Description: The author encourages actuaries to market their product by speaking to groups. He offers tips to jump start the process.

Description: In this Column, the editor of The Independent Consultant discussed section activities and goals and solicited ideas for how the members' needs could be better met.

Description: The editor of The Independent Consultant offered brief notes about the articles covered in the current issue.

Description: This article discusses the search for talent, and the issues companies face in looking to hire top talent in times of recession. The author addresses questions such as why the talent pool isn’t necessarily larger and easier to select from, and why the hiring process may take even longer, when times are bad.

Description: These 'Notes from the Editor' offer a run-down of topics covered in the August 2011 issue of The Independent Consultant, the newsletter of the Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section.

Description: The incoming chairperson of the Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section discussed the section initiative for the coming year.

Description: In this article about effective communicating, the author starts with saying “think about it—how many times have you hit ‘send’ and wished you could get that e-mail back?” The author goes on to discuss communication blunders and provide advice on thinking before responding, as in situations where you feel something unfair has been said or you are otherwise defensive.

Description: The article discusses how to have important conversations with the people who make up your circle of influence, including those who work for you, peers and colleagues, clients, superiors, governing boards, and vendors and contractors. The author states that “your ability to use language well, to enter into conversations boldly and confidently, and to create strong relationships and demonstrate understanding across multiple groups and situations will absolutely determine your ability to create, sustain and maintain a profitable culture.”

Description: This article is a discussion of social media tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, MySpace, Friendwise, Yahoo! 360, Orkut, and Classmates and how they relate to entrepreneurial practitioners and the way they do their jobs.

Description: This article addresses targeting the right audience for your product or service.