DANIel J. Cassada CLU, ChFC

Professional Background

40 years in financial services (18 retail/independent, 22 wholesale) concentrating on life insurance as applied to higher net worth clients and business owners. Highly experienced in professional sales management and consultative sales. The goal is always to associate with true professionals and find ways to bring lasting value to every relationship and endeavor.

Life insurance distribution, sales and management. Regional Vice President experience with Manulife Financial (1995-1999), Hartford (1999-2012) and Wholesaling experience with AIG (2013-2016) and regional brokerage general agencies.

Ability to develop and complete complex, high net worth cases as well as simpler “everyday” cases.

Communicating and training all the skills needed by successful sales people and wholesalers.

Territory management including recruiting, marketing focus, sales activity and process management.

Highly skilled in consultative, point-of-sale activities.

Personal Background

Plymouth, MN resident for past 30 years. Native Minnesotan, hometown is Bloomington, MN. Graduate of John F. Kennedy High School, Bloomington, MN and of Augsburg College, Minneapolis MN. Enjoys life as an amateur musician, church and Christian activities, upland bird hunting, Cowboy Action Shooting Competitor, and traveling. Mostly enjoys anything to do with his family, wife JillMarie and four married children and five (so far) grandchildren.

LINKEDIN PROFILE:

Over a career of 40+ years, I’ve helped financial advisors and insurance agents improve their business while simultaneously helping their clients improve and secure their financial well-being. This includes hundreds of agents and advisors comprised of independent practitioners and those working in major investment firms, insurance firms and banking firms.

I have found that:

  • Most agents and advisors want to improve their business by making more money in less time while enjoying a fulfilling life, so they can have a fulfilling life.
  • Most agents and advisors spend much time and money to improve their business without adequate results in adequate time - things aren’t terrible, they’re just not “right”.
  • Successful agents and advisors most common statement to me is, “My business is running me, I’m not running my business.”

I can help -- it’s what I do to have a fulfilling life. I can be a coach, an at-your-disposal specialist, a key network link - whatever is the best fit.

It’s a lot easier than one might think to make more money in less time while enjoying a fulfilling life, it just takes being ready, and one conversation to get started.

7 QUESTIONS

Professionally:
Dan Cassada, CLU, ChFC, Producer Consultant for IFCNM. We broker health, life, long-term care, group and voluntary benefits, annuities and much more to independent agents and advisors. A producer consultant is a specialist who helps agents and advisors in an area that is NOT an agent’s or advisor’s main business - my specialty is the planning oriented solutions - life, disability, long-term care insurance and annuities AND coaching/training you how to grow these in your firm. I bring a 40-year career of experience in these areas as well as coaching, training, business development and professional, ethical sales skills. I have worked as an independent as well as inside firms such as AIG, Hartford and John Hancock.
Personally:
I’m a lifelong Twin Cities resident, living in Plymouth for the last 30 years, married to Jill Marie for 33 years, four grown and married children and, so far, 5 grandchildren. I have many interests and my current short list includes Grandchildren time, Cowboy Action Shooting, playing guitar and singing in my church worship band, hunting, cooking on my BGE, etc… Anything I do with my family and on that list, is my favorite fun thing to do along with helping agents make more money in less time and have more fun.
I’d love to know more about you, would you care to share a little of your story?

What do we do?

We find people who want to take their business to the next higher level, people who want to make their vision real. We work with people who need and want more structure, process, accountability and feedback to create the life they really want; people who are interested in creating and building long-term durable relationships. With these people, we fill the gaps doing what is needed or wanted in specific areas of your clients’ financial and risk management needs that you don’t cover. This can range from product access to specialized training, marketing, coaching and assisted sales activities and even handling client meetings for you. What this means is that you can do more for your clients and increase your earnings without adding staff or taking away from the things you do best. What are some areas that you would like to do more for your clients? How do you do that now?

Why do we do it?

Most agents and advisors are either “Dependent”, working for someone else, or “Independent”, working for themselves. We believe that INTERDEPENDENCE is the key to living successfully. Those DEPENDENT on their company are limited in what they bring to their clients. Independent firms are able to be agnostic with regard to best solutions for clients and best sources for those solutions, but are truly on their own for everything else. INTERDEPENDENCE creates true collaboration, giving your clients the best and giving you a helpful ally in reaching your goals. Through INTERDEPENDENCE, we both realize our vision. We think that’s critical. What do you think? Why do you do what you do?

How do we do what we do?

We find that most agents and advisors like the way they operate yet have a few gaps. We get to know you, your practice, your clientele and identify the areas that you can leverage our specialties and resources to the benefit of your clients and ultimately you. We want to know why you do what you do and what you really want. We help you achieve that with the least amount of your time for the most amount of return. This means that we become part of your staff, but we’re not on your payroll.

Who have you done it for?

Over twenty years, I have worked INTERDEPENDENTLY for a variety of advisors and agents in various distribution channels in the financial services industry including investment advisor firms, banks, P and C firms and specialty firms. IFC has been working with independent agents across the Midwest for many years.

What makes us different?

Like the agents and advisors we work with, we believe that when you stop getting better, you stop being good; when you focus on improvement, you realize your vison. We offer a variety of specialties and specialists that are available to fit into your situation requiring very little change in your already successful routines, so that you “get better” without the time, effort and expense of developing a discipline or adding to your staff. While it is our job to fit into your life, we help you to challenge yourself to be better we challenge ourselves as well. We engage INTERDEPENDENTLY to constantly grow and improve, that’s what makes us different. What makes you different?

Why do business with us?

Our agents like doing business with us because we bring “small town” values to a very “big city” industry. These values build trusting relationships that last. Our communication channel is WIDE OPEN. What matters most to us is to help you succeed so that you are spending your life doing the things and being with the people you love, and that allows us to do the same. We are interested in substance over image and in humbly pursuing excellence. Why do (or would) you do business with us? Why do your clients do business with you?