What were the biggest challenges preventing you from moving from Court of the Table to Top of the Table? 

I was fortunate to move from Court of the Table to Top of the Table after one year. The challenge was the reluctance to ask for referrals. I would talk myself out of asking because of nervousness or thinking I had not earned the right to ask for one yet. Once I got over that mental roadblock, the amount of referral business exploded. Just like everything else in this business, the more calls you make, the more referrals you ask for, the extra appointments made, all add up to more clients saying yes. 

What are the most significant changes you made to overcome those difficulties, and how could you tell that the changes were working? What should others know about how to follow your example? 

I started keeping track of how many times I would ask for a referral and how many referrals we opened accounts for over the last three years. This has been a significant part of my new business. I think that is one of the least appreciated ways to grow steady business. Always ask what prospects’ co-workers are discussing in regard to their retirement/investments. It can lead to some really good pockets of business where five to eight co-workers might be retiring within a couple years of each other. Suggest that your clients share with their co-workers what you discussed; you’ll be surprised how many people come in because you helped a person in their group. 

What roadblocks did you encounter during this process? What else had to be adjusted that you didn’t expect? 

Besides my own reluctance, I had to better understand why a client would want to make a referral. Is it for them or for me? I attended a phenomenal seminar discussing the psychology of referrals and the behavioral aspect of clients being asked. Clients give referrals because they enjoy being a center of influence as well as the social connections it brings, or they have someone else they care about. Least important is that their advisor does more business. So, the referral talk track I am comfortable with is more about how they might benefit from a referral.  

How did you utilize MDRT to help move to the next level? 

I took part in the Court of the Table study group in 2022 and met some great advisors with ideas that I was able to take and implement into my practice, specifically culture building within our practice and staff. We have introduced books like “Power of a Positive Team,” and we set aside time each month to discuss what the key takeaways were, and what changes we can implement to improve our office and better serve our clients. My team is working closer and better than ever before, and team-building events/activities for our office have led to positive results that even our clients have commented on when visiting our office. 

How long did it take between when you first became a member and when you first reached Top of the Table? How long did it take to go from Court of the Table to Top of the Table? 

I first became a member of MDRT at age 29 in January 2022 and joined at the Court of the Table level. Wish I would’ve joined sooner! I hit Top of the Table at age 30, and this is my first year. 

How else have you grown and changed to get to where you are now, and how do you track these changes to measure your performance? What specifically would you advise to other members looking to make the same progress? 

I think setting a goal at the beginning of the year, tracking new clients and assets brought in on a monthly basis, is a practice that helps advisors at the Court of the Table level or higher. Early in my career especially, tracking calls, appointments made, appointments kept, etc., is the norm. But eventually, knowing how many new clients you brought in shows you future growth potential. AUM every month is something I like to keep track of. I do not care if it is AUM, annuities or life premium. But setting a goal of $1 million to $2 million per month helps you achieve what you want much more than hoping your time spent is adding up. 

How have you engaged with MDRT during your membership? 

I hope to attend my first MDRT conference soon, but I am leading a Court of the Table study group this year with another Top of the Table member and am very excited to grow my relationships with other advisors who I normally wouldn’t get the chance to. 

How can MDRT help support members once they reach Top of the Table? 

Continuing to grow your practice with junior advisors, adding staff and transition planning are more important for advisors at this level. I haven’t been a Top of the Table member for long, but I have already received great opportunities to share business practice ideas with other advisors that have made differences in my practice.