Am I Making Enough???

[Frank Stastny]

The Bottom line is I know how he is handing the new recruits..and I am good with it ..as long as I can set myself up too but i also needed to know how any of you handle with your current agents if you are an owner in regards to them being with you for years..if you do not offer a match 401K ...instead how do you set up a good agreement off the book of renewals?

Thanks Champ, that was a lot more pleasant to read.

I think that you will discover that the vast majority of agents on this discussion board are independent agents who work for themselves. Some started captive like I did, others started with an agency and some have huge balls and started from day one on their own. Mine aren't that big.

Regardless of how they got their start in this business most eventually realized that one does not make money working for or under someone else.Well except for hookers.

We became independent to eliminate the stress, hassle and aggravation you are experiencing. I became an independent agent to put myself in charge of my destiny. Oh, I also don't play well with others.

You are still thinking of what you are doing as an employee would think of it. I don't make a good employee and I would venture to say the other successful agents who I have known and many on this board do not "play well with others" either.

You sound like you know what you are doing and have a good work ethic. Why are you still "carrying someone else's water"? You are working your ass off making only a fraction of what you would make if you were collecting 100% of the commissions you earn.

If you need help or some training to strike out on your own there are a lot of agents here who will help you. If you ever want to venture into the senior market I will be happy to give you some of what I have picked up in the last sixteen years.

If you are happy there and just want to bitch a little but not make any changes that is one thing. However, if you want to excel in this business and put all that petty crap behind you and concentrate on making money instead of bitching about it then get out of where you are.

 

[insuranceexec]

Thanks Champ, that was a lot more pleasant to read.

I think that you will discover that the vast majority of agents on this discussion board are independent agents who work for themselves. Some started captive like I did, others started with an agency and some have huge balls and started from day one on their own. Mine aren't that big.

Regardless of how they got their start in this business most eventually realized that one does not make money working for or under someone else.Well except for hookers.

We became independent to eliminate the stress, hassle and aggravation you are experiencing. I became an independent agent to put myself in charge of my destiny. Oh, I also don't play well with others.

You are still thinking of what you are doing as an employee would think of it. I don't make a good employee and I would venture to say the other successful agents who I have known and many on this board do not "play well with others" either.

You sound like you know what you are doing and have a good work ethic. Why are you still "carrying someone else's water"? You are working your ass off making only a fraction of what you would make if you were collecting 100% of the commissions you earn.

If you need help or some training to strike out on your own there are a lot of agents here who will help you. If you ever want to venture into the senior market I will be happy to give you some of what I have picked up in the last sixteen years.

If you are happy there and just want to bitch a little but not make any changes that is one thing. However, if you want to excel in this business and put all that petty crap behind you and concentrate on making money instead of bitching about it then get out of where you are.

Excellent post, Frank. I especially like the part about "not playing well with others." I use to think I played well until I got kicked off the playground....................LOL.

 

[Frank Stastny]

I use to think I played well until I got kicked off the playground....................LOL.

Yea, me too. hahaha

 

[Championpatriot]

This post only hurt the cause..obviously most cannot appreciate others challenges they face...I guess maybe I am in the wrong place and most of you guys are like T.O. .. and look in the mirror and tell yourself..I am the greatest..I am the greatest..I am the greatest!!! Insurance must not be a team sport..oops my bad I must have picked a bad profession for myself..or I will just start treating it like soccer and if see any of you around I do not like I will just take out your shins and give you nice solid head but..is that how we fellow agents say hello??

 

[GetInsurance]

Is this thread a joke?

 

[Winter_123]

Thanks again Frank..but I think it is important to understand that the insurance company we represent is and will give us plenty of opportunity to grow..and there is no need to go elsewhere as the type of contract he is on are no longer available to new agents..With that said the owner has shown to be a good man but also submissive. Meaning the "shark" I mentioned was able to set himself up basically at my expense as my goal was to help the agency hit the "no return" . Unfortunately as contract obligations to the company have come due, office expenses are now the sole responsibility of the agency, leaving my decision to look out for the agency first seem the wrong one. But I do not see it that way..or maybe do not want to. He will be open to my concerns and we will make changes but like any negotiation..if he counters back I need to make sure my first demands shoot for the stars.

Again there is no reason to leave, I am already "striking out" as of now. I apologize for asking you all to be my scout to determine my own pitch to make...you can sign "A-rod" and hope you make the world series..we saw how that turned out..or you can build and invest in your talent to create a team that can compete on any day.

