J u ne - se p tember 20 1 4
Celebrating the People & Performance of the Sun Life Financial Agency Force
2014 AUGUST CHAMPIONS Susan Lee Sequoia NBO Top New Business Manager • Virgie Sun Sequoia NBO Top Sales Manager Celine Chan Sequoia NBO Top unit Manager • Joseph Monzon Jacaranda NBO Top Advisor Sheryl Mae Teng Sequoia NBO Top Rookie
2014 AUGUST MUTUAL FUND Nancy Baluyut Cypress NBO Top MF New Business Manager • Susie Guzman Eucalyptus NBO Top MF Sales Manager Celine Chan Sequoia NBO Top MF unit Manager • Salvador Valbuena cypress NBO Top MF Explorer Marla Rellera Palm NBO Top MF Rookie
CHAMPIONS ISO Sta. Rosa ISO Top iso • Yolanda Legaspi Rosewood NBO Top ISO New Business Manager Rogelio Sevilla Corinthian NBO Top iso Sales Manager • Revelita Manipon genus pine NBO Top iso unit manager Carmela Arcilla Almond NBO Top iso Advisor
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contents
events 6
August Champions Kick-Off Sets the Mood for a Big Win!
8 9
Grand Slam Jam Sun Life Finalists for The Voice of LUAP Named
10
MDRT Conference - Sun Life Phils. Ranked 19th in MDRT’s Top 100 Life Companies Worldwide
12
Macaulay Club Marketing Congress Session at the SMX - Never Stop Exploring
14
Macaulay Club Marketing Congress International - Phuket
15
Macaulay Club Marketing Congress Local - Boracay
16 17
Investment Forum F.I.T. Congress - Learning the Ropes of Financial Independence with Sun Life
People
2014 august champions 18
susan lee/sequoia nbo Top New Business Manager
24
Virgie Sun/sequoia nbo Top Sales Manager
Chan/Sequoia nbo 26 Celine Top Unit Manager for Life &
Top Unit Manager for Mutual Fund
28
Joseph Monzon/jacaranda nbo Top Advisor
Mae Teng/Sequoia nbo 30 Sheryl Top Rookie nbo 32 Sequoia Top NBO in Single Pay Premium NBO 36 Cypress Top MF New Business Office Guzman/Eucalyptus nbo 38 Susie Top MF Sales Manager Valbuena/Cypress NBO 40 Salvador Top MF Explorer
42
MarLa Rellera/Palm nbo Top MF Rookie
Rosa iso 44 Sta. Top ISO
Legaspi/rosewood NBO 46 Yolanda Top ISO New Business Manager Sevilla/Corinthian nbo 48 Rogelio Top ISO Sales Manager Manipon/Santiago ISO 50 Revelita Top ISO Unit Manager Arcilla/Almond NBO 52 Carmela Top ISO Advisor
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editor’s note
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E DI T O R I A L B O A R D Rizalina G. Mantaring Alex S. Narciso Mylene D. Lopa Os Sevilla
MA N A G I NG EDITOR Mariquit M. Lintag
C O NT R I B U T I N G WR ITER S Jopie T. Badoy Maria A. Butler Lito B. Escoto Patricia E. Galán Tania V. Makalinao Lennie Oliver
DE S I G N & L A YOU T GenioGraphics, Inc.
PORTRAITS BY Nonie Villanueva of GenioGraphics, Inc.
P R I NT I N G Escrivida Creative Studio
In the Habit of Winning Sequoia’s winning the top awards for the August Champions reminds me of Vince Lombardi’s famous lines: “Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all time thing…You don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit…” Certainly, among the men and women who make up this most prolific team, winning is a constant—a habit hard to break. But what really is the secret behind Sequoia’s unbeatable feat? Is it their passion to always excel? Is it their teamwork? Or, maybe, their positive disposition towards the work they do? Whatever it is, Sequoia’s palpable sense of achievement is one that is truly inspiring. This issue, we again highlight what makes our champions tick all the time, not only within the Sun Life realm but also throughout the industry where they are respected and held in high esteem. Sequoia NBO, under the firm command and guidance of the indefatigable Susan Lee, has once again bagged the top awards for the New Business Manager, Sales Manager, Advisor, and Rookie categories for August Champions. The constant and ever-consistent gentleman from Jacaranda, Joseph Monzon, rightfully owned the Top UM award. Read about these August Champions’ winning habits and the people they credit for their success. In these pages, you will also meet our top ISOs and our MF champions, whilst enjoying colorful spreads of the vibrant images captured by our creative lensmen during their international and local incentive trips. Feel the warmth of their friendships as they dine and dance together to celebrate the rewards of their success. It was truly a great pleasure preparing this issue which, once again, punctuates a Sun Lifer’s passion to finish strong and victorious, amidst the daunting challenges out there. Winning is definitely a way of life in Sun Life!
SHINE MAGAZINE is a publication of the Marketing Department of Sun Life of Canada (Phils.), Inc., with editorial office at the 6th Floor, The Sun Life Centre, Rizal Drive corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Telephone 555.8888 loc. 5427 Fax 849.9686 Email PHIL_Shine@sunlife.com
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Mariquit M. Lintag
contents
people Ties that bind 55
Jopin McLaren/Molave nbo Strong, Enduring, Productive
57
Vivian Patco/Almond nbo The Cycle Continues
58
Winda Gonzales/Tindalo nbo Standing Tall
59
Maritz Abellera/Eucalyptus nbo Planting Good Seeds
Perfecto/Cottonwood nbo 60 Dianne The Perfect Candidate cadungog/Empress nbo 61 Ruzette Express to Empress
News Feature 72
inaugural sun life asia health index Help Us Get to Know Our Customer Better
Emergence of Generation O 73 The Overworked, Overweight, Overwhelmed
Athens
New Business Offices NBO 63 Dragonwood NBM Dr. Rae Carrabaccan Making a Difference
NBO 64 Empress NBM Ruzette Pineda-Cadungog
Generosity, Obedience and Discipline
65
Jacaranda NBO NBM Jocelyn Lim-Pua No Short Cut
66
Mango NBO NBM Ramil Gandola Stretching His Tent
Places
68 Balesin An Island Paradise to Enjoy Summer at Its Peak
and santorini 70 Athens NBMs Hie Off to Athens and Santorini for a Well-Deserved Break!
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events
August Champions Kick-Off
sets the mood for a big win! Held last July 12 at the World Trade Center, the August Champions kick-off set the right mood to rally everyone to the Php 567 Million AC target. Themed Sun Life Explorers and the Conquest of the Deep, the event was marked by amazing Indiana Jones-inspired visuals, sounds and performances. Advisors and field managers were challenged to give their hardest push in Q3. Loud and clear, the message was delivered: “The challenge to stay on top remains, and our efforts to defend the crown should never stop!”
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events
August Champions Kick-Off
Grand Slam jam And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, the kick-off was followed by Grand Slam Jam, a kick-ass party that celebrated Sun Life’s being No. 1 in 2013. The country’s most popular bands, including Pinoy rock icon Ely Buendia and his band, drove the Sun Life crowd into a frenzy, song after song after song. Indeed, this was a most fitting celebration for the country’s No. 1 Agency Force. Congratulations, Sun Life!
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Sun Life Finalists for
the VOICE of LUAP named
As soon as the Life Underwriters Association of the Philippines (LUAP) called for contenders to The Voice of LUAP competition, Sun Life immediately invited the staff and advisors with singing talent to join. Auditions took place August 11 at the R&T Macaulay Rooms of the Sun Life Center. Those who made it to the Top 10 were: Miraflor Wicker Mark Jerome Saytono Francis Carlos Mary Rose Tolentino Michelle Mariposa Jorrphen Ang Cornelio Juse Armada Nadj Zaragoza Tina dela Cruz Gemma de San Jose
From this group, three gifted Sun Lifers made it as semi-finalists: Miraflor Wicker, Michelle Mariposa and Nadj Zaragoza. They competed in the December grand finals at the Resorts World, alongside other finalists from various LUAP member companies. Criteria for judging included: Tone Quality - 30%; Pitch - 30%; Originality in Singing Style - 20%; and Clarity of Words - 20%. Cash prizes at stake are: P50,000 for the Grand Champion, P30,000 for the 1st Runner-up, and P20,000 for the 2nd Runner-up. Congratulations to Miraflor Wicker who won 2nd place! Ms. Janette Lee was Sun Life’s LUAP representative.
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Sun Life Phils. ranked 19th in MDRT's Top 100 life companies worldwide
It was another enriching conference at the 2014 Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) confab held in Toronto, Canada, home of our mother company Sun Life Financial, Inc. Close to 100 Sun Life Phils. delegates were there to witness a convergence of the best financial services advisors from over 70 countries around the world. This was the biggest MDRT conference thus far. It was a shining moment too for our Sun Life Phils. advisors who, together with SLFP head office executives, saw for themselves that Sun Life Canada (Philippines), Inc. ranked 19th worldwide in the MDRT roster of top 100 life companies, based on the MDRT rating system. For its 2013 production, SLFP posted 336 member qualifiers to the MDRT, which is 27% higher than the numbers of the previous year. And out of this total, there were 13 Top of the Table (TOT) qualifiers from only 6 the previous year; 49 Court of the Table (COT) qualifiers from the previous year’s 40; and 274 member qualifiers over the previous year’s 219. Congratulations, Sun Life!
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events
Macaulay Club Business Session at the SMX
Never Stop Exploring The 2014 Macaulay Club (MC) Business Session on September 9 held at the SMX Convention Center (Mall of Asia)—themed Never Stop Exploring—had a stellar cast of travel gurus for guest speakers. Travel Time’s Ms. Susan Medina, Korea Tourism Organization’s Ms. Velika De Jesus, travel photographer and Camera Club of the Philippines member Mr. Tilak Hettige, and TV host/seasoned traveller Ms. Bianca
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Gonzales—all provided great insights and timely tips on how to travel in style, building capsule wardrobes and other travel essentials, as well as information on the newest, most exciting destinations for world-class tourists. Over 600 MC qualifiers, led by MC President Zzlleenn Lee and EVP Jessica Honey Dee of Sequoia NBO, and members of the Head Office senior management team, remained glued to their seats from 12 noon to 6pm, intently listening to the speakers’ impressive knowledge and engaging discourse. The talks were interspersed with the awarding of this year’s Macaulay Club winners—the President and EVP, 80 Vice Presidents, 131 Gold qualifiers, 102 Silver qualifiers, and 248 Bronze qualifiers.
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events
Macaulay Club Marketing Congress International
Phuket
.... Macaulay Club winners hie off to Phuket, Thailand for the much-deserved 3-day sojourn last September 10-13.
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Macaulay Club Marketing Congress Local
boracay ... followed by the Shangri-la Boracay trip last September 15-17 for a four-day holiday at the resort’s pristine white sand beaches where they dined, wined and danced the night away.
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events
Investment Forum of August 5, 2014
Sales Training and Development spearheaded the first pit-stop meeting dubbed “Investment Runs Deep” to support the committed efforts of our Financial Advisors and Field Managers. The investment forum, held last August 5 at SMX Aura, was a fitting reward for the Fast Track Qualifiers of 2014 August Champions. The qualifying period for the Fast Track promo was July 1-25 and the requirement was to submit 3 Lives. There were more than 1,000 Financial Advisors in attendance. Mr. Ged Custodia, Head of Sales Training and Development, hosted the forum that was aimed at increasing the compe-tency and knowledge of Advisors in financial planning and investments. Chief Agency Distribution Officer Alex Narciso warmly welcomed the Advisors and and thanked them for their heroic efforts in the past months. He also reminded everyone to keep on giving their best and to never be complacent. In his report, Narciso highlighted what has been accomplished thus far and pointed to what else needed to be achieved. He challenged everyone to defend Sun Life’s crown as the country’s number one life insurance company and to continue in their advocacy efforts to promote financial literacy among Filipinos.
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Guest speakers share valuable lessons Advisors had the chance to learn from highly-qualified guest speakers like Malaya Laraya, a professor of Corporate Finance from Bradford College, a qualified Certified Securities Representative, and a former Treasurer and Director of PasayMakati Realty Board. The other resource speaker was Efren L. Cruz, Chairman and CEO of Personal Finance Advisers—recognized by MoneySense magazine as one of 12 Most Influential People in Personal Finance in the Philippines. Both seasoned investment gurus—and both registered Financial Planners—kept the crowd engaged.
Breaking the surface Laraya—author of the book Pesos and Sense—spoke on investments and creating a crisis-proof allocation. He believes in making investments simple and applicable to all, and that Financial Advisors should not just sell products but must also help clients realize how
important financial planning is. Laraya stressed it’s imperative to accept that all people have “wants” or luho in life, and the key to making them appreciate the value of financial planning is not by asking them to let go of these luxuries but, rather, to teach them how to prioritize. This is why needs-based selling is the correct approach. Sharing Aya’s Investment Diagram (AID), he identified three important factors in investing: time (does the client have enough time to make decisions or investments?); money (does he/ she have the capacity or means to invest?); and knowledge (does he have enough knowledge regarding the product?) Laraya reminded the financial advisors to equip themselves so they can share knowledge with their clients and help them overcome fear and ignorance. He encouraged them to take advantage of opportunities to reach out to people, including the use of technology and social media.
Best Practices Following Laraya’s talk was a brief sharing on best practices by three top Single Pay producers: 1. Mr. Jun Peñaranda (Tindalo NBO): MDRT, Macaulay, IQA and ASPAC Leaders Conference Qualifier 2. Ms. Janice Go (Jacaranda NBO) – MDRT, Macaulay and Leaders Conference Qualifier 3. Mr. William Go, Jr. (Osmanthus NBO): MDRT, Macaulay, IQA and ASPAC Leaders Conference Qualifier With Cluster 3 head Al Quitangon facilitating, the panelists shared their best practices in pushing VUL Single Pay products as well as the challenges they encountered in selling Maxilink 1.
Among the thoughts they shared were: • How easy it was to represent Sun Life since it had an outstanding history of service, and this made their presentations 50% done. • How selling successfully was all about asking questions and simply knowing what they want and being honest. • How making things simple and easy to understand for clients is key in making them value what you bring to them. • Using the needs-based selling approach and highlighting, not neglecting, the value of insurance • Learning and being knowledgeable to better serve the client • Leading by example and practicing what you yourself are advising your clients Finally, their message was simple: it’s all about selling single pay.
Financial Planning Simplified Sell like Captain America, not Ironman was the unusual and intriguing title of speaker Efren L. Cruz’s talk. He emphasized the value of making a well-conceived plan and not being reckless in going about one’s finances. He gave a demonstration on computing and analyzing the needs of clients through the use of his financial calculator. He said that it was best to go beyond just closing products: it’s really all about working on the needs of our clients and giving them a sense of urgency in solving their personal financial concerns. The event ended successfully, uplifting the spirits of our Sun Life Advisors and their drive to be no. 1!
