Members Blog

Start your January with two of our Member-to-Member programs returning this month: Wake Up Wednesdays with Marques Ogden and Sales Coaching Sessions with Dan Finley. Wake Up Wednesday will return on Wednesday, January 15th at 9 am eastern. Dan Finley's Sale Coaching sessions return on Thursday, January 23rd at 4 pm eastern. New in 2025, Dan's sessions will be hosted on Zoom to make the most of your sessions!

One-third of financial advisors are predicted to retire in the next 10 years, creating an opportunity for advisors looking to grow or sell their practice. Join NAIFA member, David Wood, for the "M&A Summit: Opportunity of a Lifetime", offered virtually on January 7th at 1 pm eastern. Industry professionals come together for an in-depth exploration of mergers and acquisitions and learn how to harness the wave of retiring advisors to capitalize on this opportunity. 

NAIFA's MentorLoop is designed to foster professional development, enhance skill-building and create a supportive network within our membership. Whether members are looking to mentor someone, or seek guidance themselves, this platform provides a structured framework to facilitate these valuable connections.

Here are a few key features of NAIFA’s MentorLoop:

It's hard to believe that we are more than halfway through December. That means 2025 will be here before we know it. Before the clock strikes midnight, be sure that you have all of the resources and materials you need to get your chapter prepared for a smooth start to 2025. Here are 5 simple things you can do right now:

When kids read, they succeed! That’s why Everybody Wins DC (EWDC) works hard to share the power of reading with thousands of children each year. This holiday season, NAIFA wants to help EWDC do even more to help inspire students to love to read. That’s why NAIFA has joined the 2024 challenge to help kids build engaging and inspiring home libraries.

Are you looking for industry insights, inspiring stories, and actionable advice to elevate your career in financial services? Look no further than NAIFA’s Advisor Today podcast series! Hosted by NAIFA 2026 President, Christopher Gandy, LACP and NAIFA VP of Membership, Suzanne Carawan, this engaging podcast brings you conversations with some of the brightest minds and most accomplished professionals in the financial services industry. Our latest episode features John Davidson, LUTCF, FSS, who shares insights on leadership, mentorship, and balancing personal and professional life.

John's remarkable 44-year career in the financial services industry is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and purpose. As a US Army veteran, past national president of NAIFA, and the 2023 recipient of NAIFA’s prestigious Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award, John has left an indelible mark on the industry. His journey, deeply intertwined with personal values and a commitment to financial planning, serves as an inspiration to both seasoned professionals and those just starting their careers.

Life Happens has unveiled a new set of assets for Insure Your Love Month (February 2025) specially curated as a benefit for NAIFA members. Please spread the word in your chapter that these resources are available so members can begin planning to use them in February.

During the month of November, members with annual renewals in January 2025 were encouraged to renew early. All members with annual memberships expiring in January 2025 who renewed by November 30th were entered into a drawing for a $100 Visa Gift Card. Larry Stephens was selected as the winner! Larry is a State Farm agent and has been a loyal NAIFA member in Seymour, TN since 1979.  More than 300 members participated by renewing their membership in advance of 2025!

NAIFA is pleased to partner with the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts to offer NAIFA members their RSSA® certificate and resources at a reduced price. Gain a competitive edge by leveraging Social Security planning as a gateway to broader financial advisory services and establish yourself as a trusted financial professional in an increasingly complex financial landscape. 

About the RSSA eLearning Curriculum

The RSSA® eLearning Curriculum includes five comprehensive self-study modules. The online educational platform provides you with a solid knowledge of Social Security and Medicare rules including the following: spousal and family benefits, claiming strategies, government pension offset, windfall elimination provision, acronym definitions including PIA and FRA, retirement income taxation, survivor and disability benefits, delayed retirement benefits, Medicare Part A and Part B, when and what to file.

You will receive RSSA Roadmap® Software with Training, Social Security Education,
RSSA® Competency Final Exam, first year of NARSSA Membership, plus continuing education credits.

