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Course Catalogue Go Back to Main Catalog Page None Get Started Learning Paths (beta) Sales Skills Marketing Product Knowledge Practice Management Motivation Classroom Training Coaching Resources Menu Close Try It Free for 14 Days Get full access to the platform—risk-free. No credit card. No commitment. Just results. Start building your advisor bench today. Start Your FREE Trial

Course Catalog Go Back to Main Catalog Page Accountability and Difficult Conversations Best Practices on Terminating Underperformers Creating a Culture of High Expectations & Accountability Driving Behavior through Expectations and Accountability Performance Indicators and the GAP Analysis Conversation Accountability Coaching Tips and Best Practices Three Levels of Training Interaction: Coach and Consultant Phase Development - Coaching Best Practices for Recruiting Women Educating Yourself on Diversity and Inclusion Practical Tips for Diversity & Inclusion Understanding Implicit Bias Understanding Organizational Diversity and Inclusion Development - Collaboration Building a New Team Building Effective Teams Creating a Team Selling Model Creating Development Plans Creating Study Groups in Your Organization Development Training - General Development - Training Developing Your Organization's Culture Developing Your Vision, Mission and Value Proposition Growing Your Team of Leaders Leader Philosophy Creating an Ideal Candidate Profile Differentiating Your Brand to Attract Top Performers Diversity Recruiting Generating Advisor and Center of Influence Referrals Recruiting Finding - General Recruiting Militaty Veterans Recruiting Millennials and the Next Generation Recruiting Recent College Graduates and Campus Recruiting Recruiting Top Performers The Three R's of Agency Building Recruiting - Finding ALPS Leadership Principles for Success Best Practices for the Recruiting Process Developing a Recruiting Culture Recruiting and Selection Insights from the GAMA Hall of Fame Recruiting - General Onboarding and Building Momentum with Experienced New Advisors Understanding Onboarding and Momentum Building for New Advisors Recruiting - Momentum Building How to Determine When Someone Is Not a Fit How to Screen an Experienced Candidate Selecting Top Performers The Science of Selection Tips and Best Practices for Selection Understanding Recruiting Activity Utilizing Reverse Selling in Selection Recruiting - Selection EDGE: The Leader's Journey EDGE: Developing Leaders EDGE: Emerging Leaders EDGE: Excelling Leaders EDGE: Growing Leaders EDGE: Tools and Resources Menu Close Try It Free for 14 Days Get full access to the platform—risk-free. No credit card. No commitment. Just results. Start building your advisor bench today. Start Your FREE Trial

HPN was founded by its CEO, Harry Hoopis, who built one of the world’s successful financial services firms. Harry, alongside an extraordinary team, brings world class solutions designed to help firms and companies in the financial services industry, reach their true potential. A Network Built by the Elite for Those Who Wish to be Elite HPN was founded by its CEO, Harry Hoopis, who built one of the world’s most prestigious and successful financial services firms in Chicago. Harry, alongside an extraordinary team, brings world class solutions designed to help firms and companies in the financial services industry, reach their true potential. HPN’s unique solutions are both innovative and scalable. With flexible learning solutions like online training, blended learning, live workshops. speaking and consulting, HPN has flexible programs that can be right-sized for your organization. Hoopis Performance Network Leadership Team Harry Hoopis Founder/Chief Executive Officer Industry icon Harry Hoopis is a renowned entrepreneur, leader, speaker and industry icon who has built one of the largest and most successful financial services firms in the world. Harry is the author of the best-selling book, The Road to the Bountiful Life and donates all proceeds to the GAMA Foundation. LinkedIn Joey Davenport President & Principal – HPN Division Joey Davenport has twenty years of experience in the financial services industry as a top producer, manager, entrepreneur and international speaker. Joey is a Certified Trainer, Master Coach and co-author of the #1 best-selling book, “The Power of Coaching: Engaging Excellence in Others.” LinkedIn Richard Cleary President & Principal – FSEdNet Division Richard “Dick” Cleary has 40 years of experience in the financial services industry as a top producer, manager, entrepreneur and international speaker. He has designed curriculums and platforms for leadership development, producer training, employee/staff education and Financial Literacy. LinkedIn Miguel Taveras Chief Sales Officer Miguel Taveras brings nearly twenty years of experience in sales, sales management, and distribution to HPN; he is especially well-versed in financial services, as well as life and health insurance. Miguel has developed hundreds of leaders, companies, and teams in 40 US states and four countries. LinkedIn Melissa Peck Vice President, Client Experience Melissa brings over two decades of experience in the financial services industry. A Certified Coach with a Master’s Degree from the University of Essex (UK), Melissa blends her media and communications expertise to elevate client relationships and product development. LinkedIn Grace Egan Operations Manager Grace brings over a decade of global operations experience within the tech industry. A self-described “Jane of all trades”, Grace combines her unique background of workplace ops, employee experience, and HR to manage all things Operations at HPN. LinkedIn Your Top Line is Only as Good as Your Distribution I'm Ready to Build My Dream Team We have the proven programs you need to increase productivity and retention

The EDGE comprehensive digital content library teaches essential skills for building a thriving business, creating a high-performance culture, and everything in between. The Leader’s Journey Foundational Principles of Leadership Vision, Mission and Value Proposition Building a Great Company Culture Delegation: The Key to Growth Office Systems and Processes Time Management Recruiting Recruiting Best Practices Building a Recruiting Culture Developing Your Ideal Candidate Profile Campus Recruiting Attracting Top Performers Selection Traits of Top Performers Conducting Initial Interviews The Science of Utilizing Selection Profiles In-Depth Behavioral Interviewing The Candidate Experience Onboarding & Development Onboarding New Advisors Joint Field Work Best Practices Training Best Practices Ongoing Training & Development Mentoring Series Expectations & Accountability Goal Setting and Creating High Expectations Activity Monitoring Becoming an Effective Performance Coach Creating a Culture of Accountability Holding Your Leadership Team Accountable Leadership & Organizational Development Leadership Insights, Philosophies and Beliefs Situational Leadership Developing High Performing Leadership Teams Leading through Change Management Diversity & Inclusion Just Some of the Topics within Our Leadership Development Content Library: Download the Content Catalog Leadership Development Joey Davenport – The Importance of Developing a Recruiting Culture Sabine Robinson – Keys to Building a High Expectations Culture Harry Hoopis – Field-Tested: The Importance of Expecting More from People Kathryn Christie – The Science of Selection & Potential to Performance Why Independent Associates May Not Be Hitting Their Goals The Importance of Follow-up When You Miss a Recruit Sources for Gathering Names of Potential Candidates Early Warning Signs Someone is Not a Culture Fit Here are a few short samples of our leadership videos focusing on the skills, best practices and execution methods of the top experts and leaders in financial services. Interested In How We Can Help with Your Leadership Development Needs? Contact Us Today! "Field Leadership is vital to the distribution success in the financial services industry. As an organization, we wanted to invest in a program that would develop our leaders to become the best possible versions of themselves. Our Partnership with Hoopis Performance Network focused on Culture, Excellence, and Leadership Integrity. The results of this program have led to great success for our leadership team. We have witnessed their success both at Farm Bureau as well as in their personal lives. Hoopis has delivered a program that has become the foundation of our current leadership development as well as our future leader development program." Ryan Harklau CFP® ChFC - Vice President Agencies & Development EMERGING – advisors interested in exploring and “test driving” the leadership career. DEVELOPING – leaders needing to build a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills to grow their team. GROWING – leaders seeking strategies and best practices to advance their team and organization. EXCELLING – leaders wanting scale and systems to reach the pinnacle of success. EDGE helps leaders succeed at every stage of the leadership journey . This comprehensive digital content library teaches essential skills for building a thriving business, creating a high-performance culture , and everything in between. Whether you want to strengthen your own leadership skills or build your leadership team , and whether you are new to leadership or have years of experience, EDGE has a solution for you. The Leader’s Journey

President, Sales Activity Management Mickey Straub President, Sales Activity Management President and Founder of Sales Activity Management, Inc. (SAM), started his career as an agent for 16 years; two as a federal agent and 14 as an insurance agent. Mickey launched SAM in 1995 to help ensure sales professionals get the right tools and leadership they need to help them succeed. He felt then, as he does now, that low producer performance and high turnover is expensive financially and emotionally. SAM grew 50% annually for the first decade and now has more than 55,000 clients, with offices in Chicago and Philadelphia, and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Mickey has a great passion for writing and speaking and is a father, husband, businessman, lector, usher, election judge, community organizer, patriot, industry contributor and was recently elected to be a NAIFA-Chicago Board Member. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Trustworthy Selling offers three proven learning editions. These additions include QuickStart for new advisors, Professional for experienced advisors and MultiLine for property and casualty agents. A Sales Effectiveness Program with Proven Results “We found Trustworthy Selling augmented and complemented much of the training we were already doing. We saw a 17% increase in overall production across both risk and investment products. The program’s focus on advisors understanding the psychology of buyers and the need to increase trust and decrease tension led to greater advisor competence and confidence.” Dave Porter – Managing Partner, Baystate Financial Services Over 20,000 graduates across the globe. 25+% increases in productivity. Recognized by Selling Power as one of the top sales training companies. ROI Institute’s Top Case Studies of the Year. Proven Results and Industry Recognition: Premium P&C productivity Retention Placed Policies Investment Gross Revenue The Proof is In the Numbers 25% 25+% Lifts Across the Board QuickStart This editions is for Financial Representatives just starting out, with less than one year in the business. Learn More Professional This edition is for Experienced Financial Representatives who have been in the business 1+ years. Start Now MultiLine This edition is for the Multiline Financial Representatives who need to pivot to the Life and Financial service products. Start Now Learning Editions for Every Step in an Advisors Journey Trustworthy Selling offers three proven learning editions. Each edition provides a powerful combination of tools and techniques to benefit your organization through an immersive, interactive learning system. These additions include QuickStart for new advisors, Professional for experienced advisors and MultiLine for property and casualty agents. Download Module Descriptions Download Now Schedule Some Time With Us to Learn More Let's Talk Download Mutual of Omaha Case Study Download Now Blended Learning This editions is for Financial Representatives just starting out, with less than one year in the business. Virtual Classroom This edition is for Experienced Financial Representatives who have been in the business 1+ years. Self-Study This edition is for the Multiline Financial Representatives who need to pivot to the Life and Financial service products. Flexible Delivery Models Flexible delivery models to meet your needs for scalability, customization and execution including blended learning, virtual classroom, and self-study. A Sales Effectiveness Program with Proven Results Improve connections with understanding buyer psychology and behavioral economics. Adapt selling style to maximize communication flexibility. Obtain high quality favorable introductions with confidence. Increase engagement and build stronger relationships through the art of questioning. Deepen existing client relationships through strategic client management practices. Integrate the habits and peak performance psychology of top performers. Designed To Help Financial Professionals Succeed Through:

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Nearly nine out of 10 Americans aged 65 or older currently receive Social Security. The Social Security Administration estimates that 21 percent of married couples and 43 percent of single seniors rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income. Whether you are planning to retire in 20 years or 20 days, it’s crucial to understand Social Security, how to qualify for benefits, taxation of Social Security benefits and how working after retirement might affect your Social Security income. This broad overview of the most important aspects of Social Security will help you make the best decisions for financial security during retirement. Social Security Basics Social Security is the largest U.S. federal insurance program that provides benefits to retirees, those who have disabilities and those who lose a spouse or parent. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), more than 60 million people received monthly benefits as of 2018; 46 million of those recipients are retirees and their families. The Social Security Act was part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, a series of programs his administration instituted to bring prosperity back to Americans during the Great Depression. The Social Security Act passed in 1935. Those who work pay dedicated payroll taxes authorized by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), which funds Social Security benefit payments. As of 2019, each dollar you pay in FICA taxes goes into two separate trust funds. One fund receives 85 cents for retirees, their families, surviving spouses and surviving children of workers who passed away. The remaining 15 cents funds those with disabilities and their families. Qualifying for Social Security Retirement Benefits Most people must work 10 years at a job where they pay FICA taxes to receive Social Security retirement benefits. As of 2019, the SSA awards one credit for each $1,360 in earnings, with a maximum of four