Learning the ropes of
FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
with SUN LIFE
A series of free comprehensive talks about financial planning dubbed Money for a Brighter Life: How to Achieve Financial Independence were held last June 21 at the
World Trade Center and on June 28 at the SMX Convention Center. Among the topics tackled were setting financial goals, opportunities to grow one’s money, the importance of financial planning, income protection, saving versus investing, and planning for education and for retirement. These were discussed by renowned authorities on personal finance led by Sun Life Financial Philippines’ President and CEO Riza Mantaring, Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa, and Managing Director for Asia Investments Michael Manuel, together with personal finance gurus Randell Tiongson and Marvin Germo. Veering away from intimidating presentations, the sessions demonstrated practical and specific steps that one can take to achieve financial independence.
The talks were part of the company’s financial planning session called FIT, acronym for Financial Independence Training. “Many Filipinos would like to learn more about how they could handle their finances, but they don’t have a venue to do so. This is why, as part of Sun Life’s declaration of June as Financial Independence Month, we created the FIT Sessions,” Lopa said. “Sun Life is bent on reaching out to more Filipinos so we can help them achieve financial security.”
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people
2014 AUGUST CHAM Top new business manager
Susan Lee Sequoia NBO
A Template for Winning What heights can one reach in this profession? If you ask Susan Lee , she will most likely challenge
you with another question: “How high do you want to go?” Clearly, it’s a question Susan has asked herself—and answered—at key moments in her storied career. And she’s proven that there is no such thing as impossible if you really want to attain a dream. Unprecedented Under her command, Sequoia NBO has soared to historic heights. And years from now, people will still remember Susan and her team as the first agency—in Sun Life and in Philippine life insurance—to have achieved an unprecedented Php 100 Million in AC in one year. While this record-breaker remains the flag proudly flying atop the highest peak they have so far scaled and conquered, Susan and Team Sequoia continue to mark their journey with consistent victories in all of Sun Life’s contests—the latest being their twin wins as August Champions’ Top NBO in the Life category and Top NBO in Single Pay Sales (see related story on page 32). For this sales drive, Sequoia produced more than Php 25 Million in AC, brought in 917 lives, and registered 9,302.44 points. What’s the secret to this years-in-the-running winning streak?
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PIONS
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people
Teamwork Susan says that motivating and monitoring after the kick-off and all throughout the contest period spells the difference. “Kasi ang mga ahente, pag kick-off, ‘I want to dream big! I want to hit 500! I want to hit 1M!’ After that, they will just wait for the time to pass by. Natapos na yung September and December, wala sila natapos.” So she is constantly reminding them to keep on until the goal is reached. Wisely, she declares: “It never pays to underestimate your opponents, and it also never pays to underestimate your team. All throughout, we kept our pace that’s why I
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believe that we had no turning point in our success. We didn’t need it. Our teamwork was the key, and that is all we needed to win.” Then she adds, “Like any other NBO, our opportunities are endless, and so are the threats. But in every opportunity, we plan to put our best foot forward. We plan to face the challenges together, as a group but most importantly, as a Team.” This Teamwork Susan speaks of is real—is measurable, in fact. She is especially proud of the high participation rate within the 220-strong Sequoia team. “I believe we still have the highest number of Medallion qualifiers. We’re not heavily Platinum.
2014 August Champions
“Our tasks are never done. Our duties as financial advisers never set with the sun. These will always be charged upon us—as long as we feel the innate need to achieve more... to help more... to teach more.” Balanse. We have a substantial number of apps—a true indicator of activity. Hindi kami ‘jumbo’... hindi din 100% participation, but a very good 92%,” she says, satisfied. So is Sequoia where she wants it to be? “Not yet,” she says. “I am only 80% content because I want all my people to be financially okay. Meron pa ding one app per quarter lang ang production! How will this agent live? Papaano pamilya niya?” she asks rhetorically. “While I like us to continue the good things that have worked for us, I’d also like to get to know my people better. Do more one-on-one. My managers are able to do that with their advisors. Pero sa akin, yung
intimacy...”—she grasps for a word, then finds it— “kulang!” she exclaims with pain. “I really want to know them. I want to know their families. What they like, dislike. After all, it’s really relationships that matter.” Relationships. It’s a theme Susan brings up again and again. And so is Generosity.
“If you’re blessed, bless others!” Nothing turns Susan off more than selfishness— especially from people who are blessed with so much. Repeatedly, she reminds her managers: “You must be generous to the people around you. Not only to your
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people
Sequoia has soared to historic heights under her command. Many years from now, people will remember Susan and her team as the first agency—in Sun Life and in Philippine life insurance—to have achieved an unprecedented Php 100 Million in AC in one year. clients, not only to your advisors, but also to your staff. Nag-improve naman ang kabuhayan mo, diba? SO, GIVE! Give especially to the ones who have so much less—and, give, especially to the small ones in your own backyard,” she emphasizes. “Be generous to the people who helped you grow. You have to make sure their lives also get better.” As if she didn’t make herself clear, she adds: “If you’re blessed, bless others!” Do you still wonder why blessings abound to her and her Sequoia family?
Tough job For someone so used to winning, you have to wonder— does it ever get old? Not for Susan, it doesn’t. She shared her sentiments in a previous interview: “While it is true that I have won many awards, it is also true that each award holds a significant meaning in my life and career. To my Branch and me, an award signifies another step to our goal. But most of all, it proves that teamwork really does make the dream work.” She candidly admits too that, “Masakit pag hindi ka nanalo. Para kang nasanay na eh. Masakit talaga.” So she does what she can to avoid the pain of defeat for herself and her team. Long in this business, Susan is aware that there are many reasons for non-performance. She knows the reason is not always an advisor’s laziness or lack of drive. She knows people can fail because it is a tough job. She quotes one of the world’s top sales training and management speaker, Richard Tyler—whose talks she listens to online and recommends to her agents: “This week you were committed to make every contact, every business transaction, every person, be the best it could be. But you know when you leave here that commitment can fade. Not because of you but because of the surroundings. The world will beat you down; people will beat you down. They’ll tell you you can’t do something. They’ll tell you you can’t approach businesses;
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you can’t be this personal; you can’t have this much integrity; you can’t have that much morality... .” As an antidote to all the negativity and rejections they are sure to face, Susan tells her people that daily motivation is a must. There are many sources for positive, inspirational talk and guidance—online, in print, in person. For Sequoians, one does not even have to look very far. There’s Susan and others among them whose stories of resilience, courage and wisdom can lift a faltering spirit.
Discipline is key A tough job—true. So what to do? Susan leads. By example first of all, and then by providing her people what they need. “As long as you give them a pattern, a template, then they will follow you. They need a pattern... a role model... a leader.” Much like a parent to her children, Susan says, “Mababait sila. But you have to repeat. To create an atmosphere that will maximize their potential. Like oranges that need to be squeezed to extract their sweetness.” For Susan, discipline is key. For her, the lack of discipline plus “complacency, easy-easy lang, having no sense of urgency, the wrong mindset, and not being proud of being an advisor”—all these will spell sure failure. “Time management!” Susan says with emphasis. “You cannot be a success in this business—or anywhere else... not even in your homes!—if you squander this most precious, non-renewable resource.” Stephen Covey shares a most interesting thought on the matter. He says: “‘Time Management’ is really a misnomer. The challenge is not to manage time but to manage ourselves. The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.” So what else can guarantee success? A belief in yourself. Susan once again quotes Richard Tyler: “YOU are the most important person to believe in. And from the belief in You, you will inspire the people you touch— the people you come in contact with—to be the best that they can be.” Second is to never forget why you are here in this line of work.
Nobility In her stirring acceptance speech for the August Champions awards, Susan told her peers: “Our tasks are never done. Our duties as financial advisors never set with the sun. These will always be charged upon us—as long as we feel the innate need to achieve more... to help more... to teach more.” And she reminded them of the nobility of their vocation. “Sunlifers, you fight strong every single day, not just for your brothers in arms, not just for your fellow agents, not just for Sun Life! You fight for your family’s brighter future... your fellow Filipino’s increased awareness... your country’s well-being! Most of all, you fight for that person inside of you that knows you can do better. Let’s work together and keep Sun Life shine brighter than all the rest.”
2014 August Champions
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people
Making Those Many Calls At Team Sunflower ,
they are busy booking flights for an all expenses-paid trip to Bali, Indonesia—that lush, green sanctuary of tranquility also known as the “island of the gods.” A fitting destination indeed, for the gods must have been smiling on the advisors and managers who helped Sunflower Sales Team exceed its objectives for August Champions—and propel its leader Virginia “Virgie” Sun to Top Sales Manager (SM) in the Life category.
With Virgie at the helm, Sunflower produced 163 lives versus a target of 140, and Agency Credit (AC) of Php 4.67 Million, just over its objective of Php 4.5 Million— excellent results from a team of 40 advisors (double last year’s count), including five Unit Managers (UMs). “I was happy and thankful to God for winning Top SM,” says Virgie. A firm believer in incentives as a motivator, she made sure the team celebrated its victory in different ways: at various levels of achievement, members were treated to buffet lunches, gift cards, and an invitation to attend the forthcoming APLIC Convention in Bali.
“My people always want to win” Reflecting on the factors that helped her team, Virgie considers motivation to be a major element in the winning mix. A few big cases helped to nail the team target. “As in previous contests, my key players were my Unit Managers Heidi Dee and Gemma Cua, and their respective units. They brought in the required AC. UM Joanne Baylon and her people provided the needed Lives count. UM Nancy Cu and MC Jocelyn Tabios also provided additional support in terms of Lives count.” While these top performers helped “seal the deal” for the team target, the desire for success was something the whole group shared. “A ‘plus point’ for me is that my people always wanted to win,” says Virgie. Management kept everyone constantly on their toes by regularly monitoring production at weekly meetings and conducting training sessions. Sequoia NBM Susan Lee also played a part in stoking the fire. “Her untiring effort in training and retraining our rookies, as well as, the B, C and D agents, helped a lot in preparing our people for battle,” says Virgie. To sweeten the pot, Virgie makes it a point to offer
her team incentives on top of what the company gives. Her belief: “Branch incentives give a little more to make the winning more enticing.”
Balancing Act While the Sunflower Team has been performing very well, Virgie is the first to admit that there is always room for improvement. “I would like to see a little balance in my team. Right now, I have only 5% bringing in huge AC, 30% bringing in ACs of Php 100,000-300,000, with the rest barely making Php 50,000 to Php 100,000.” Her objective is to have this last group move up to the production levels of the 30%, and to have at least 10 persons performing at the top level. Virgie intends to achieve this by putting more focus on recruitment. “Recruiting new blood who share the same vision as I have is the more logical solution to help me solve my problem of unbalanced manpower,” she says. “To help my 65% level up, I need to put more emphasis on training and development.”
Constant improvement, constant change Almost two decades after joining Sun Life, Virgie can look back at a successful career, first as an Advisor, and then as Unit Manager, then to her current responsibility as Sales Manager which she assumed in January 2012. How did she do it? “First of all, I am blessed with not a few excellent advisors who know what they want in life. They follow the same work ethics and have the same mindset that one needs to have in order to win. Nobody can be consistently excellent at anything if he or she does not possess a proper mindset. And the only way one with a proper mindset can experience excellence is
Erratum: In the interview with SM Virgie Sun for the May-August 2014 Issue of Shine!, she expressed her deep gratitude to those who made their Love Month victory possible. And we quote: “Special mention is the Cherry Blossom Unit of Heidi Dee who contributed 60% of the total Team production results. Plum Blossom Unit under Gemma Cua and Sage Blossom Unit of Joanne Baylon, as well as, the other direct members of the team who contributed the balance of 40%.” In the article published, however, the name of UM Gemma Cua was inadvertently omitted. We express our sincere apologies to both UM Gemma Cua and SM Virgie Sun for this oversight.
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2014 August Champions
through constant improvement and constant change.” Virgie sees her role as a motivator and a leader who ensures that her team members constantly go after that improvement and positive change, fueling the energy and passion that will keep the fires burning. Her personal goal: for her team to qualify for the Triple A award at the end of each year.
Habits to live by
2014 August Champions Top Sales Manager
V irgie Sun Sequoia NBO
Virgie has culled a good amount of wisdom during her years of experience at Sun Life. Her key advice: never become complacent, and always have discipline. “We need to continue doing what is right, stop doing what is not helping the team and start doing what will contribute to our success.We need to have the discipline to be able to do this continuously and consistently.” Virgie gives the example of a fundamental aspect of an advisor’s job: prospecting. “Even doing prospecting work needs discipline. We have to set a time to call prospects. We have to have the discipline to do fact-finding work, to see at least two prospects a day, and to make sales presentations.” She applies this discipline to her daily life as a manager as well: monitoring her team on a weekly basis, as well as coaching and counselling them. Good habits are worth forming right from the start. To a brand new advisor, Virgie prescribes a very simple habit, but an essential one that can make difference between a stellar career, and a mediocre one. “Gather names to call, and actually call them. This takes discipline. Without people to call, a rookie cannot survive in this industry. Apply the tried and tested 10:5:3:1 formula. With 10 prospects to call, a rookie will only be successful in connecting with five. From these five people that he has successfully contacted, only three will agree to see him or meet with him for sales presentation. And from these three, there is a possibility of closing one person.” Virginia Sun has made those many, many calls, and made those sales. And now she is making sure that her team makes them too.
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Daily Habits, Double Victory Unit Manager of Sequoia NBO’s Team Tulip, started 2014 with an ambitious target: she wanted to go for Triple A. In Agency Credits (AC), this meant a target of about Php 20 Million for the 25-strong unit. Celine says the objective was made tougher for a couple of reasons: “As I promote managers, I find the goal more challenging as I have less dependable advisors to help deliver the target. And then we started the first half of 2014 slow, thus it was a matter of make or break this August Champions.” Celine Chan,
Celine is eager to share the spotlight with her team. “Nobody succeeds alone,” she says. “I am thankful to have a team of dedicated advisors who believed in what they are doing and whose loved ones supported them. I would like to commend the outstanding performance of the following: for Life business—Platinum 2M qualifiers Tai Yin “Johnny” Chan and Aurora Yao; Platinum 330 qualifier Lucy Santos; Gold qualifiers Crystal Tiffany Tan, Joseph Montes, Mabel Cana, and Jocelyn Uy; and Bronze qualifier Johanna Uy. For Mutual Fund business—Top Explorers Cluster level, Tai Yin “Johnny” Chan and Top Explorers Cluster level, runner-up, Aurora Yao.” (See related story on page 33.) For Celine, Tulip’s strength is its unity in diversity. “Our team is composed of individuals from different walks of life,” she says. “Although we may sometimes differ in views on life and work, we work hard to maintain a harmonious working relationship. The friendships that were formed amongst advisors is priceless.” Celine is confident that the group will achieve its 2014 objectives, and has high hopes for the coming year. “Although our team targets will be bigger than ever, I am confident Team Tulip will deliver. We are fighters, we embrace challenges.”
