I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have.
— Abraham Lincoln
Thanks for dropping by. My name is pronounced "pro-MODE", which rhymes with implode, explode and — sadly — commode. You can also say "promote", replacing the "t" with a "d".
I've devoted my life making the world better in my own small way. I'm an actuary, advocate and blogger. Here's what those three words mean.
Actuary
We're surrounded by risk. That's precisely what an actuary measures and manages. I've focused on bringing you peace of mind by taming the financial risks of mortality (dying prematurely), disability (losing income), morbidity (losing health) and longevity (outliving savings). Exciting, huh?
Advocate
I designed life and health insurance products for 10 years. Next, I spent five years helping advisors sell them. Advisors vary in technical skill and the will to put your interests first. That means buyer beware. Because of my blogging, I kept getting asked for independent advice. I now conduct Actuarial Insurance Reviews
through Taxevity.
Blogger
I was searching for a way to freely share with the world. Blogging provided the mechanism. Starting was scary. Continuing was tough (and still is). I kept shipping and have already written over 500 posts. That's over 250,000 words. Some are even worth reading. Here are the blogs.
2013 Highlights
- Jan: got an opportunity to speak at the University of Toronto; still exercising regularly (started in mid-Dec); delivered my first speech from memory (The Tale of the MonkeyElephantWhale, my first children's story)
- Feb: running a half-day social media workshop for the Experion Group; speaking to University of Toronto graduates and Toastmasters (separately) on building trust with networking
- Mar: have a PowerPoint version of building trust with networking (premièred at Goodyear Toastmasters)
Here are the highlights from 2012 and 2011.
Newest Videos
Building Trust With LinkedIn
LinkedIn gives you powerful ways to build trust in your personal brand. Get simple proven tips that many advisors still overlook.
You'll find more resources on this page.
Speaking at freelancecamp Toronto
This session has trust-building tips for freelancers (which means most of us, whether employed by a company or hired by clients).
You'll find more resources on this page.
Do You Care Who Packed Your Parachute?
Have you wondered about the origins and role of Taxevity? You'll find the answers in first video shot/edited by professionals with proper equipment (green screen, lighting, camera). Thanks CanadaOne!
Here's more about Actuarial Insurance Reviews.
Speaking at Good Works
This session has tips for job seekers.
You'll find more resources on this page.
Speaking at Advocis Golden Triangle
This presentation uses visuals. Recorded in April 2012.
You'll find more resources on this page.
Speaking to the Estate Planners Council of Halton
This is the first time I've explained how to use social media without any visuals. Recorded in March 2012.
You'll find more resources on this page.
Interviewed on Liquid Lunch
This is my first on-camera interview.
Building Trust With Podcasting
This is a recording of my session at Podcamp Toronto 2012.
You'll find more resources on this page.
Building Trust With Blogging
This is a recording of my session at Word11.
You'll find more resources on this page.
The Six Basic Fears (Napoleon Hill, 1937)
In 2012, I plan to create more video. That's the toughest medium for me. I can now do basic editing but still don't feel comfortable on camera. To get started, here's a recording about the six basic fears that Napoleon Hill identified in his 1937 classic, Think And Grow Rich.
You'll find more details in this 2008 blog post. I help you deal with the financial aspects of these fears.
My Story
In this May 2011 video, I explain why I chose to devote my life to insurance and my reasons for using social media. Both aspects may interest you. You may even get ideas (no promises, though).
Here's the reason this video was created.
Services
Here's what I do
- conduct Actuarial Insurance Reviews
- speak to groups about trust, marketing and risk
Contact
To get in touch, visit the contact page. To stay informed, subscribe to my blogs or Twitter channels. To stay in touch, let's connect on LinkedIn. Thanks again for visiting.