This summer, NAIFA kicked off a new Member-to-Member Program, the P&C Study Group. This group has consistently met monthly to discuss topics ranging from incorporating more life insurance sales to leveraging AI in your practice. The P&C Study group is open to all NAIFA members, regardless of practice specialty. Help us plan for 2025 by taking our brief survey to identify future topics, volunteer to moderate, and determine the date and time for the monthly call.

NAIFA's Life Happens Community will debut a new Real Life Story at 10 AM eastern on November 25. The production features NAIFA Secretary Chris Gandy, LACP, and his clients, the Saban family. Debuting during Long-Term Care Awareness Month, the educational story showcases how long-term care insurance gave a couple what they valued most: choice. Their planning safeguarded the assets they had worked a lifetime to build, ensuring their financial legacy could be passed down to their children and grandchildren.

Great news! NAIFA members' consumer-facing directory is now hosted on Life Happens! The new "Find a Financial Professional" directory search can be found on lifehappens.org. With more than 70,000 site visits per month and marketed directly to consumers, we are amplifying your presence as a trusted financial professional.

During this month of giving thanks, we want to thank you for belonging to your professional home. Your commitment to NAIFA is what makes us strong, united, and effective. We are grateful for the expertise, passion, and dedication you bring to our association.  Discover new ways to lead, inspire, and give back as we grow our NAIFA family together.

We're offering two sessions of our member benefits webinar as we start to look towards 2025. Join us on November 18th at 3 pm eastern or December 4th at 2 pm eastern for a special webinar as we celebrate all the benefits we're thankful for at NAIFA. We'll share all there is to love about being a member of your association and how to make the most of your membership.

Are you following our new campaign on social media? "Overachieve in Life" is a great way for us to showcase our members living their best life...and how a career in insurance and financial services allows them to have a great work/life balance to pursue their passions. Be sure that you are following NAIFA on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram as we continue to publish this series.

On November 11, our nation will celebrate, honor, and remember our Veterans. Our Veteran's Day episode of the Advisor Today Podcast will feature Joshua Herrington-Vickers, a former United States Air Force Airman serving from 2009 to 2015 before entering the financial services industry. Joshua was deployed to Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Tune in to hear his story.

The difference between the financial advice you’re likely to receive from mainstream financial “gurus” and the customized, math-based advice your retirement plan requires is what NAIFA member, David McKnight calls “the guru gap.” This is a gap into which hundreds of thousands of good investors unwittingly fall by embracing the flawed, math-be-darned retirement planning advice dispensed by America’s mainstream financial personalities.

 Join best-selling author, and industry thought leader David McKnight for one of his upcoming three webinars as he previews his upcoming book The Guru Gap: How America’s Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray and How to Get Back on Track. 

Named one of the top 10 business speakers in North America in December 2023 by New York Tech, Marques Ogden provides NAIFA members an exclusive opportunity to connect with him each month. Join him for Wake Up Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month at 9 am eastern (next session is next week November 6th). Marques's sessions focus on being performance-driven, emotionally resilient, and leveraging discipline to accomplish more. He refers to this as the "pursuit of the unbreakable mindset." Through these sessions, Marques is committed to equipping participants with the knowledge they need to thrive.

We are #NAIFAproud to announce that we have presented 1,223 NAIFA Quality Awards for 2024. The NAIFA Quality Awards (NQA) have stood as the hallmark for outstanding client care in our industry since 1945. We especially thank our company supporters, Southern Farm Bureau, Modern Woodmen, and COUNTRY Financial. Check out the list of the 2024 Recipients now available online.

As part of November's Long-Term Care Awareness Month, NAIFA is kicking off the Peak 65 Series and starting with a virtual Impact Day to explore topics within lifetime healthcare. Join industry thought leaders and subject matter experts for a free, virtual TED-talk-style event that showcases our expanded Center that now covers topics such as: 

• longevity
• caregiving
• Medicare
• vitality
• extended care 

The expanded Center is also now looking for brand ambassadors! Are you a financial service professional who practices in an area that touches topics in lifetime health? If so, please let us know so that we can talk about how to get you more involved and part of the brain trust!