27 years to Tai Yin “Johnny” Chan, a top performer in her own team. (See related story on page 35.) They have two sons. “My children are ages 26 and 18,” she says. “My eldest, Justin, is working on his dissertation for a doctorate in economics at UP Diliman. Currently, he is a research assistant at World Bank as well as Deloitte Consulting. My youngest, Jeremy, is a freshman taking up Computer Engineering at DLSU. I am super proud of my kids not only because they excel in school but, more importantly, because they are kind and respectful to others. They are generous to the less privileged.” Coded in April 1990, Celine joined Sun Life following a short-lived career teaching Computer Sciences at De La Salle University. She had been a talented student, consistently on the honor roll, who paid her own way through college at the University of the Philippines after a reversal in family fortunes. It was a lesson in self-sufficiency and independence that served her well in the coming years. After just two years as an advisor, Celine was promoted to Unit Manager. It is clearly a job that she loves. Other than managing targets, she finds fulfillment in helping her advisors shape their futures. “More than personal rewards, I am proudest when my advisors are successful in their careers,” she says. “Nothing can compare to the fulfillment of seeing the dreams of my advisors unfold before my eyes.” As to her own future at Sun Life, Celine sees one of advancement and bigger responsibilities. “As I grow Team Tulip with able leaders, it is inevitable that I will become a Sales Manager soon,” she says. “When Team Tulip is strong and worthy to be a branch, I will be happy to form my own NBO.”
Job fulfillment
Daily habits
As proud as she is of her work team, Celine feels even more blessed in her personal life. She has been married
On the subject of habits, Celine shares a favorite quote from Charles Dickens: “I never could have done what I
Fortunately, Team Tulip delivered on its target. “We were able to bridge the gap that made Triple A achievable,” says Celine. For the period, the team delivered Php 5.5 Million AC in Life, Php 2.2 Million AC in Mutual Fund, and a total of 168 lives, overshooting their target by 50%. The excellent performance earned for Celine the Top Unit Manager award for both Life and Mutual Fund categories.
Winning team
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2014 August Champions
have done without the habits of punctuality, order and diligence. Without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.” The famous author is clearly a man after her own heart. For Celine, discipline and a daily work routine are essential. “Diligence in everyday work are important habits that help me achieve professional success,” she says. “I keep a diary of my everyday activities as a way to ensure that laxity and complacency do not get in the way of achieving goals.” She trains her own team to develop the same habits. She counsels new advisors to develop daily work routines and to be willing to be trained. “Having no ‘time card’ may tempt an advisor to go easy on their work,” she says. “That is why having daily goals—for example, setting goals for number of phone calls, appointments, sales presentations—are important.” She adds: “They should not fear failure, because embarrassing failures are lessons to improve.” On the other hand, certain habits can spell ruin for an advisor. Celine shares her view: “I have witnessed many advisors who failed because of the know-it-all attitude, being too proud to admit they don’t know something. Another pitfall is having no sense of pride in their career, thus having no confidence in their interaction with prospects.”
Quarter Century Next year, Celine will be marking her 25th year at Sun Life. It has been meaningful work, and nothing short of a joy ride. “When you love what you are doing, you don’t notice how time flies. Looking back, having spent half my life in Sun Life is a fulfillment and a joyful decision. Everything I wanted to achieve in life, I have accomplished because of Sun Life. I am grateful to Sun Life for being instrumental in my colorful and fulfilling life.”
2014 August Champions Top Unit Manager for life & TOP UNIT MANAGER for mutual fund
C eline Chan
Sequoia NBO
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The ABCs of a Top Advisor Winning the Top Advisor Award for Life is nothing new to Joseph Monzon of Jacaranda NBO. That is what’s most admirable about this achievement—that it’s not just a fluke, an accident or a stroke of luck. Rather, it’s proof of consistency, reliability and dependability. It’s an ongoing habit of success. For the August Champions competition, an advisor earns one point for every Php 3,000 AC, and another point for every life. Whoever obtains the highest number of points wins the Top Advisor award. This period, Joseph had a target of Php 3 Million AC. His actual achievement was Php 3.6 Million, exceeding his target by more than half a million, and 4% more than the previous quarter. He also chalked up 43 lives, compared to 31 last period. As is the norm for Joseph, the award was something he did not particularly work for. “I honestly just work to meet my targets,” he says. “I don’t concentrate or pressure myself to win any awards—they are just bonuses. I feel better when I least expect them.” Then he adds, “All 6,000 advisors in Sun Life have the equal chance of winning the Top Advisor Award.” Joseph admits to feeling very pleased with himself to have won this particular recognition.
Double ABC Joseph spells out his personal formula for success in a catchy mantra he calls the “Double ABC.”
Active Adventurer The first part, “Double A,” stands for Active Adventurer. “This involves taking positive but well calculated risks,” says Joseph. “Success depends on efforts and a spoonful of guts and creativity.” Joseph has often said that one of his most effective strategies is his “nontraditional” way of selling. Because the nature of the product is intangible to the customer, he feels the need to dramatize his presentations. “I always make it a point to be very creative,” he says. “I study our products intensely and create unique ways of presenting them, even customizing them to fit the needs of the clients. I’m always willing to try new and exciting things. As much as possible, I do things flamboyantly and exuberantly.” He finds the storytelling method which is focused on the client’s needs a very effective presentation method that gets results.
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“I pride myself in being a chameleon,” says Joseph. “Aside from the plethora of experiences, I have under my wing, I would definitely credit these achievements to my ability to recognize and act on both obvious and discreet opportunities. These, among others, are the top reasons why I’m able to thrive in this very competitive industry.”
Bold Believer Next comes “Double B,” for Bold Believer. “This pertains to belief in our products, in our people and in our company,” Joseph explains. “The more I set myself towards having this mindset, the better I perform. As the cliché goes, the best feeling in the world is getting paid to do what you love to do—and I really love what I do.” Joseph uses whatever method or product is best to give the client what he needs, and even to expand his target market. He has won the Top Advisor award in various categories—in Life, as well as in Single Pay products—because he does not hesitate to use these products to their full advantage. For example, in 2013, he won the Love Month Top Advisor for Single Pay Sales as a result of concentrating on the MaxiLink One. He saw its potential to tap a broader client base because of its lower minimum investment.
Consistent Competitor Finally, there is “Double C”: Consistent Competitor. “As always, consistency is the name of the game,” says Joseph. “I don’t slow down after achieving my targets. It just serves as an inspiration and motivation to play more and to win more. Although pure hard work alone won’t guarantee you the level of success you aspire for, you can be certain that you can be great at whatever it is that you put your heart into. I’m a living testament to that.” Joseph clearly speaks from experience. He rose above challenging circumstances as one of many children in a family which, while it honed in him a strong core of values, faced harsh financial difficulties. Joseph started working at an early age, won a scholarship that put him through high school, then paid his way through college,
2014 August Champions
earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering. It was after retiring from a successful career as an engineer that Joseph joined his wife Evelyn Monzon at Sun Life in 2001. Applying the same grit, talent and optimism to his new career as an advisor, Joseph has been a consistently successful competitor, winning numerous awards and accolades.
Stepping Up in 2015 The daily routines, the pervasive attitudes, the quotidian practices—these are what shape lifelong results. Joseph shares the habits that have molded his life and his career. “Whatever the task is, I give it my best shot,” he says. “At the earliest onset, my parents have definitely inspired me to strive for excellence. Both my parents failed to pursue a college education, so I was raised with the expectation that I would carry that responsibility of bringing the family out of poverty. My experiences have taught me to be a visionary, and in my dreams, there was no room for mediocrity. Suffice to say, I met and beat the expectations set out for me.”
2014 August Champions Top Advisor
Joseph Monzon Jacaranda NBO
What about areas for improvement? “I easily get hot-headed when things don’t go as expected,” Joseph admits. “I believe this is driven by my grand ambition to succeed in any task that I lay my hands on. I’m slowly improving this bad habit by recognizing that different people have their own distinct attitudes and habits. It’s all about meeting halfway and becoming a team player.” After a successful 2014, Joseph’s goal for next year is to become a Unit Manager. We can’t wait to see how this bold, believing, consistent and active adventurer is going to step up his game.
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Off to a Great Start When Sheryl Mae Teng was coded in August this year, she gave herself a clear, single-
minded goal: to become Number One on the national level. Just four months later, she has achieved that objective, wining the August Champions Top Rookie award. But that’s not all; she has also collected an armful of awards and marked milestones that would be the envy of many seasoned advisors—membership in the Macaulay Club, the Million Dollar Round Table, platinum medallions, and a place for two at next year’s conference in Iceland. Start with ice candy the product that can help my family to become more A licensed nurse by training, 26-year-old Sheryl did not imagine she would one day start a promising career in insurance sales. But growing up in Zamboanga as the youngest of six siblings, she had an early interest that hinted at her future. “I loved to sell goods!” she recalls. As a child and into her teens, Sheryl would sell homemade ice candy, yema and other goods. In college she sold Avon and Aromacology products. She was also very good at handling money. “I always love to save money and reinvest it,” she says. “Before I purchase something, I always think twice or thrice if the thing that I will acquire is a need or merely a want.” Not all of Sheryl’s friends could understand her delight in those small-scale sales ventures. “They would ask me: ‘Bakit mo yan ginagawa? Hindi mo na kailangang gawin yan kasi barya-barya lang ang kita diyan.’ I always answer them, ‘Hindi mo mabubuo yung isang milyon kung walang barya. At hindi naman ang milyon ang kukumpleto sa pagkatao mo kundi ang kasiyahan na nagtiyaga ka at kumita sa sariling paraan.’ Those kinds of things one should not be ashamed of, but be proud of. It does not matter whether it is a big or small amount. What matters most is that I am fulfilled in what I am doing because happiness cannot be bought anywhere—it must come within your heart.” Sheryl, a Dean’s Lister, completed a degree in Nursing from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Eventually, she left her nursing profession to work in her family’s fishing business. It was while working there that she was introduced to Sun Life.
A difficult experience “There was this one advisor who visited us in our office last July 2014,” Sheryl recounts. “At first I was not really interested to hear what the agent had to say, but she introduced herself very well and explained thoroughly
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financially stable. When I met this person, I was really amazed how she tackled life insurance products; every individual that hears her explain a product will really understand how it can help achieve financial freedom.” The advisor was Susan Lee, Sequoia Branch Manager. Susan took the opportunity to invite Sheryl to join Sun Life. “ Maybe she saw in my eyes that I was interested,” says Sheryl. “At first I was hesitant to grab the opportunity due to my busy schedule. But I wanted to join because of the experiences that I could gain and the chance to help Filipinos to become more stable with their finances in life.” What “pushed” Sheryl to accept Susan’s offer was a difficult personal experience which had shown her the true value of life insurance. When her father died suddenly in 2011, the family was thrown into confusion. “It was an untimely death,” says Sheryl. “We were not prepared emotionally, physically, spiritually nor financially. But thanks to the policy that my father had, we were able to settle taxation requirements on time and claimed the things that he left. It was Sun Life which gave us the opportunity to go on and live on.” Sheryl left for Manila the next month, went through training and exams, and was coded on the 20th of August. She joined Susan Lee’s Sequoia NBO under Manager Zzlleenn Lee. Thanks to their support and training, Sheryl made a quick adjustment to her new job and got herself off to a good start. “Ms. Susan Lee supported and taught me the detailed information that I must know, and for that, a very big thank you from the bottom of my heart! My UM Ms. Zzlleenn Lee is one of the best advisors right now. I am very lucky that she is my manager because I know I am on the right track towards a successful career in Sun Life. She taught so many things that can help me, especially when it comes to the products to offer.”
2014 August Champions
A personal vision Forming good habits early in her career is helping Sheryl to pave the way for her continued success. She is working on becoming more organized, and on developing more confidence. And as young as she is, she has already tried to define her personal vision. “I believe every individual has her own purpose in this world, because God will not create things that are useless,” she says. “It is in our hands how to enhance and regulate it. I believe I got my personal habits from my parents’ guidance. I am very proud of them because they molded me into a fine lady and taught me so many values that are priceless. They taught me to be faithful to God, to be generous to those who are in need, to be humble with every individual you meet, and to always have one word with your clients when it comes to business talks.” Sheryl sums up her objective: “My goal is simple—just be an instrument of God to help other people become more financially fit. Working at Sun Life, I have realized that as an advisor, you are not just selling a product. You are an agent who can answer people’s needs. Nothing is impossible when it comes to financial planning for each individual, as long as you are sincere and committed to your client.”
2014 August Champions Top Rookie
Sheryl Mae Teng Sequoia NBO
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Tai Yin “Johnny” Chan
Jane Heather Dee Aurora Yao
2014 August Champions Top NBO in single pay premium
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Sequoia Shines in Single Pay has always been in the top three branches for Single Pay sales. But this year for August Champions, it emerged Susan Lee , Sequoia Branch Number One in the category. Manager, admits that Single Pay has not traditionally been the key focus for the NBO since she has always asked her team to focus on insurance. However the category’s contribution has been increasing compared to previous years. Susan says, “Clearly, Single Pay is not for everyone. It is primarily an estate planning tool”—and one that her agents have successfully Meet three of Sequoia’s pushed to meet their clients’ needs. top Single Pay producers for August Champions. Sequoia NBO
Aurora Yao Aurora Yao is a top achiever from UM Celine Chan’s Tulip Team in Sequoia NBO. “The Tulip Family is very
close,” she says. “We have great team spirit! Both Celine as well as our NBM Susan Lee lead by a combination of transactional and transformational styles of leadership.”
Richer in many ways A mother of five, Aurora has had to endure a parent’s worst nightmare—twice. Her eldest daughter Amanda Gayle succumbed to lipoblastoma while a doctor’s gross negligence ended a life full of promise for her beloved youngest son Garrick Austin. Her surviving children are young adults in their twenties and thirties now. Aurora describes her husband as “very supportive and motivating.” A Sun Life career now runs in the family: her second daughter Aleta Grace is a licensed Mutual Fund Advisor at Sun life. A chemist by training, Aurora was recruited in 1992 by her Sun Life agent, Ben Yao. He had come to collect
her premium and invited her to join a seminar. “Since I liked to learn, I said yes!” says Aurora. That simple invitation launched Aurora’s career as a Sun Life advisor. She was coded in August that year. One of the things Aurora liked about her new job was that, apart from having an income, one also got
Aurora started focusing on Single Pay sales with the launching of MaxiLink One… Most of her clients are married businessmen in their 60s and 70s who are interested in products for estate planning and investment diversification.
