Breaking the Bad News....

My new independent agency will be ready for operation next week and I am going to have to break the news to my current "captive" employer. I would usually offer a two week notice, but I am sure the agency owner will not accept this curtesy.

Considering that I led the agency in production in 2008 and the current business model is centered around my position, I do not know what type of reaction I am going to get.

If the agency owner is angry, is there anything they can do to interfere with my Georgia Insurance Licenses' or my new business?

I really want to handle this situation in the best possible way for everyone........I appreciate all of the serious responses.

Thank you.
 
Did you sign a non-compete agreement with the captive employer? If you are going to be competing with them in the same area that could potentially cause a problem. I can't envision a scenario in which your license could be affected. I'm assuming that you aren't in a situation where you could end up owing a debit balance, etc.
 
The big things to worry about are the non-compete, getting your releases, any debit or advance balance you have, or commissions that you haven't been paid yet. If all of those things are squared away, then you're probably clear.
 
Have everything sewed up and be ready to walk out the door the instant you tell them what you are doing. I would have everything out of my office that I want to take with me before I ever tell them. Be polite, don't say anything negative, and do not burn any bridges. You never know when that kind of thing can come back to haunt you.
 
2 weeks notice is a sucker's play in this day and age. Our father's companies are long gone.

The same companies that want 2 weeks notice will fire your ass when you walk in the door one day, escort you out and say your personal stuff will be mailed.

13 years at a bank, they canned my wife's entire department and had security escort them out of the building.

The good advice you've received is wrap everything up - wind down so you don't have commission due, then simply and politely bottom-line your boss and say that's your last day.
 
Company was local, had built 80 percent market share, making money hand over fist, bought by one of those companies on the Left Coast. Within 2 years our dept was 2 mil in the red. Fix? Downsize! Company was in the third "wave" of downsizing, first two were "group downsizings", third was 1 by 1, selectively - based on what? - married folk committing adultery with each other and leaving their spouses with children! - parties in hot tubs at conventions. - they are all still there. wtf? Oh, they get along and go with the flow and do the external social activities. Gimme a break.

We knew to wipe personal crap off the computer, take personal items home, basically have a skeleton cube without actually looking that way ("borrow" non-used company items like never-used reference books, look in closets for pictures to hang, just unused company "stuff" to sit around in your cube that you don't give a rat's ass about so it doesn't look so "lonely".

One day it was, "Come with me please. No, leave everything at your desk." (nothing was mine by then anyway - I had invested thousands of my own dollar and busted my chops in stuff to excel in my job, but replaced it all with worthless "stuff" - nobody knew any better because everyone was doing the change-up.

Was done signing papers in HR and escorted out the door in an hour. Good riddance. I had worked overtime, worked all kinda hours at home from my own systems and connections, only one to work at times in an 18 person shop at Christmas 80+ hours - at Christmas so everyone else could take off. Both weeks. Didn't mind. But I am a Christian and take a stand and don't mix well during questionable activities. Was written up for being a little late in the am on those mornings after I worked by myself late, and there were twice as many folks to cover in the am. But I got written up. For minutes, versus HOURS overtime at CHRISTMAS! But I am definitely a strong Christian. Oh well. Persecution proves it, if that's the only thing going on. It was. It did. Be ready. It was a blessing in disguise. Like a load of bricks off my shoulders. I was sick of kiss ass office politics. And fixed income. Fixed too LOW which they actually admitted. Now don't get me wrong, there's usually just one or two's in charge that's all it takes to get you gone, if they don't like you all of a sudden, one day, for whatever ungodly reason. But I got no beef at all with all my previous co-workers, love 'em to death!

That place was not an insurance company. At the captive I'm at, I have NOTHING of my own at the office. You can read into that as much as you wish and you will not be far off.

"nuff said.

However....may I say...I use the crap out of the resources of the local office, CSRs, copiers, printers, computers, office space, brochures, apps, paper clips, trash cans. Hey, they say that's what it's there for!

And everyone knows in most captive shops most ain't doin' diddly squat, so use it if it's provided to you. And the revolving door creates a good breeze in the summer and pushes the hot air around in the winter.

It's all up to you, bud. And that's the way it should be, in my view. Kinda like the old wild, wild west. How fast can you draw your pen? I'm old school, brother. Nobody knows about old school anymore. There ain't no competition. All the books are out of print (and out of circulation 'cause they're at my house - woo hoo!)

Well, I'm funnin' a little, but not much.
 
The noncompete is only on the book of business (not limiting any area) and I don't mind sacrificing the commissions; it was a larger base / lower percentage deal.

Thanks everyone for the quick response, I really appreciate your insight!


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The same companies that want 2 weeks notice will fire your ass when you walk in the door one day, escort you out and say your personal stuff will be mailed.

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Yup. It is nuts on the way in too these days. They wont hire you unless you commit to at least a couple years. Their commitment to you can be measured in hours.
 
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