MDRT Podcast

By MDRT PodcastBusiness

MDRT Podcast episodes

December 01, 2025 When emotions have most strongly impacted my work – and how I handle that
All advisors recognize the emotional component of their roles and how that can factor into their support, guidance, and relationships with clients. In this episode recorded in February 2023, MDRT members share memorable experiences when emotions factored into their work and how they handled this both for the clients and for themselves.
You’ll hear from:
Joseph Tan, ChFC, CLU
Abigail Venida Yabot
Episode breakdown:
0:32 – How the pandemic changed the conversation around
death and disability
2:33 – Communicating the importance of additional coverage
6:42 – Helping a client who is dealing with infidelity
12:26 – How to handle emotional moments with clients
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
22 min
October 31, 2025 Something I’m always working on in my practice
Successful advisors know that they still need to refine and change in order to maintain that success and grow. In this episode, MDRT members share what ongoing efforts they prioritize to ensure that they get better instead of becoming complacent.
You’ll hear from:
MDRT Past President Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC
MDRT First Vice President Clay Gillespie, CIM, CFP
Episode breakdown:
0:25 – Appreciating the peaks by experiencing the valleys
1:55 – Lesser-known ways to maximize your schedule
3:59 – Recognizing the multiple levels of delegation
6:15 – Maintaining perspective whether or not things are going well
7:30 – Remembering how to handle adversity
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
12 min
October 01, 2025 Small changes in word choice that can have a big impact with clients
While advisors know how much communication influences relationships, there are almost always opportunities to adjust your language to foster stronger client connections. In this episode, MDRT members share how they have tweaked their choice of words and seen enormous benefits as a result.
You’ll hear from:
Alessandro M. Forte, DipPFS, CSP
Renee Hanson, CFP, CDFA
Episode breakdown:
0:27 – Finding more impactful words than “meeting” and “referral”
2:28 – Utilizing the “killer question” that unlocks great service
4:08 – Checking in with clients to ensure satisfaction and opportunities for improvement
5:14 – How to deepen relationships that bring client connections outside the office
7:45 – Opening the door with high-profile prospects
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
11 min
September 01, 2025 How I’m succeeding – and struggling – with AI
With many advisors embracing AI in their practices, several advantages and challenges have emerged along with this rapidly growing technology. In this episode, MDRT members share how AI has factored into their work as an asset or a stressor, and what is on their mind moving forward.
You’ll hear from:
Chi Teng Han, ChFC/S, CIAM
Nadia Wijatno, ChFC, CLU
Episode breakdown:
0:29 – Using AI as another assistant to help with preparation, scheduling, and more
1:53 – Recognizing that if you can do it, someone else can too
4:19 – Hoping that clients realize AI cannot provide the same service as human advisors
6:46 – How AI comes up during client conversations
7:18 – Figuring out how to add value alongside what AI can do
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
11 min
August 01, 2025 Why you should not just embrace but seek out rejection
Would you ever do something that you expected to fail, just
as a way of teaching yourself that rejection is not something to fear? In this
episode, MDRT member Brendan Clune Walsh and stress physiologist Rebecca Heiss
discuss the logic, options and potential benefits behind this approach of
turning discomfort into confidence.
Episode breakdown:
0:42 – Moving yourself toward confronting what scares you
2:34 – Creating a game of how many times you can hear no in
one day
5:38 – How to know how far to take the concept of seeking
rejection
7:35 – Learning to recognize and understand your stress
responses
10:45 – Focusing on the cost of inaction and the best that
can happen, not the worst
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
13 min
July 01, 2025 Memorable client experiences related to regulation
What client interactions result from adjustments you’ve made to remain compliant? In this episode, MDRT members share how regulation has led to improved processes and enhanced client relationships.
You’ll hear from:
Simon D. Lister, Dip PFS
Jamie McIntyre, CFP
Episode breakdown:
0:29 – Being driven to discuss your value proposition in more detail
2:16 – Successfully moving to a practice without commissions
5:21 – Why charging fees leads to more understanding and more referrals
8:50 – Creating deeper relationships with clients who feel you’re in the journey with them
11:57 – How to tell when a client relationship has strengthened
16:04 – When regulations foster regular clarity, connection, and accountability
18:29 – Applying insights from other countries’ regulations
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
26 min
June 02, 2025 How to adjust your practice to accommodate new clients gained in an acquisition
Just because you have expanded your book of business doesn’t mean you’re automatically ready to serve all those clients. In this episode, MDRT member D. Kyle Atkins, CFP, CLU, and president of Succession Resource Group David Grau Jr. explain how to ensure that you can match your service to the needs of people who have just come onboard.
Episode breakdown:
0:27 – Gaining information to help tailor events around new clients’ hobbies
2:18 – The process of collecting and utilizing those details
3:57 – Why you need to distinguish a client experience from a service model
7:13 – Categorizing clients with more positive labels
9:01 – Creating experiences even for lower-tier clients
11:45 – The challenge of communicating embedded opportunity to a seller
12:32 – Figuring out what’s most important to learn about new clients
15:53 – Applying that to due diligence about your next purchase
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
18 min
May 01, 2025 Changes I made to foster growth in my business
If reaching new heights requires new strategies, how do advisors make adjustments that translate into consistent success? In this episode, members of the MDRT Executive Committee share how they have reimagined their perspectives and their communication to drive stronger relationships and greater performance.
You’ll hear from:
MDRT President Carol Kheng, ChFC
MDRT First Vice President John F. Nichols, CLU, MSM
Episode breakdown:
0:24 – Continuing to learn while helping others do the same
2:39 – Investing in creating new connections
3:46 – Being service-oriented without wondering if you’ll get anything back
4:34 – Developing relationships through vulnerability
7:30 – Establishing connections in a community
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
10 min
March 14, 2025 Experiences that have enhanced how I see the power of insurance
Walking through a claim with clients and their affected family members can provide new perspective for advisors about how their work has enormous impact on the people they serve. In this episode, MDRT members share the interactions that have elevated their understanding about what they do and the clients who benefit.
You’ll hear from:
Joseph Tan, ChFC, CLU
Abigail Venida Yabot
Episode breakdown:
0:28 – Being reminded about the importance of coverage and planning
3:57 – Turning difficulty into clarity and strengthened protection
5:38 – Advocating for clients to protect their staff
8:19 – Applying coverage options for different populations
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
10 min
February 16, 2025 Why — and how — you should push your boundaries
Is there a benefit to doing things that scare you? In this episode, Brendan Clune Walsh and stress physiologist Rebecca Heiss discuss the difficulties and advantages of striving for things you sometimes don’t want to do, from a morning trip to the gym to a plunge into freezing cold water.
Episode breakdown:
0:41 – Finding opportunity to do something scary
1:44 – Seeking Type Two Fun instead of what’s comfortable
3:03 – Learning how to get through something that’s recommended but challenging
4:41 – Teaching your brain to adapt and be motivated toward difficult situations
10:15 – How to know how to make Type Two Fun work for you and do what you think you can’t
14:11 – Pushing yourself to imagine and pursue bigger goals and higher performance
Listen to the monthly series, MDRT Presents: @mdrtpresents
17 min

About MDRT Podcast

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In this EXCEL Award-winning series, hear thoughts and suggestions from top MDRT members on issues that financial and insurance professionals encounter in their careers.