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the chance to help others. Being a Sun Life agent has changed her in significant ways. “I am richer, socially as well as financially,” she says.
Believe in your product Aurora started focusing on Single Pay sales with the launching of Maxilink One. “I saw the benefits of the product which I thought my clients would like,” she says. “Of my current total business, 90% is in Single Pay. That amounts to Php 60 Million.” Most of Aurora’s clients are married businessmen in their 60s and 70s who are interested in products for estate planning and investment diversification. They also see their benefits as a tax shelter and as a way to fight inflation. To a new advisor who would like to try Single Pay sales, Aurora gives the following advice: “Be sincere. Believe in your product and, if you can, lead by example. Give frequent updates on the market situation.”
Keep smiling 2014 has been a good year for Aurora. She achieved the goals she had set out for herself. Her plans for 2015? “I would like to attend more seminars and gain more knowledge,” she says. Asked to name a habit that has helped her to become successful, Aurora says: “I go the extra mile in helping my clients.” But she also reveals a not-so-great habit that she would like to change: she admits that when she is in a sales slump, she plays video games! New habits she would like to develop? “I would like to be better at listening so that I may understand better.” Aurora gives her final advice: “Keep a smile on your face and a prayer in your heart!”
“Always be honest with your clients, don’t promise something that you are unable to deliver. Be credible, be transparent, be of good service to our clients. Eventually, you will be referred by them when they are satisfied and happy with your good service.”
help our fellow Filipinos to be debt-free, to be able to retire comfortably without depending on our relatives and friends,” says Jane. She was also attracted to the idea of earning unlimited income, as well as bonuses and travel incentives. The eldest of four siblings, Jane attended Immaculate Conception Academy for her early education. She earned a degree in Industrial Engineering at De La Salle University in 2007.
More than one basket
Jane Heather Dee
Jane Heather Dee was coded a mere six months ago—
and already she is making her mark as a top producer at Cherry Blossom Unit. Jane generated more than Php 40 Million for August Champions and achieved the Platinum Level for the third quarter.
Mom and sis Jane was recruited by family members who are also working at Sun Life. Her sister Jessica has been an advisor since July 2013, and her mother is Heidi Dee, now also her Unit Manager at Cherry Blossom. “My mom and sister convinced me that it’s our advocacy to
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Investment products have been a focus of Jane from the beginning. She started by targeting wealthy parents of childhood friends who had extra funds available for long-term investments. “Single Pay products address their need to diversify their funds, not putting their funds in one basket,” Jane says. “At the same time, these generate more income for them—compared to the limited interest they can earn from the banks—with additional insurance benefits to boot.” She counsels other advisors: “Always be honest with your clients, don’t promise something that you are unable to deliver. Be credible, be transparent, be of good service to our clients. Eventually, you will be referred by them when they are satisfied and happy with your good service.”
A common goal Jane credits her excellent start in the business to the guidance of her managers. “I am so blessed to be a part
2014 August Champions
of Cherry Blossom Unit and Sequoia NBO. I am happy to be trained by Sun Life’s top UM Heidi Dee and top NBM Susan Lee. Just like a family, we work together to achieve a common goal with so much enthusiasm and motivation. My mom and Susan’s leadership styles are very similar. They want us to excel and to give our best to achieve. They are both competitive and both achievers. This pushes us to do more because they both believe in our abilities. They set examples because they practice what they preach.”
Wholehearted As a newbie advisor, Jane is working to mold good working habits. “I have learned to overcome procrastination and poor time management,” she says. “I was not doing prospecting, which should have been a daily habit for me. My mom is teaching me to be patient, to persevere, to commit and to excel in the goals I set. I am also learning that whatever you do, you should do it for the glory of God and to serve mankind. Do it wholeheartedly!”
Tai Yin “Johnny” Chan Tai Yin “Johnny” Chan was a sales agent for a food company until his wife, UM Celine Chan of Team Tulip, persuaded him to join her at Sun Life. He did
so in 2006. “Sun Life was a life changer,” says Johnny. “I was never a big dreamer but Sun Life opened my horizon to the possibilities of life. Through the years, as I meet more challenges in the field, I adapt and become more confident and more assertive in taking on responsibilities and challenges. Now, I aspire each year to be bigger and better.” This year has been a big one for Johnny. For August Champions, his Life business was around Php 30 Million, while his Mutual Fund production was around Php 90 Million.
Talk investment Clearly, Single Pay products are a key focus for Johnny. He believes that anyone who maintains a time deposit account is a potential client for Single Pay. “When you talk to clients about insurance, they usually hesitate. But when you talk about investment, they usually are
“When you talk to clients about insurance, they usually hesitate. But when you talk about investment, they usually are open to your proposition right away. So I decided to capture this market to reach out to more clients. open to your proposition right away. So I decided to capture this market to reach out to more clients. It is so heartwarming to see the benefits and opportunities Sun Life has provided my clients as I help them attain their financial goals in life. In times of market volatility, I was always available and ready to give my piece of advice.”
Team Support The support Johnny has received from his unit and his managers have been key to his success. “Teamwork is the strongest asset of Team Tulip. We work hard but equally love to have fun. My wife, UM Celine, is a hands-on manager; she always encourages her advisors to have more activities which will result in more productivity. And NBM Susan Lee—when she aims for a goal, she will attain it by giving her best effort. That is why she leads Sequoia to the grand slam. I salute her!”
Habit-forming Forming good habits is a lifelong process. Johnny keeps working to overcome procrastination, which he considers his weakness. But his list of good habits is long: “Never give up. Never be afraid of failure. Be determined and persistent. These are the values I teach my children by modeling the way.” Johnny achieved his personal goals in the first three quarters by qualifying with partner for the Leaders’ Conference. “This year will be my best year ever,” he says. “I hope to have more activities and more fun in 2015. Cheers!”
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A Dynamic Performance A good manager needs a number of skills to perform well. Here’s one of them: seize an opportunity when it presents itself. That’s just what Nancy Baluyut, New Business Manager of Cypress, did for August Champions. When the Dynamic Fund was launched in July, she saw that her team could take advantage of the new product to make more sales. Client investments in the new fund poured in, totaling over Php 340 Million. It made a substantial contribution to the branch production of Mutual Fund for the contest period, earning the team the award for Top NBO in the category. “We did Php 14.3 Million in AC for the branch, the highest ever achieved for August Champions!” Nancy beams.
Client comes first They did nothing out of the ordinary to win August Champions. “We just kept on doing what we’ve always done,” Nancy says. “And what has worked time and again for the branch is an unwavering focus on the client and his needs.” She has been asked often why they didn’t persuade clients to buy VUL’s single pay instead of mutual funds. “VULs would give us lives count, higher commissions, Plan B Bonus, and who knows—we could have gone for the Top Award overall,” says Nancy. “I thought I’d share once and for all the answer to this nagging question: at Cypress, our focus has always been serving the client’s needs first. We believe that going for this mission earns us the highest form of trust from our clients.” Nancy insists that her team members listen carefully to what each client needs and give them what they want. “You offer the product that suits them… it should not be about you earning more. We must cater to the needs of the clients. Investment is one of them.” Cypress NBO advisors are trained to know their products thoroughly and are well informed about investments. “My people help educate their clients,” says Nancy. “So we have clients who invest every month.”
A personal commitment If Cypress is thriving and successful today, it’s largely due to a strong and experienced manager who clearly leads by example. Nancy will be marking her 40th year with Sun Life in March 2015. She holds the distinction of having
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qualified to the MDRT for 28 straight years. One of only four Quarter Century Club qualifiers to the MDRT in the country, Nancy says, “To qualify to the MDRT is a personal commitment…. being an MDRT qualifier makes it easier to inspire and motivate my advisors.” Looking back on her four decades of achievement, Nancy says she has no regrets, and would change nothing. “I’d be doing the same thing!” she smiles. “After all these years, it’s still fun! I’m never bored, never told myself I’d quit. Kahit may palpak. NEVER. Once I got into it, sigue-sigue lang. Unlike others who question or begin to have second thoughts when problems arise.” She adds, “Crises are temporary. May solusyon yan. I am in control. Whatever problem, I can choose to react to it or not.” One thing Nancy has learned throughout her long career is not to bring personal problems to work. “If I don’t feel good, I won’t go to work nalang so I won’t affect other people like I’ve seen others do. I separate my work from the personal. If I need to emote or do catharsis, I do it alone, by myself.”
Write it down Asked about some of the good daily habits that have helped her achieve so much, Nancy shares some supremely pragmatic practices: “Being organized. Writing things down. A to-do list so I don’t miss out on anything. Because in our work, there are a thousand and one things to do. Prioritize! Always have a checklist. My secretaries, driver, hindi nahihirapan kasi nakasulat lahat. I make things easier for people. Everything is written down.” Nancy also spends a few minutes each day to plan and to reflect on her activities. She spends about 10 minutes each morning while still in bed, thinking of the day’s schedule, the persons she plans to speak with, and she visualizes her clients saying “yes.” And at night, before sleeping, she spends another 10-15 minutes analyzing what transpired the whole day. This time for reflection, a kind of “yoga and self-
2014 August Champions
analysis” is something that has helped sustain Nancy as she took on bigger responsibilities in her career. “As branch manager, when you have problems, saan ka pupunta?” she asks.“Sinong kakausapin mo? Wala nang mas mataas sa ‘yo, except of course the Home Office executives. But a branch manager is very busy and has plenty to do. You can’t go to a client. You also can’t go to a fellow branch manager. So you think of how to help yourself.” But she denies being lonely at the top. “If your mission is true, automatically you will find ways,” she says. “That’s why your motive must be right. Not just to make money off your agents.”
Coming next Cypress Branch has been growing fast. Last year, they recruited over 40 rookies, and as of September, now boast a total manpower of 129: 10 Unit Managers, 7 Management Candidates, 112 Advisors. “I’m very proud of the branch,” says Nancy. “I’ve been able to develop a lot of good producers and managers.” She believes Cypress may be able to spin-off new branches in another year or two. Plans for the rest of the year and 2015? “We want to grow—be better than the best!” says Nancy. “Our battlecry: Cypress, Cypress, we are the best!”
2014 August Champions Top MF New Business Office
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Meant to Serve “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and, behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath Tagore Susie Guzman stumbled into life insurance by fate. Her best friend’s sister happened
to be a unit manager at Sun Life. She was the key person instrumental to Susie getting into the business. While she was clueless at first as to what she was really getting into, the pieces of the puzzle came together and Susie realized, eventually, that this is the dream career for her. Just an extra income All she wanted at first was just an extra income. But after being coded in November 1991, her insurance career started taking off and the perks and rewards started coming in. Of course Susie liked this, and of course her family—who was skeptical at first—liked this very much too. Susie shares: “My family is supportive though they’ve always wondered how I was able to take off in this industry and career. Maybe,” Susie says thoughtfully, “I was really meant to serve.”
The value of service Mahatma Gandhi said that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Susie had made this discovery and has been applying this to her business. She has also made the fundamental step of applying this beautiful value to her own family. When her mother was battling the dreaded disease of cancer, she stepped in by contributing the lion’s share of her medical expenses. Susie did not scrimp nor wince. All she wanted was for her mother to survive the crisis—and she did! For more than four years, Susie was able to enjoy extra quality time with her beloved mother.
Embracing change People normally shy away from change for the basic reason that change forces you to move out of your comfort zone. When Susie changed career from retailer to Sun Life Advisor, she also moved from the known to the unknown, a nerve-wracking proposition. But the change proved to be the best for Susie. When asked how being in Sun Life has changed her, “A lot!” is her quick response. “I learned the importance and value of insurance. I learned a lot about saving, about industry. I gained more confidence, more friends and a better lifestyle. I am better able to help people improve their lives, to help family or relatives in need, to help other friends/advisors improve life and earn more
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income... and so much more”—all of these because Susie was willing to move out of her comfort zone and embrace change.
Empowering habits Behind the professional success in her career are good habits cultivated in faithful measure over the years. Susie cites them, as follows: (1) Make a to-do list; (2) Heed the 80/20 rule—that less is more; (3) Training; and (4) Mentoring. Susie acknowledges the fact that Sun Life has an excellent training program and they have tools that effectively monitor their advisors and managers. She also believes that whatever is learned from the training programs should be passed on to others. These are habits that have been ingrained in Susie’s daily walk as Sales Manager.
New habits to acquire In order to grow professionally, new and better habits need to be added to her regimen. “As a Sales Manager, I want to be more organized in work and my personal life, to give more time to my loved ones and also to myself. Been neglecting myself lately,” Susie acknowledges. Being more organized is wise. A cluttered day does not help achieve the lofty goals she is avidly pursuing. Giving more time to loved ones is a nonnegotiable. They are, after all, one’s reason for working so hard. Finding time to nurture and care for one’s self is a must. To be able to serve others, you need to have a strong self.
Lofty goals What is Susie’s 2014 target for her sales team? Currently, her team is almost 90% done with their targets but are still working to achieve Triple A. And how about for 2015? Susie wants her manpower to increase from 30 to 50. Her grand plan of action is
2014 August Champions
summarized in three words: Recruit, recruit, recruit. “Profit in business comes from repeat customers— customers that boast about your project or service, and that bring friends with them,” so says author W. Edwards Deming. Your clientele is not only an excellent source of more business but also referrals and potential recruits. Susie is tapping this gold mine.
Meet the Team When you’re in Japan, the towering, snow-capped Mt. Fuji will surely awe and amaze you. Susie named her team after this majestic natural wonder. Apart from direct and indirect Advisors, her 25-strong Fuji Sales Team now has two Unit Managers and a Manager Candidate. Susie is focused on making her team grow and is inspired by the words of best-selling author Dr. Steve Maraboli: “Stop just cheering for others who are living their visions. Commit yourself to your own success and follow the steps required to achieve it.”
Meant to serve Step one is realizing that the business of Life Insurance selling is all about service. Early on in her career, Susie grasped and embraced this truth. She knows the value of service and thus keeps giving excellent service to her advisors and to her growing clientele. Ultimately, she knows, it is all about them. Susie is here to serve. She is meant to serve.