We are always looking for ways to help amplify the NAIFA brand, promote our members, and encourage more financial professionals to join our association. The number one thing you can do is to refer a new member to NAIFA. The easiest way to do this is to use the referral form to send names to the Membership department. We also have a new "Why I Belong" pdf that we can personalize with your photo and the top 5 reasons you choose to belong to your professional association. (Thanks to Joanna Dellosa and Paul Szkotak for volunteering to be first! Download their PDFs to see why they chose NAIFA.)

The 2024 election is only a handful of days away! Think you can predict the outcome? Try your luck with IFAPAC’s Election Game – whether you’re a professional prognosticator or taking a shot in the dark, with the polls being as close as they are, anything is possible!   

During the Membership Session of the National Leadership Conference, NAIFA Trustee and Membership Vice Chair Carina Hatfield announced the winning chapters from the Summer Membership Challenge. 

The NAIFA 2030 Strategic Plan was approved by the Board of Trustees in September and is now available here.

The plan initially was drafted by a cross-section of NAIFA members, staff, and industry professionals who served on the strategic planning committee, then reviewed by a stakeholder review team, and enhanced by further feedback from NAIFA leaders, as well as NAIFA past presidents, general membership, and an internal staff team. 

If you attended the National Leadership Conference last month in Arizona, you were able to get a glimpse of some of the great things happening across NAIFA Nation. Even if you were not able to attend, don't worry! NAIFA membership is hosting a special a special session to review some of the latest and greatest programs and initiatives NAIFA has to offer. Join us on Monday, October 14th at 2 pm eastern. This session will provide tips, tools, and insights to close 2024 strong and set you up for success in 2025.

This October, we’re bringing back some of our Apex speakers for the Advisor Ambassador Accelerator Academy to enhance your professional skills. And get ready for a truly unforgettable experience as we welcome Hall of Fame speaker Walter Bond! Walter will empower you to elevate your career like never before. Don't miss this chance to learn from one of the best in the business!

Earlier this year, NAIFA rolled out a series of Member-To-Member programs, one of which was the P&C Study Group. NAIFA-Missouri Past President, Jennifer Hodges, approached NAIFA staff about how we can acquire, engage, and retain more P&C agents. From that conversation, the NAIFA P&C Study Group was formed.

NAIFA's 100% Agency and Financial Security Champion programs allow your agency or firm to fully support NAIFA membership while promoting and elevating your agency/firm's brand. Participating firms and agencies are listed on our consumer site and receive additional publicity and program discounts. Learn how your agency or firm can display the 100% Agency or Financial Security Champion logo and be a part of NAIFA Nation.

Last week more than 90 of the nearly 400 Triangle Team members made the trek to the Arizona Biltmore for the 2024 Apex and National Leadership Conference. Members who qualify for the Triangle Team were treated to early entrance to the Welcome Reception. This was one way that we recognize and thank our most engaged members. Check out the full list of Triangle Team members.

Last month, NAIFA members were joined by Matt Leitterman and Melissa Gwennap for an in-depth discussion about Humana’s Medicare Supplement products, value-added services, competitive positions, and earning potential. Catch what you may have missed on demand and better understand how you can support your clients' needs with the Humana team.  

Congratulations to Dick Porter for his second win this week in the IFAPAC College Football Pick 'ems! Mr. Porter was the winner of the latest round of Pick ‘Em with 20 points, beating out the second-place winners John Carroll (OK) and John D. Richardson (TN) by one point.

The Chapter Excellence Award (CEA) was launched last year to recognize the success of those Chapters who have excelled in providing a quality member experience to their members, as determined by their Chapter Agreement Compliance, their Chapter Health Rating and membership growth. Congratulations to this year's Chapter Excellence Award winners! 

Congratulations to Lori Gubash, FIC, CLTC, for completing the Financial Security Advocate Academy, the final piece she needed to become a member of the Triangle Team! As the newest member of the Triangle Team, she'll be among the first attendees at the Welcome Reception during Apex. That's because all Triangle Team members get early access before the rest of the attendees. Just one way to thank our most engaged members!

