FROM THE EDITOR Steps for Success in 2018

By Ayo Mseka

During my interviews with this year’s winners of Advisor Today’s Four Under Forty Awards, they shared a few “words of wisdom” that governed the steps they took on their way to the top. I have highlighted some of these observations below in the hopes they will inspire you to reach for similar levels of success.

You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. You just have to be genuine, honest, caring, and sincere. People can sense if you lack these qualities when they meet you. If you have them, there is a great chance they might want to partner with you and begin to allow you to help them navigate their financial world, protect their family and loved ones, and provide them with th e comfort they need to sleep well at night. (Matthew Cuplin)

Success takes activity. I made it a point early in my career to do at least one thing every day to move forward. This might have been to enhance my education, call a prospective client, research a new business idea or run one more appointment. Over time, week by week, month by month, that kept me moving forward and before you knew it, I looked around and found myself in a very successful position. (Matthew Cuplin )

One of my mentors painstakingly helped me develop a client-engagement process. It wasn’t a script, or just asking the right questions. It was about professional conduct and control that guided people to the answers they sought. He pounded into me: process, process, process. So more than any other skill I have worked hard to develop, I have focused the most on my process, and I attribute nearly everything to that. (Brian Haney)

One of the mistakes many new or young agents make is not seeking joint-work partnerships with other more successful agents. Partnering is essential to success, and I continue it to this day. (Brian Haney)

The only way to be good in this business is to do what you have to do to succeed –and do it over and over again. This could be cold calling, business walk-ins, networking, or asking for referrals. You must do it consistently and you must do it repeatedly. (Chauvon McFadden)

You must commit to the business and never give up. In this business, we tend to waver a lot. In fact, I have quit this business mentally several times, but I have always made it a point to hang in there. Being resilient is a major contributor to my business success. (Chauvon McFadden)

Knowing specifically where you see your business headed both as a financial professional and as a leader is the first and most important step towards achieving your goals. (Stephanie Rivas)

Be passionate about getting in front of as many people as possible. They need you! Don’t let them or yourself down by not putting in as much effort as possible to build your business or to take your practice to levels you haven’t achieved before. (Stephanie Rivas)

These words of wisdom have played a pivotal role in advancing the careers of these outstanding advisors. Keep them top-of-mind as you finalize your plans for success in 2018, and watch great things happen to you and your practice.

Best of luck in your journey to success!