Description: As a dynamic entrepreneur, the question is not if you’ll need to prepare for high-stakes, emotionally charged conversations, but when you will have them. If you’re looking toward a business conversation where you want the outcome to be positive-oriented and forward-looking, there is some risk involved. It is worth your time to prepare and differentiate yourself before any words are spoken. Risk, in this situation, means that it could negatively or positively impact one or more of the following: Relationships, business outcomes, timing/efficiency, quality metrics, performance, or more. There is a literal cost to this kind of conversation going wrong! In this article, Libby Wagner shows actuarial entrepreneurs how to hold tough conversations that demonstrate respect and bring about the results they want.

Description: Some tips for the effective ‘elevator pitch’, the most effective ones follow the marketing maxim: “Leave them wanting to know more.”

Description: This article, an Honorable Mention Essay for the Society of Actuaries' Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section 2010 Papers Competition, is a discussion of the various issues relating to measurement of data in healthcare. The author presents “a light hearted & tongue-in-cheek take on how healthcare is typically measured, and an entrepreneurial vision for a better world.” Noting that typically data is summarized in deterministic models that produce point estimates for analysis and decision making, the author’s vision presented in the paper “is that of a central repository of actuarially modeled distributions that can either be used as benchmarks or adapted to an organization's experience.”

Description: This column outlines the activities and events in the planning stages for 2010 for the section.

Description: Brief discussion about the Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section [EAS], its activities, webcasts, newsletter, and Vendor Referral Program.

Description: Article about time management and sticking to a schedule for meetings.

Description: Practical insights from Joe Nunes on planning in business.

Description: Management of a multi-member LLC is governed by statute unless the members agree otherwise. When can you rely on the statutory provisions, and when do you need a separate agreement?

Description: Advice for introverts about marketing your business.

Description: Article discusses how to effectively network and use referrals to grow your client base as discussed by business coach and actuary, Dave Miller.