English is the official language of the 2025 MDRT Top of the Table Annual Meeting.
Ellis N. Liddell, BS, is an author, motivational speaker and team leader who values dedication, service and excellence. As an award-winning advisor, his belief that God gives power to those who empower themselves is at the forefront of all he teaches. His hard work as a scholar and athlete set the foundation for a celebrated career in banking and financial services. He was the first African American to be the No. 1 producer at National Life Group as well as Investors Capital Corporation.
There are two primary ways to learn, Liddell says: mentors or mistakes, and mentors are lot cheaper. Discover why providing apprenticeships to other advisors can be a huge boost — not just for them but you and your business as well.
Ian Green, Dip PFS, was the 2021 MDRT President and 2017 Top of the Table Global Council Member and Advisory Board Chair. He runs a family-owned financial planning firm and, as an advocate of the Whole Person concept, attributes much of his success to what he learns from MDRT.
With so many options and factors to consider regarding AI, what applications should advisors be using in their professional and personal lives? Learn how a trio of MDRT members have utilized this now-ubiquitous technology to advance everything from client care to compliance to marketing to cybersecurity to staffing.
At some point, nearly every advisor will deal with buying, merging or transitioning a business. Gain lessons on each practice continuation from MDRT members with extensive experience and insight.
Dana Mitchell, CFP, CLU, is principal of the financial planning firm Basis Wealth. With more than 20 years of experience, Mitchell works with clients to build their wealth while protecting what matters most to them.
You may have heard of the MDRT Academy, but do you know how it can help you? David C. Blake moderates as Robert Cullen, FSCP, MBA, and Dana Mitchell, CFP, CLU, share how they’ve leveraged the MDRT Academy in their practices as a low-cost investment and how it can assist established advisors in different aspects of staffing and training.
Robert Cullen, FSCP, MBA, has owned Robert Cullen Farmers Insurance & Financial Services Agency since 2007. He has been in the profession for 18 years, specializing in retirement planning, college savings plans, general investment plans, cash value life insurance and annuities. With prior experience as a financial analyst, Cullen holds a bachelor's degree in financial management and a master’s degree in accounting and management information systems. He is the recipient of the highly coveted Farmers Insurance Presidents Council Award.
Brian Joseph Haney, CFS, CLTC, is the founder of The Haney Company and an industry expert, operating an independent, family-owned practice with his father and brother. He’s been in the profession for 18 years and is an author, speaker and podcast host, helping financial professionals develop a strategic, digital brand and marketing framework to catapult their practices forward.
In the digital economy where content generation, combined with AI, makes standing out more difficult than ever, financial professionals must become “finfluencers.” Haney shares a deep dive into four crucial areas of branding and marketing to equip you with actionable items for making your digital presence measurably more effective.
Alison J. Flaum, ChFC, CLU, has been the sole producer of an insurance, investment and planning practice since 1997, with two full-time staff and clients in more than 30 states. She was included as one of the top 100 financial security professionals by Forbes magazine for the last several years and is a qualifying member of New York Life's prestigious Nautilus Plus and Cabinet.
No matter how much you love your work and produce at a high level, sometimes it feels like the tail wags the dog. Flaum shares techniques she uses to maintain work-life balance and mental health while also qualifying for Top of the Table.
Regina Bedoya, CLU, ChFC, president of RB Financial Services, a consulting firm specializing in insurance and retirement planning, is an MDRT Past President, an Excalibur Knight of the MDRT Foundation, and an Inner Circle Society member. Bedoya has volunteered on MDRT committees and has been a speaker at Annual Meetings and international industry conferences. She has received the Irvin Konter Award and the American Free Enterprise Companion Medal and has been named Prudential Palm Beach Advisor of the Year twice.
Taking a break from our ordinary lives can give us time alone to reflect on the way we are living our lives, and whether it is aligned with our deepest core values. Bedoya shares how planning a 70-mile walk to Santiago de Compostela, a historic city in the northwest of Spain, started as an effort to take an item off her bucket list and ended up being one of the most transformational experiences of her life.
D. Kyle Atkins, CLU, CFP, has more than 40 years of experience in the financial services profession, and is an active member of numerous national and local professional organizations.
What does it take to overcome personal and professional challenges, including family and business conflict? Atkins shares thoughtful actions that can lead to successful outcomes in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity.
Tim Daniel Clairmont, MSFS, LACP, founded Clear Financial Partners to guide pre-retirees and the recently retired toward financial clarity and confidence. Creator of the ClearFP Clock, Clairmont is a bestselling author and sought-after speaker who is passionate about helping others master their financial journeys. With a vision to teach 1 billion people something smart about money, Clairmont empowers clients and advisors to achieve their unique vision of happiness.
From misunderstanding his audience’s needs in the development of his international franchise program to venturing into AI technology too early, Clairmont shares priceless lessons he’s learned from some of his biggest professional missteps as well as hard-earned wisdom gained from these experiences. Discover practical takeaways on strategic planning and learn how to avoid costly mistakes.