I came to this forum in search for some sort of guidance I was not able to find elsewhere..as I so spewed on to you my oh so sad childhood ..I really do not have many people around me that has any answers except for "I cannot believe this happens me" ....I guess my weakness started when my father was actually a father. On my 8th birthday he bought me a box of baseball cards (he collected sets) ..earlier in the day I over heard him talking to his friend about money issues..I refused to open the box..even cried like an 8 yr old.

I lived 2 hours away from him at that point, soon after that visit for the summer he went to prison..when he got out he had 5 kids with another lady..all now in foster care, needless to say he was not there to see me win the game. I decided some time ago I would expect less from others and much more from myself..this has left me with a low sense of my value in the $$ sense, as of now I make a difference in the lives of anyone I can by doing something about the challenges that we face and not find the blame somewhere else.

Thanks again all...I will update anyone that is curious to how this turns out.. Until then I hope all of you the best.

Yup, I think you are making enough.

 

[ABC]

After 3 years you only have $50,000 coming in total commission that tells me that your not writing enough business and it sounds like ownership see's the same thing.

When guys start to do other thing than sell and service then they really don't want to do what it takes to get new business.

From the effort your putting into this career you making exactly what you should be.

To hear you moan about service really shows that you don't care about your clients.

Should the agency hire someone to service your block while your sitting around working a couple of web leads?

 

[Championpatriot]

You know..I got to thinking last night and I figured I would get more half a$$ responses, guess thats my fault for the drawn out thread I put together..sorry for that part just thought it might help...guess not.

It is pretty clear that some of your may have no respect for the mules of your orginzation that carry the weight..I am fine being a workhorse I am semi young but my carrot seems rotten. I guess it has gotten all too common for people to think it is done all on your own..rarely maybe.

One of you said something to the effect of striking out on your own..That one really popped into my head..I DOUBT any one you have a one man show where your book was created from scratch and you are plugging away. Now I would not doubt it in a tiny a$$ market where your rent is $400 a month! Sorry but this is not the case here in CA. Maybe some of you that have found a great niche and are good at what you do in LTC, Life etc. But we had P&C numbers we needed to hit first...I have a solid foundation of P&C now so I can go after bigger fish now ..but again most of you missing the point

At this point by the way it is 2.5 years..and although that seems like little you seem to be ignoring the "bible" I printed.. I took a lot of my time training the lone customer care rep we have ..handled policies that I got paid nothing to handle, fixed the computers when they went down..like I said Indespensible..The unfortunate thing I did not foresee what how he was going to structure the agency.. Not like an orginization..Owner...CFO..Sales managers.. ETC... Instead it is becoming more like a militia..only my weapons are inferior to the others.

You know it is interesting you would think most of you would come up with more of a contemplative response..maybe ask a question or two before being so giving and sharing your 2 cents..

Servicing my clients is exactly as it has become that's part of the point, I have no customer service agent in my office to take the call..handle what can be handled or move it to me..I am flooded with emails and calls daily to deal with my current clients in addition the to the clients that were on a book of business we took over for this office in which are NOT under my name and so NO $$ in my pocket. Yet for the purpose of the agencies growth I have kept my mouth shut..

After I found out about new agents gift of 75/75 while I have to service exisiting clients I do NOT get paid for, my own clients with not real daily support I started to get a little frustrated. Tried to lay it there for someone to get out of their F-IN box and give a solid piece of advice. Hope you do better with your friends.

If I produce anymore on what I was averaging it will be no time before I have a page full of messages everday for every little thing then I really will not be able to produce. I am simply trying to secure a solid contract that lets me put my thoughts at ease and get back to business! Its that simple.

Odd how most of you cannot even think of it like that..you must treat your people like MULES..probably have a decent amount of turnover..but of course as long as they bring their warm market do a little extra business..No loss for you..What a shame. Thanks again Good luck. Good Looking Out.

Here let me ask one last time.. for anyone that may not have some sense in there brain they did it all by themselves but actually sacraficed for others first then it worked out for them in the end. If you are an Agency owner and you bring on an agent and you pay no salary what kind of package do you put together..for the New, Renewal..vesting into the company?

 

[briko3]

I am new and I get 80% commissions and all the training I want. No leads or anything like that though. Oh, and I got $8250 in $500 increments per week until that ran out. So it pretty much sounds like your deal sucks.
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Like it was said earlier. Grow a pair, demand what you feel is right (75/75...don't rationalize less because HE'S growing). Do that or take your business to someone else that will pay you the commissions you feel you're worth.

He's enticing them to come by offering them more, so he shouldn't have a problem offering you more to keep you. Especially if you're as indispensible as you think you are.

 

[Frank Stastny]

This guy is jerking us around. He sounds like he should be working for the Peace Corp.

Now let's all sing a chorus of "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam".