I once volunteered for an organization where I flat-out said the leadership—excluding myself—was stuck in 1986. I didn’t say it to be funny. I said it because it was true.
They were using the same dated tactics to bring in members and raise money that may have worked when Family Ties was a top-rated show, but not in today’s world. They were clinging to old models like they were gospel, completely missing the reality that people, and how you reach them, have changed.
And it wasn’t just that organization. I worked at a law firm where the culture and marketing mindset felt fossilized. I tried using social media to talk about retirement plan issues, start conversations, build credibility, the kind of things that actually bring in clients. The managing attorney looked at me like I had three heads. Meanwhile, her husband, also an attorney, was out there doing the same thing and doing it well. But instead of learning from that, she treated it like something shameful. God forbid a lawyer actually markets their services in a way that connects with the present.
Here’s the thing: this business changes. Retirement plan rules evolve. Plan sponsors change how they hire providers. The way we communicate, the way we demonstrate value, the way we build trust—it’s all different than it was decades ago. And it keeps changing.
You can’t keep marketing like it’s a fax machine world when everyone’s glued to their phones. You can’t wait around for referrals like you’re reading from a Rolodex. If you want to grow, you need to evolve. Learn new platforms. Try new strategies. Stay relevant.
This isn’t about chasing every trend or jumping on every buzzword. It’s about having the humility to recognize that you can’t coast on what worked 30 years ago. Relevance is earned every day. And if you don’t make the effort to stay current, someone else will, and they’ll eat your lunch while you’re still printing tri-fold brochures.
Success today requires flexibility, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge your own assumptions. If you’re in this business—any business, and still think your ’86 playbook is going to win today’s game, I’ve got news for you: the rules have changed.
And yes, the best thing about 1986 was still the New York Mets. But unlike some people I’ve worked with, at least the Mets have tried to evolve.
