What’s your reputation number?

I live in Missouri. I grew up here and I plan to stay put. However – my business is all over the country and yet, everyone seems to think financial services has such a wonderful reputation no matter where they are and I am here to tell you that’s an ‘alternative fact’ and there’s a…

After divorce…my story

I want you to imagine walking out of a Michael’s Arts & Crafts store…your twin grandsons are fighting over a doughnut while you are grabbing up their hands to make sure they stay safe from cars passing by. It was warm outside that day and as I approached my SUV, my cellphone rang. Then my…

#FridayReads – Make Trouble by John Waters

So I’m not gonna lie…I picked up this book because it was pink and black…my favorite colors together on the planet. Say it…I’m shallow. (I already know…) I told you in previous #FridayReads posts I have really been into commencement speeches lately and this 70-page book is a revisit of John Waters’ address to the…

What does leadership in 2017 look like?

Quite possibly one of the number one comments I hear from financial service professionals today is, “I’ve been doing my business for blah-blah years and I find social media doesn’t make any difference.” I nod my head and say, “Keep doing what you’ve been doing then” and go about my business, but we all know…

Making a difference is hard work!

Ok, financial services community – I’m admitting something…I really stunk at math in school. There…I said it out loud. If Mr. Grimes at Fort Zumwalt North High School in O’Fallon, Missouri had not graded on a curve in 10th grade, I likely would have failed geometry. I stopped taking math classes pretty much after that…

Time to get focused!

This is a very serious question for my friends in financial services, “Would you know your ideal client if you met them online?” Seems trivial, right? You’re thinking, “Of course, I would!” Are you really sure though? I want to walk you through an exercise today and if you’re brutally honest with yourself, you’ll love the…

Holiday cards – what’s their ROI?

So this picture right here is the holiday card I received from our property and casualty agent for Thanksgiving. I guess I should give them props for using Hallmark, but they didn’t care to send their very best when they mailed me a card: …using an automated service …and I’ve still not heard from this…

Reminder – Use your LinkedIn Mobile App!

Back in March 2016, I reminded financial services professionals about downloading the improved LinkedIn mobile application. After several weeks of being on the road and spending hours with countless amounts of financial advisors, I find few have this application on their phone. This is your reminder – download the app! ========================================= I thought one of…

#FridayReads – Deconstructing Digital by Sheri Fitts

I’m never quite sure when I hear Sheri Fitts name now if I think of her Newfoundland, Aboo, first or the chlorophyll lemonade recommended by her on our recent breakfast together at Harlow’s in Portland, Oregon. Either way – Sheri Fitts is unforgettable in everything she does, including her book “Deconstructing Digital“. Much like Sheri,…

Are Push Notifications Pushing You Away?

Ding, ding, ding went the bell…but it’s more likely your smartphone. Judy Garland was talking about your heart in the Trolley Song, but today’s phones are clanging, dinging and zinging and nobody’s actually talking. So what’s all the noise about? Push notifications. Today I will share the pros and cons of push notifications as it relates to…

Need More Content? Check this out!

“Content is the reason search began in the first place.”  Lee Odden said this and it’s truer than true. Financial service professionals struggle with content. It seems I hear on the daily: I can’t find content for my followers. I don’t have time to write my own content. I wish all the content was located…