MDRT preview: What’s on the mind of one of Canada’s most experienced insurance advisors?

Roadblocks to family wealth planning and their solutions What’s on the mind of one of Canada’s most experienced insurance advisors? (June 23, 2003) The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) annual meeting kicked off in Las Vegas on June 22 and runs through June 25. Advisor.ca caught up with long-time MDRT member David Wm. Brown, columnist […]

By Sheila Avari | June 23, 2003 | Last updated on June 23, 2003
3 min read
  • Roadblocks to family wealth planning and their solutions
  • Canadian advisors find value in conference’s non-financial elements
  • And the survey says… income affects attitude
  • Best practices attract the masses
  • BONUS TOOL: Advisor.ca time management worksheet Back to MDRT Annual meeting coverage main page

    DWB: They are not going to talk about these kinds of challenges at the MDRT conference because the conference is so global in its attendees. Everyone has different tax laws, rules, scenarios and regulation. But the effects of consolidation are what most Canadian insurance advisors talk about often.

    Advisor.ca: So if not a discussion of regional issues, what do you hope to get out of this conference?

    DWB: I think everyone should go to at least one MDRT conference if they want to be a player in this industry for a long time. This is a very difficult industry to be in. There are a lot of rejections we have to face and it is certainly not an easy place to hang your hat. When you come to MDRT meetings where there at least 5,000 people from all over doing the same thing as you, you are encouraged to keep going. That is very strong. The focus is family and insurance. It is basic in its understanding. The conference gives real confidence to your people and serves as a reminder for the veterans.

    Advisor.ca: Where can the MDRT conference improve?

    DWB: It is a challenge to present a program that is interesting and useful year after year. I am pretty impressed by the meeting most of the time because the meeting appeals to the common denominator: first-time members as well as 50-year members. But it can be difficult to run a meeting for all people because of the involvement of so many people. [Catering to all the people] has diluted the effectiveness of the meeting as an educational forum. The MDRT conference has become more generalist and I believe there is no room for a generalist in this industry. Advisors just cannot be all things to all people. Take the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriters (CALU)— it is all-Canadian, it is high-profile, politically involved and offers very advanced programming that is specific to one field of expertise. I think for MDRT to be successful it has to present programming for different levels. It does have an “advanced” rating to some of its seminars, but it is not as advanced as CALU.

    • • •

    Filed by Sheila Avari, Advisor’s Edge, savari@rmpublishing.com.

    (06/23/03)

    Sheila Avari

  • What’s on the mind of one of Canada’s most experienced insurance advisors?
  • Roadblocks to family wealth planning and their solutions
  • Canadian advisors find value in conference’s non-financial elements
  • And the survey says… income affects attitude
  • Best practices attract the masses
  • BONUS TOOL: Advisor.ca time management worksheet Back to MDRT Annual meeting coverage main page

    DWB: They are not going to talk about these kinds of challenges at the MDRT conference because the conference is so global in its attendees. Everyone has different tax laws, rules, scenarios and regulation. But the effects of consolidation are what most Canadian insurance advisors talk about often.

    Advisor.ca: So if not a discussion of regional issues, what do you hope to get out of this conference?

    DWB: I think everyone should go to at least one MDRT conference if they want to be a player in this industry for a long time. This is a very difficult industry to be in. There are a lot of rejections we have to face and it is certainly not an easy place to hang your hat. When you come to MDRT meetings where there at least 5,000 people from all over doing the same thing as you, you are encouraged to keep going. That is very strong. The focus is family and insurance. It is basic in its understanding. The conference gives real confidence to your people and serves as a reminder for the veterans.

    Advisor.ca: Where can the MDRT conference improve?

    DWB: It is a challenge to present a program that is interesting and useful year after year. I am pretty impressed by the meeting most of the time because the meeting appeals to the common denominator: first-time members as well as 50-year members. But it can be difficult to run a meeting for all people because of the involvement of so many people. [Catering to all the people] has diluted the effectiveness of the meeting as an educational forum. The MDRT conference has become more generalist and I believe there is no room for a generalist in this industry. Advisors just cannot be all things to all people. Take the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriters (CALU)— it is all-Canadian, it is high-profile, politically involved and offers very advanced programming that is specific to one field of expertise. I think for MDRT to be successful it has to present programming for different levels. It does have an “advanced” rating to some of its seminars, but it is not as advanced as CALU.

    • • •

    Filed by Sheila Avari, Advisor’s Edge, savari@rmpublishing.com.

    (06/23/03)