Gary F. Restall and AGS Financial Services personal professional statistics

- Re-evaluated practice looking at the universe sized big picture and analyzed the direction I wanted to take going forward remaining flexible as I progressed. After a 3 year sabbatical review and partial conversion of some activities to online as indicated below, I chose to close my professional practice and walk away from a multi-million dollar international venture potential.

- Converted professional Comprehensive Financial Planning practice and more to six separate online educational services websites ("Life Finances ... Made Simple" for households, "Education and Money" for high school seniors, "Time Management and Organization" for everyone, "AGS Life Academy" to train a select few in fundamentals to become division VPs and open to the public as well, "Real Estate and Home Ownership Made Simple" for those interested in home ownership and/or real estate as an investment and "Small Business") with an additional complex industry online directory ("US Financial Services") prepared and completed for consumers and industry professionals. Focus could easily be expanded internationally with each of the 7 divisions. Also in the works was "AGS FINANCIAL FOUNDATION" as a non-profit teaching / giving organization.

Presently the only website still online - AGS FINANCIAL SERVICES - is non-profit but each of the other divisions already mentioned could easily be resurrected and become a multi-million dollar division by itself. That is .. IF ... I wanted to do that, which I do not. Those days are done. History. They could also have been expanded to include local and state retail outlets. Hence, the need for an AGS College for the staff to run the international operation.

First month online one site received over 750 hits which was 10 times what was expected with about $20 of marketing. Learned valuable lessons about the internet, websites, search engines, marketing and how human nature vs. needs vs. willingness to take action are all in emerging transition.

In reviewing website host statistics for this website in January 2008, was shocked to find with no advertising nor any marketing for several years the website had received over 38,000 hits in over 12 countries throughout 2007. Also surprising was 40% of those having spent over 15 minutes on the site bookmarked it to return to again. To me, that speaks volumes. Other generic info reviewed was also very revealing.

- Finally closed down my practice as mentioned above and retired. Have kept active in monitoring world events and following my own advice as indicated within this site as well as sharing what I know to those interested.

Do update the website constantly, even daily, especially as the international news, unfortunately, is so intense and coming to pass as expected and un-expected.

- Participant of select headquarters-directed pilot-intensive financial planning program in area.

- Matched volume to fellow advisors in program with 50% fewer clients due to old fashioned client service and focus.

- Sold most company-generated leads to fellow advisors as over 60% personal new clients were high-quality referrals. Many of them were unsolicited from within client's families and at work or social organizations. Once independent, almost 90% new business was referrals, again, many unsolicited.

- Complied with highly regulated federal, state and multiple companies' rules and guidelines (in an intensely ego-centered, vanity-filled environment at all levels).

- Unofficially complemented by state regulatory compliance department on my own practice's initial and subsequent FORM ADV (Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration) and my Schedule of Fees as one of the best all-around comprehensive and balanced sets they have seen.

- Designed and taught self-created and client-respected LIFE FINANCES ... MADE SIMPLE "financial back-to-foundational-basics system" for all clients.

Many up-front sessions per client resulted in no sales as they were purposefully expected to be just goal setting, value determination, fact-finding, educational or implementation of "The System".

When I retired, they strongly endorsed and encouraged this self-developed program be offered nationwide to a larger audience than just themselves. Hence, this FREE public service web site.

- almost 100% of clients, especially in my own practice had their foundation created and implemented within the first 6 months of our relationship, including their basic insurances (health, DI, life and LTC) and their estate planning.

Flexibility was built into everyone's foundation as "things" do change from time to time and even un-expectedly. I don't claim to be perfect knowing everything that might happen to myself never mind my clients. Nobody knows everything nor is perfect. From years of experience, I can see some things, but not everything. Therefore, "things" WILL happen regardless of who it is. Hence, the need to build flexibility in all areas of life removing the potential stress of "what if this or that happens?" uncertainty. With flexibility, it is addressed up front and covered for comforting peace of mind.