credits per year. The required earnings normally increase each year. The 10-year, 40-credit rule applies to all workers who were born after 1929; those born before 1929 did not need as many credits. Workers cannot earn credits at all jobs. The following are some examples of jobs where workers do not qualify for Social Security retirement benefits: The majority of federal employees hired prior to 1984 Railroad employees who have more than 10 years of service Some employees of state and local governments who have chosen not to participate in the Social Security programs Social Security Retirement Benefit Amounts The amount you receive for Social Security retirement benefits depends on your age and the amount of your lifetime earnings. As you earn more, your benefit amount increases. You can begin to receive your retirement income anytime from age 62 to age 70. The retirement benefit program is designed to pay out the same amount of lifetime benefits, no matter when you choose to file your claim. Of course, how long you live is the factor that has the most impact on total lifetime benefits. The SSA will reduce your retirement payment if you take it early. The longer you wait to collect benefits, the greater the monthly benefit amount will be. The principle behind this is really quite simple. If you start to receive your monthly retirement benefits early, you will receive more payments over your lifetime. If you begin taking them later, you will receive fewer payments, but the payments will be larger. There are many factors to consider when making this decision. But before you can even think about this, you need to know if, how and when you can receive benefits. So, let’s talk about the full retirement age. The full retirement age (FRA) is the age you must attain to be entitled to your full, unreduced Social Security retirement benefit. The FRA for those born between 1943 and 1954 is exactly age 66. For those born between 1954 and 1959, their FRA will increase by two months each year. For example, the FRA for those born in 1955 will be 66 years and 2 months. The FRA for those born in 1956 is 66 and 4 months, and so on. The FRA for those born in 1960 or later is exactly 67. So, to receive an unreduced retirement benefit, which is referred to in Social Security jargon as the “Primary Insurance Amount” (PIA), you must wait until you reach your full retirement age. If a retiring worker with an FRA of 66 and a PIA of $1,000 chose to receive his retirement benefit at age 62, his benefit would be reduced by 25 percent, or $750 (75 percent of his $1,000 Primary Insurance Amount). If they wait until he reaches his FRA, he will receive his full PIA benefit of $1,000. The terms the Social Security Administration uses to describe your benefit can be confusing. For example, the word “full” in the term “full retirement age” does not mean the maximum benefit. The maximum benefit occurs at age 70, which is always later than full retirement age, regardless of when you were born. Now let’s talk about what happens if you wait beyond full retirement age to claim your benefits. For each year you wait beyond full retirement age to receive your benefit, you receive what’s called a “delayed retirement credit.” This is set in law, so it does not fluctuate with interest rates or the equity markets. It’s 8 percent simple interest per year, based on your primary insurance amount for each year beyond your full retirement age. Another way to look at this is that your benefit will be 76 percent higher at age 70, compared with age 62, regardless of the PIA. That is, you will receive a monthly retirement benefit from Social Security that is 76 percent higher every month for the rest of your life if you wait until age 70 to receive it. This happens automatically. All you have to do to get your maximum benefit is wait until you reach age 70. No forms, no calls — just wait. If you want a better idea of what your benefits might be at different ages, visit the SSA website and look up your Social Security statement, or use some of their calculators. Income Taxes and Social Security Some people who collect Social Security retirement benefits must pay income tax on a portion of their benefits. The government will tax a portion of their benefits if their total combined income (combined income = total amount of income, including any taxexempt interest, plus half of one’s Social Security benefits) exceeds Social Security’s set base amount. Keep in mind that your “total income” includes more than just your work income. The SSA will tax 50 percent of your Social Security benefits if either of the following statements is true: Your combined income amount is between $25,000 and $34,000 and you are single. Your combined income amount is between $32,000 and $44,000 and you are married. The SSA will tax 85 percent of your Social Security benefits if either of the following statements is true: Your combined income is greater than $34,000 and you are single. Your combined income is greater than $44,000 and you are married. Working After Retirement To maintain a comfortable lifestyle into retirement, Social Security retirement benefits plus savings and other investments are