3 Important Things I Learned From Build Your Business Events by Pru Life UK

My very own Unit Manager, Ms. Lani Robles (second from left), as she
shares her own experiences as a financial consultant to the other aspiring
financial consultants during the last BYB Event at Intercontinental
Hotel in Makati City on July 21, 2014

I am only about 2 months old as a financial consultant in Pru Life UK but I have already discovered the 3
important lessons that recur every time I attend Pru Life UK's Build Your Business (BYB) events. It's amazing how the message of the whole event remains consistent every week without sacrificing the "freshness" of the ideas being presented in order to fit the weekly target audience. Kudos to the team that holds the regular BYB meetings! Below are the 3 things I learned from the event.

1. Anyone can become a successful financial consultant.

From fresh grads to young professionals seeking fulfillment in their work, from executives earning 6-digit paychecks per month to entrepreneurs drowning in debt, there is one big message that the BYB event has for all its attendees -- anyone can become a successful financial consultant. During my first day of training as a rookie, I have heard about the story of a former "kargador" who became a successful financial consultant. It was said that he underwent the same training we all underwent and took the same exam we all took. The only difference is that he failed in the exam thrice. During the fourth attempt, he was able to finally make it. The former "kargador" is now a successful Unit Manager in Pru Life UK.

What, now, is your excuse?

2. The rewards for being a successful financial consultant are unmatched.

I used to work for a large multinational company that pioneered one of the early models of multilevel marketing. Companies in this industry are known for their unlimited earning opportunities and generous incentive trips. But when I discovered about the rewards in Pru Life UK, my jaw dropped. Below is the list of some of the rewards a financial consultant may enjoy in Pru Life UK.

• Weekly commissions
• Overrides from recruits' commissions
• 6-8 international travel opportunities
• Opportunity to be published in major broadsheets

Let it be known that these are just some of the rewards being given at the corporate level. This means that your branch and unit may have a separate reward system for you. I tell you, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

3. Financial consultancy is not just about selling insurance policies. It's about changing lives.

More than the extrinsic rewards of being a financial consultant, the intrinsic rewards also abound. There is a recurring statement that all successful financial consultants say as they are being interviewed during BYB events -- financial consultancy is about changing lives.

As a financial consultant, you do not only change the lives of your clients and fellow teammates. Your own life also changes as you go along. It was said that others may bring flowers to the bereaved family during the death of a loved one but a financial consultant is the bringer of hope to help the family start a new life again.

As a financial consultant, you may also have the chance to change the lives of your teammates and recruits as you share to them the rewards of the job.

Underlying all these opportunities is the opportunity for your life to be changed in the process as well. In my first few weeks as rookie agent, I learned how to dream again; develop patience and hard work; and seek a new heart that longs to be of service to other people.

I am definitely looking forward to attend more BYB events in the future.

If you are interested to become a financial consultant and/or attend a BYB event, contact me via 0998-367-0545.

8 Things You Need To Consider Before Getting Your Insurance Policy

1. Know that this policy is not only for you but also for the people you love.

One of the primary goals of an insurance policy is to protect the income of the insured. The income of a regular employee usually depletes or totally stops in times of death, disability or disease. When the income of a regular employee depletes or totally stops, the lives of the people around him are affected too. This is what insurance is for. It seeks to assist you and your family in times of great need.

2. We can't choose when should death, disease and disability strike us. But we can choose to be prepared when they come. 

We cannot choose when to die, get sick or become disabled. These things happen even to the healthiest people we know. Instead of ignoring this reality, why don't we choose to find ways to minimize their effects by being financially prepared and protected? Insurance policies have guaranteed ways to provide for you when these events come.

3. If you get critically sick or disabled, the same policy can never be offered to you. Worse, you may never be able to get any insurance policy at all.

Some clients delay getting insurance policies with the thought that they can get it anytime they want. But this is not true. When you get critically sick or disabled, it will be more difficult for you to get a policy. Worse, you may never be able to get one at all for the rest of your life.