57% of all financial planning clients (aged 23 to 80+) acquired LTCI within first 6 months of relationship with little "selling" compared to peers' less than 5% of their clients acquired LTCI at any time in their practice.

A high percentage additionally became 100% debt-free (including their mortgage or at least paying down on it substantially) and acquired a 6 months cash reserve within the first 1 to 3 years of working together.

- Was shown and then alerted clients 4 to 6 months before the dot com bubble burst. Those that listened were very thankful and those that didn't, well, they weren't happy with themselves to say the least. They subsequently have listened to me. And years after retiring, many willingly and unsolicitedly keep me updated on their situation.

Currently I see an even worse full-blown stock market AND an economic crash worse than the 1920s and 30s looming in front of us with world-wide ramifications. The bubble has already started to unravel. Will it be full-blown in 30 days, 60 days, 90 days or ... later this week? I don't know the day nor the hour, but the hand writing is on the wall as they say and it is becoming more noticeable daily.

It is an urgent urgency that everyone willing to listen get out of the market as fast as possible paying off any and all debts while building up at least a 6 months and preferably a full year's worth of expenses. If you have a profit from the market sales/withdrawals, willingly pay whatever taxes AND penalties you have. If you have a loss, be thankful you have some left. How is that for a major warning alert?!?!

There are other things you should do as well. Do you know what they are? There is NO time to lose, it is that urgent! Remember, I have nothing to sell or gain should you listen or not.

- Have authored and had published weekly and/or periodically written media articles as well as regular client newsletters. Was a past resource consultant for other leading industry journalists nationwide.

Average Length of Presentation		- 2 and 3 hours vs. company training and expectation of "90 minutes in-and-out and get a check" which means my presentation was tailored around the individual covering ALL the bases of THEORY AND the PRACTICAL vs. a "canned" generic presentation for the masses hoping some would buy. This longer one call presentation was due to having done my professional homework and personally experiencing the need for LTC with both of my parents - my mom multiple times.
Closing Ratio (number of presentations to generate one sale)		- 83 % vs. company average 50% to 60% which means clients believed and trusted me more than my peer's clients did them.
Placed Rate (number of policies sold vs. number of policies actually placed in force)		- 88 % vs. company average 60% to 65% which means what was sold was appropriate for the client and they bought with logic as well as emotion. Also, if "issues" appeared appropriate, additional documents were sought and supplied pro-actively up front for suitable underwriting by the insurance company and not left to chance.
Volume (total sales)		- same if not a little more than peers which means my total sales volume matched my peers overall volume. My "placed" volume was therefore much higher than my peers.
Number of Clients		- half to a little more than half as many clients as my peers which means my clients willingly bought on the average one and a half to twice as much coverage per client as my peers' clients nationwide bought. This was due because my sales were tailored to the client individually and their needs and not the company needs or because of the sales person's inexperience or their desire for an easier sale or just "to take orders". I took the time to seriously put the client first and mean it. I found it was easier to sell quality and appropriateness up front vs. later on apologize for mediocrity or for less coverage than one should have had from the beginning. I don't fear attorneys coming around after-the-claim asking why didn't I, as a supposed professional, serve the client better up front?
Still In Force Business (number of clients still paying insurance premiums almost 20 years later)		- 98% to 100% of those still living are still paying their premiums vs. company and industry average heavy fall off rate within first few years. This means when the sale was initially made the clients understood their need and their options and we built in flexibility for the future without the need to drop or replace policies pre-maturely. - 0% of policies have been replaced by the "competition" which is remarkable and unheard of.
Average Age Of Client		- Led the company and industry with lower aged clients (even in their 20s and 30s) as well as the standard "older" - 50s, 60s, 70s and in their 80s - clients due to realizing the need can be there at ALL ages. Again, due to lots of self-study research finding a high statistic of those in facilities are younger than 65 with automobile accidents and sports injuries as major causes and it don't take a genius to know those occur when people are young.
Bottom Line		- Quickly learned that Long Term Care Insurance MUST be sold AND tailored to the individual with built-in flexibility for the "now" AND "the future" through thorough education of logic and emotion of needs OF THE CLIENT along with KNOWING the industry past/present/expected future. In other words, spend the time and do whatever it takes to learn the profession as a HIGH QUALITY professional and then put the client first - doing what is right for the client - from the initial contact and thereafter. Not only with words, but seriously and sincerely mean it! Treat the client as YOU would want to be treated if you were in their situation and eagerly accept whatever results!

