The 2018 MDRT Evolution of Advice National Roadshow brought three high-achieving and prominent MDRT member advisers from the United States and the United Kingdom to Australia with stops in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
Australian advisers heard from the UK’s David Braithwaite (Citrus Financial) and two former Past Presidents of MDRT – Jennifer Borislow (Borislow Insurance) and Brian Heckert (Financial Solutions Midwest).
Braithwaite encouraged his Australian peers to ‘do what you can’t’, that is to take on the challenges that people say are hard or impossible to achieve, reminding them that “…non-action is the single biggest reason that we fail”, and that “…embracing fear also means embracing growth.”
He also spoke about the challenges of recruiting and retaining the right staff to build an advice business but also letting go of those that don’t fit the business model anymore saying, “Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a long time making it”.
Using her business as an example, Borislow spoke about how advisers can create a ‘wow’ experience for their client by engaging in ‘over and above’ efforts which sometime took leaps of faith as well as the ability to identify new ways of engagement, instead of being restricted to conventional methods.
Coming from a more philosophical direction, Hecker reflected on leadership, wisdom, and values and ask advisers at the Roadshow to consider who they were as individuals, and as business people, and how they added value for the clients they serve.
He added that the value he brings to clients was not related to products but the wisdom he offers and the best measure of an adviser’s success is determined by the quality of their relationships with clients. “Success is not about the money. it’s about the relationships we have,” said Heckert.