If everyone fully specializes, who does the basic everyday overview work? For instance, if all doctors go the “ologist” route, who are the good family doctors?

by Jim Ruta

Even family doctors have a specialty. It’s a very important part of the system and necessary for “Ologists” to prosper. General practitioner family doctors are expert “diagnosticians”. They need to recognize what’s wrong and get patients the best help. They work hand...

I want to focus my insurance business on a specific market. What do I do with the clients that aren’t part of that group?

by Jim Ruta

This is why many advisors hold back in targeting a specific audience or focusing. Do they dump them? “Sell” them? Give them away? This indecision is expensive. There is a better approach. Keep them in your system. You don’t have to do anything with them. Just make...

Do I really have to specialize to be successful?

by Jim Ruta

There are two ways to be a success in the financial services business: 1. Work like a dog – do it all. 2. The right way – focus your efforts. I just returned from a couple of speaking engagements in Singapore and heard a wonderful story about this. After talking about...

I’ve been in the business for about 7 years. What’s the trick to keeping up to keeping up the enthusiasm?

by Jim Ruta

You are in the last “danger zone” at your seventh anniversary. Advisors commonly second-guess themselves at two, five and seven years. You are likely to wonder whether you are doing the right thing, are doing enough of it or should finally get a “real job”. The...

I love this business, but I’m having trouble motivating myself to get the job done. What can I do?

by Jim Ruta

When I was a branch manager, this came up all the time and I never really had an answer I liked. I have the answer today, though. Working with thousands of agents, I discovered that if you have to push yourself to do your job, you’re doing the wrong job. At best,...