And That’s A Wrap — NAIFA 2021 Performance+Purpose

By Alaina Faiello

2020 brought a world of changes that required the staff and volunteer leadership of NAIFA to be nimble and rethink how our NAIFA family would gather as an organization and community. When we couldn’t meet in person, we had to reformat and redesign our national programming into virtual events. I, among others, had hoped that we would see a return to in-person programming for all our 2021 national conferences, but we put members’ safety first and ultimately made the decision to stay virtual in the best interests of our attendees.

As I sit here reflecting on the completion of NAIFA’s third virtual conference in less than a year, our 2021 Performance+Purpose, it is with no small amount of pride and gratitude when I share that it took a small army of dedicated volunteers and NAIFA staff to bring you this great event. From the Speaker Working Group, attendees, speakers, sponsors and the Board of Trustees, we thank you all for being open-minded, invested and enthusiastic in the parts you played and support you provided to make this a successful event.

This year’s Performance+Purpose brought a new focus on education and insight for our attendees as we gathered virtually to “Redefine the Lines.” We had engaging keynote presentations each day along with experiential activities, such as virtual book signings, NAIFA Education Talks, product demonstrations and musical challenges. Each day culminated with in-depth breakout sessions following four educational tracks: Practice Management, Advanced Practices, Technology, and Sales & Marketing. We encouraged our attendees to choose their own adventure by customizing their learning experience and engaging at whatever level most appealed to them throughout the event.

This year’s keynote presenters included former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, who offered a no-nonsense how-to guide for young women looking to reframe their thinking, to believe in themselves, to take risks and to understand their power. The last woman standing on Season 21 of “Survivor Nicaragua,” Holly Hoffman, offered a message that inspired P+P attendees to focus their thoughts, emotions and energy toward success. She shared her knowledge, offering tools and discipline to achieve it. We wrapped up with Jason Hewlett, who delivered a message entitled, “The Promise to The One,” teaching leadership skills, tools and changing mindsets in a powerfully unconventional way.

Highlights of the highly rated interactive breakout sessions included lessons from Delvin Joyce, CLU, CHFC, RICP, on how to make the transition from commission to fee-based and practical considerations to weigh in advance for those considering making the move. Yael Lazar, Esq., provided attendees with a basic introduction to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology in addition to the tax implications, how to stay compliant with the IRS in reporting cryptocurrency transactions, and some cryptocurrency investing options available for retirement accounts. David Blake shared “The Unintended Benefits of Giving,” which delivered a powerful message on how finding ways to help people and communities in need and focusing on developing your practice doesn’t need to be mutually exclusive. You can deepen your engagement with your clients, increase your social media visibility, and expand your centers of influence all while benefiting the people and communities you serve, he explained.

P+P 2021 successfully managed to overcome Zoom fatigue, yet we all yearn to see our friends and colleagues in person. The good news is that in 2022, we WILL be gathering again with a return to an in-person conference, August 16-18, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the world- famous Arizona Biltmore! We’ve spent some time redesigning the conference and are pulling together a crazy-good lineup of speakers and content to build an AMAZING event for you all. I can’t wait to share this new experience as we gather and see you all in person!

We would like to thank our sponsors: Ameritas, Guardian, MassMutual, New York Life, Ohio National, OneAmerica, Principal, Prudential, and State Farm.