Big Moments from C2P’s Mastermind Collegium Event for Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh

The steel city of Pittsburgh set the stage for C2P’s 2024 Mastermind Collegium (MMC) where financial advisors from across the nation gathered to forge their practices into prosperous enterprises. Hosted at the iconic Omni William Penn Hotel from June 4-6, this year’s event heated up with keynotes from industry heavyweights, insider tips from top advisors, and exclusive networking opportunities in a historic setting.

Catch up on some of the exciting content and updates shared at the annual Mastermind Collegium.

 

Welcome Reception with Bar Sponsored by Allianz Life

Cheers to the first night of the 2024 Mastermind Collegium in Pittsburgh in the first of many stunning spaces at the Omni William Penn Hotel! Advisors, their team members, and C2P staff connected over cocktails courtesy of Allianz Life, and delicious snacks and desserts during this warm reception.

 

Hammer Financial Group advisors and team members, from left; Emily Agresta, Greg Hammer, Todd Gehring-Gervase, Casey Johansen, and Tamara Taylor, were among guests of the 2024 June MMC in Pittsburgh, PA.

June 2024 MMC Sessions Start!

Kicking off the Mastermind Collegium on June 4, exit planning guru Jim Erben delivered a rousing keynote on why advisors need succession plans to protect their life’s work. His “Succession by Design, Not Default” talk outlined a clear roadmap for charting business continuity, retaining key employees, and maximizing value for a future sale or transfer.

 

Jim Erben presents to a historic ballroom full of engaged advisors at the 2024 MMC, hosted by C2P at Pittsburgh’s Omni William Penn Hotel.
Jim Erben presents to a historic ballroom full of engaged advisors at the 2024 MMC, hosted by C2P at Pittsburgh’s Omni William Penn Hotel.

 

Hot off the Forge: C2P’s Yearly Updates & Innovations

President and Founding Partner at C2P, Dave Alison, shared a string of achievements and news from the past year, including numerous ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES 2023 nominations and wins for C2P team members.

He was also proud to share Prosperity Capital Advisors (PCA) was named one of the Best Financial Advisory Firms of 2023 by USA Today and a top-ranking RIA according to a 2023 survey from Financial Advisor Magazine.

 

 

Dave Alison celebrates wins of top C2P advisors amid a sea of top industry performers at the 2024 MMC.

 

Looking to the future, Dave gave exciting updates on initiatives for the new year, including the launch of C2P’s in-house marketing agency, the development of a life insurance platform and additional support, the implementation of new trading platforms, technology, and software to improve operations at PCA, and more.

 

The emcee, Jason Hewlett, kept all guests on their toes with his engaging presence that included his miscellaneous musical impressions.

 

Wishing John Dowd A Happy Retirement

On behalf of all C2P team members, Dave Alison wished John Dowd well on his much-earned retirement and thanked him for his many contributions to C2P as well as being an integral part in Dave’s career.

Top Advisor Showcase: Ironclad Principles of Influence

In this Top Advisor Showcase, Greg Dillon, Managing Partner and Head of Wealth Management and Retirement Income Planning at OneTeam Financial, revealed how he uses The Principles of Influence from a book of the same name to drive more business and achieve long-term growth and success. His words challenged advisors to engage with their clients in new ways to better deliver the value of their services and guidance.

 

Molding your Practice’s Future Clientele: Defining Your Target Client & Minimum Checks

This powerful panel featuring notable C2P leaders and successful advisors, discussed “setting your prices with purpose” and the importance of defining your demographics and target market, not just b y AUM. Each panelist shared their experience with how being intentional in their business model made sure they can not only scale up but provide their clients with a greater standard of service.

MMC 2024 Panelists (from left), Bryan Bibbo, President and CFO of JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management; Greg Hammer, CEO and President of Hammer Financial Group; and Dave Alison, CEO of Alison Wealth Management; talk with moderator Kalem Mackey, Executive VP of C2P.

Hammering Out the Truth: Social Security Myths Debunked

One of the nation’s foremost subject matter specialists on Social Security, Ash Ahluwalia, CFP®, MBA, Head of Social Security Planning at OneTeam Financial, took the stage to bust common myths and share claiming strategies to optimize retirement income. With humor and wit, Ash shared a wealth of tips advisors can use when articulating the value of useful Social Security claiming strategies.

Anvils of the Industry: Top 5 Roundtable

MMC 2024 Sponsors, Allianz Life, BlackRock, Lincoln Financial Group, Dimensional Fund Advisors, and Wealth.com, took turns sharing a sales or practice management technique attendees can use to grow their practices and answering attendee questions.

Roaring on the River

After growing their network and knowledge base by day, advisors put on their evening digs flapper for a 1920s-themed river boat tour on the Gateway Clipper.

 

C2P advisors and staff showing up in style for the 1920s inspired river cruise on the Gateway Clipper at the 2024 Mastermind Collegium in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

Sponsored by Allianz, the “Roaring on the River” evening cruise served up dinner, drinks, dancing and gambling to the tune of a live 1920s jazz band and backdrop of stunning skylines and bridges. Special shoutout to those guests who donned their best flapper dresses and Gatsby-esque ensembles to bring the theme to life!

 

Following a full day of sessions and trainings, 2024 MMC attendees enjoyed the 1920s themed,” ‘Roaring on the River, night out with fine dining, incredible views, and casino activities.

 

 

All Good Things Must Come to An End

The Final Day Of The MMC begins with A Woman’s Clarity® Breakfast

To start the last day of the MMC off strong, the women of C2P bonded over an exclusive breakfast hosted by A Woman’s Clarity®.

 

Host of A Woman’s Clarity and Vice President, Head of Annuity Sales at C2P, Kirsten Schlumbohm, led the women of C2P for an open discussion on their wins and wishes for the industry at an exclusive breakfast at the Mastermind Collegium.

 

Together they sipped mimosas and coffee, celebrated their wins, discussed their challenges, and brainstormed new ways to empower female advisors and clients they serve. When these ladies joined forces, the ideas flowed about how to support each other, and they shared the strengths of women in the financial industry.

Growth Training: Getting Clients & Prospects to Take Action

Following breakfast, most of the day was occupied by growth mastermind Chuck Hollander’s “Getting Clients to Take Action” workshop where he taught The Compass Framework™ System for converting more prospects.

Hollander asked hard questions of the audience that forced advisors to realistically analyze their sales processes, success rates, and missteps. In his words, “success hides mistakes and inefficiencies.”

He also talked about the importance of being a “change navigator” rather than a “benefits communicator,” challenging advisors to identify the problem or goals a prospect has rather than immediately trying to sell them on the advantages of their services.

Designing Bucket Plans of Steel with Dave Alison

To wrap up the event, Dave Alison shared his approach, software, and tools utilized at his firm, Alison Wealth Management, to create custom Bucket Plans more efficiently and deliver them in a compelling way.

Dave Alison closed out another successful Mastermind Collegium but not before asking attendees to share their key takeaways from the event.

Until Next Year!

Between the top-tier content and endless networking opportunities with industry heavy hitters, the 2024 Mastermind Collegium gave attendees the resources, inspiration, and connections to forge a prosperous future. The event may be over, but our mission to simplify financial planning for advisors and the clients they serve continues!

Don’t miss out on C2P’s next premier advisor event. Contact us today to learn how our comprehensive support can transform your practice.