The College Football season has finally arrived! The IFAPAC Pick 'Em competition is warming up. While last week's games may not have been nail-biters, we saw some upset among Florida, Florida State, and LSU fans... and we also have a tie for our first-week winners!  Congratulations Dick Porter and John Carroll on the week one victory! You've got IFAPAC swag heading your way.

Scott Dorminy is the Top Recruiter for the Month of August 2024! Straight outta Russellville, Arkansas, Scott is part of the Farmers network and runs an agency of his own name. A member since 2015, Scott is a true man of NAIFA action. 

Labor Day is just around the corner and marks the unofficial end of the summer. But before you trade in your tank tops for flannels, here are some ways you can get involved and stay engaged as you head into September.

NAIFA is working with a graduate studies team at Georgetown University to undertake a study on our membership. The pro bono agreement will result in a paper and all contributors/participants will be thanked in the paper and presentation that will be given to NAIFA's National Membership Committee and provided to the Board of Trustees. If you're willing to give 5-7 minutes to complete this survey and/or want to be interviewed by the study leaders, your name will be included in the study to acknowledge your contribution. Thank you in advance for your time and commitment to improving NAIFA!

You can see our team in the picture above as we met today to talk about the project which will conclude in November 2024. To get to know our pro bono consulting team, here are their bios: 

Marvin Jones, MPA, CFAAMA

 Marvin Jones is a retired U.S. Navy Captain with over 41 years of active duty service. He served 11 years as an enlisted member in the U.S. Air Force before accepting a commission as a naval officer in the Navy Medical Service Corps, completing 30 years as a hospital administrator. Throughout his military career, he served in key leadership roles at Navy military treatment facilities and naval commands around the globe. Most notably, he was the Commanding Officer for Naval Health Clinic Charleston, South Carolina, and subsequently served as Commanding Officer/Base Commander for Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB), Maryland, the home of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the nation’s flagship military hospital.

As Base Commander for NSAB, Marv led the delivery of comprehensive installation support services for over 17,000 employees, patients, patrons and daily visitors while enabling mission success for 43 tenant commands and organizations situated on the base. He oversaw the planning and initial activities that set the stage for $750M in health facility construction and renovations, which increased support for Wounded Warriors and facilitated specialized treatment on the installation’s world class medical campus.

One of his most impactful military assignments was as Chief Diversity Officer for Navy Medicine. In this role, he operationalized and oversaw the enterprise’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy planning initiatives, and led DEI workshops for 40,000+ military and civilian healthcare professionals at Navy Medicine facilities geographically dispersed around the world.

Marv remains actively engaged in the healthcare administration field and most recently served as a senior healthcare consultant for the Defense Health Agency. He is also an ICF-trained executive coach, working largely with emerging and senior leaders. In addition to role as President/CEO of TDIF Solutions, he is a VP/Senior Consultant for the nationally-recognized Diversity Training Group, and is a senior Organization Development/DEI practitioner and leadership coach with Truclusion Consulting.

Marv is a Commissioner for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Pathways to Excellence, and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Veterans Health and Wellness Foundation. He is also a board member for the Elimination of Prejudice Foundation and a senior mentor for the National Naval Officer Association.

Not going to Apex and experiencing some FOMO? Or maybe you are going to Apex and want a sneak peek of what you can expect. Join Marques Ogden on Wednesday, September 4th at 9 am. Named one of the top 10 business speakers in North America in December 2023 by New York Tech, Marques provides NAIFA members an exclusive opportunity to connect with him each month. Join him for Wake Up Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month at 9 am eastern. Marques's sessions focus on being performance-driven, emotionally resilient, and leveraging discipline to accomplish more. He refers to this as the "pursuit of the unbreakable mindset." Through these sessions, Marques is committed to equipping participants with the knowledge they need to thrive. 

