Originally published in the National Post (August 2008) Older clients seem to be at the heart of most litigation and regulatory risk in my practice these days. Senior clients launch complaints with the MFDA, IDA and securities commissions and sue their advisors in court, asserting that investments were...

Advisor at Risk: A Roadmap to Protecting your Business is the new book by Ellen Bessner, a lawyer with over 15 years’ experience defending investment advisors, financial advisors, insurance agents and brokers, their supervisors, and the companies through which they are registered. Advisor at Risk is a...

Once a month I highlight an independent agent in our monthly eNewsletter, Edge, who has successfully been able to grow their business despite the recent economic downturn. The agent normally talks about how they’ve expanded their product base, started cross-selling to their clients or other marketing...

A rare and unique class of alternative financing aimed specifically at agents, which recognizes their commission stream as an asset, has emerged. Selling renewal commissions for immediate capital is a debt-free alternative financing option available exclusively for insurance agents. However, choosing...

Are you caught in the busy trap? Do you wonder, at the end of the day, what you actually got accomplished? You know you were mega busy and worked harder than those around you. You may have even checked off a couple of items from your to do list; even the ones you wrote down after you completed the task....

Although the outcome of the health care reform is uncertain, the need and demand for Disability insurance is inevitable. According to the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), nearly 33% of all Americans will suffer a serious Disability between the ages 35 and 65 that will last for an average...

1. Help Clarify Vision, Values and Goals A well articulated vision based on ones values an goals is an absolute must to achieve long term success. Most successful business owners obtain the benefit of counsel in developing, articulating and pursuing their vision. It’s a significant step towards achieving...

QUESTION: The market is slow right now. What can I do to get people moving and do business? ANSWER: Approach prospects with simple and easy ideas that they can decide on quickly and easily. These simple ideas may not be terribly profitable, but because they are interesting to clients, they get the...

Having a clear, articulated vision is a proven critical success factor. Below is a brief video with a few ideas to understand how your vision can energize your...

Inc. magazine asked Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and Built to Last, what we might expect in the next 30 years. His answer: uncertainty, chaos, turbulence, and risk. In other words, it’s not a bad time to be an entrepreneur. Below are some excerpts that will give you some idea of what the times...