I Am Ready to Roll and Need Advise. Attention Kentucky People
Copied from general section to make sure it reaches appropriate spot
Ok so i will give anyone who cares to know a history of myself. If not interested refer to bottom of the page if you like. I am 28 years old and from Kentucky and have a daughter who still lives there. I moved to Ohio two years ago to take a full-time position with the state (not insurance related) and currently still employeed with them. It is a secure job and by most peoples standards a good job to have (pay and benefits wise). It was the first open door after graduating college. I am single and have no responsibilties or obligations that prohibit me from moving. I want to get back closer to the one that I do have (5.5 hours away) which is rough for the every other weekend thing. She is 6 and lives near Bowling Green, KY and I am from Frankfort, KY so ideally located in the middle, but not necessary, is where i want to end up. Areas that may be ok are all of Central KY, Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, Southwestern OH, and Northern Tenn.
About 9 months ago, I went into a local agent's (captive and household name which will remain nameless) to get a quote on my auto's. We began to talk and she offered me a job as a sales employee. With the security and benefits/pay of the other job, i had to decline even though her interest in me was high. I offered to work part-time with no set schedule. She accepted and i began my insurance career.
She needed a life and health person so this was my intial objective. I am currently licensed in these. I am currrently studying online classes for P & C and should have them in a couple weeks. With the day job's hours and the office hours matching and staff having other responsibilities, i have not been trained by staff and basically have learned what i needed on my own. I am still green to the game so to speak.
Immediately after i started, I realized that this definitely is the career for me. I would get off from day job, go home, change, head to office and work until midnight. I worked nearly another 35-40 hours as an insurance employee on top of the regular 40 with the state. Because i was strictly commission-based, i basically volunteered 2-3 months of my time until i could get licensed. It doesn't seem like work so it didn't feel like i was working so the work without pay doesn't seem like a problem. I swear i love it and hate stopping at night so i could get enough sleep to go to the other job.
A very knowledgable professor in school once told me "find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life". Well now that i have found it, i am ready to pursue it. In fact it has made me absolutely hate my day job because it interferes with what i really want to be doing. I get no pleasure from a non challenge based job. If i bust my butt at it i get X number of dollars per hour, if i do nothing but show up i still get X number dollars per hour.
My strengths are natural and they are beneficial to the field of sales. I am very detail oriented. I am a people person and love giving them satisfaction. I read people well and can relate to nearly anyone and gain their trust in minutes. I have no problem with handling objections, most of the time, and view it as a challenge to prepare for in the future. I love the phone and have no problem talking to someone who can't stand to hear from a salesperson. I am self motivated and will do whatever it takes to get what i want or need. I try to learn from others and my own mistakes. I hate being wrong. I am adamant in whatever i believe in. I believe in myself being a prosperous insurance sales person. I am mobile and love to go.
My weaknesses are sometimes hand and hand with the strengths. I pay attention to details too much, focussing on them takes time so speed is not normally a trait i am blessed with. A normal appointment for me may take twice as long most to please or educate the prospect, thus slowing production. I am green in the information and experience categories. I have a job that is secure. Not afraid to jump one bit but hard to go without making sure a certain position is right for me. I can starve for a few years but bills and child cannot, which they won't, but it is just a consideration. I have no financial back-up (outside of a small retirement and a couple small IRA's prolly less than 10K) because i have no debt (outside of a student and vehicle loan). I don't live lavishly yet and don't need to but there are always things that are needed along the way. I am limited to a somewhat small region to reside. I want to be within 3 hours of Bowling Green, KY.
What i am looking for through whole windy post is advise or guidance or resources that may be beneficial in my quest. I would prefer to work with an independant agency. The most attractive avenue to me is commercial P & C as i realize there will be some time before i could focus on the complexities of this being my specialty. I don't want to be told by the captive companies, "No we won't do this or no we won't do that". I get that a lot with the captive company i work for and it seems to be the norm accross the board from the reseach i do. They seem to be too conservative with the risk they are willing to take. Plus, i don't like hearing "Have you sold any Life, Health, Financials, etc" to pad the company pockets. It feels like a quota has to be met and that sounds ridiculous to me. What is the definition of "indepedent contractor" anyway?
I have been in contact with a large indepedant agency in an area that is attractive to me but they are not ready for a new producer at the moment due to staff shortage. They offer benefits, commisions, declining guaranteed salary, training, etc. From what i hear, i like the sound but i am not waiting around forever for something that may never come to be. I am also possibly interested in joining an agency with opportunity to partner ownership in the future. If these are not attainable then i may look eventually to start my own agency.
My dilemmas and questions are as follows:
1. Is there anyone out there that is willing to provide advice, guidance, knowledge? I don't want to rush and make the wrong mistakes. I want to know other considerations that i may be overlooking. I will post my contact info at the end. Any contact info that anyone wants to share is much appreciated. I'd love to speak with someone if they were willing.
2. Does anyone know of an opportunity that I may be unaware of? If there is anyone looking for a producer in an independant agency with competetive products?
3. I realize that with the lack of experience, knowledge and reserve funds that I currently possess I would not be able to get company appointments and open an agency, but is there a way to prepare to get these from good companies?
4. What are the opinions of anyone who wants to share of my situation? I am thick-skinned and can digest all critism that may come from that. I feel if someone is critical of me it is a possibly a way to proactively eliminate a problem that come in the future. I like to look at decisions i make from as many perspectives as possible.
5. Any other hints, tips,do and don't's, advise, resources, guidance etc is welcome.
Ok i know you are bored now.
My contact info is cell# 270-535-6380 and email --- It won't let me post it.
Thanks to those of you who took the time to read and thanks in advance to any help should i get some.