- Found, analyzed and began acquiring real estate nationwide sight unseen. Apartments, office buildings and shopping centers in the 1 to 5 million dollar range quickly became my specialty. (This was back in the 80s when a million dollars was worth a million dollars. As an example - a time when very nice single family homes averaged $50,000 to $60,000 compared to today's $400,000 to $700,000 house.)

- Created, wrote, promoted and then taught a how-to classroom course with outstanding results.

- Up to 57% of free lecture attendees bought high-priced course vs. 8% industry wide norm.

- 66 2/3 % of the last class bought or sold property within 60 days of graduating in an industry that averaged less than 12% of students that do anything after they initially bought a program / course.

- One unemployed graduate was able to take both his home and an apartment building out of foreclosure and put $9,000 in his pocket still without a job while continuing to buy more. Again, back in the 80s...

- Another became a millionaire within 3 years keeping her full time out-of-state clerical job.

- By the mid-1980s, was on personal target to acquire 100 million dollars worth of property when my dad went into a nursing home changing my life completely.

Hindsight, this was a defining moment in my life when money, prestige, vanity no longer was a motivating factor. A shift took place. Over the years it was a total shift in my life's direction. It became directed towards people and helping them as they need to be helped.

I believe an additional "behind the scenes" issue was also taking place more powerful than me. That "issue" was that God was introducing Himself to me and inviting me to learn about Him as He wanted me to learn about Him and to act on that new-found knowledge. I believe He has changed me substantially. I am not perfect and make a lot of mistakes that He corrects me for gently and mercifully.

- First things first. I don't believe it is my place to proselytize but I do believe I need to be ready to give an answer to those who ask about my beliefs. And some of these answers are to questions already asked.

- I do believe The entire Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is God's Word He inspired and needs to be considered His textbook for all mankind as any manufacturer would send an instruction manual along with their product. I do believe it is complete as we have it and it was well preserved for us. Some translations are better than others but all do have some error. As a serious Bible student, I believe many of the errors have been found and corrected.

I do believe one should let The Bible interpret The Bible. In other words, as Isaiah 28:13 states take a precept or a topic and find all the scriptures on that subject allowing the easy scriptures to interpret the more difficult ones. So read The Bible first and then compare what any man says based on what is in The Bible. Shockingly, you may discover MOST "preachers" preach contrary to The Bible, especially the mainstream preachers.

Hence, it becomes important to Prove All Things for oneself and holding fast to those that prove accurate according to God's Word as 1 Thessalonians 5:21 commands.

- I de believe The Bible teaches God has set out His rules and His regulations (known as The Law - the first 5 books of The Bible) that if followed would produce tremendous blessings and when disobeyed produce tremendous curses. Today, we see mostly unhappiness, strife and violence, contentions and no real hope for the future which means people are not obeying God and His rules of peace and happiness and love. I believe the reason for this is the god of this world has blinded and deceived mankind as far as the truth is concerned. As 2 Corinthians 4:4 and Revelations 12:9 tells us the god of this world is called an adversary, the devil, that old serpent, satan and carries lots of power.

God in His Bible from Genesis to Revelation makes plain the real meaning behind today’s world news. It reveals the answers to the “unanswerable” social, family, and personal problems facing millions today. It explains the very purpose of human life.