2014 August Champions Top MF Sales Manager
S usie Guzman Eucalyptus NBO
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people
Building a Legacy “I’m like a bad penny, I always turn up.” —Indiana Jones from The Last Crusade He doesn’t sport a racy fedora ,
nor a bullwhip, nor does he pack pistols to his weekly meetings at Cypress central. Nevertheless Salvador “Doy” Valbuena is August Champions’ Top Mutual Fund Explorer for 2014. He earned the award for fearlessly exploring the dangerous terrain of client war zones, emerging with the best performance among his peers. His weapons of choice: faith, ambition and service. His holy grail Doy starts out with a challenging objective—the holy grail—that he sets for himself each year: to achieve the Top of the Table for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). “Our strategy is to think big and focus on the goal,” he says. He has achieved his goal twice before; other years, it was just out of reach. But no matter: Doy aims high so even if he falls short, he achieves much— more than most, in fact. 2014 was a good year. “By the grace of God, and in line with His permissive plan for me, it happened!” says Doy. He shares some of his strategies: “I start each day early and begin with an open communication with God. I communicate frequently with my boss Ms. Nancy Baluyut for some inputs. Above all, I hold onto my faith in God, knowing that apart from Him my plans are nothing.”
Striking a balance Although he won the August Champions award in the Mutual Fund category, Doy reveals that he strives for an equal ratio of mutual funds versus life products. “It’s a fifty-fifty base client proportion,” he says. “I strive to have a balanced portfolio.” In general, his MF clients are male, married, middle-aged business owners who have the excess funds to invest. While he services accounts of all sizes, Doy makes sure he prospects a number of “big fish” each cycle. For this contest period he had promising candidates, among whom he closed one big sale, helping him to achieve his objective.
North star Born and raised in the Ilocos region, Doy was the only son of a dentist and a teacher. A bright student, he consistently bagged top honors at school. His parents gave him a lot of support. “They influenced me to love sports and to engage in other competitions like declamation and debate contests,” he recalls. “They encouraged me to be a leader in class.” After finishing
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high school, Doy left his hometown to pursue a degree in Economics at the University of the Philippines and Ateneo University in Manila. Doy joined Sun Life in 2002 after a long and distinguished career in the real estate business. He was recruited by Cypress NBM Nancy Baluyut. “She leads by example by being a consistent awardee and performer in her career,” he says. “She is more than willing to help without expecting anything in return, and does not expect to be repaid for as long as her agent can improve further in his career.”
Family matters Doy is married to Delia Valbuena. She is not just his wife, but also his business partner. “We work as a husband-and-wife team,” he says. “She helps me do the leg work as I have difficulty getting around. I set appointments and Delia does the dirty job!” Their union is blessed with two sons. The eldest is interested in pursuing a medical degree although they have invited him to join Sun Life. Their younger child graduated with honors from the University of the Philippines last year. Like most parents, they only wish the best for their kids. “Delia and I dream that they will finish their courses, land well-paying jobs, excel in their respective professions, pursue higher education, marry the right partner and be blessed with healthy and godly children.”
Long-term relationships Doy shares some of the good habits that have helped him succeed in his career as a Sun Life Advisor. “Be at peace with everybody daily,” he starts. “Learn to be a servant-slave to become great! My wife and I serve our clients well. We build long-term relationships with them.” Doy has often shared how he and Delia go out of their way to serve their clients in many and sometimes unexpected ways. They have helped a client to organize a daughter’s debut, chauffeured them around the city
2014 August Champions
when they came to visit, attended bible-study classes with them, brought them gifts of fruits, vegetables and above all, friendship. Nurturing such relationships with clients builds trust and confidence. It has helped Doy not just to get repeat business, but also many referrals.
Making a mark He counsels new advisors to develop good habits early in their career. Among them, the discipline for hard work, patience and the ability to endure. “Consider your options and choose wisely,” says Doy. “It will allow you to embrace people and your job.” He considers that many people fail when they have no perspective and do not work towards leaving behind a strong legacy. In his 12 years at Sun Life, Doy has been making a mark not just on his peers and managers, but also on the clients that he serves so untiringly. “As a Sun Lifer, I am proud of how God has been sustaining me with the help of my wife to open the minds of affluent families and help them accept that insurance is still the most credible solution to address future financial matters. I am very happy to help them plan for the financial needs of their families, their businesses or their retirement to live their remaining years with dignity.” No hat, no whip, no pistols. But aiming high with faith and with a strong will to serve, what a legacy Doy Valbuena is leaving behind.
2014 August Champions Top MF Explorer
S alvador Valbuena Cypress NBO
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people
Perfect Timing Timing, they say, is everything. Presenting
the right product at the right time to a particular client can spell the difference between success or failure. That, and the smarts to switch strategy midstream when an opportunity presents itself. Take the case of Marla Rellera of Palm NBO. Marla had been targeting a company owned by one of her biggest clients for a retirement fund. The client had asked his board to give her a chance to present Sun Life products. “At first, I had wanted to offer them a different product—the individual ‘group life’ for their retirement so I could generate a lot of lives count,” Marla recalls. “So I had been trying to convince them to transfer a portion of their retirement fund from the bank to Sun Life. ” But when Sun Life’s Dynamic Fund came out, Marla decided it was just the product to persuade her prospect to sign on the dotted line. A good product plus a little time pressure helped seal the deal. “It was just a limited offer so they had to decide right away—it was a one-time investment without any life counts,” says Marla. “They gave me the funds just a few days before the deadline. I remember I had a flight that day which I missed because I had to submit all documents for it to be processed. It was worth the effort!”
Never give up Worth the effort indeed. That sale allowed Marla to bag the Top Rookie Award for Mutual Fund for this year’s August Champions. “I think one of the biggest factors that led to me getting this award is having a good network, as well as the support from the head office and my manager, Anita Pua of Falcon Unit,” says Marla. “She accompanied me most of the time. I would also like to thank the president of SLAMC, Ms. Reina Pama, who went with us on our first meeting, and Ms. Mica Abaquita who presented to the board. They were very happy with the presentation.” Learning from her own experience, Marla offers this advice to those who would follow in her footsteps: “Never give up, even if you think you won’t be able to close the account. You might be surprised. If you need help, you can always count on the head office and your direct supervisors.” And one might add, keep going back for more! Marla plans to go back to the same client for repeat business, given their potential for more life counts.
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Sweet childhood Marla is mother to two young boys, aged 8 and 11. Her hopes for them echo those of all good-hearted parents: “I want them to grow up with a strong mind and a compassionate heart.” The setting for Marla’s own childhood is in sharp contrast to her sons’. She was born and raised in far-away Negros, where her family owned a sugar plantation. The second youngest among five daughters, she finished her early studies at St. John’s Institute, then went on to complete an Agriculture Business Course at the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City. “I thought it would be something I would be interested in for the future,” says Marla about her choice for a college degree. “But I never did anything related to my course after graduation. I guess I changed my mind on what I wanted to do.” Although Marla was uncertain at that stage about what she wanted to do, one thing she did know: “I wanted to be very successful in whatever endeavor and have a happy and comfortable life always.”
Big city dreams Perhaps in search of that vague but powerful dream, and because she was getting “bored” in Bacolod, Marla moved to Manila in the mid 1990’s. “I worked at Citibank for almost a year,” she says. “Then I put up my own business after that.” It was her cousin-in-law Joanne Pua Nocom and her current manager Anita Pua who recruited Marla to join Sun Life. She was coded as a life agent in July 2004. Explaining her decision to join the insurance industry, Marla says: “My exposure to the banking industry shaped my interest in the world of finance. It somehow reinforced my childhood dream of having my own business. Although I have not yet fulfilled my goal of having my own business, the earning potential, the good network and the flexibility Sun Life offered appealed to me and I gave it a try. It turned out to be an auspicious decision and I have been an agent ever since.”
2014 August Champions
2014 August Champions Top MF Rookie
M arla Rellera Palm NBO
Staying positive After 10 years working at Sun Life, Marla can look back at a successful career where the “worst thing” she has experienced is “losing prospective clients after working hard for them to fellow agents.” How has her stint at Sun Life changed her? “It has given me the opportunity to expand my network,” she says. “And it has allowed me to do more of what I love doing the most— personal travels!” As to the habits that have helped her to succeed, Marla is succinct: “I wake up early, I travel and I shop to unwind.” She names her mother as the person who helped mold these habits in her. On her wish list of new
habits to acquire: “to learn new skills that can help me succeed continuously in the field of financial business.” Marla will be busy for the rest of 2014 preparing for next year’s targets and challenges. Meanwhile, she shares the mindset that allows her to accomplish her goals: “Experiences stand as a foundation and learning of every individual. I am not easily discouraged; thus I translate all my work endeavors to positivity, looking for clients in need of insurance and giving them the best possible package to cater to their individual and family needs.” No doubt, her timing will be perfect.
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people
Starting Right When Santa Rosa was announced as the winning ISO for 2014 August Champions, Ramon “Mon” Sto. Domingo, Business Development Manager for South Luzon, felt
vindicated. “We were in euphoria!” he recalls. “But more than the bliss, we felt validated. The message was strong that we were doing it right.” It was an especially sweet victory for the team, as ISO Santa Rosa is one of the most recently established ISOs. It was initially linked to Calamba ISO before officially opening on its own. Mon reveals that Santa Rosa production helped boost Calamba numbers when the latter won the award for Top ISO in 2012. “The Santa Rosa team contributed substantially. There was no actual office yet in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, so those who were operating and expanding in the areas were tagged in Calamba.”
High Potential It was clearly a matter of time before Santa Rosa would operate on its own steam. “ISO Santa Rosa is strategically located in south Luzon,” says Mon. “Based on socio-demographics, Laguna is one of the top provinces in the Philippines in terms of per capita income.” The city is the third biggest municipality in Laguna after Calamba and San Pedro. It is a hub for the automotive and food manufacturing industries, business process outsourcing companies, and is the site of modern educational and residential communities. Santa Rosa ISO was officially launched in August 2013 to take advantage of the city’s robust economy, foreseeable growth and proximity to other high-potential municipalities. Apart from the city of Sta. Rosa, the ISO covers the neighboring areas of Canlubang and San Pedro. Almost immediately after launch, Santa Rosa ISO delivered on its promise, landing in the Top Five ISOs for August Champions 2013.
Expanding through ISO Sun Life launched the Inter-branch Sales Office (ISO) program in 2004 to help expand its business outside
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Metro Manila. The aim was to establish offices in strategic provincial areas that would offer a full range of services—sales, recruitment, training, customer service—to agents across multiple branches. The first five years were plagued with issues of production and profitability. But as the model was fine-tuned and recalibrated, business steadily improved. By the end of 2012, ISO AFYP had grown to almost Php 800 million AFYP, a growth of almost four times in as many years. Today, ISO business contributes 32% to total company production.
Aiming for the top After its promising start, Santa Rosa ISO aimed straight for the top. Winning this year was therefore no surprise for the team. “We expected this award because part of the plan was to land the Top ISO for August Champions 2014,” says Mon. “No special strategy was adopted. We just relentlessly inspired, engaged and monitored the activities of the Sta. Rosa troops. This has been the proven and tested strategy of South Luzon and Santa Rosa.” Mon believes that the victory was a team effort. “Everybody was counted,” he says. “All contributed to this unprecedented success.” Nevertheless, he wishes to acknowledge the significant contributions of Unit Managers Eden Sacro of Corinthian NBO, Jo Mahusay of Almond NBO and Angie Sison of Baywood NBO.
More aggressive As of the end of September 2014, Santa Rosa ISO counts a total manpower of 254, including 32 enrolled managers from 18 NBOs. “It is one of the
2014 August Champions
most populated ISOs,” says Mon. Participating NBOs include: Almond, Bamboo, Baobab, Baywood, Corinthian, Empress, Eucalyptus, Evergreen, Genus Pine, Goldenrain, Ivy, Laurelwood, Molave, Mulawin, Mulberry, Red Spruce, Rosewood and Tindalo. A year since its launch, Mon evaluates changes within the ISO: “We are more aggressive now in leveraging on different facilities or vehicles,” he says. “These include financial planning, focus group discussions and business to address market requirements. We have cascaded fundamentals on recruitment and productivity,
and engaged in the following activities: Business Opportunity Forum, BTCs, Post BTCs, Financial Forum, sales assembly, productivity and various learning sessions, joint field work, kick-offs, business reviews and directional meetings.” After a stellar freshman year, Santa Rosa ISO is gearing up for an even brighter future. “We will be working to increase the productivity of advisors and leveling up expectations from the field force,” says Mon. “We commit to seek a better version of ourselves as we continue to achieve our individual and group goals.”
2014 August Champions Top ISO
Sta. Rosa ISO
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people
Growing Her Roots and Flying Her Wings Best-selling author Denis Waitley says
that, “The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” Yogie Legaspi’s roots go back to a set of hardworking parents whose commitment and dedication to work was simply outstanding. From them she learned values like discipline, diligence, work and education. Thus was nurtured her childhood passionate desire to graduate from college because “it was my only passport to a good life.”
The desire became a reality when she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, major in Accounting, from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. She then hurdled the Board Exam to become a CPA. “I chose to become a Certified Public Accountant because CPAs are always in demand. Every company needs an accountant. Moreover, I really appreciate doing the analysis of every transaction for management decision purposes.” She was working as a CPA for a multinational company when her former professor and mentor, Mr. Fernando Nestor Uy, recruited her to Sun Life, thus opening the door to a new world of rich opportunities. Yogie wasted no time in establishing a track record of excellence. She got coded on January 21, 1987. Three years after, she was promoted to Unit Manager. Then in January 2004, her team was spun-off from Mulawin NBO and she became Branch Manager of Rosewood NBO. And she has led Team Rosewood from one victory to the next—with the latest one being named Top ISO NBM for August Champions 2014. Yogie was one of the first managers who saw how ISO could and would change the game profoundly. “Early on, I saw that potential growth will come from the provinces.” So she went ahead, developed and expanded swiftly via the ISO route. But she took care not to expand haphazardly. “My two conditions before enrolling in any ISO are: first, there must be a resident manager; and, second, I must at least have two potential manager enrollees.” ISO, after all, comes with its own set of challenges. “Whenever we start an ISO, challenges [include the availability of an] office structure where potentially successful recruits can convene and train. Long-distance mentoring and coaching is always a concern. But,” Yogie says happily, “these concerns were addressed immediately and fully. Initial satellite offices were established, and the presence of Business
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Development Managers (BDMs) were of great help.” And to those who still hesitate or may have their doubts, Yogie just shrugs her shoulders and says: “‘Pag gusto, may paraan—pag ayaw, may dahilan!’ Indeed, we’re able to overcome these hindrances.” More than just overcome, Yogie and her team have thrived and are showing others how to succeed and grow via ISO. About their August Champions performance, Yogie has this to say: “We achieved this through the team effort of my different ISO Field Managers from Lucena, Antipolo, La Union, Cavite, Bataan, Palawan and Davao.” She applauds the amazing team spirit of Rosewood. “My field managers consisting of my Sales Managers—Cecille Villar and Joycelyn Salas from Lucena; Corie Mina from Antipolo, Laoag and Davao; Marilyn Dionisio from Meycauayan, La Union, Palawan and Davao—and also my Unit Managers—Embott Tubelleja, Sol Gelle, Teng Encio, Sarah Ramos—they contributed much to this award,” Yogie says with great pride and obvious gratitude.
