Flirting With the Uninterested: Innovating in a "Sold, Not Bought" Category

Does anyone else smell shift? Do you sense that the insurance industry is headed for an upheaval? Do you suspect that there is some brilliant, forward-thinking entrepreneur in a garage somewhere about to reinvent the game? Do you find it hard to make your case for leading change, while everyone else is still talking the same way, doing the same things, and getting the same results? More important, when you raise the issue, do those around you look at you like you are crazy? Do they tell you that this category is different because the product is "sold, not bought"? You are not crazy. The industry IS ripe for reinvention, and the sold, not bought paradigm is ready for a shift. The question is, how can YOU lead the shift versus having someone outside the industry do it, AND have the organizational support you need along the way. It is a tall order, but a necessary one. Flirting with the Uninterested, is our contribution to help leaders like you begin the journey to innovating in a "sold, not bought" category.

MARIA FERRANTE-SCHEPIS (formerly Umbach) is Managing Principal of Insurance and Financial Services at Maddock Douglas, Inc., an agency of innovation focused on helping large brands bring new ideas to market.

After more than 20 years as an executive in the insurance and financial services industry, Maria joined the Maddock Douglas team to focus on the opportunities for innovation in the insurance and financial services industries, recognizing the significant public and government demand for change. Her mission is to enable like-minded executives to shape the future of their companies, instead of having it shaped for them.

Prior to joining Maddock Douglas, Maria was Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Guardian, a New York-based Fortune 300 company specializing in insurance and investments. Before that she was Vice President of Marketing at Prudential, where she led a large team dedicated to the support and communication about the importance of risk protection products. She was also spokesperson for the company's studies in behavioral finance and retirement issues.

Maria holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration in Management from Hofstra University.

A dynamic speaker, often incorporating her talents as a trained musician and comedian into her talks, Maria has been a keynote speaker at a variety of industry conferences and public forums, including LIMRA International, MDRT, GAMA International, NAVA, The American College and a variety of consumer conferences on financial empowerment. She has published numerous articles on the insurance industry in magazines such as Life Insurance Selling and AM Best's Review, and has a blog on Maddock Douglas' Innovation Engine Community at www.soldnotbought.com. Maria can be reached at maria.fs@maddockdouglas.com.

G. MICHAEL MADDOCK, is an entrepreneur, an inventor, a writer and a keynote speaker.

Mike calls himself an Idea Monkey because he loves to solve problems with disruptive ideas. This passion for problem solving led him to establish Maddock Douglas, Inc., in 1991. Maddock Douglas has become an internationally recognized innovation agency that helps leading corporations invent and launch new products, services and business models. It is the perfect place for Idea Monkeys and the (Ring)leaders who keep them on track.

Entrepreneurship is a big part of Mike's life. As an adult (we really don't need to talk about the lawn care business and greeting card company he started in college), Mike has launched four successful businesses. He also cochairs the Gathering of Titans Entrepreneurial Conclave at MIT, he is past president of Entrepreneurs' Organization and current Chapter Chair of Young Presidents' Organization, both chapters located in Chicago.

A doodler, turned cartoonist, turned author, Mike has been using words and pictures to get laughs and build ideas his entire life. Today, Mike is a columnist for Forbes and author of Free the Idea Monkey...to focus on what matters most! and Brand New: Solving the Innovation Paradox.

Mike is a frequent keynote speaker and has a passion for inspiring and empowering innovation leaders by helping them build the types of culture and processes that lead to new product success.