How did you get into insurance?
Before becoming an agent, I studied and worked as a chef. I enjoyed my time cooking and hosting banquets; however, I wanted to gain experience outside the culinary arts.
At that point, I was speaking with a life and health insurance agent. He told me about his journey and professional development in the industry, and it seemed interesting. He was looking for someone to bring into the industry, and I needed an opportunity—so I joined him, and it ended up being a great partnership. He showed me what the day-to-day duties of an agent look like. This experience shaped the agent I am today, and I’m grateful for the time he took to teach me the business.
About a year ago, I left and established my own agency, Lion’s Pride Insurance. We now have three employees and are looking to continue our growth. We focus on the life, health, group, and Medicare lines.
How do you use technology in your business today?
When it comes to running my business, this is the part that I like to tinker with the most. Many health agents struggle with finding technology solutions that support customer service since many are catered to property/casualty. In turn, I built my own database to help agents track renewals, commissions, and general transactional activity. I am currently developing the client-facing side of it, which will benefit our customer experience.
Right now, our clients have logins with each of their carriers. It can also be challenging keeping information up to date. We are looking to technology to help solve our clients’ problems. As we are able to alleviate some confusion in their insurance experience, clients feel like you’re really there for them.
What advice would you provide for an agent entering the industry?
I would recommend three things to new agents: 1. Find a mentor, 2. Build relationships in your community, and 3. Have a vision.
Finding a mentor is critical for new agents because it can speed up the learning process in an industry that can be confusing at times. Building local relationships strengthens your business. If you are well-known in your community, it makes it easier to introduce your service. Finally, having a strong set of values and knowing what guides your business is critical to shepherd your decision-making.
Ultimately, individuals working in the insurance industry are typically older. However, when you are representing your brand and your core set of values, your age does not matter. Go and do it!
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