God’s gift For Yogie, marrying her high school classmate Arman Legaspi was one gift. Next was the fruit of this marriage, their children: Aaron, Joyce and Grace. Third was seeing all three finish college. “I consider my family the best and most important gift I received from God,” Yogie declares unequivocally. Of her husband, she has the sweetest relationship: “Arman is my partner in everything I do, be it home or career-related. We complement and complete each other.”
Stretching Her Wings Wings are not made to be idle. They are made to fly! In Yogie’s case, she attributes her impetus to fly her wings and to soar to greater heights from Sun Life. She said, “Sun Life has given me endless opportunities to enjoy my career, to
2014 August Champions
be challenged and to grow professionally.” She believes that this wonderful company has stretched her world in so many ways. Her wings are never idle at Sun Life. There is always a new goal, a greater challenge, another lucrative contest, another incentive to pursue, another world travel to fight for. She has seen many new worlds because of this company and she hopes to see many more.
A limitless Horizon “With Sun Life, I have grown my own person knowing truly well that my mind’s vision is my only limitation. I truly am thankful to God for this blessing,” Yogie admits. It is one thing to have wings and another thing to use them. This lady makes sure that her wings are busy flying. So far, she and her Rosewood NBO have always exceeded their previous records and they plan to fly higher each year. Her team has been consistent at this: meeting yearly targets. And the moving target is always higher and higher. “We have a balanced management team and everybody actively participates in meeting our goals and objectives,” she matter-of-factly declares. Looking forward, her team’s production and manpower goals is simply this: Continue to do what they successfully did the previous year plus get more recruits and open more ISO offices.
2014 August Champions Top ISO New Business Manager
Y olanda Legaspi Rosewood NBO
So who are the wind beneath her wings? Success is rarely a result of just your own efforts and nothing else. Behind all successful men and women are people in the sidelines and behind the scenes who help in their own little ways to make them so. Yogie is quick to credit her family, her Rosewood family, her company (Sun Life) and her God for her success. “Life under the Sun is a life of love and blessings,” is her summarized conclusion. Through them, she has been able to grow her roots and to fly her wings.
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people
A Creature of Great Habits Our habits can make or break us . Stephen R. Covey, renowned for his best-selling
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, wrote: “Habit is the intersection of knowledge (what to do), skill (how to do), and desire (want to do).” Indeed, habits affect people profoundly. Can a lazy person attain success? Maybe not. How about a diligent and disciplined person? More likely. Well, here’s an interesting case study of someone whose personal habits have worked splendidly in making him a winner. The 5 o’clock habit Rogelio “Nonoy” Sevilla is a creature of very good
habits. Early in life, both parents steered him to adopt the 5 o’clock habit which has helped make him what he is today: disciplined, industrious and self-motivated. And what is this 5 o’clock habit? It is this: while the rest of the world was comfortably tucked in bed dreaming, Nonoy and his brood were up at 5am daily to do their household and farming chores. It did not matter if Nonoy slept late nor if he got any sleep at all. He had to wake up with the rest of the family. Why? Because the land needed to be tilled, the seeds sown, the plants tended. Yes, farming was a lot of grueling work. It was also the family’s main source of income. One reaps what one sows. So if nothing was planted, nothing would be reaped and nothing earned for the family’s coffers. It was that simple. Aristotle said: “Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” Thus did this early childhood of punishing schedule develop into a lifelong habit of discipline for Nonoy. He describes his daily routine at present: “I wake up at four in the morning to prepare myself, and by 5am I already have a client to see.” It will usually be a long day after with more prospects to see, new advisors to caddy, clients to nurture, and many other things that demand his attention. He usually takes his lunch at 2pm and does not quit working until midnight.
The habit of prayer Where does Nonoy get his power to live such a disciplined, diligent and focused life? “From the moment I wake up in the morning, I give thanks to our Divine Providence for giving me new life, new hope, wisdom, knowledge, patience and humility in all my undertakings. I’ve always believed that without God, I am nothing,” Nonoy admits. Talking to his Maker upon rising is his way of setting the tone for his day. He has no clue how
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the day will go but he offers it to God knowing he will get the guidance and strength he needs to go through every challenge. He knows tests and trials in this field are never lacking. He is wise to call on God for help.
The habit of Excellence Nonoy was coded on March 19, 2004 but started as a part-timer. “I was teaching Mathematics and Values Education full time for almost 16 years in New Lucena National Comprehensive High School and was a parttime college instructor of New Lucena Polytechnic College of Iloilo.” As if this weren’t enough, he joined Sun Life too—a move that would turm his fortunes around and change his life for the better. “As a part-time Sun Life agent, I immediately became an awardee and I was promoted Unit Manager in November 2006.” Taking advantage of the lucrative opportunities in ISO (Inter-Branch Sales Offices), he expanded his sales team first to Calamba, Laguna then Imus, Cavite then to Sta. Rosa, Laguna. “I became a consistent awardee and was then promoted Sales Manager in February 1, 2012.” For both Love Month and August Champions this year, Nonoy is Top Sales Manager for ISO. Clearly, he is ready for much bigger things. In January 2015, Nonoy will be promoted to New Business Manager when his Mount Vesuvius Sales Team spins off from the Corinthian NBO as one of Sun Life’s newest branches. It was Corinthian NBM Jo Sucero herself who has pushed and encouraged him to take this next step.
The habit of obedience It takes humility to obey your superiors, especially when they are women. But this is not a problem with Nonoy. “I always obeyed whatever the advice of my recruiter or of my manager or branch manager was, for I really believe that ‘mother’ knows best.” In the life insurance business, there is much to know. Learning it from
2014 August Champions
people who have had more training and experience is a real advantage. Nonoy is smart enough to gain from their tutelage.
Wrong habits to avoid Nonoy names a few habits or practices that are to be shunned at all costs: not being teachable; not focusing on one’s goal; not attending the weekly sales team and branch meetings; skipping trainings and seminars; not reading up on personal development and therefore not learning new things one can apply to improve and grow in business.
New habits to acquire “At this stage of my personal life and career, I want to acquire habits that lead to new innovation of tactics, strategies, techniques, and style. I want to develop new approaches on selling life insurance. I desire a balanced life and career—spiritually, emotionally, socially, mentally, physically and financially. I want to lead, coach, mentor more people with great passion and commitment,” Nonoy enthuses.
Staying power All these right habits have made Nonoy who he is today: a leader who has mastered time management, personal effectiveness, deep devotion and willingness to keep on going the extra mile. One of his favorite Bible verses is this: “In everything you do, put God first and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” Proverbs 3:6 (TLB). This wonderful verse has always given Rogelio “Nonoy” Sevilla the strength, inspiration, and the power to keep on winning.
2014 August Champions Top ISO Sales Manager
R ogelio Sevilla Corinthian NBO
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people
Only the Beginning When Revelita “Revy” Manipon was growing up in Santiago, Isabela, she and her three siblings dreamed of “the good life”—to finish their studies, to become rich, to have a house and a car. They also had a simpler wish: to buy some new clothes. “But it was really just a dream for me,” says Revy, “because I could not really afford to buy clothes. We used the money for tuition fees and allowance.” The cliché goes that dreams come true. And indeed they do: with luck, with hard work and the blessings of Providence—all of which seemed to converge upon Revy, an outstanding Unit Manager at Sun Life. Not only has she earned all those things she coveted in childhood, but she also got the cherry on the cake: Revy is Top ISO Unit Manager for August Champions 2014.
Family first Blessed with a delightful sense of humor, Revy declares that she is “26 years old now and has an additional 20 years of experience, for a total of 46!” She is happily married to her “loving husband” Alex Manipon, a pastor. Together they have three daughters—Shellah, Reina, Jireh—as well as a son, Mark. Family is clearly important to this career-savvy woman, and they return the compliment. “I am proud that my family supports me all the way,” she says. “I thank the Lord for giving me a loving husband and a family that always puts God first in everything they do. I know that they are very proud and grateful for what God has given me.” Having seen Revy’s dedication and love for her work at Sun Life, it seemed inevitable that some of them would want to follow her example: her eldest daughter Shellah will soon be joining Sun Life as an advisor herself.
“Kahit ano ibebenta ko!” After finishing her early studies, Revy pursued a degree in Business Administration at the La Salette College in Santiago City. “I chose the course because as a college student, I wanted to become a successful businesswoman.” Pursuing that elusive dream of success, after college Revy threw herself into a string of small businesses including a flower shop, as well as selling bags, soap and makeup. “Kahit ano ibebenta ko!” she laughs. This gung-ho attitude served Revy well in teaching her the ropes of selling. So when the opportunity came for
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her to join Sun Life, she was prepared, even if she was indifferent in the beginning. “I heard of Sun Life from my former Unit Manager Isabelo Cruz,” she recounts. “His wife recruited me, so I attended trainings although napilitan lang ako at pinagbigyan ko lang si Sir Jun.” Revy thought she would just attend Basic Training Courses 1 and 2 but not go on to be an agent. “But after listening and attending the trainings, I realized that having insurance, protection and a plan for retirement are important in our lives,” she says. “With the blessing of my husband, I decided to join Sun Life.” Revy was coded in September 2007.
Never say never After three years as an advisor, Revy took the big step of heading her own ISO unit in her home city of Santiago, Isabela. In January 2010, with the encouragement of her NBM Josephine Pamintuan of Genus Pine NBO, Eagles Eye Unit (Santiago ISO) was born, with Revy at its head. Currently the unit boasts 18 advisors. “Honestly, this is a big challenge and I have to work harder,” she says. “As an advisor, my only concern was my production. Having this great responsibility, my concern now is the production of my unit. I have to give my best to assure everything will work well.” Revy sums up her personal formula for giving her best: “Have a positive attitude towards your goals. Remain focused on your vision, and do not give up! Never say never!” Nonetheless, winning the Top ISO Unit Manager award came as a surprise for Revy. “I was really shocked!” she says. “Hindi ako makapagsalita. Hindi ako makapaniwala na magagawa namin! Dreams really do come true.” The dreams have not stopped for Revy. For 2014, her objective is to have half of her advisors step up to a prestigious level of achievement—as President’s Month awardee, or as a member of the Macaulay Club and the MDRT. “Hindi ito ang huli, kundi ito ang simula. We aim
2014 August Champions
high! We want to be the Top ISO nationwide and I want to be the Top ISO Unit Manager.”
Success is habit forming What habits are going to help Revy achieve her goals? She shares the practices that keep propelling her forward: “Write down your goals and plans in a simple notebook or planner. Prepare yourself always. Conquer procrastination. Avoid being sick, and seek first God’s kingdom.” There’s always room for improvement, and Revy has been working on a number of things. For one, she has started to harness technology to her advantage, learning to use email for her business communications. She also plans to read more, particularly on management best practices. “Reading has numerous benefits,” says Revy. “It builds one’s vocabulary, expands the imagination, and rekindles creativity.”
First things first Looking back on the past seven years at Sun Life, Revy reveals pride in her work and accomplishments, and pleasure at the rewards her work has brought. She is also deeply grounded in the abiding value she places in her family and in her faith. “I am proud to be a Sun Lifer because of the terrific products we have to offer, the professionalism of the Sun Lifers, and all the quality advisors,” she says. “I’ve traveled to many different places because of Sun Life, have become financially capable, received awards, but above all these things, my husband advices me to be humble. First things first: love and serve God and everything will follow because the blessings shall overtake you.”
2014 August Champions Top ISO Unit Manager
R evelita Manipon Genus Pine NBO
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More Than She Can Imagine “When I first entered this industry, I dreamt big. I envisioned myself standing before the Sun Lifers of the Philippines. I remember my mom telling Ms. Shirley Tan to help me become the number one rookie just like Ms. Abigail Soriano, our number one
rookie last August 2013. Ms. Tan said, ‘Yes, we will make it happen with God’s grace.’ So I told myself I will work hard for it.” And so it happened. Carmela Arcilla, who goes by Carms, became the 2014 August Champions Top ISO Advisor. The journey to the top is undoubtedly exhilarating for her. Along the way she was helped, motivated and coached by supportive people who deeply care for her success. First and foremost is her mom Marlyn. She was a Sun Life advisor until she moved to Canada. “My mom influenced me and taught me how to excel in this industry. When my mom was still an advisor and I, a student, I was her assistant and secretary. I created proposals for her. I saw how great her life was with Sun Life.” Thus, through her mom, her initial impressions of Sun Life was positively formed. “I am so proud of her. Every time she went up the stage to receive her recognition or trophies or medals, she inspired me,” Carms says of her role model.
Did you know? Advisors come from all walks of life. Some were former teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, housewives, cops, secretaries, accountants… the list is long and the possibilities are endless. Did you know that Carms studied at the Center for Culinary Arts Manila? So what happens now to her culinary training and education? Does she plan to be a chef someday? Open a restaurant, maybe? Operate a food business? To these expected questions she gives a very enlightening answer: “It made me think that in one hour of field work with Sun Life, I can earn millions. You can’t create millions that fast inside the kitchen.” A sobering thought.
Only 22? More so, did you know that Carms is only 22-years-old? How many people her age would you find who have accomplished as much as she has? Her advice to her fellow yuppies: “Never give up. Never quit. Always think positive and believe that you can do it.”
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Coded and coached Every Sun Life Advisor officially starts the career by being coded. Carms just got coded on January 2014. She is being coached by a dependable and competent mentor— her unit manager, Shirley Tan. Theirs is a wonderful mentor/mentee relationship. Shirley has warned Carms not to be offended if she pushes her to her limits. It is really the only way to go if you want to succeed in the business. Shirley is also very affirming. She constantly tells Carms that she will succeed—and she does.
Precious lessons learned “In my Sun Life career, I want to pursue as many opportunities as possible in order to seek higher ground,” says Carms. “I joined Sun Life as Financial Advisor because I wanted to be part of a company that has a great business philosophy and a noble mission of helping people. This is the kind of career I wanted—to be of help to my fellow Filipinos.” Yet, it is not a bed of roses for Carms. In the process of selling life insurance, she has experienced many painful rejections, especially from her friends and relatives. “I also get disappointed when my client cancels an appointment,” she admits. Rejections and disappointments are but two of the lessons that she has learned to accept as part of her realities. There will be more down the road, of course, and she is ready for them.
