https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/2383/The-Revenge-Of-The-Buggy-Whip-Maker/
... ever. Revenue and profit growth are strong and outside investors — especially banks — continue to show strong interest in the business. Even the bust of the new economy' has helped by leveling the playing field in the battle for talent, providing agency owners with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to recruit new blood into the insurance industry. If you already own, or are considering owning, an interest in an insurance agency, here are two points to consider: During the next decade, the return potential of stock in a private business might well exceed that of the S&P 500. Analysts are cautioning the current generation of investors that historically there have been long periods in which stocks moved sideways. For example, in early 1966 the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit the 1,000 level, then retreated. It bobbed up and down for years, and didn't cross the 1,000 level for good until 17 years later, in 1983! If history were to repeat itself, even a slow growth agency during the next 10 years might appreciate faster than the overall stock market. Stock in a privately held business offers tax advantages that are better than those of a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k ) . Does this sound too good to be true? Consider that when an individual sets money aside in a 401(k ), the contribution is tax deductible and any dividends or capital gains within the plan grow on a tax-deferred basis until they're withdrawn and taxed as ordinary income. The tax-deduction on contributions, combined with the tax-deferral on money in the plan, have ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1929/HIGHER-EDUCATION-%E2%80%94-OR-BETTER-EDUCATION/
...gued with living — quietly retreats. A monke...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/2437/%E2%80%98Stop-The-World-I-Want-To-Get-Off-%E2%80%99/
... insurance in their portfolio' of fixed returns, since Life insurance paid as much or more than passbook savings accounts. Many Life agents who entered the business in the 1950s through the 70s came to believe in the sanctity of the ever-increasing dividend scale. The longer you kept the policy, the better it got; dividend scales in general never went down, rarely leveled out, but just kept going up. So it's understandable that long-standing traditional agents didn't question the continued rise in dividend scales as interest rates in the economy began to decline. Although mathematically legitimate (a composite portfolio rate will continue to rise until the current rates fall below the portfolio rate), the other side of the equation was that the more current rates fell, the more certain it was the dividend scales would have to retreat in the near future. That's exactly what happened. Although mutual companies could take advantage of the favorable math' between rising long-term portfolios and falling short term rates from 1979 through 1986, one or two brave mutual companies began to announce dividend decreases in 1986 and 1987 (to the derision of their agents) . Industry-wide dividend scale decreases began in earnest in 1988. As interest rates and dividend scales began to move in the same direction, the Life insurance industry felt intense economic pressure. Older bonds with 4% -6% yields were worth a fraction of their purchase price, but were carried on the books' at their original value. Companies could borrow money and add it to their capital account, but not count it as a liability (surplus relief) . These and other ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/2611/Seven-Steps-to-Qualify-Your-Prospect/
... ." Until they become dissatisfied, there's no reason for them to change what they're doing. Taking the time to tell your story to these people is not a high-payoff use of your most precious resource, time. There's good news, however: Satisfied people eventually become dissatisfied. The best you'll do with a satisfied person is inform them or make them aware of something they don't know. This information might get them to realize they're in phase 2: dissatisfied. Even so, they're still far from being ready to do something about their dissatisfaction. We all have problems, challenges, and difficulties, but we don't solve them all. We live with many of them. If you offer a solution to a problem that I'm content to live with and I'm not ready to change, I'll retreat. I'll object to the change you propose-and the game is over (for now) . If you're not careful and choose to persist, you might extinguish any chance of future business. Remember, prospects act when they're ready, not when you want them to. Fish eat when they're hungry! Your goal is to find as many hungry fish as you can-phase-3 people who are ready to make a change and committed to seeing it through. The question then becomes, is what you offer the solution they want? They want an adequate solution, not the best. (There is no best.) They want not only an adequate solution, but added value from a trusted advisor. They want to be cared for and cared about. They want to be led to water, and ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/2757/Do-vacation-rentals-need-special-insurance-coverage/
... of renting them out. Popular online vacation rental companies like Airbnb can make the rental process easy. It may sound like a simple way to produce some extra income. When purchasing that ski cabin amidst the pines of the San Bernardino Mountains many homeowners don't think about what kind of insurance do you need for your short-term rental property? Many second homeowners may not even be aware that companies like Airbnb and HomeAway offer their own insurance policies. Airbnb's Host Protection is here to help I decided to rent out my home through Airbnb a few years back. After months of successfully profiting off of my vacant second home, I had no idea what to do when a guest purposely damaged my home. Should I use my personal homeowner's insurance? Should I contact Airbnb and open a claim? My mountain retreat under the tall Jeffrey Pines near Big Bear Lake was my serene cabin to escape to. I decided to rent it out to skiers and travelers for some extra income one ski season. After my renter moved out, I discovered my furniture was vandalized. My carpet was destroyed and the whole cabin (A non-smoking property) reeked of cigarettes. It was thousands of dollars worth of damage. I was so shocked (and pleased) when I called my rental agency, Airbnb, to hear about their host protection policy. Short-term rental insurance plans to the rescue Your second home is your sanctuary. What do you do when a guest damages your property? When listing a home you have purchased for rental through companies like Airbnb their host protection program takes all the guesswork out of what to ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/373/The-Art-Of-Award-Giving/
... go on, to share what got you there in the first place and push others to their time in the spotlight. When you're in a dry spell, an award is the focus that allows you to say, I did it once and, by golly, I can do it again! ' Tonight, we honor the paths of some of us who have reached a fork in the road. There is a gleaming crystal prize for a job well done. My challenge to these exemplary people is this: Can you take this beautiful icon and lend its shining light to others? Can you help others arrive at this fork in the road and take their turn? After all, a prism that does not reflect light is just a piece of glass. Christina Ward is now conducting personal retreats around the country on personal and leadership growth. You can reach her at (512) 346-3488. Jack Burke is the president of Sound Marketing, Inc., which specializes in audio and video productions for corporate marketing, communications, and education. He may be reached (800) 451-TAPE. Login or Register (for FREE) to gain access to thousands of other great articles. Need more reasons to join? Need insurance for you, your business or your family? Get quality appointments - Save yourself a whole lot of time & money when you use our directory of carriers, wholesalers and service providers. Negotiate lucrative contracts with carriers and wholesalers. Net result. More revenue for your agency! Clients & Prospects will research you, your co-workers and your agency here. The most ...
https://completemarkets.com/Article/article-post/1891/YOUR-BOARD-OF-DIRECTORS/
... a board backing you, you can make tough decisions. You can go out on a limb. You can push through the barriers that might be impeding you. A board can steer you in the right direction when you've lost your road map. When I begin working with clients, I want to know who serves on their board. If they don't have one, we set this as a goal. As their coach, we work together to identify the individuals who will not only wave the pom-poms, but offer constructive and positive feedback. I recommend that clients fill their board with intelligent listeners who are generous with their time and their counsel. A good board should include members with common sense. Never underestimate the joys of spending time with someone who can see the big picture instead of retreating into myopia. It's also wise to staff your board with master strategists who know where to pull the levers and people who don't keep score; that is, who tend to give rather than take. These nurturing souls are standouts when you're at a crux and need immediate assistance. Also, find people who know how to laugh. Imagine your life with a board that backs you completely because they think you're the greatest. Imagine surrounding yourself with believers who have talents you can tap when you need them. Imagine not having to go through the tough days of work and life alone. Ellen Lubin-Sherman, president of LAUNCH, Inc. (Short Hills, NJ), is a marketing and communication coach with 20 years experience packaging and launching new products and brands into the marketplace. You ...