There is a very near future though, I believe, when everyone will learn to read and love The Bible and consequently obey God's rules and regulations. Therefore, there will be fantastic peace and happiness and love galore. As we learn those ways today, we can have those blessings now even though nations around us are deeply divided and in turmoil. That is part of what the Bible teaches I believe.

I believe anyone that wants to get a head start on The Wonderful World Tomorrow - What It Will Be Like can by beginning to get to know who and what is God and His mysteries. They could start by reading Mystery Of The Ages by Herbert W. Armstrong along with The Law. That is the most comprehensive book on the basics I've found anywhere.

I also suggest reading The Bible starting with Deuteronomy first as it is the recap of or the re-stating of The Law and then go back and read Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus and then Deuteronomy again. I suggest reading The Bible in the King James version as that is the most accurate translation in English. A good second choice might be the RSV along with supporting translations like the Authorized Version, The Fenton, Moffat and others but only as a distant second and a support to the primary choice - The King James. I don't recommend The NIV or New International Version as commonly that is referred to as the Non Inspired Version because it is so full of human forced translation errors. You might want to consider e-Sword to download some of the various translations.

I believe God is fantastically awesome and the more one reads His manual, the more one finds we humans do things wrong without Him.

- I don't believe that I know everything there is to know and consequently am corrected constantly by the loving God The Father as any loving parent would do to their children as often as is necessary. In other words, I'm not perfect yet. I'm still learning and use The Bible as my foundation.

Various Seminars, Courses, Self-Help Programs (On-going since before grammar school)

- Completed numerous independent courses, programs, seminars and endeavors both for various professional licenses' and registrations' Continuing Ed Credits as well as for personal growth.

Tom Hopkins International Advanced Sales Training Course "PROFESSIONAL SELLING A TO Z" Graduate

Tom Hopkins International Sales Training Course "How to Master the Art of Selling" Graduate

Dale Carnegie Human Relations Graduate & asked to be and was Graduate Assistant in succeeding classes.

Jaycees - Manchester, NH; State of NH; US Jaycees Volunteer Part Time several years

- Local - member, elected Secretary, President. State - elected Regional Vice President, appointed Public Relations Manager.

- National - appointed Projects Awards Judge.

- Received numerous awards including Jaycee of the Year for whole state

- Averaged participating in or chairing over 35 projects a year such as: an annual summer barbecue for the city serving 25,000 people for 4th of July including fireworks; created, planned and promoted a regional 3 day convention with choice of up to 4 seminars and activities at any time from 8 AM to 5 PM each day for upwards of 1000 New England conventioneers in attendance featuring several special national speakers; featured speaker at several community organizations; wrote and had published over 75 public relations articles in one year; wrote, published and distributed to over 2000 people a nationally recognized and award winning 24 page newsletter every two weeks while employed elsewhere full time.

L'Institut International de Glion - Glion, Vaud, Switzerland Graduate with degree in Organization, Management and Administration + some internship and special work

- Hospitality (hotel, restaurant, travel, service) Industry College - all courses taught in French by Swiss internationally known for their superb personal service.

- Graduated in top third of class and the only American in class.

- Participated in special work programs such as: a banquet for the Queen of Belgium (white glove formal affair); a 2000 Longines Watches employee banquet under a tent in an open countryside field 7 courses served individually along with 5 different wines and drinks. Meals cooked from scratch under a separate tent.

- Worked a summer paid internship program as Food Service Assistant in a busy large downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada hotel with multiple restaurants, room service and banquet facilities.

American College of Switzerland - Leysin, Switzerland Student + Dining Services Manager

- Requested to be Dining Services Manager within first month of college for all food service operations for live-in faculty and students during the balance of the college year.

- Competed in racing downhill snow skier coming in 4th out of 75 international skiers.

Traveled internationally to over 30 countries so far and exposed to diverse cultures and languages.

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