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is thrilled to announce that Kathleen Owings has been named the 2024 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. This award celebrates outstanding leadership, dedication, and impact within the financial advisory industry, recognizing individuals who exemplify the highest standards of excellence.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is pleased to announce the inaugural class of the NAIFA Hall of Fame to recognize and celebrate members whose extraordinary service and contributions represent the legacy of the most accomplished, impactful, and inspirational members of the NAIFA family. The NAIFA Board of Trustees authorized the creation of the Hall of Fame earlier this year.

“The inaugural members of NAIFA's Hall of Fame not only exemplified leadership within the financial services industry but also steadfast support for NAIFA's mission,” said NAIFA President Tom Cothron, LUTCF, FSCP. “Their unwavering dedication and commitment to NAIFA and the industry were instrumental in advancing policies and shaping the landscape of financial security in America. Their contributions have played significant roles ensuring that families across the nation can achieve their financial goals with confidence.”

Inductees to the Hall of Fame must be members of NAIFA at the time of nomination and induction except in the case of former members who have reached the age of 65 and are retired. Posthumous nominations and inductions are considered.

Members of the inaugural class are:

We've got 20 people who are ready to rumble this fall over their college football pick'ems. Do you think you can beat Diane Boyle, John Carroll, Devon Dardin, Barry Finn, Tamare Fleury, Andrew Holt, Booker Joseph, Stephen Kagawa, Thomas Littleton, Deborah Marcum, Bronwyn Martin, Doug Massey, Dick Porter, Leonard Raskin, John D. Richardson, William Rowell, Gary Ruden, Zach Russell, Cody Schoonover, or Chad Tredway? There's still time! The league will start next week!

Changing the Lens with RQI 

"The advisory profession has long viewed traditional metrics like production, assets under management (AUM), client satisfaction, loyalty, and retention rates as accurate indicators of successful client relationships. While these metrics offer some insight, they overlook the deeper underlying fundamentals. In today’s rapidly changing financial world, advisors need a more holistic approach to fully grasp their impact on clients and the value of their client relationships.

It is hard to believe that November 5th will be here before we know it! NAIFA offers everything you need to ensure you, your clients, and their adult children are prepared and informed this fall. Our Get Out the Vote site equips NAIFA members with voting information and resources. Here are 3 easy things you can do to prepare for the upcoming election.

Do you love football? Did you play football? If you do, then we want to hear from you! We are such a dynamic membership society that is full of pride and passion--we look for every way we can to connect us together, lift each other up, and have fun together.

Football offers us a fun way to bring light to the serious work that our Government Relations team undertakes every day at the state,  interstate, and federal levels. As we gear up for the IFAPAC College Football Challenge, we want to get to know how you feel about football. Take this fun 1-minute survey on your relationship to football and we'll post the results (and who played where) in the coming weeks. Just another fun way to get to know each other within the NAIFA Family.

Congratulations to loyal member Mike Struebing, CLU, LACP, LUTCF, RICP, and his wife Peg on their 50th wedding anniversary! Family and friends gathered to celebrate this milestone with the Struebings a few weeks ago.

August 20, at 12 pm eastern | Registration is open

We are #NAIFAproud to announce the retirement of two loyal members, Sharon Coats of Texas and William Edington, CFP, RICP, of Wisconsin. Please join us in congratulating these members on their more than 25 years of loyal membership!

Do you love football? Did you play football? If you do, then we want to hear from you! We are such a dynamic membership society that is full of pride and passion--we look for every way we can to connect us together, lift each other up, and have fun together. Football offers us a fun way to bring light to the serious work that our Government Relations team undertakes every day at the state,  interstate, and federal levels. Before we run the IFAPAC Pick-'Ems challenge, we want to get to know how you feel about football. Take this fun 1-minute survey on your relationship to football and we'll post the results (and who played where) in the coming weeks. Just another fun way to get to know each other within the NAIFA Family.

It's that time of the year again, Back to School! While you may spend your weekends tracking down school supplies for your children, don't forget to set yourself up for success too! NAIFA's partner Sales Activity Management (SAM) is having a sale on their 2024 SAM Planners. Receive 50% off of a planner with promo code: NAIFA10

We are #NAIFAproud to have welcomed back Life Happens into the NAIFA family earlier this year. This September marks the 21st Anniversary of Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM), and we have LIAM content exclusively available for our members.