Changed by the career Sun Life did not only fast track her growing up, it also matured her perception of life. So much of her growth had been spurred by this very fulfilling career. Even her interpersonal and communication skills were developed. “Sun Life taught me to be more confident of myself and to make my own decisions,” she proudly testifies.
Success secrets The secret of her success is no secret at all. “I just armed myself with persistence, consistent follow up, and the
2014 August Champions
most important of all was that I was very obedient to my Unit Manager.” She openly spoke about this obedience. “Here’s one secret that I want to share: if you want to have a successful career, you need to listen! Obey! Obey your manager. It’s for your own good. Mother knows best, right?” she rhetorically asks.
Tandem source People get inspired by many things… soothing music, beautiful sunsets, stories of victory and triumph, love, faith and hope. To thrive in the life insurance business, one must have a steady dose of inspiration. Carms has a tandem source. One is from the earth but close to her heart: her mother. She speaks highly of her whenever she has a chance. “My mom always says, in everything you do, do it for the glory of God. Be humble, you should be content with whatever blessings you have. In that way, He will give you blessings more than you can imagine. “ Her second source of inspiration is eternal, heavenly and limitless. Though very thankful and grateful to her parents for being her major cheerleaders, her ultimate Source of inspiration is God. She humbly attests: “But most of all, it is my Lord Jesus who gives me strength, wisdom and courage everyday.” As her mom has wisely said, God will give her blessings so much more than she can ever imagine.
2014 August Champions Top ISO Advisor
C armela Arcilla Almond NBO
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TIES THAT BIND
MOLAVE NBO:
Strong, Enduring, Productive Growth is essential , in business as in life. It can
be difficult and even painful; but grow one must, because the alternative is stagnation and decay. At Sun Life, the organic growth of new branches is generated by spin-offs from the original branch, much like cuttings from a mature plant produce new life. One of the most productive “mother” branches is Molave, under NBM Josefina “Jopin” McLaren. Now 32 years old, Molave has given birth to three NBOs: Tindalo under Winda Gonzales in 1990, Eucalyptus headed by Maritz Abellera in 1994, and its latest offspring, Almond under Vivian Patco in 2008. Eucalyptus, in turn, has birthed Diane Perfecto’s Cottonwood NBO and Ruzette Cadungog’s Empress NBO. Resolve to rise again It wasn’t easy. “In the late 80’s it was called ‘reorganization’,” says Jopin. “When Maritz and Winda spun-off with their own units, it was a massive blow to us. Molave was reduced to 50% of what it was. We managed with great difficulty, but with resolve to rise again. We did.” In 2008, when Molave had recovered sufficiently to achieve Php 27 Million in AC, Vivian Patco was promoted to Branch Manager with the launch of Almond NBO. “She took with her 65% of the NBO managers and production,” says Jopin. “We hit bottom again.” Today, six years later, Molave NBO is back to fighting form, with 160 advisors, 11 Unit Managers, one Sales Manager and six Management Candidates. They are working on a target to close 2014 with Php 47 Million AC.
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“The biggest lesson I learned from her is how to bring out the best in people, to empower the team to excellence. I am who I am today because of Jopin’s strong leadership and the unparalleled training we got in Molave.” ~ Maritz Abellera World of winners If Molave is a remarkably productive and resilient branch, it is thanks to the vision, strength and endurance of its leader. Along with achieving production targets, Jopin has been nurturing and developing new talent, enabling them to succeed in their own careers as future branch managers. “Jopin exposed me to the world of winners,” says Maritz Abellera, whose Eucalyptus Branch boasts a manpower of 253, and is set to produce more than Php 60 Million in AC this year. “She taught me to set goals and to achieve them. She gave me lessons on organization, work habits and discipline. The biggest lesson I learned from her is how to bring out the best in people, to empower the team to excellence. I am who I am today because of Jopin’s strong leadership and the unparalleled training we got in Molave.” Vivian Patco of the 150-strong Almond Branch appreciates the guidance she received from her former manager. “Boss Jopin is a good mentor,” she says. “Her quality as a leader, manager and mentor is that she knows how to reward her people and she finds time to congratulate them. I am very thankful that she was able to guide me in my career.”
Milestones Jopin first joined Sun Life in 1973. It was there that she met her husband Douglas McLaren, then the company’s Marketing Manager. “He was intelligent, caring and
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compassionate, especially to those who had less in life,” says Jopin. They were married for 25 years, before Mr. McLaren passed in 2006. After working as an advisor and trainor for six years, in 1979 Jopin stepped up to Manager of Mariwasa Unit—christened thus “because I wanted all members of my Unit to be wealthy.” It was a special period for her; she enjoyed building up her organization and earned early success as Top UM awardee in 1981. The following year, when the company reorganized its branches, she was promoted to Branch Manager, starting with just 17 agents. “I named my NBO Molave as I wanted us to be strong, enduring and productive,” says Jopin. Looking back on her four decades with Sun Life, Jopin considers that her major contribution has been producing three new NBOs “and counting.” She also helped create the Sales Manager position, ladderized quotas depending on the tenure of managers, and increased spin-off incentives for NBMs to promote new branches. Long before “corporate social responsibility” became a catchword, Jopin took the lead for Sun Life to build a Gawad Kalinga community of 58 homes for the poor, in honor of her late husband Douglas. She counts as one of her major milestones having her picture taken with Mother Teresa of Calcutta when she met her to offer the proceeds of a Love Month fund donation drive.
Happily growing Although it has already achieved so much, Molave NBO under Jopin McLaren continues to thrive and grow. For 2015, the branch has set a target of Php 50 million in AC, and to increase manpower to 250. Jopin plans to continue Advisors’ Training, to intensify manager promotion, and to expand outside Metro Manila. Of her three decades as a Branch Manager, Jopin says: “It feels mostly good. I feel older but wiser, getting renewed with the recruitment of younger people. I am happy to have had—and still have— the opportunity to develop others and contribute strong NBMs to our company. As a branch, Molave has managed to rise again, and we are happily growing. I want to continue developing and helping more managers and agents reach for the starts as they help people secure their futures.”
ties that bind
Almond NBO:
The Cycle Continues can be a bittersweet experience for any parent. There is pride in knowing that you have taught your offspring all you can and she is launching her own boat, and sadness because she will be missed.
Letting a child go
When Molave NBO spun-off Almond branch in 2008, “Mother” Branch Manager Jopin McLaren shared some of those mixed feelings. It was time for Vivian Patco, her top-performing Unit Manager, to head her own branch, yet she knew it would be hard to fill her place. “Vivian is very hardworking and patient,” says Jopin. “She works with great forbearance. When we hit Php 27 Million in AC, she was promoted to NBM. She took with her 65% of the NBO managers and production. We hit bottom again.” Nonetheless it’s a cycle in life, as in business: to expand, one must grow shoots, and then let those take root and find their own life. Inevitably, Molave has rebuilt itself and is as strong as it ever was; and Almond is steadily gaining ground.
Almonds for good fortune Vivian Patco joined Sun Life in 1983. She initially reported to Unit Manager Leni Dumaliang, but when the latter moved to the US, she transferred to the Independent Unit under Jopin McLaren. Vivian was promoted to UM in 1986 and to then to SM in 1993. “It took me 15 years before I was spun-off to become NBM of Almond,” says Vivian. “At first I was apprehensive as I knew the big responsibilities that went with the position. Now I can say that while the responsibilities are tremendous, the rewards far outweigh them.” Vivian reveals how she chose the name for her branch, which will be seven years old in January. “I chose the name ‘Almond’ because almonds were a prized ingredient in breads made for Egypt’s pharaohs. In fact, it was mentioned in the bible that almonds were a symbol of divine approval. The Romans showered newlyweds with almonds
as a fertility charm. Americans give guests at weddings a bag of almonds representing children, happiness, romance, good health and fortune.”
A habit of prayer Part of that good fortune came in the way of the successful launch of the Legaspi and Naga Extension offices. “I see those as Almond’s key contribution to Sun Life,” says Vivian. “It pioneered the establishment of more provincial offices and ISOs.” Moreover, Almond NBO has consistently met the targets that helped Vivian qualify for Triple A, Leaders’ Conference, Macaulay and GAMA Platinum Awardee. Currently, Almond NBO has seven Unit Managers and 150 Advisors. “My management team is focused, deeply religious and have a healthy working relationship,” says Vivian. As a manager, she admits to having just one habit. “I pray and thank God when I wake up and before I sleep in the evening. This habit of praying is now a part of Almond NBO’s everyday affairs from the time we blessed our office. My rule of thumb is: Take care of your people and the business will take care of itself.”
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Tindalo NBO:
Standing Tall was coded in 1978 under the unit of Mr. Terry Soriano of the Manila Urban Branch. She relates, “There was a restructure in the company which led me to be transferred under the newly installed unit of Mrs. Jopin Mclaren , with Mr. Jose Espiritu as our Branch Manager, in the year 1980. Soon after, Mrs. Mclaren was promoted to become a Branch Manager under Molave Branch, and I was taken with her during the spin off.” Fredezwinda “Winda” Tan Gonzales
Winda proved to be an excellent, dependable producer. “With my stay in Molave, I was a consistent top agent of the month, top agent of the year, Macaulay qualifier for 10 years, IQA awardee for 23 years, and a qualifier in the 1st Leaders’ Conference in Hong Kong in 1982, and in the succeeding years.” She was then apointed Unit Manager in 1986 under the Yang Tze River Unit where she continued her consistent performance, earning accolades in the process. In 1990, Winda was promoted as the New Business Manager of Tindalo NBO. She speaks highly of her former branch manager and mentor. “Through Mrs. Jopin
McLaren, I learned the importance of life insurance because she was one of our trainers in 1978. She was excellent in her task for she always made sure that the audience would understand all the topics discussed. I worked with her from 19801990 and, in those years, she emphasized to me the importance of self-discipline and time management. She encouraged me to read books regarding sales, which motivated me to qualify to my first MDRT experience.” Today, Winda leads a solid team of 147 Advisors and 13 Unit Managers.
Winda proved to be an excellent, dependable producer. “With my stay in Molave, I was a consistent top agent of the month, top agent of the year, Macaulay qualifier for 10 years, IQA awardee for 23 years, and a qualifier in the 1st Leaders’ Conference in Hong Kong in 1982, and in the succeeding years.”
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ties that bind
Eucalyptus NBO:
Planting Good Seeds joined Sun Life in 1981, there were less than 300 advisors nationwide, and the company ranked just 7th in the industry. But even then, as a young advisor fresh from her previous career as an elementary school teacher, she already knew that she wanted more. She told her Molave Branch Manager Jopin McLaren of her ambition to become a manager. She asked, she met the criteria, and two years later she was Unit Manager of Rio Grande Unit. In 1992 she became Sales Manager, and in 1994 headed a spin-off as Branch Manager of Eucalyptus NBO. When Marita “Maritz” Abellera
Thriving Tree “I chose the name Eucalyptus to remind me of a memorable Leaders’ Conference Trip in 1993,” says Maritz. “It was held in Sydney— my first trip outside Asia. The eucalyptus tree is a source of oil for healing and home to cuddly koala bears and strong kangaroos. Today it thrives in many countries around the world. In the same way, Eucalyptus NBO continues to expand and plant its good seeds all over the archipelago.” For those who know Eucalyptus’ track record, this is an apt description indeed. The NBO is perhaps most known for its success in expansion through Sun Life’s ISO program, beginning in 2004. Eucalyptus was the Top ISO Branch for four consecutive years from 2010 to 2013. It was the pioneer player in the first two ISOs set up in Lipa and Baliuag, and now participates in 25 ISOs all over the Philippines. Eucalyptus NBO today consists of six sub-teams with three Sales Managers, 17 Unit Managers, Management Candidates and 217 advisors. The NBO is also the proud parent of two new branches— Cottonwood NBO which spun off in 2011, and Empress NBO which launched in 2014.
A working system Tangible accomplishments such as ISO expansion and branch spin-offs are clearly a source of pride for Maritz and her team. Yet she also takes immense satisfaction in other, less visible achievements. “I am proud
that Eucalyptus has been likened to a small Sun Life by our Sales Head Alex Narciso in its fundamentals, branch structure and systems,” she says. “Our systems work and are transferable. We have spun-off two winning branches which are rooted in our culture. Cottonwood and Empress now soar high with their own wings to build a name of their own.”
Learning never stops Described by her former BM Jopin McLaren as “hardworking, ambitious, serious, and very organized,” Maritz reflects on the qualities that have allowed her to achieve much in her three-decade career at Sun Life, and yet acknowledges that the learning never stops. “As NBM for 20 years, I have so much to share—God’s gifts of wisdom, vision, organization, a wealth of experience and the insatiable passion to excel,” says Maritz. “Yet I still have so much to learn from life, my family, from Sun Life’s people, from my policy holders and the people I touch. Eucalyptus will continue to plant more trees and to build more winning branches. We are prepared to embark on new territories, and to add more to our playing fields.”
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Cottonwood NBO:
The Perfect Candidate was a dark horse when she first joined the Eucalyptus New Business Office (NBO) in 2000, with no idea she would shortly be on a fast track to heading her own branch. Back then, she was an advisor under Unit Manager Lynlee Villaluz . The latter had just accepted the invitation of Eucalyptus New Business Manager (NBM) Maritz Abellera to move from Tindalo Branch under NBM Winda Gonzales. “We had a grand design for Lynlee to be grounded first in Eucalyptus to prepare her to become NBM in five years,” says Maritz. Diane Perfecto
It was not to be. Barely two months after joining the new branch, Lynlee passed away suddenly. “We looked for a replacement from among the advisors in her team,” says Maritz. “Diane Perfecto, as her name connotes, was the best candidate for Assistant Unit Manager. She naturally emerged as the new leader, fully supported and respected by the team.”
Fast track In less than two years, Diane was promoted to Unit Manager, and in May 2007, she took another step up to Sales Manager. Showing she was up to the challenge, Diane led her team to be Top Sales Team nationwide. “It was the perfect position for her to birth a branch,” says Maritz. Diane was not so sure. “I was apprehensive and reluctant to accept the responsibility of growing my team into a branch,” she says. “Pito Lawas, our Cluster 1 head, was so good in convincing me that I could do it. I let faith in God overcome my fear.” Cottonwood NBO was spun-off in January 2011 with Diane at its helm. “Diane is a servant leader,” says Maritz. She puts her people’s interest primary in her business agenda. She has transformed from a quiet and hardworking accountant to a dynamic leader of the fast growing Cottonwood NBO.”
