Purpose with Mark Bertrang Mark Bertrang

Life Insurance is a difficult industry.  Statistics have shown that about five percent of life insurance agents survive just five years in this career.  Why is that, especially since improving the lives of families can be so rewarding? This conversation might draw the curtain away from the industry, so the layperson can see what this profession actually entails.  This is an opportunity for a life insurance agent to understand how to become more proficient at their calling.  Janet Sims, the caregiver of the Prosperity Economics Movement shares her story of what this industry has meant to her, while providing insights on how to overcome the day-to-day hardships of becoming a better advocate for families which this profession provides in helping others. 00:00 – Introduction – Janet’s Background 03:10 – Listening and Being Authentic 15:00 – Moral Responsibility of a Life Insurance Agent 20:10 – Importance of Community 27:30 – “Aha” Moments – Staying Engaged 36:20 – Being “Prospect” Focused vs Engaging People at All Times 40:50 – The effect of the Pandemic and Technology on Communication 44:00 – Develop a Passion and Urgency 46:00 – Leaving a Legacy 50:45 – Conclusion Other resources: prosperityeconomicsadvisors.com prosperityeconomics.org truthconcepts.com

Have you ever made a promise? Was it for a short-term promise or was it a forever promise? There's a difference, isn't there? Forever promises typically aren't flashy. They're thoughtful and serious. This morning, I saw a promise through, which was made thirty years ago. So, as I pause and take in the scenery of this new fallen snow, let me share with you a story of a watch, a wake and a promise.

Have you ever found yourself needing to tighten a screw, but you couldn’t find a screwdriver?  Admit it.  You went to a kitchen drawer and pulled out a butterknife, didn’t you?  Once the project was complete, you probably returned the knife to the drawer slightly bent at its tip, because a butter knife isn’t a screwdriver.  Would you have consider buttering a piece of bread with a screwdriver?  Let’s hope not.  Here’s the thing – Use the correct tool for the correct purpose.  I see this time and time again with people who tell me that their 401k or their IRA is a retirement plan.  Neither is a plan.  They’re both accounts, a place to accumulate money.  In fact, there are many advisors who spend countless hours working with these products to try and create a retirement plan and I’ve met many attorneys who try to coordinate ways of alleviating the problems associated with these retirement accounts to correct estate planning problems or mistakes.  You may believe that your account is a plan.  You may also believe that a butter knife is a screwdriver.  Neither is.

Before you discuss will-planning with an attorney, prepare your hard data collection. Mark’s guest – Katelyn Doyle, attorney with Johns, Flaherty & Collins, SC discusses those items you may wish to outline prior to your first meeting with a lawyer.  Our discussion includes a conversation of your dependents, special needs individual who maybe in your life, life insurance, debt, retirement account balances, non-retirement balance, second homes, business assets, real estate investments, personal representatives, executors, guardians, trustees, trust distributions & payouts for your children, guardian gifting, default estate planning, charitable giving and having a financial power of attorney. If you would like to request a copy of our fillable will preparation form used during this podcast, please email us at and include “Will Prep Form Request” in the subject line. Here is an additional resource you may wish to listen to: Advanced Healthcare Directives

At some point in our lives, things become real. In fact, sometimes things become ‘really’ real.  Years ago Mark Bertrang had a client who worked in the silk screening industry.  This specialization creates the display printing on the front of your kitchen appliances and the imprinted dials and woodgrain dashboard finishes of your automobile. Mark had always been impressed with some of the beautiful finishes he would see on the dashboard detailing of premium automobiles. He was disappointed to learn that the ‘wood’ finishing was barely wood at all, which he admired so much. Instead, it was a simply a sheet of paper (so, it was actually wood) incased inside epoxy or plastic.  So, was it real or was it not real?  The discussion of life insurance can be the same, as Mark shares the story of how this young design engineer’s life ended abruptly.  How might term insurance play out as compared to permanent whole life insurance? Was one real and the another not real?

As an employer, how do you show up for your team?  As a team member, how do you show up for your co-workers?  How do you show up for any audience, whoever that audience may be?  monthly I engage in a half-hour Zoom personal critique with my good friend Michael Baker, a wealth advisor from Alberta, Canada.  When we’re sharing our international Zoom Room, we debate the steps we use to make the lives better for our families, our clients, our communities and lastly - ourselves.  As believers in servant leadership mindsets, we question ourselves in the service and guidance we provide others.  A question we asked during a most recent visit was “How do you show up for others?”  For the last 35+ years of my career, this meant to ‘dress’ for the occasion; to ‘dress’ out of the respect for my clients – which means a dress shirt, a tie and a suitcoat. What does this mean to my clients and what does this mean to me?  What’s correct? Is there a standard I should consider?  Is there a right or wrong way to approach this question? What does “How do you show up for others” mean to you?  How do you show up for those around you? Are you making choices based upon what you want or what the expectations are from others.  There may not be an absolute correct answer, except for the correct answer for you, specifically.  What is your answer?