NAIFA hosted a special mid-year membership check-in on July 31st. In case you missed the live session, take 40 minutes to watch the recording. Membership recruitment and retention is everyone's responsibility. Throughout the session, you'll hear from NAIFA President Tom Cothron, NAIFA President-Elect Doug Massey, NAIFA Membership Chair Dennis Cuccinelli and NAIFA Membership Vice Chair Carina Hatfield. You'll receive resources and talking points to use when talking to others about the benefits of belonging to NAIFA. The truth is, NAIFA has never had a better value proposition than we do now. All of us need to do what we can to move our association forward.

On the heels of a fascinating discussion of AI and Fintech (see NAIFA Live On-Demand), NAIFA is proud to feature Kacy Seitz, ChFC, CLTC, CHSNC as our August NAIFA Live speaker as she presents Financial Planning for the Special Needs Family. As a special needs parent, Kacy created Whole Story Planning, devoted to helping Special Needs families across the country. Kacy’s fascinating presentation will equip you to better understand the planning needs of any child or adult child with long-term dependency during each stage of life. 

At NAIFA, we’re all about strengthening the insurance and financial services industry by helping advisors grow their knowledge and be their best at serving clients. The Advisor Ambassador Accelerator Academy has been instrumental in that mission.

Are you or someone you know passionate about NAIFA, but not in a formal leadership role (or might be ready to dip their toe in the water, but needs to start small?) We want to hear from you! NAIFA Membership is actively seeking Brand Ambassadors to do light lifts to promote membership growth and engagement. Membership Chairs and all chapter leaders concerned with growth should also attend. Register for our Passion Powers People webinar on July 31st at 12 pm eastern. Even if you are unable to join us live, we will reach out to you and follow up on how you can contribute in meaningful ways that work for you!

Looking for new ways to grow your practice? Seeking innovative strategies? If you are in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, or Omaha...you're in luck! NAIFA is supporting a small road show this month featuring our loyal members, Joe Jordan (2023 John Newton Russell Memorial Award Winner) and Tom Morgan with guest speaker, Billy R. Williams, Ph.D. American Senior Benefits is bringing a powerful lunch and learn event to 3 select markets in July.

One-third of financial advisors are predicted to retire in the next 10 years, creating an opportunity for advisors looking to grow or sell their practice. Join NAIFA member, David Wood, for the "M&A Summit: Opportunity of a Lifetime", offered in-person and virtually throughout the rest of 2024. Industry professionals come together for an in-depth exploration of mergers and acquisitions and learn how to harness the wave of retiring advisors to capitalize on this opportunity. 

We're proud to support David in this Member-to-Member program because we've long heard our members struggle to understand how to value their business, options for succession planning, and practical tips for how to actually sell their business. Advisors in the growth mode of their business are looking to rapidly expand and understand that buying a book of business would catapult them to the next level, but typically don't know where to go or how to go about buying a business (or, how to afford it!) NAIFA is bringing members together to solve both sides of this problem and enabling our membership society to be a safe space for us to learn and work together to achieve win-win results.

This event is designed specifically for financial advisors looking to buy, sell, or merge practices. With a focus on strategic growth, you’ll gain essential tactics and insights on how to become acquisition-ready, leverage the M&A wave, and ensure your practice thrives amidst the evolving landscape of retiring advisors.

David is a recognized thought leader and speaker in the space and will cover the latest trends and best practices in mergers and acquisitions, offering you actionable strategies to maximize the value of your deals and secure a competitive edge in the market.

Named one of the top 10 business speakers in North America in December 2023 by New York Tech, Marques Ogden provides NAIFA members an exclusive opportunity to connect with him each month. Join him for Wake Up Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month at 9 am eastern. Marques's sessions focus on being performance-driven, emotionally resilient, and leveraging discipline to accomplish more. He refers to this as the "pursuit of the unbreakable mindset." Through these sessions, Marques is committed to equipping participants with the knowledge they need to thrive.