often not enough. This means that many individuals must keep working for a while, even after claiming an early Social Security retirement benefit. Others keep working just remain active and engaged. At your full retirement age, there is no limit on the amount of money you can earn and still receive your full Social Security retirement benefit. However, if you decide to begin to receive your benefit early and continue to work, be sure to understand how this extra income might impact your Social Security benefits. Social Security will reduce $1 of benefit for every $2 you earn over a set limit. In 2019, this limit on earned income is $17,640 ($1,470 per month), and this limit will go up each year. This continues until you reach full retirement age. Reduced, but Maybe Not Lost Forever The amount of reduced benefits lost due to income earnings that exceed the limits are not necessarily lost forever. Once you reach your full retirement age, Social Security will automatically recalculate a new retirement benefit amount, taking into account any of the lost benefits due to the earned income rule. This calculation will eventually pay out the lost benefit amount, a little bit each year. It normally takes up to 15 years to fully recoup the lost benefit. Social Security and Retirement

Trustworthy Selling offers three proven learning editions. These additions include QuickStart for new advisors, Professional for experienced advisors and MultiLine for property and casualty agents. A Sales Effectiveness Program with Proven Results! A Sales Effectiveness Program with Proven Results Designed to help financial professionals: Improve connections with understanding buyer psychology and behavioral economics. Adapt selling style to maximize communication flexibility. Obtain high quality favorable introductions with confidence. Increase engagement and build stronger relationships through the art of questioning. Deepen existing client relationships through strategic client management practices. Integrate the habits and peak performance psychology of top performers. Proven Results and Industry Recognition: Over 40,000+ graduates across the globe. 25+% increases in productivity. Recognized by Selling Power as one of the top sales training companies. ROI Institute’s Top Case Studies of the Year. Full Program For those new to the business, our full program offers 10 modules of content for professionals in Affiliated and Multi-Line companies. Modularized Program Pick and choose the right modules for you to set your sales professionals up for success with the specific skills they need. SkillSet powered by TS his one-day course edition is for sales professionals with 5 years or less experience in the industry who want to sharpen skills to drive higher productivity. Program Versions QuickStart This editions is for Financial Representatives just starting out, with less than one year in the business. Learn More Professional This edition is for Experienced Financial Representatives who have been in the business 1+ years. Learn More MultiLine This edition is for the Multiline Financial Representatives who need to pivot to the Life and Financial service products. Learn More SkillSet This one-day course edition is for financial professionals with 5 years or less experience in the industry who want to sharpen skills to drive higher productivity Learn More Learning Editions for Every Step in an Advisors Journey We offer three proven learning editions for each stage of an Advisors journey. Each edition provides a powerful combination of tools and techniques to benefit your organization through an immersive, interactive learning system. These additions include Quick Start for new advisors, Professional for experienced advisors and Multiline for property and casualty agents. Blended Learning This editions is for Financial Representatives just starting out, with less than one year in the business. Virtual Classroom This edition is for Experienced Financial Representatives who have been in the business 1+ years. Self-Study This edition is for the Multiline Financial Representatives who need to pivot to the Life and Financial service products. Flexible Delivery Models Flexible delivery models to meet your needs for scalability, customization and execution including blended learning, virtual classroom, and self-study. “We found Trustworthy Selling augmented and complemented much of the training we were already doing. We saw a 17% increase in overall production across both risk and investment products. The program’s focus on advisors understanding the psychology of buyers and the need to increase trust and decrease tension led to greater advisor competence and confidence.” Dave Porter – Managing Partner, Baystate Financial Services Investment Gross Revenue Lives Weekly Net Issued New Clients Production Credits Conference Credits Premium P&C productivity Retention Placed Policies Submitted The Proof is In the Numbers 25% 25+% Lifts Across the Board Download Module Descriptions Download Now Schedule Some Time With Us to Learn More Let's Talk Download Mutual of Omaha Case Study Download Now

