 online access to services, on multiple operating systems and browsers, devices. On a daily basis Sam leverages his deep relationships with SMS colleagues, life/health insurance carriers, agencies as well as insure-tech and health-tech vendors, to create value for SMS and its distribution partners by identifying and exploiting the cutting edge APIs, data and services that will help SMS maintain and extend its sales and technology leadership position in the senior market as well its favored status among top producers and leading national insurers.

https://seniormarketsales.com/

Andrew Wynn: Co-Founder of Ascend

In this episode we are excited to share a conversation with Silicon Valley virtuoso and Ascend co-founder, Andrew Wynn.  Take a few minutes to learn about this innovation which facilitates funds flow through the various stakeholders in insurance, all while prioritizing your customer’s experience.

Bio: Ascend is co-founded by insurtech entrepreneur Andrew Wynn (Co-CEO) who previously started home maintenance startup Sheltr, which was acquired by Hippo in 2020. During his time at Sheltr and Hippo, he saw how fast the insurance industry was modernizing, yet insurance sellers were still struggling with customer experiences due to outdated payment processes. Before Sheltr, Andrew was an early employee at Instacart, leading the company’s product and data integration team.

For more information, visit: www.useascend.com.

Chris Gandy: Chicagoland NAIFA President and MDRT Financial Advisor

Take a few minutes to listen to a conversation with Chris Gandy.  Learn how Chris grew his business by helping his clients create custom financial strategies designed to help make their dream retirement lifestyle a reality.  In 1999, Chris started his own firm and, since then, has worked with business owners, physicians, professional athletes and key executives all over the country. Chris focuses on the areas of life insurance, disability income insurance, investments and tax-efficient strategies.

After playing basketball for the Fighting Illini at the University of Illinois, where he was co-captain and earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors, Chris played professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs.  After his time in the NBA, and before founding his own agency, Chris worked as a Northwestern Mutual Financial network representative. While there, he became a Million Dollar Round Table Member.   So take a few minutes to learn from the best!

www.midwestlegacygroupllc.com

Harley Gordon – How to Have The Conversation about Long-Term Care

Attorney Harley Gordon is a nationally recognized authority on long-term care issues. He has been voted one of the “100 Most Influential People in Long-Term Care” by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and was also named one of the “10 Most Influential People in Long-Term Care” by Senior Market Advisor. His book, How to Protect Life Savings from Catastrophic Illness, with over 150,000 copies in print, along with his newest book, In Sickness & In Health, helps consumers understand the devastating emotional and financial consequences of long-term care. Mr. Gordon is also a founding member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a professional organization that deals with legal and ethical issues facing the elderly.

Mr. Gordon’s views on long-term care financing have been featured in the PBS Frontline documentary, “Who Pays for Mom and Dad,” The Wall Street Journal, and the CBS Evening News. He has lectured extensively to consumers and professionals alike, about the importance of planning for long-term care. He has been a featured speaker at Million Dollar Round Table’s (MDRT’s) “Top of the Table,” the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), and the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU). He is currently working on a consulting basis with the Massachusetts Division of Medical Assistance in order to reform Medicaid eligibility.

https://www.ieadvisors.net/

Jay Stubbs – A Personal Perspective on How to Grow Your Business

Jay Stubbs is celebrating over 20 years in the financial services industry. He has been a qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table, served as President of the NAIFA chapter in his hometown of Mobile, AL, as well as the President of NAIFA-Alabama. He is past President of the Estate Planning Council in Mobile, serves on the Planned Giving Council and also serves on the PREP Advisory Board for the Mitchell College of Business at the University of South Alabama. Jay is a Regional Director for First Protective, a Brokerage General Agency and wholly owned subsidiary of Protective Life. He works with financial service professionals along the Gulf Coast, providing them with sound advice on how to grow their business. Jay celebrates life with his wife Kasey and four children.

http://www.firstprotective.com/

Troy Korsgaden – Discussion Partner, A Radical Transformation to Unrivaled Service in the Insurance Industry

DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND! The insurance industry is going through a revolution, but too many carriers, brokers, agents, and team members aren’t keeping up with the changes. Today we live in an Amazon.com world of convenience, information, and choices. People expect every product and service – including insurance – to be as easy and efficient to purchase as a book or piece of luggage. In this book, Troy invites you to wake up to the radical transformation taking place in the insurance industry. Follow his advice and earn the right to be trusted by existing clients and new prospects. Eventually, all of us will become multi-line reps, selling a wide range of products and services. To compete in the market, we have to excel in providing unrivaled service.

http://www.korsgaden.com

#2 – Who Uses Cyber Security?

The internet’s philosophy of open communication permits us to express ourselves freely. It also leaves us immensely vulnerable. Criminals depend on the cyber world to conduct their illegal activities just as industriously as legitimate business and ethical people do. Unfortunately, the illegal and unethical use of cyber technology has made your job more complicated. Knowing what types of activities are the most vulnerable will help you in your efforts to protect yourself, your employees, and your clients.

http://www.adbanker.com

#1 – Developing Common Cyber Security Sense

Did you know that human error continues to be one of the most significant causes of data and security breaches? In today’s world these risks and exposures come into play with just about everything we do. Experiencing a security compromise can include not only the ones we usually think about such as when we make online purchases with credit or debit cards or with spam e-mail or cell phone calls. It also can come from unexpected places such as signals which are emitted from our car or airplane navigation systems, or unauthorized access to your medical records or the transmission of data to and from medical devices such as pacemakers.

http://www.adbanker.com/

Andrew Jewell – Top Producer

Andy Jewell is a successful insurance agent located in historic downtown Lynden, Washington. Andy works diligently to help clients understand how insurance can help them and protect them from loss due to risks they encounter daily in their personal and business lives. In the twelve years Andy has been with Farmers Insurance, he has attended achievement clubs with the company multiple times. He was awarded Topper Club eight times, Championship six times, and President’s Counsel 3 times. Andy finds satisfaction in seeing a client who has suffered a loss be helped back to their normal life. He and his staff are committed to helping his clients through any claims process. Andy lives in nearby Everson with his wife and five children.

https://agents.farmers.com/wa/lynden/andrew-jewell

Matt Wolk – Top Manager

Matthew Wolk is a very successful and award winning District Manager with Farmers Insurance Group in St. Louis, Missouri. He has been named District Manager of the Year 5 of the past 6 years and has over 80 producers and store fronts he assists to achieve their goals. Matt’s personal insurance career began as a producer himself in 2000 just as he graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia, MIZZOU.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwolk