If there’s one thing I learned researching how to start a successful blog, it’s that people like lists, especially on the internet. They are total clickbait! So without further ado, here is my first clickbait list. Click away!!!

But first, a teaser: I’m going to try to write something on the Willis situation for Monday. Check back or subscribe to get it sent to you!

#1: Make Panels More Interesting

Most years I spend my time at AIFA largely in company meetings and only make a panel or two. This year I passed on the meetings and spent most of my time at panels.

My conclusion: while some panels are interesting, boy a number of them required some serious caffeine to get through!

Note, this isn’t the fault of the panelists or the moderators. It’s a result of the format. Ask a question, let everyone give an answer that agrees with the prior comments in different words. Go to the next question. Repeat. 😴

Nobody wants to say anything too interesting or provocative. You’re just trying to get out of there without saying something stupid! 🤦‍♂️I’ve been on a few panels and largely done the same.

If we want to have interesting panels, we need a different approach. We need DEBATES!

By debate, I mean let’s pick a topical issue where there is a range of opinion and have two people argue one side and two support the other.

It can be about the future of insuretech, state of reserve adequacy, does M&A really work, etc. There are plenty of ideas. And I don’t think I’d need to fight off sleep!

#2: Replace Some Panels With Presentations

The other alternative to vanilla panels is have one company give a lecture on something interesting. No, not like going through an investor meeting slide deck. I mean take us inside the decision making process of a key issue. TEACH me something!

Maybe it’s something interesting going on in your claims organization. Maybe it’s how you’re improving your understanding of wildfire risk. Maybe it’s improvements in your pricing algorithm. Maybe it’s how you came up with new bells & whistles for your latest annuity product.

Again, there are plenty of ideas. Make me smarter and at the same time show off why you think you’re business is better than your peers and should get a higher multiple!

#3: The Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner

OK, I’ve suggested this a few times over the years and I can’t get anyone to buy in so I’m going to take it public.

I know dinner is a sensitive topic. There are the “secret” side dinners. There is the “how much did they spend to get some ex-jock to talk”?

I have the solution that a) will boost attendance and b) save $.

AIFA should start a Hall of Fame or Lifetime Achievement Award or whatever you like to call it. Each year, the board would choose a winner and invite that person to speak at dinner.

Why is this a great idea? First, cause I came up with it! 😉

Second, I think it’s a nice way to show our appreciation as investors for some of the management teams who have been so gracious with their time over the years.

Third, I think there is a lengthy list of recently retired CEOs who would be great nominees and I would wager most of them would be honored to be asked to speak and the cost would be their transportation to get there rather than a large speaker fee.

Fourth, it would be genuinely interesting and entertaining. I’m not saying the typical speakers are a waste of time. Many of them will keep your attention and provide a few laughs, but I think people would enjoy a lot more hearing a successful CEO tell stories about how they got in the business, how they were able to build their company successfully, what the last hard market was like, what really happened during their big merger that nobody knows about, and just general war stories. I really think these would be must-see TV and the interest in the side dinners would drop tremendously (and probably become side lunches instead).

#4: Don’t Tease With Me Fake Charging Stations

So outside the room where lunch was served, there was something that looked like a charging station. I needed some juice so walked over to see, yes, it was a charging station! Curiously, nobody else was using it. There were lots of cords surely one of them must work.

Well, maybe if you have a Blackberry or a Motorola flip phone. Out of the eight cords available, not one was for an Iphone! Why does this charging station even exist? It baited me worse than I baited you to click on this list!

#5: Please, No More Franks & Beans

I’m not sure how it became tradition that Tuesday has to be a picnic lunch with burgers, dogs, beans, and corn on the cob (someone posted a picture for a review apparently), but it has been the case for as long as I remember. Please, can we mercifully kill this tradition? I mean, I bet we could get catering from Publix if we had to that is cheaper, yet better. There has got to be a better option! #killthebeans

If you have thoughts on how to make AIFA better (or are one of the organizers and want to anonymously tell me how wrong I am), sound off in the comments. That’s what they’re there for!