4. If you get the policy at a much later time, the higher fees you'll need to pay. Invest while you are still young.

Before investing on anything else, invest on protection first.

Credits: www.financialplanninginfoguide.com

The younger you are, the lower the cost of premium that you'll need to pay. This is because there is less risk for younger people. The best time get an insurance policy is now.

5. Invest on protection first before you invest on properties.

Have you heard about the Pyramid of Investment? Any financial planner will tell you that before you invest on properties, you must invest on protection first. Protection comes in the form of insurance policies.

6. If you dream of sending your children (or godchildren, nephews or nieces) to big colleges and universities, know that a few years from now the tuition fees for 4-year courses will start to reach millions of pesos. You know you can't just settle for less for your children.

Education is said to be the greatest inheritance that parents can pass on to their children. In the Philippines, parents will do anything just to send their children to the best schools. The best time to prepare for that time is while you are still single. You don't have to wait until your married life to invest for your children's education.

To get a more detailed projection of the tuition fees of various colleges and universities in the Philippines, please contact me via 0917-838-7545.

7. Remind yourself that retirement age in the Philippines is 60 years old. While it is a blessing to live beyond this age, it also requires financial preparation. 

We all want to live long. But while living long is considered as a blessing, this also entails financial obligation. With old age comes our inability to work and provide for ourselves. Most of us will become reliant on our children (or nephews or nieces) when that time comes. Is there a way to change this pattern? By preparing early for your retirement, you can have the assurance that you can live long with grace.

8. If you are saving money for your big dreams (e.g. house, car, travel and etc.), let it be known that hoarding your money can only get you so far. Investing your money for a much greater return is the better way to go.

People save for their big dreams. This is why they need to save for a very long time. What if there is a way for you to grow your money at a much shorter time? Insurance policies with investment components can help you do just that.

I am a licensed Financial Consultant who has the mission of protecting the income of the Filipino family. Let me know how can I be of help to you. Contact me via 0998-367-0545.

5 Reasons Why You Should Get An Insurance Policy Now

1. You can't just have an insurance policy anytime you want. Death, disability and diseases waits for no one.

Forgive your insurance agent if he is too determined to offer an insurance policy to you. He is not just after the sale (though this one of the motivations of the job). He is in competition with 3 enemies - death, disability and diseases. When any of these enemies gets you (God forbid), your insurance agent won't be able to offer the same policy to you anymore. These 3 enemies are exactly what your insurance agent is protecting you and your loved ones from. Sure he can't prevent these enemies from coming after you, but at least he can do something to lessen the disastrous effects it can bring to you and to the people who loves you.

So if your insurance agent is too determined to offer the policy to you, thank him. He is just after your welfare. Instead of ignoring his calls and seen-zoning him on Facebook, talk to him how he can help you make the policy fit your current budget and future needs. Communication is the key. You know this full well.

2. Tuition fees are expected to increase exponentially in the next few years. You can't just say sorry to your children if they turned out to be brilliant but you don't have the money to send them to the best schools in the land.

In the next few years, the projected total tuition fees of selected Philippine colleges and universities for a 4-year course will reach millions of pesos. (If you want to see the figures, call me now via 0917-838-7545 and let's talk.) If you plan to have your own family someday or maybe just support the education of your nephews and nieces in the future, you might wanna include the projections in your planning of your long-term goals.

3. Good investors begin with protection not properties.

I have a few friends who take pride in calling themselves "investors" because they bought condominium units and cars as "investments". But a good financial planner will tell you that any good investment begins with protection in the form of insurance policies and other similar tools. Be guided.

4. Time flies so fast. You are nearer your retirement age than you think. Do not be a victim of late planning or lack thereof.

