From insurance agent to agency principle to the Unstoppable Profit Producer
One of the greatest gifts one can bring to another life is the gift of our knowledge, our experiences, one might say our wisdom. This gift is uniquely our own, no one else has the exact same story. Here’s some juicy tidbits that I hope will begin to change future generations. I had an exceptional childhood, great parents who loved me unconditionally and allowed me to experience life, good and bad. When I was 12, partly at my urging, my dad offered me a job at his restaurant. The condition? that I would work harder than any other employee or I would be fired. Wow….I took the job and survived. I was one of the wealthier 12 years olds in our neighborhood. I liked the freedom and control money provided. And I had it at such an early age! Today, our family still truly enjoys the freedom and all of the niceties of much success. However, about two years ago, reality hit me right between the eyes. In recent conversations, people are telling me I have found my true calling in life. I truly feel they are correct. Here’s how we arrived at “the calling”. In 1986, I entered the insurance agency business at the constant prodding of my father, who owned his own agency. At the time, I was still in the restaurant business (which still holds a place near and dear to my heart, so much so, we put a child through culinary school) working too many hours and two kids had arrived that I rarely spent enough time with. The appeal of a nine to five office job finally snagged me. But the values of working harder than anyone else never left. Twenty-three years later, my wife and I still own a successful insurance agency business that has provided the life of our dreams. Most of the time, we work when and where we want, take multiple vacations, have taken a month off at a time more than once, a couple of years back, we were gone 13 weeks in one year. We are so very fortunate. The calling? Recently I had the opportunity to help a team of insurance agency principles. In a nutshell, we took everything we had learned and shared every single nugget with these clients….everything, we held nothing back. We even spent three days at their office, with their team, installing and instilling secrets we possess so their business can immediately become a money machine. Amazing! I was like a kid in a candy store. I absolutely loved and adored what I was doing. I was changing lives, of business owners and families. A former client even requested that I come to dinner at their house with his parents, kids and family members to maximize our relationship. It is bone-chillingly incredible. But I will never forget my very first two-day onsite visit to an agency. We tore the place apart and created a lifetime plan. The agency principle “got” what we teach and implemented many of the principles immediately. The result? The agency prospered, subsequently started another agency business and acquired a struggling agency. I vividly recall arriving at the airport the Friday night after that first two-day onsite. The gals at the rental car return facility asked me “what bar did you come from?” I replied “why do you ask, somewhat puzzled?”. They said “we can tell by the glow on your face that you are on top of the world”. They were right; I was on top of the world. Right then I knew, yes I had found my calling. In fact yesterday, I agreed to do a one hour consultation with a new agent for free, one of our kids asked me to help their friend. Of course I did it and naturally it was 2+ hours, we didn’t even begin to crack the safe. When we were done, this new agent told me his life just changed……it just does NOT get any better. I only have one regret….that I did not know about and was not able to implement the tools I possess back in 1986. But there is good news…. It does not have to be that way for any agency business owners any more. For anyone who chooses, you can now be unstoppable!
Now you KNOW that is the direction you must take going forward! Look for the next “Mike” to run your business and “Fly” with the consulting and advising thing. You do have a gift with people who look up to you, admire you and are INSPIRED by you!
Tom