Gabe Stockton
Copied from general section to make sure it reaches appropriate spot
Ok so i will give anyone who cares to know a history of myself. If not interested refer to bottom of the page if you like. I am 28 years old and from Kentucky and have a daughter who still lives there. I moved to Ohio two years ago to take a full-time position with the state (not insurance related) and currently still employeed with them. It is a secure job and by most peoples standards a good job to have (pay and benefits wise). It was the first open door after graduating college. I am single and have no responsibilties or obligations that prohibit me from moving. I want to get back closer to the one that I do have (5.5 hours away) which is rough for the every other weekend thing. She is 6 and lives near Bowling Green, KY and I am from Frankfort, KY so ideally located in the middle, but not necessary, is where i want to end up. Areas that may be ok are all of Central KY, Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, Southwestern OH, and Northern Tenn.
About 9 months ago, I went into a local agent's (captive and household name which will remain nameless) to get a quote on my auto's. We began to talk and she offered me a job as a sales employee. With the security and benefits/pay of the other job, i had to decline even though her interest in me was high. I offered to work part-time with no set schedule. She accepted and i began my insurance career.
She needed a life and health person so this was my intial objective. I am currently licensed in these. I am currrently studying online classes for P & C and should have them in a couple weeks. With the day job's hours and the office hours matching and staff having other responsibilities, i have not been trained by staff and basically have learned what i needed on my own. I am still green to the game so to speak.
Immediately after i started, I realized that this definitely is the career for me. I would get off from day job, go home, change, head to office and work until midnight. I worked nearly another 35-40 hours as an insurance employee on top of the regular 40 with the state. Because i was strictly commission-based, i basically volunteered 2-3 months of my time until i could get licensed. It doesn't seem like work so it didn't feel like i was working so the work without pay doesn't seem like a problem. I swear i love it and hate stopping at night so i could get enough sleep to go to the other job.
A very knowledgable professor in school once told me "find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life". Well now that i have found it, i am ready to pursue it. In fact it has made me absolutely hate my day job because it interferes with what i really want to be doing. I get no pleasure from a non challenge based job. If i bust my butt at it i get X number of dollars per hour, if i do nothing but show up i still get X number dollars per hour.
My strengths are natural and they are beneficial to the field of sales. I am very detail oriented. I am a people person and love giving them satisfaction. I read people well and can relate to nearly anyone and gain their trust in minutes. I have no problem with handling objections, most of the time, and view it as a challenge to prepare for in the future. I love the phone and have no problem talking to someone who can't stand to hear from a salesperson. I am self motivated and will do whatever it takes to get what i want or need. I try to learn from others and my own mistakes. I hate being wrong. I am adamant in whatever i believe in. I believe in myself being a prosperous insurance sales person. I am mobile and love to go.
My weaknesses are sometimes hand and hand with the strengths. I pay attention to details too much, focussing on them takes time so speed is not normally a trait i am blessed with. A normal appointment for me may take twice as long most to please or educate the prospect, thus slowing production. I am green in the information and experience categories. I have a job that is secure. Not afraid to jump one bit but hard to go without making sure a certain position is right for me. I can starve for a few years but bills and child cannot, which they won't, but it is just a consideration. I have no financial back-up (outside of a small retirement and a couple small IRA's prolly less than 10K) because i have no debt (outside of a student and vehicle loan). I don't live lavishly yet and don't need to but there are always things that are needed along the way. I am limited to a somewhat small region to reside. I want to be within 3 hours of Bowling Green, KY.
What i am looking for through whole windy post is advise or guidance or resources that may be beneficial in my quest. I would prefer to work with an independant agency. The most attractive avenue to me is commercial P & C as i realize there will be some time before i could focus on the complexities of this being my specialty. I don't want to be told by the captive companies, "No we won't do this or no we won't do that". I get that a lot with the captive company i work for and it seems to be the norm accross the board from the reseach i do. They seem to be too conservative with the risk they are willing to take. Plus, i don't like hearing "Have you sold any Life, Health, Financials, etc" to pad the company pockets. It feels like a quota has to be met and that sounds ridiculous to me. What is the definition of "indepedent contractor" anyway?
I have been in contact with a large indepedant agency in an area that is attractive to me but they are not ready for a new producer at the moment due to staff shortage. They offer benefits, commisions, declining guaranteed salary, training, etc. From what i hear, i like the sound but i am not waiting around forever for something that may never come to be. I am also possibly interested in joining an agency with opportunity to partner ownership in the future. If these are not attainable then i may look eventually to start my own agency.
My dilemmas and questions are as follows:
1. Is there anyone out there that is willing to provide advice, guidance, knowledge? I don't want to rush and make the wrong mistakes. I want to know other considerations that i may be overlooking. I will post my contact info at the end. Any contact info that anyone wants to share is much appreciated. I'd love to speak with someone if they were willing.
2. Does anyone know of an opportunity that I may be unaware of? If there is anyone looking for a producer in an independant agency with competetive products?
3. I realize that with the lack of experience, knowledge and reserve funds that I currently possess I would not be able to get company appointments and open an agency, but is there a way to prepare to get these from good companies?
4. What are the opinions of anyone who wants to share of my situation? I am thick-skinned and can digest all critism that may come from that. I feel if someone is critical of me it is a possibly a way to proactively eliminate a problem that come in the future. I like to look at decisions i make from as many perspectives as possible.
5. Any other hints, tips,do and don't's, advise, resources, guidance etc is welcome.
Ok i know you are bored now.
My contact info is cell# 270-535-6380 and email --- It won't let me post it.
Thanks to those of you who took the time to read and thanks in advance to any help should i get some.
Gabe Stockton
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