In case you missed it, Dan Finley has held free coaching sessions for NAIFA members since the beginning of 2024. These sessions are designed to help you grow personally and professionally.  Dan's next session, Creating an Effective Client-Servicing System will be July 25th at 4 pm eastern. More than 300 members have already experienced these coaching sessions. Don't miss this opportunity for strategies, sales and marketing ideas, scripts, and tools to increase your bottom line! 

Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact has been compared to that of the printing press and electricity. What impact with AI truly have on your business and your future? Join us on July 18th at 12 pm eastern for NAIFA Live with Ken Leibow, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at InsurTech Express. Ken brings more than 36 years of insurance industry experience to the discussion, with an extensive background in insurance technology for distribution and back-office systems.

NAIFA is happy to announce that the 2024 Summer Membership Challenge has begun! You can help your State chapter to win cash prizes that will be put back into your programs and membership development.  We are a word-of-mouth society and your referrals are our future members, so let's get out the invites to those financial service professionals (attorneys, agents, advisors, loan officers, financial coaches, and accountants) that you know who are good candidates for NAIFA membership. Make sure they use your name and you will be rewarded! You can also submit their names and the Membership Team will follow up on your behalf.

The rules are simple, the top three chapters that achieve the highest percentage growth will win cash prizes! Winners are announced at the 2024 Apex Conference in Arizona this September 19-21.

• Winners will be determined by highest percentage of growth based on membership totals June 1-August 31.
• The winning chapter will receive $1,000, Second place $500, Third place $250.
• All membership is counted.  Not just new members.  Results are based on starting numbers in June and final numbers in September.
• Tiebreaker- Total number of NEW IFAPAC donors during the same time frame!

Help NAIFA grow, especially within your state by referring new members, and winning back former ones.  Your State membership chair will receive all of the pertinent info on Wednesday, June 26th.  To find out how you can help, reach out to your State membership chair or contact the home office membership team at membership@naifa.org.

We will post weekly stats and rankings so you can see how you're doing! Remember, the $10 egift card for referring for a member still stands, so you could pay for your sunscreen, cocktail, hot dogs, AND help your chapter be #1 in the Nation!

NAIFA Member and former NBA player Walter Bond is bringing his award-winning sales performance system to select cities across the United States this summer. The Shark Mindset Sales system is based on Walter’s acclaimed book "Swim," and is designed specifically to create a culture of resilience and elevation. Sharks never stop moving forward and are always on the hunt.  Come hungry, leave full of sales ideas and excitement to make this your best year yet. 

Upcoming Cities:

July 16th | Westin O'Hare | Rosemont
July 17th | Courtyard River North | Downtown Chicago
July 18th | Marriott Downtown | Indianapolis
July 23rd | Renaissance Nashville | Nashville

NAIFA Members save $50 off registration with promo code: NAIFA

Shout out to NAIFA-IL's Sara Decatore who has obtained CE credit for the Illinois locations! Sara will be on-site to bring more members into NAIFA.

Thanks to NAIFA volunteers Jennifer Hodges, Scott Dorminy, Chris Wertenberger, and Carina Hatfield for leading the charge to get a study group up and running for P&C Agents. The first group will be held on Tuesday, June 25th at 3 pm eastern. All members are invited to participate. The study group will review case studies, hold discussions, and uncover ways to leverage NAIFA to build your business.

NAIFA is proud to partner with NAIFA Member, Walter Bond for "Shark Attack" his Shark Mindset Selling sales performance system. Walter will be traveling to 19 cities from July through September offering his half-day workshop. In the fiercely competitive business world, having a mental edge is crucial. "Shark Mindset," is designed specifically to create a culture of resilience and elevation within your team, sharks never stop moving forward. "Shark Attack" highlights the significant concept of connecting and building relationships and includes the tools needed to become more self-aware about our roles and contributions in our industry.

On June 5th, NAIFA held a members-only webinar to take a closer look at all of the benefits of belonging. If you were not able to join live, or if you want re-watch the session the recording is now available.

