Tag: Simplicity

Institutionalizing Your Business for Long-Term Success with Ken McGee (Ep. 70)

Institutionalizing Your Business for Long-Term Success with Ken McGee (Ep. 70)

The most successful financial advisors in 2024 are laser-focused on one thing above all, and that’s operations. 

In this installment of the Advisor Mentorship Podcast, host Jeremy Houser welcomes Ken McGee, the COO of Simplicity, for an in-depth discussion on how focusing on operations is transforming entrepreneurial financial advisory practices. 

Learn about the most critical aspects of institutionalizing your business model, overcoming common challenges, and the recent recapitalization news that’s creating waves in the industry. Ken provides valuable insights into how Simplicity’s proven systems can help your business thrive and grow sustainably, ensuring long-term success and stability.

Jeremy and Ken highlight: 

  • The importance of aligning interests and culture during mergers and acquisitions.
  • Tips for integrating new operations to scale your business effectively.
  • Simplicity’s recent recapitalization and what it means for advisors going forward.
  • Opportunities for advisors to benefit from Simplicity’s long-term growth and stability.
  • And more!

 

Connect With Ken McGee:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

 

About Our Guest:

Ken McGee serves as Simplicity’s Chief Operating Officer. Mr. McGee is responsible for overseeing Simplicity’s daily business operations, with a focus on driving efficiency and assuring quality control. In this role Mr. McGee leads Simplicity’s middle-office functions, including technology, enterprise data management, and managing third-party service providers. Prior to joining Simplicity, Mr. McGee held various roles at several insurance brokerages, including NFP and Dixon Wells for which he had P&L responsibility and managed sales, marketing, operations, and integration. Mr. McGee has more than 20 years’ experience in insurance management. Mr. McGee earned his B.S. in Occupational Safety, Business Management from Keene College.

 

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Why Entrepreneurs Want Simplicity with Bruce Donaldson (Ep. 47)

Why Entrepreneurs Want Simplicity with Bruce Donaldson (Ep. 47)

Do you ever think about the power of Simplicity in business?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser is joined by Bruce Donaldson, CEO and President of Simplicity Group. They discuss the importance of advisors, creating a positive work culture, differentiating themselves, and achieving work-life balance. Donaldson shares his personal experience with retirement planning and how it inspired him to create a company that better serves its clients. 

Bruce discusses:

  • Simplicity Group’s philosophy when it comes to wholesale initiatives and supporting independent agents and advisors 
  • The importance of simplicity in business practices and the benefits that come with it, such as efficiency and added time for client relationship building 
  • Why businesses who embrace Simplicity and their resources are thriving
  • Simplicity’s competitive advantage in consulting services and institutional support for agents and advisors
  • And more

Connect With Bruce:

Book Time with Jeremy Houser: 

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

 

About Our Guest:

Mr. Donaldson serves as Simplicity’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Donaldson is responsible for defining the Group’s strategic direction and managing its various operating businesses. Prior to Simplicity, Mr. Donaldson was a managing director at an international investment bank, for which he was responsible for making and managing private company investments. Mr. Donaldson has also led the successful start-up of a national financial guaranty insurance company and a multi-billion-dollar asset management business. Prior to starting the entrepreneurial phase of his career, Mr. Donaldson held various financial, business, and legal positions in the United States and the United Kingdom. Mr. Donaldson earned a M.B.A. from London Business School, a J.D. from the John Marshall Law School and a B.A. from Hobart College. Mr. Donaldson serves as a Director for Simplicity Group Holdings.

A New Chapter: Discussing a Legacy with Steve Kerns (Ep. 45)

A New Chapter: Discussing a Legacy with Steve Kerns (Ep. 45)

It’s the passing of the torch at InsurMark! 

In this episode, Jeremy Houser is joined by Steve Kerns, the CEO and Founder of InsurMark. Steve announces his new role as the Executive Vice President of Business Relationships at Simplicity Group. As Steve assures that InsurMark will continue to provide excellent service and support to agents and advisors, we walk down memory lane, highlighting our top accomplishments as a team and showing our gratitude for the amazing leader Steve has been over the last 40 years, and will continue to be. 

Steve discusses: 

  • The number of advisor relationships he has built through working with InsurMark 
  • Importance of advisors differentiating themselves and achieving work-life balance
  • Steve’s new role advocating for change, new product opportunities, and technological advancements
  • Overcoming challenges as they come, accepting change, and embracing the new
  • And more

 

Connect With Steve:

Book Time with Jeremy Houser: 

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

 

About Our Guest:

At the young age of 29, Steve Kerns was one of the two founding members of InsurMark in 1983. Over 40 years, he has taken InsurMark to new heights in becoming an industry leader in delivering first-class financial advisory mentorship services. Steve has recently taken on the new role of Executive Vice President of Business Relationships at Simplicity Group. As he starts a new journey in his life, he leaves behind a glowing 40-year legacy at InsurMark, with the glowing confidence that the company will continue to grow, and that the best is still to be seen.

Exploring Advisor-Focused Platforms: Introducing Kai-Zen® and ILIA with Jeremy Bickler, CLU® (Ep. 34)

Exploring Advisor-Focused Platforms: Introducing Kai-Zen® and ILIA with Jeremy Bickler, CLU® (Ep. 34)

As advisors, it is incredibly important to differentiate ourselves from the competition.

In 2023, that might look like finding our niche, offering a unique service, or finding a way to create meaningful connections with our clients. 

While this is a good starting point, there’s more we can do. 

In this episode, Jeremy Houser is joined by Jeremy Bickler, the VP of Sales for the Central Region at NIW. Jeremy introduces Kai-Zen® and ILIA as two must-know advisor-focused platforms. Listen in as Jeremy details how these digital platforms support advisors in elevating their business and client experience. 

Jeremy discusses: 

  • Kai-Zen® as the strategy that provides advisors and their clients the opportunity to add up to three times more money to fund a cash-accumulating life insurance policy
  • What you should know about ILIA and its advantages for the preferred IMOs
  • Some advice for advisors looking to differentiate themselves in the industry
  • The benefits of his partnership with the Simplicity family 
  • And more!

Connect with Jeremy Bickler:

Book Time with Jeremy Houser: 

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Jeremy Bickler is VP of Sales for the Central Region at NIW. He brings over 20 years of industry experience, working across multiple areas of the business. While life insurance is his passion and focus, he has marketed and sold annuities, asset-based LTC, and disability. Jeremy has worked as an external wholesaler for multiple top-rated insurance carriers and is the former owner of an IMO where he presided over the life insurance division. In his current role at NIW, he assists IMOs in implementing Kai-Zen® and other premium finance strategies into their business. He also trains IMO sales staff and individual agents on using leveraged IUL for estate planning and supplemental income solutions.