A great responsibility As a Branch Manager herself now, Diane sees the bigger picture of birth and growth that
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is part of each branch’s duty. “The ‘mother’ Branch Manager has a great responsibility in developing future BMs. Although we all have our individuality, transition may be better if the ‘daughter’ NBO is equipped with the technicalities and functions he or she is going into.” Her own path was shaped by not just one but two Branch Managers, each one having their own management style, while sharing some key qualities. “I am a product of two decades, first decade under Winda, then Maritz,” says Diane. “Both are hard workers, tenacious, and committed to growing their branches. They both developed a system to instill discipline and to manage their branches. They both have road maps to success.” Now Diane is forging her own path, using the skills she has been taught together with her own unique talents and abilities. “It was and still is a big challenge to be the best branch we can be,” she says. “Our team’s journey will always be anchored on our collective dedication, hard work, and complete trust in God. We aim to always maintain growth using Triple A as our barometer.”
ties that bind
empress NBO:
Express to Empress First, know what you want. Next,
focus your mind clearly on the goal. Now give it all you’ve got and make it happen! Judging from Ruzette Pineda-Cadungog ’s experience, this was the formula she followed to become New Business Manager (NBM) in just seven years from starting as an Advisor in Sun Life. For many, it would be easier said than done. But she did it. Maritz Abellera, her former branch manager at Eucalyptus, tells the story:
“Ruzette asked to be referred to a Sun Life branch manager while shopping among other insurance companies. I called her for an interview in my office. She knew what she wanted. I saw her desire to join us at the soonest time. To put it in another perspective, Ruzette wanted to succeed in Sun Life fast.”
Go-getter Realizing she had a talented go-getter on her hands, Maritz lost no time in preparing Ruzette for management. “We designed a fast track program for her,” she says. “The plan was for Ruzette to be Advisor in 2007, a Management Candidate in 2008, a Unit Manager in 2010, a Sales Manager in 2012 and, finally, a New Business Manager in 2014.” (See related story on page 64.) Ruzette went through all the training programs set out for her, including paid programs offered by industry consultants, LUAP and MDRT. “She learned fast and became a consistent Macaulay Club Member, MDRT and Leaders’ Conference qualifier,” says Maritz. “She was Top ISO Sales Manager in 2013.” It came as no surprise to anyone when she was promoted to New Business Manager of Empress NBO in July 2014.
fully aware of God’s powerful force in her personal and business life.” For her part, Ruzette believes that her fast track to NBM position has sent positive signals to aspiring colleagues. “I think my spin-off inspired my fellow Eucalypthusiasts that being NBM is possible in a shorter period, as long as there’s passion and focus,” says Ruzette. “Transition was not as difficult as most people would expect because majority of my advisors are rookies. What I do now as an NBM is just the same as what I used to do as Unit Manager and Sales Manager, only on a bigger scope.”
Inspiring the aspiring Maritz saw in her protégé many strengths as a person and a manager. “Ruzette is a dynamic platform speaker, giving inspiring talks within and outside Sun Life. She models the way for her managers and advisors, leading everyone to excellent performance. She is a God-centered leader,
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profiling our
NEW BUSINESS OFFICES As with the birth of a child, the birth of a new NBO is met with great celebration and joy. Here is proof of life... of growth. And in Sun Life, we take it as proof of excellence too: excellence on the part of the ‘mother NBO’ for having nurtured a winning team; and excellence on the part of the spin-off ‘daughter NBO’—for having what it takes to start on its own winning journey.
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D ragonwood NBO
NBM Dr. Rae Carabbacan
Making a difference Dr. Rae Carabbacan is a humble and reluctant achiever. She had been offered the branch manager position since the time of Esther Tan. “But I had other priorities in life. I didn’t know back then if I could really deliver what was expected of me,” she says. The people around her, of course, knew of her potential and capability. She can deliver. It may have taken her twelve years to spin-off from Sales Manager to New Business Manager but she is in. Yes, the doctor is in! What made her accept this new position? “I would say, it is very challenging and fulfilling. There is so much to be done. Every time my potentials are being challenged, I feel more confident, especially because I have the support of my management team. More so with all the advisors in my NBO who believe that this is a lifetime career, we all could indeed make a difference in peoples’ lives.”
Dragonwood NBO was born on January 2, 2012. The idea for the name came about because she was born in the year of the Dragon. She says that people born in this year hold many admirable qualities, among them, determination and the ability to set high standards for one’s self. As of September 2014, Dragonwood has a manpower of 156, with 1 Sales Manager, 11 Unit Managers and 144 Advisors. Dr. Rae’s 2014 production target is Php 35 Million. So far, Php 16 Million has been reached. Her manpower goal for 2015 is to grow Dragonwood into a 200-strong team. To achieve these goals, she will go for quality recruits, mobilize all her advisors and equip them with everything they need to succeed.
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E mpress NBO NBM Ruzette Pineda-Cadungog
Generosity, Obedience and Discipline Core Values are extremely important. It is easy to float in the ocean of life without purpose and without a clear set of values. Day in and day out, you can coast along not knowing what to do, where to go, and how to decide on issues and concerns. It takes true soul-searching to craft a well-defined statement of core values that will make your life and that of your team meaningful and purposeful. Stephen Covey said this: “A mission statement is not something you write overnight... But fundamentally, your mission statement becomes your constitution, the solid expression of your vision and values. It becomes the criterion by which you measure everything else in your life.” That’s exactly what Ruzette Pineda-Cadungog did. She defined her new NBO based on the G. O. D. core values. G is for Generosity, for unselfish sharing of time,
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knowledge, skills and talents, openly praising and recognizing top performers publicly and rewarding achievers. O is for Obedience, for submission to authority, adherence to prescribed practices, systems and procedures of the company, following the rules and regulations of the branch and the company, respecting the superiors. Finally, D is for that much needed trait Discipline which she has translated to mean these: seeing 10 faces weekly; perfect and on-time attendance to meetings, trainings and conferences; positive attitude towards change; tact and diplomacy when raising concerns, feedback and complaints. Armed with these well-defined core values, Ruzette and her Empress NBO are ambitiously aspiring for Php 35 Million AC and Manpower of 150 for 2015. She is on a roll so watch out, world!—this lady is determined to hit Empress NBO’s lofty targets.
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Jarrah NBO NBM Jocelyn Lim-Pua
No Short Cut “There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.” —Napoleon Hill Why did this NBO pick the Jarrah tree for its name? The sturdy and useful Jarrah tree, found mainly in Savannah, Australia has a life span of 500 years. It has an incredible ability to survive. Its pollen is world renown for contributing to the best honey in the world. Jo Lim Pua said this: “Our branch is a team of excellent members who follow the characteristics of the Jarrah tree. We believe in the ‘no short cut’ way of doing things. We also believe in establishing longterm, collaborative relationships with one another as well as with our clients to benefit everyone. Just like Jarrah’s deep roots that help it survive extreme weather conditions, our team is deeply rooted in, first and foremost, our faith in God; secondly, in our desire
to continue on learning and developing not just as professionals but more importantly as individuals; lastly, in our pursuit of excellence in all that we do.” Jo believes this is what makes their foundation strong. As this lady employs the principle of “no short cut,” her 6 UMs and 78 Advisors plan to hit Php 40 Million in AC for 2014. So far, they are 90% done. She hopes to grow by 30% in AC and hit the Php 50 Million mark. “Our team has proven and will continue to show abilities to adapt to difficult challenges that mark the life of an agent. We have thrived well even under great pressure, resulting in excellent production which we hope and pray to grow daily as we scale new heights.” Yes, just like the Jarrah tree.
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people n e w
b u s i n e s s
o ff i c e
Mango NBO NBM Ramil Gandola
Stretching His Tent “If you want to reach a goal, you must ‘see the reaching’ in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal.” —Zig Ziglar Reaching and stretching not only apply to workouts but also to goals. Ramil Gandola had seen his goals reached and stretched as he moved up each rung of the ladder—from Unit Manager in 2000, to Sales Manager in 2008 and, finally, to New Business Manager (NBM) in 2013. Of these promotions, he says, “Each stage of the career brings out unique feelings and expectations which translate to equally different behaviors and ideas. Each stage offers a greater room for growth which has built my character and shaped my personality.” Being an NBM has given Ramil a more intense elation: “I feel very blessed and fulfilled because it’s the highest position in sales, and excited because it presents the greatest challenge. I sometimes experience chills every time I realize the expectations both from the company and my team as well as the responsibility.”
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His Mango NBO was born in January 2013. He chose “Mango” as a name because this tree epitomizes productivity, fruitfulness and strength. “A mango tree, once it starts to bear fruit, multiplies exponentially every season. Its roots run deep and its bark is solid and strong,” he informs. The decision to be an NBM was arrived at with much prayer and fasting. It was a special verse from the Bible (Isaiah 54:2) which gave Ramil the clarity to go for it: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” Ramil Gandola will not hold back. He will enlarge, lengthen and strengthen his stakes as he goes for his goals and the gold!
Balesin
places
Athens Santorini
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places
Balesin
An island paradise to enjoy summer at its peak Right in the midst of the scorching heat of summer, Sun Life’s summer campaign top winners flew to Balesin Tropical Island paradise for a three-day rest and recreation. Located east of Mauban, Quezon, Balesin was definitely a unique experience for the summer champions who took a
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precious break from their daily grind to enjoy the amenities that the island resort offers—luxurious destination spas, aquatic pristine white sand beaches and sports centers, among others. Truly, a summer to remember!
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places
NBMs hie off to
Athens and Santorini for a well-deserved break! In appreciation for their stellar performance in 2013, Sun Life’s New Business Managers were feted to a trip to historical Athens and breathtaking Santorini in Greece where they spent days of great sightseeing, shopping and dining in these parts of Europe considered paradise by many. For our hardworking NBMs, it was a vacation worth every minute... and so truly well-deserved!
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nbm’s incentive trip
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news feature
Inaugural Sun Life Asia Health Index
Helps Us Get to Know Our Customers Better
Study reveal the emergence of what we are calling Asia’s ‘Generation O’—a demographic that is overworked, overweight, Initiated by Sun Life Financial and generally overwhelmed. Asia, the Asia Health Index is a survey of Asia’s 25- to 55-year-old
emerging middle class that explores how attitudes towards health issues vary across the region, including the rates of healthy and unhealthy behavior, and experience of different illnesses and health issues. In addition to canvassing the views of people in the Philippines, the 5,000+ sample survey canvassed the views of people in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Singapore and Thailand, and the findings are already generating lots of interest. The headline finding of the study reveals an interesting gap between attitudes towards health and high levels of desire among people across Asia to make healthier choices and an ability (or seeming inability) to convert their concern about health into healthier behavior. While people say that they want to make changes in areas of their lives that are largely within their control—such as exercise, nutrition and stress management—that desire hasn’t yet been successfully converted to tangible action or a change in behavior. And in the Philippines this finding also holds true. People across Asia may rank health as their top concern, but they certainly aren’t acting like it. Biggest health concerns. The Sun Life Asia Health Index shows that people are most affected by and concerned about health and lifestyle conditions that are largely preventable such as stress, heart disease and diabetes. Awareness of preventability... They know that the conditions they are most concerned about are largely preventable; nearly three-quarters agree that better lifestyle choices (such as exercising more, eating better, decreasing stress and giving up smoking) could improve their current level of health (73 percent, including 84% in the Philippines—the highest across all markets covered in the study). …but a failure to act (especially in more developed markets). They show high awareness that making better lifestyle choices would mean improved personal health, yet more than a quarter are not especially motivated to do anything about it (26 percent, including 16% in the Philippines). This
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disconnect between awareness and action is especially acute in the more developed countries in the region such as Hong Kong, where people are least positive about their overall physical and mental health (45 percent, versus 63 percent regionally and 77% in the Philippines)—yet are also the least motivated to take action in changing for the better (51 percent are highly motivated versus 72 percent region-wide and 85% in the Philippines— the highest in the region). Different gender, different health focus. Men in Asia are most likely to want to change their drinking and smoking habits, while women tend to focus on nutrition and weight management. This can be correlated to men having personally experienced higher levels of kidney, liver, lung disease and diabetes compared to women. Lack of exercise and poor diet. More than half do not exercise regularly (56 percent, including 62% in the Philippines) and one-third admit to a habit of unhealthy eating (30 percent regionally and 45% in the Philippines— the highest in the region).
Consequences of a failure to act. This failure to connect what is said and what is done shows up in the type of health issues most commonly experienced either personally (overweight/obesity, 23 percent) or by family members (diabetes, 32 percent)—both preventable conditions. Findings also suggest that modern life may be acting as a barrier to healthier living. The top five barriers to living a healthy and active lifestyle as shown by the research are a mix of economic, developmental and cultural factors, as well as habits now typical in a wired, modern world. These include lack of time due to work, lack of personal motivation, distractions such as TV and the Internet, lack of time due to family responsibilities, and cost. On the brighter side, the Filipinos are the most motivated to improve their health, compared to their Asian neighbors. “These survey findings reveal a huge opportunity for Sun Life to help our customers to enact the type of behavior change in health that they clearly want but have so far been unable to achieve,” said Riza Mantaring, President and CEO of Sun Life Financial Philippines. “Sun Life has always had a strong focus on providing programs and solutions that build stronger, healthier communities. Nowhere is this more necessary now than in Asia. As part of our call to Asia’s ‘Generation O’ to convert awareness to action, we at Sun Life will continue to explore ways to raise awareness about wellness and healthenhancing behaviors, toward improved physical and financial well-being in time to come.”
GENERATION The generation that is… HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY
VERWORKED
VERWEIGHT
54%
1 in 5
They SAY they feel good…
…but what they SAY
feel their work is a barrier to a healthy lifestyle
believe they are overweight or obese
VERWHELMED Nearly
2 3
are concerned about their stress level
to what they DO…
“Personal health is More than half (56%) most important” (83%) do not exercise regularly
63% feel good about their overall health 62% feel good about their physical health 64% feel good about their mental health They KNOW the impact of ill-health...
1 in 3 have unhealthy eating habits
“I do everything I can to maximize my health” (65%)
1 in 3 sleep less than six hours a day
...and they KNOW they should live healthier lives...
Top 3 3 4 health concerns are heart disease, cancer and diabetes
“A healthy, active life is important” (74%)
want to exercise more
12
13
want to eat more healthily
are unhappy with their levels of stress, exercise and quality of air
Time for a turnaround. pportunity for better outcomes - let’s own it. Source: Sun Life Financial’s Asia Health Index (2014), based on a survey of people aged 25 to 55 from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Life’s brighter under the sun
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