Taking the Leap of Faith

[dmccrostie]

Well, I've taken the leap of faith and purchased a scratch Allstate agency. I've been around the block more times than I can count and have built successful business and some not so successful. I recognize that I won't be a millionaire in a year or even two...or maybe even three... ! But I am persistent, and I believe that persistence in any business will take you "a far piece" down the road you've set out on...that, and good training and a little luck and and lot of focused hard work.

At any rate, my question to the group is this: There is a salesman I worked with some time ago, he is fully licensed and not afraid of working for commissions only. He's experienced and understands sales processes. Since I am opening what will be at first a two person (me and my wife part time) operation, should I bring him on? My concerns are 1) While I am being trained in the business, I don't know the business 2) This guy is, as most good salesman are, a bit of a flake, and I don't want to spend a lot of time working with him while I am getting the business off the ground.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom.

Dave

 

[TheAdvocateGirl]

I think you should start out with yourself and your wife first. An important part of an agency is service. If this flake of a friend will flake on you, he will flake on a client. You are building a name for yourself, you can only trust those around you who have the same ethic as you. I gather he is probably not as dedicated at this point in time. Build a name for yourself and I know when the time is right, you can make a decision from there.

Good luck on this venture!

 

[xrac]

I do think I would wait until I have my feet on the ground. It doesn't need to be very long just long enough to understand the process and feel somewhat comfortable. Good luck on the new business venture. I highly recommend that you contact the [email protected] and subscribe to their newsletter. It will give you a lot of insight into Allstate.

 

[black knight]

At first I was going to reply, "heck yes, use his help" but then I noticed your 'bit of a flake' comment and I would agree with the other posters.
Generating new business and leads, especially when new would be a great boon to your business, however if they were handled improperly you'll not likely get a second chance to win them back.
Good luck with your new venture!

 

[dmccrostie]

Thank you all I really appreciate the insight! I've been away at training these last few days and have been unable to respond. I think what I'll do is work the business with myself and my wife at first. Bring people on as necessary, as I have no idea what the operational side will require at this point.

 

[dmarbell]

...he is fully licensed and not afraid of working for commissions only. He's experienced and understands sales processes... 2) This guy is, as most good salesman are, a bit of a flake, and I don't want to spend a lot of time working with him while I am getting the business off the ground.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom.

Dave

Your beginning Allstate agency success will depend on selling x number of new policies per day, week and month. If this flaky guy will work for commission only, you might not have much to lose. For example, if the goal is 2 new policies per day per producer, and you and your wife produce 4 and he produces 2 more, what have you lost? If the two of you produce 2 and he produces 2, then something is wrong.

JMOA.

Danny

 

[Tampa Bay Rep]

If you need someone to help keep your start up business afloat the first year then it could be wise to hire him but you need to take into consideration whether the time you spend dealing with him will make you more money than the time you could have spent making sales yourself.

 

[dmccrostie]

I made him an offer, he accepted. He's got a great attitude and willing to finish his licensing requirements. He's looking to become a producer which to me demonstrates ambition. He's got the right attitude and for my money, you have to be a bit flaky to do this business

 

[Petra Filiz]

In many religions it is asked of you to take a "leap of faith" to believe in the teachings. Yet, is this really a good thing? Doesn't taking a leap of faith cause you to simply belief something not on fact, but more on blind loyalty? It seems like when you do this you narrow your view so greatly that you ignore all the facts that might contradict you belief merely because you are going off of faith that it is true. Yet, when should your faith run out so you can see if your leap was in the right direction?

 

[HomeService]

I had met over the phone an Allstate recruiter who was really pushing for folks to either start and agency from scratch or buy an existing agency. Here in Texas. When the push is on, I get suspicious. Note that State Farm is not pushing in the same way. So what is the deal?