by: Adam Brsan
I recently celebrated the 20th Anniversary of when I got into the insurance business and received my license. In those 20 years, I have (for the most part) only worked with two companies. When I first got in the business, I was independent and brokered individual health insurance and Medicare supplement products. After that first year, I was looking for assistance when it came to leads. I found a Final Expense Life Insurance company that was willing to finance the cost of my leads to me on a regular basis. All I had to worry about was going out and working and the leads would pay for themselves (and I’d earn some pretty good money along the way). Some people might say that I should have never joined that company for one reason or another, but it worked for me for 11.5 years and it has worked for many others as well.
I would consider myself a pretty loyal person. I will always be loyal to my family, I’m loyal to my agents (as long as they always focus on doing the right thing!) and I’ve been loyal to the companies I have worked with. Only two times in my 20 years have I decided to break that loyalty to the companies and move on to do other things. If I lose passion for something and don’t believe in the path ahead, it’s not fair to myself, my family, or the company I’ve partnered with to continue on that path. I need to be willing to put in at least 100% and I need to be a part of something I believe in and am passionate about – Especially if I’m recruiting agents.
“What’s in it for me??”
Loyalty is something that I feel really lacks in our business. So many people are too focused on “What’s in it for me?” The “What’s in it for me?” mindset is what’s holding many agents/managers back from long-term success and growth. Sometimes I wonder that if an agent has this sort of attitude, will he/she always look out for what’s in the best interest of their client or are they just looking to make a commission? I’ve heard some sales agents close clients who come back with the rejection of “I have to think about it” by saying, “There’s nothing to think about. I just need to see if we can get you approved.” The agent then proceeds to complete the application without the client even realizing what they’re committing to. Some might say that they are looking out for the client because without that little PUSH, the client may never move forward, but how much of that business is going to stay active? I would assume most of the clients who take out a policy that way would feel “sold” or even, taken advantage of. I have also seen agents go back to their clients after a year and replace their own business. This, in my opinion, is also very sketchy and I believe could (or at least should) put the agent in jeopardy of losing their license. If a client has paid into something for a year, two things have happened: 1. They have already spent a good amount of money to have their insurance., and 2. They are just a year away from their policy no longer being contestable. When an agent replaces this business, it’s kind of like the client just pulled a bunch of money out of their bank account every month for a year and tossed it in the garbage can. Starting the clock over on the contestable period is also risky. Even if the client appears to be in very good health, we don’t know what’s exactly in their medical records. If a client takes out a new policy and they pass away within the first two years, do you think the insurance company has much desire to pay that claim? I would assume not. Is it very profitable for a company if the person just took out a policy and passed shortly after? I think most companies would dig deep into the policyholders medical records searching for reasons to not pay the claim. The agent who replaced the business made a new commission, but it could cost a family thousands of dollars that was intended to be used to pay for their loved ones funeral expenses.
The “What’s in it for me?”mindset, can also be seen in some “leaders” who are building agencies if they purposely hold their people back to protect what they have built, or if they won’t give up a few extra commission percentage points to help give their downline more room for growth. The funny thing about it is that if a leader looks out for their people and focuses on doing whatever is necessary to help them succeed and grow, the leaders legacy would also continue to grow! I’ve also seen leaders who will not take any ideas into consideration unless they are their own ideas. This could be an ego issue, but I think I’ll save the topic of “losing the ego to further your success” for another blog post.
When I decided to part ways with my most recent company (after being with them for 7.5 years), many different people and organizations reached out to me to learn about what my plans were moving forward and to see if they could be of help to me in any way. Some people talked a big game, but seemed like they would deliver little. Others were great at wining and dining, but putting together a plan of action is much more valuable to me and would create more loyalty than a steak dinner. Some groups even reminded me of how I don’t want to treat people once my own agency starts to take off. I’m a firm believer in the Golden Rule: Treat others the way that you would like to be treated. I do know from my own experiences that you can go out of your way to help people succeed, but sometimes it’s not going to be enough. Sometimes they still might want to move on to do other things. I will not hold people back. If someone believes a brighter path is out there outside of working with me, sometimes I’ve just had to let them go. This is a relationship business. Am I better off to discourage someone from a path that they see fit for themselves at the moment, or am I better off letting them explore that opportunity and see what happens? Recently, an old colleague of mine was exploring new opportunities. Over the past year or so, he’s done a great job with his social media and made a name for himself. A lot of people never knew who he was in the insurance business and now he is becoming known. He posted on Facebook about a company he was considering joining and he was ridiculed by many. He called me for advice one day and to see what I thought of the decisions he was looking to make. I told him that if it felt right in his heart, than to go for it. So far, he is doing really well and I wish him nothing but the best. I hope things work out for him, but if for some reason they don’t, do you think he is going to reach out to all of those people who ridiculed his decision for help, or is he going to reach back out to me? Always take the high road.
I have no regrets, but sometimes I do wonder if I would be further ahead in my career had I not let people get in my ear in the past. I do believe that God has a path set out for every one of us. His path set out for us has no intention of failure. Every moment and every decision we have made in our lives, brings us to where we are at in the present moment. If we aren’t happy with where we are at, maybe we need to make better decisions in the future. I am grateful for all of my experiences and the knowledge I have gained throughout my 20 years in the business. It has brought me to this point, and with God’s strength and encouragement, I’m ready to compete with the best of them.
I’m building an organization where agents are taught how to do business the right way to achieve long-term success. I have been on both sides of the insurance business: Insurance Sales Agent and Insurance company. I know what it takes for agents to succeed and I know what it takes from Agents for Insurance companies to flourish. Our agents are taught to look out for the best interest of their clients, their clients families, and the companies we are doing business with. Zig Ziglar once said, “You can have everything in life that you want, if you will just help other people get what they want”. With this focus and mindset, everyone wins. Unity Life Group is the name of our organization. Unity to me means “coming together as one”. Let’s work together for the greater good. While others sit back and insult on social media because they don’t agree with the path some people have chosen, Unity Life Group will sit back and focus on what matters most-
“What’s in it for OUR AGENTS, our Company partners, and the families that we serve!?” If we focus on what’s best for all three, a form of UNITY takes place where EVERYBODY WINS!!!
and that is how Unity Life Group began….
If you would like to learn more about an opportunity working with Unity Life Group, click here and fill out a request. Adam will try his best to get back to you within 24-48 hours.