NAIFA wishes all of our members celebrating in June a very happy birthday! Take a look at the list of birthdays and send a warm birthday wish to your fellow members!

Your brain is the single biggest driver of your energy, your focus, and the results you get in every area of life. Your career, your finances, your physical health, your relationships- all of them are constantly created and influenced by your thinking. Unfortunately, your brain didn’t come with an owner’s manual … until now.

Join Roger Seip on June 20th at 12 pm eastern for NAIFA Live: Train Your Brain For Success. You will learn to harness the incredible creative capacity of your mind and achieve your personal best – professionally, financially, and personally.

We are thankful for our loyal members! NAIFA recognizes our members who are celebrating an NAIFA milestone anniversary this month. Congratulations on your choice to belong to the community that cares. We are moving the needle on #financialliteracy and increasing #financialsecurity in #MainStreetUSA because of your commitment. We are honored that you belong to us and today, we honor you.

Members referring members is a great way to help build NAIFA.  The following members successfully referred new members last week!  Do you know them?

Stay up-to-date about the latest and greatest benefits that come with being a NAIFA member. We are constantly adding new offerings to our marketplace. Whether it is new technology tools, ways to market yourself/your practice, educational resources, or simply saving money on your next UPS shipment...we've got you covered.

Last month, NAIFA welcomed Marques Ogden to Coaches Circle. He is a former NFL player turned inspirational speaker, author, and entrepreneur. Marques is the founder and CEO of Ogden Ventures LLC, a media and entertainment company that specializes in keynote speaking, business coaching, and consulting. Now he's sharing his passion for developing a winning mindset with NAIFA Nation.

We are just a few days away from Congressional Conference! We love seeing our members make the trip to Washington, D.C. each year. You can see who's coming broken down by state and noting who participates in a monthly IFAPAC contribution notated by their IFAPAC Monthly Defender badge. We are delighted to announce that we have over 100 first-time attendees coming to D.C. this year to experience meeting with their House and Senate leaders to discuss the following key topics: 

Some of NAIFA's most influential members share the main stage during the Heros of Zero Conference in Nashville on May 16-17, 2024. Attendees will hear from Tom Hegna, CLU, ChFC, CASL, LACP, loyal member since 1989, David McKnight, loyal member since 1998, Van Mueller, LUTCF, LACP, loyal member since 1979, and Ed Slott, CPA, loyal member since 1999. Plus NAIFA's 2018 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year, John D. Richardson, RICP, LACP, loyal member since 2003 will hold a breakout session on Friday.

There are more than 400 NAIFA members who only need to receive their Financial Security Advocate badge to become part of NAIFA's newest member recognition program, the Triangle Team. One of the easiest ways to earn your FSA badge is to attend the group academy on April 24th at 2 pm eastern.

Don't miss our last NAIFA Live until June! On Thursday, April 18th at 12 pm eastern, Mike McGlothlin, CLU, CFP, ChFC, LUTCF will present "Building a Storybrand" so you may clarify your message to generate leads, create more referrals, and empower your team. This framework will help you understand what your clients are looking for so you can tell your story in a way people listen.

The National Membership Committee is spearheading an upcoming meeting that you can attend live or on-demand post event on opportunities that NAIFA offers that allows you to grow your business through growing your brand within NAIFA Nation. Maybe you've always wanted to publish a book (or have published one), maybe you are interested in getting started in podcasting, or wondering who are the lucky people that get a member profile and have it published out in front of 80,000 subscribers on Advisor Today? These are all benefits of NAIFA that you might not even realize exist! 

Webinar On-Demand Now Available

Two leaders from NAIFA-Iowa are working to grow Financial Security Advocates and Triangle Team Members. Ryan Bosch, loyal member since 2001 and Terra Heaton, loyal member since 2022, have reached out to ask for our assistance to help identify members to target who are close to completing the requirements for Triangle Team. They are organizing an event for members to come together and attend a watch party for the upcoming Financial Security Advocate Academy on April 24th. 

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