BenchBuilder™ was developed from LIMRA’s extensive leadership and management research as well as the Hoopis Performance Network’s field-tested systems & best practices. Giving Advisors an Opportunity to “Test Drive” a Career in Leadership How Do You and Your Organization Identify Sale Management Potential? BenchBuilder™ was developed from LIMRA’s extensive leadership and management research as well as the Hoopis Performance Network’s field-tested systems & best practices. The curriculum allows sales reps and their sponsoring managers to collaborate on 16 management activities designed to provide a better understanding of a manager’s role. The purpose is to help both the organization and the management candidate determine whether a role in leadership is a fit. What Are You Doing To Build Your Bench Strength With the Next Generation of Leaders? Systematic Process for Management Development and Succession Planning With an increasingly aging sales manager population within financial services, there’s a huge opportunity to identify and develop sales reps who have leadership potential. It also helps an organization do their best to create a pipeline for organic growth, most have struggled to develop a systematic management development process. Too many organizations bring successful sales reps into a management role too soon. Just because someone is a successful producer, doesn’t mean they will be a successful manager. Manager turnover is even more costly than sales rep turnover because now you’ve lost not only a manager but also a good producer. Field Leadership Profile Feedback Report (sample) Recognize the importance of identifying, assessing, and developing successful leaders for the future of your organization! Download Sample How It Works The Field Leadership Profile uses multiple-choice questions to collect information about candidates’ past experiences, personal characteristics, and work judgment. Building on our new examination of field leadership competencies, each feedback report provides summary and detailed information for three key areas. You will learn candidates’: Expected performance on key field leader tasks Likely personal leadership impact Strengths and developmental needs on core leader competencies Each Feedback Report Also Includes: Interview questions for exploring candidates’ problem solving and business ethics Candidate selection summary page Customized development plan worksheet The Field Leadership Profile is available through LIMRA’s Web-based selection system that makes candidate selection effective, efficient, and timely. Test results are instantly computed and reports are available to your managers. The reporting system allows key people at your company to monitor and analyze test results. The Situation Field leaders play a pivotal role in your company’s profitability. It is critical to choose the right individuals for sales management positions: When leaders fail, production suffers, turnover climbs, and the bottom line takes a hit. How We Can Help You The Field Leadership Profile is a comprehensive assessment that helps you identify and develop successful sales leaders. It helps your organization focus on crucial facets of leadership candidates. The Field Leadership Profile BenchBuilder is designed to help organizations determine which of their sales reps should step into a management role. BenchBuilder provides a systematic, structured process to determine which path is best for a candidate: Sales or Management. Not everyone who completes BenchBuilder will move directly into a management role. Having BenchBuilder graduates on deck provides for a smoother transition in management succession planning. Systematic Process for Management Development and Succession Planning Learn How Building Bench Strength Works Go to How it Works Giving Advisors an Opportunity to “Test Drive” a Career in Leadership

Welcome to the next step on your leadership journey. This hub is your launch point into HPN’s development platform-designed to equip leaders with the tools, insights, and flexibility to support producers at every stage. The Trail Starts Here: Your Command Center for Leadership Growth Start the Journey The Trail Starts Here: Your Command Center for Leadership Growth Start the Journey Demo the tools. Explore the platform. Empower your team. Welcome to the next step on your leadership journey. This hub is your launch point into HPN’s development platform-designed to equip leaders with the tools, insights, and flexibility to support producers at every stage. Here's what you will Find: Short videos that walk through the platform experience ( View Videos Below ) A quick-start guide to HPN University ( Download Guide ) Access to EDGE, HPN University, and more ( Explore EDGE ) $599 per month gets you access for your entire firm, plus a custom-branded platform featuring your logo. Easy signup to activate your subscription Start the Journey Overview & Target Audience Content Curation & Driving Engagement EDGE and Leadercast Classroom Training & Coaching Resources Want a closer look? Sign up for a free 14 day trial. No credit card required. Sign Me Up! Have questions? Contact us. First name* Last name* Email* Phone Submit Have questions? Contact us. First name* Last name* Email* Phone Submit