I am 26 years old while I was writing this post. Sadly, I don't think that many people my age are aware that we only have 34 years before our senior year and that it will only be a breeze if we will only let time pass us by. The best time to start securing our retirement fund is now - while we are still insurable. I think that not too many of my peers know that once we are diagnosed with illnesses,it will be harder for us to avail of insurance policies. I will never forget the stories of people who turned down insurance policy offers in the past and then were diagnosed to be ill. No matter how much they wanted to get the insurance policies that was once offered to them, they were not insurable anymore.

5. We all want to accomplish many things before we reach our retirement age. The best time to plan for it is now.

Before we retire, most of us will say that we will want to give back to our parents and/or start our own families. But how can we actually assure that if (a) we are not prudently planning for it and (b) we have not actually saved anything substantial from the time we worked until now?

Thus, the best time to plan for those long-term goals is now. Investment can help you in building that dream house that you wish your parents to have while you are building the one that is meant for your own family. Talk to your insurance agent about your dreams.

To know more how can an insurance agent like me help you in achieving your long-term goals, contact me via 0998-367-0545. I will be more than happy to listen to you.

3 Important Things I Learned From My Senior Financial Consultant Teammates

(L-R) Jolly, Iris, Ms. Jhett, Me, Ms Camille, Eric, Ms. Lani,
Dar, Karen, Camille and Trish

Camille and Jolly are Senior Financial Consultants in my own team. It means they are ahead than me in years in Pru Life UK. While I was still barely on my first month, the two are already on their third and fourth years. They are living proofs that the career that I have chosen to pursue for the rest of my life is very promising.

Earlier, we had a quick chat over my second sale. They congratulated me and spoke words of wisdom that they acquired throughout the years of becoming Financial Consultants in Pru Life UK. They also shared the things that they learned from the MDRT training they attended that morning. (MDRT or Million Dollar Round Table is one of the highest honors being conferred to top insurance agents all over the world.)

These are my three best takeaways from that quick chat with my two inspiring teammates.

1. Focus on your daily habits far more than the rewards of the job.

The work of a Financial Consultant is very rewarding in the real sense of the word. In fact, I highly recommend it achievement-driven people. When I say rewards, I am not only talking of the extrinsic rewards such as commissions, incentive trips, recognition and others. The work of a Financial Consultant is also filled with intrinsic rewards such as making a difference in the lives of others.

Camille and Jolly told me that despite the many rewards of the job, we must not forget the foundation that we needed to step on in order to reach those rewards. The habits that we form everyday, they said, will form the foundation that will become the stepping stone of our success in this job. They said that the rewards are the fruits of our habits. If we form the right foundation, the fruits will follow. I agree to them.

2. Don't even think about giving up.

Challenges will certainly to come. These happen to everyone, not just to Financial Consultants. But the first ones to embrace the challenges are the first ones to move on and finish the race. The challenges are there not to make us surrender but to make us stronger.

Jolly's story is on my head while I was writing this. She had actually given up and said her goodbyes to her teammates last 2011 for not having delivered the minimum sales required to keep her license as an insurance agent. But our Unit Manager and Branch Manager did not give up on her. With only a few hours left before the cut-off for the year 2011, Jolly was able to close a sale and was able to submit it. That sale allowed her to keep her license as an insurance agent. Today, Jolly is one of the top agents in our team.

What if our Unit Manager gave up on her? It will be very unfortunate to not have Jolly in our team right now. So don't even think about giving up. That's what I learned from Jolly's story. And even if I give up, my teammates in Alexandrite 1 will definitely not give up on me just like what they did to Jolly. I am very blessed to have become a part of this team.

3. Celebrate the small wins.

"Post your 200-peso worth of Starbucks Gift Certificate online!", Camille reaffirmed that I was doing the right thing when I told them that I always make it a point to post my small wins on Facebook. It's not about bragging (and there's nothing much to brag about a 200-peso gift certificate). But that's because we know that closing a single sale is never easy. A 200-peso gift certificate may look small but it meant so much more than that.

