NAIFA's Advisor Today Podcast Series NAIFA

Chris Carothers is an insurance professional and a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF). As a second-generation veteran in the insurance industry, he has been serving and advocating for his community for 30 years. Chris works with over 300 licensed insurance agents to help Americans plan for their current and future insurance needs. He also partners with insurance carriers to develop and introduce new health products.
In this episode… Insurance advisors can be incredible mentors, managing people’s executive affairs and guiding their futures. This comes with significant responsibility and requires complete immersion in the industry. How can you develop a service-based approach to gain traction in this industry? 
Becoming a reputable insurance agent entails developing servant leadership skills. With a career dedicated to serving his community through flexible insurance options, Chris Carothers maintains that joining organizations of like-minded professionals in the insurance industry is essential. Mentorship groups are valuable for gaining access to resources, networking opportunities, industry insights, and cutting-edge strategies that can help agents sharpen their expertise. With proper education and training, you can establish trust with your clients and build a value-driven career. 
On this episode of Advisor Today, Chris Gandy and Suzanne Carawan sit down with insurance professional Chris Carothers to discuss service-based leadership in the insurance industry. Chris explains how he entered the insurance industry, success tips for young insurance agents, the importance of mentorship in the industry, and the value of joining NAIFA as an agent.

Mickey Straub is a successful entrepreneur, renowned speaker, accomplished author, devoted patriot, and mayor emeritus. He is passionate about inspiring people to set audacious goals with short deadlines so they can achieve more and regret less. 
With 23 years of experience inspiring organizational success, Mickey provides the necessary resources to implement a goal-oriented, activity-based, and metric-driven performance management system. This system helps individuals and sales teams identify, manage, and measure high-payoff activities, enabling them to achieve their goals and steer their businesses in the right direction.
In this episode… Are you struggling to spend your time wisely, achieve your goals, and maximize results? Make your day more productive with these strategies.
Advisors and agents juggle multiple clients, projects, and deadlines constantly, which can be challenging. Consider investing in a high-quality activity management solution to take your sales game to the next level. According to Mickey Straub, hiring a company that provides custom solutions tailored to your specific management needs is essential. By managing your activities effectively, you can make the most of your time and achieve your goals more efficiently.
On this episode of Advisor Today, Chris Gandy and Suzanne Carawan sit down with Mickey Straub, an entrepreneur, speaker, author, patriot, and mayor emeritus, to discuss activity management tips that drive results. Mickey talks about the importance of activity management, digital products for activity management, the sales activity management process, and advice for improving activities to produce results

Corey Anderson is an insurance agent specializing in counseling advisors on implementing insurance plans for disabled clients. As an industry leader, Corey is a frequently featured speaker at industry meetings on topics pertaining to disability insurance. He has served on the state and local NAIFA board for over 18 years, holding various roles, including president.
In this episode… Do you want to build and grow a disability insurance practice successfully? What can you learn from an expert who has already accomplished this feat? 
Corey Anderson, a DI expert, believes that obtaining disability insurance is essential because it provides financial security in the event of an unforeseen injury. However, establishing a disability insurance company can be challenging. It’s imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of the insurance industry, legal framework, and target market to thrive in the industry. Corey shares how his experience creating a DI distribution model educates fellow insurance agents on the topic of disability insurance. 
On this episode of Advisor Today, Chris Gandy and Suzanne Carawan sit down with Corey Anderson, a disability insurance expert, to discuss how to flourish in the disability insurance industry. Corey talks about disability insurance and its importance in financial planning, the challenges of disability insurance underwriting, and his journey to building a successful disability insurance company.

Dan Finley is an experienced financial advisor and professional coach who founded a business consulting and coaching service dedicated to helping advisors enhance their business. He began his brokerage career in 1993, spent 13-plus years as a successful financial advisor, and since 2004, has conducted over 20,000 hours of individual and group coaching sessions for financial advisors. His financial advisory and coaching experience includes all three major distribution channels: wire-house, bank, and independent.
Dan frequently speaks at branch offices, local chapters of the FPA, NAIFA, and national conferences. He is also the author of 101 Advisor Solutions: A Financial Advisor's Guide to Educate, Motivate, and Inspire!
In this episode… Are you looking to build a successful business as a financial advisor? Where can you get the support you need to take your business to the next level? 
Part of being a successful financial advisor is building a thriving business — and if you're winging it, you will struggle to make that happen. Dan Finley recommends getting a coach as a game-changing strategy for your business. With a coach, you can get the guidance, support, and accountability necessary to build the systems and processes that will enable you to create a better business.
On this episode of Advisor Today, Chris Gandy and Suzanne Carawan sit down with Dan Finley, an experienced financial advisor and professional coach, to discuss how he helps advisors flourish in the industry. Dan talks about his relationship with NAIFA, how he got started in the financial services and coaching industries, the difference between coaching an individual and a team, his process for coaching advisors, and how he overcame the challenges he faced in the industry.

Lynne Franklin is a persuasion expert, leadership communication consultant, coach, author, and TEDx speaker. As a neuroscience nerd, she studies how the brain works and how to use the findings to better connect with anyone and lead without manipulation. Since the inception of her communications practice in 1993, Lynne has worked with organizations that want to use persuasive communication skills to increase their performance, productivity, and profits. 
In this episode… Communication is the backbone of any successful business. So how can you better serve your clients through communication as an advisor? 
According to Lynne Franklin, mastering the art of persuasive communication is fundamental in motivating your team and inspiring your customers to take action. It entails understanding body language, listening, and comprehending your audience and their needs to tailor your message to resonate with their interests and concerns, establishing trust and credibility. She shares her journey helping advisors connect and build good relationships with clients through communication to take their businesses to the next level. 
On this episode of Advisor Today, Suzanne Carawan sits down with Lynne Franklin, a leadership communication consultant, to discuss how to thrive through persuasive communication as an advisor. Lynne talks about body language tips for making good first impressions, communication tips for financial advisors to develop good relationships with clients, maintaining long-term client relationships, and personal development and team-building advice for financial advisors.

John Wheeler is an accomplished Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with a wealth of experience in the financial services industry since 1969. He has earned several impressive designations, including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF), LACP, and CLTC. In his current role, John supports his firm through seminars, advanced joint sales work, recruiting, and developing financial planning services. He is a highly respected speaker in the financial services industry and has also taught various certification programs such as the CRPC and CFP.
In this episode… As a financial advisor or an insurance agent, you know that the financial services industry can be challenging — but rewarding when done right. What fundamental skills and strategies should you have at your disposal to thrive in this space? lamen
John Wheeler says most financial services professionals fail because they lack the education to help them maneuver the industry. They need to invest in education. He also recommends learning to communicate insurance jargon to clients in layman’s terms to build trust and establish strong relationships. Additionally, they should work together to avoid mistakes and join communities to stay current with the latest trends and best practices. With these strategies in place, financial professionals will thrive as insurance agents.
On this episode of Advisor Today, Chris Gandy and Suzanne Carawan sit down with John Wheeler, an accomplished Certified Financial Planner (CFP), to discuss how agents and advisors can flourish in the financial services industry. John explains how he got into the insurance industry, the value of education, communication tips for young advisors, and the importance of volunteering as a leader in the financial services industry.