Celebrating small wins allows us to focus on the blessings rather than on the challenges. Surely, there can be too many challenges before you can even get a single blessing. But if you change your mindset about it, the challenges become part of the blessing as a whole. Having this kind of perspective is important especially to the ones who are just starting - so that they don't give up. Celebrating the small wins helps us do just that.

My Top 5 Takeaways from Pru Life UK Alexandrite Branch Midyear Planning 2014

My very own unit, Team Lani, as we all try to fit in
Instagram frame during the recently concluded
Alexandrite Branch Midyear Planning 2014

Last July 12, 2014, the Alexandrite branch of Pru Life UK held their Midyear Planning 2014 at the AIM Conference Center in Makati City. It was attended by all the Financial Consultants of the branch. It was the very first big event I ever attended as a Financial Consultant of Pru. I would say that it made me feel more confident and proud of the company, branch and unit where I belong. I am only barely over a month in the business and I felt very thankful to know more about Pru Life UK, Alexandrite branch and my very own unit, Team Lani, through this wonderful event.

Below are my top 5 takeaways from the event. I hope that you, may you be an aspiring Financial Consultant or a client looking for a Financial Consultant, find this blog helpful in your decision-making .

1. Successful Financial Consultants believe that what they do make a huge difference in the lives of others.

There is one thing common among the many speakers who talked during the event. They all believe that their job as Financial Consultants allow them to make a difference in the lives of others. They said that during wakes, people bring flowers and condolences to the bereaved family but a Financial Consultant brings the "beacon of hope" that will help the family start a new life again. The same is true during times of terrible diseases and great needs. Because of them, I realized that Financial Consultants have a very unique role to play in the lives of others that one can't just succeed in this business if he doesn't have the heart to make a difference in the lives of others. 

2. We are actually friends with other insurance companies that we invite their Financial Consultants as speakers in our events.

The guest speakers during the event are from First Life and Manulife. As a rookie, I was astounded by the fact that we can actually invite speakers from other insurance companies during important events like this. Not so many companies do this and it made me glad that I am in this industry. 

I remember what my Unit Manager, Ms. Lani Robles, had always taught us, "Our competitors are not the other insurance companies. Our competitors are death, diseases and disability. Our mission is to get to our clients first before these enemies get them."

3. Financial Consulting is the most rewarding job ever - both intrinsically and extrinsically.

One speaker said that if you are a person who loves rewards, financial consulting is the best job for you. I totally agree with him. 

It had only been a month since I joined Pru Life UK but I have never experienced being rewarded like what I have experienced here. In just closing a single policy alone, I have received so many gift certificates and cash incentives already. Those rewards are still on top of my commission from that very sale. Every month, Pru Life UK and the different branches under it implement various ways to excite their Financial Consultants by giving them rewards for different achievements.

4. Alexandrite may be small but it is among the top performing branches of Pru Life UK.

I am very honored to belong to the group that is among the top performing branches in Pru Life UK. This is despite being relatively smaller in terms of manpower. I have seen the figures myself and numbers don't lie. The average age of the agents in Alexandrite is also very impressive - around 25 years old. I honor my Branch Manager, Mr. Henson Tan, for leading us to the right way.

5. Team Lani (the unit where I belong) may be small but is among the top performing units in Alexandrite branch.

Within the Alexandrite branch, I belong to a very small team led by Ms. Lani Robles. We are only around 40 agents and only 12 of us are doing the business full time. To be hailed as one of the top performing units in the whole Alexandrite branch is no small feat. During the event, I am very proud to say the 2 of the 3 selected agents who were honored and given the privilege to speak are from my very own unit. Ms. Karen Romero is hailed as the Top Recruiter for the first half of 2014 while Ms. Jhett Tolentino is the Top Agent. To say that I am "amazed" is an understatement. 

I am looking forward to seeing more achievements from Alexandrite and from my very own unit in the next Planning Session this coming October 2014!

To God be the glory!

For inquiries, please do contact me via 0998-367-0545.