Agents for Life!

Good morning! This week, I'm diving into our family of insurance carriers. I break down each of them, some of their most common products, when I like to write for them and when/why sometimes I don't. Hopefully, this carrier knowledge can help you discover and select your favorites so you can improve your placement rate. But a word of caution: don't let my list jade you. This is simply my observati...

What if...? What if everything they say about this Equis opportunity is real? What if you really could become a millionaire with this deal in the next few years? What if it's every bit as good or more? What's the best that can happen? This week's podcast is about commitment. But until we truly understand what is in store, your commitment may waiver. And as we know, committing less than 100% will g...

It's a true principle that your outer world is simply a reflection of your inner world. That might be a hard pill to swallow. Look around- are you happy with the PHYSICAL results of your life? If not, there are three other realms all feeding into it. Your physical world is simply the fruit on the tree. It's what's UNDER the ground—what's invisible—that creates the fruit.  Society teaches it a...

If I asked for a list of the most valuable resources you have, you'd probably put time up toward the top of the stack. And rightfully so. But how many of us TRULY know the value of our time? I went in to visit the doctor earlier today. Guess what they made me do? Wait. Why? Because the doctor wasn't ready for me. His time is so valuable that he hires a full staff of people to ensure he doesn't hav...

So some of you know I've been searching for a reason or two to write American Amicable. And guess what? I found one! Three actually. Take a listen- this podcast episode has a little bit of carrier and underwriting information. The more we know about our products the more we're empowered to make decisions and find solutions to protect our clients. Have a great week out there! If you like this, you...

I just finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. What an amazing book! Your habits are like the onramp to a highway- they'll take you down a certain path with a destination. Master them and you control your destiny.  This podcast breaks down some of the concepts that stood out the most to me. I hope they have as profound an impact on you. Life is too precious not to pay attention to this...

It might not come as any huge surprise, but I had another epiphany lately. It has to do with a fundamental, underlying question we should ask ourselves. And don't worry- this podcast isn't about health and nutrition (not to say it's not important) but once you understand the analogy, you just might have the same epiphany, too. I hope you do. If you like this, you may like my book . To protect your...

For the last few weeks, we've talked a lot about goals. And yes, they're important. But even MORE important is what you do every day. The goal is simply the vision, the end point. But it's what you do TODAY that matters. This podcast breaks down some amazing insights from a new book I'm reading: Atomic Habits by James Clear. Just one chapter in and this book is phenomenal. I'm sharing some of my k...

Lots of talk recently about habits, routines and systems. So I thought I'd kick off the year talking about one of my favorite subjects: spreadsheets. :) I hope you find it insightful, but this episode is dedicated to a behind-the-scenes look at the key spreadsheets and numbers I look at in my office on a daily basis. You can listen on the link below or you can watch with the visuals on the followi...

If I could get you to listen to just one of my podcasts this year, this is the one.  Not because I have done anything special. But exactly the opposite. Listen in as I do something you won't find anywhere else: a no-holds-barred, take-off-the-gloves, authentic, raw look at the good, the bad and the ugly from inside our business for the year of 2021. The end-of-year numbers are in and this pod...

In 1859, a crazy Frenchman did something nobody had ever done before: he crossed Niagra Falls on a tightrope.  That takes a crazy amount of belief in oneself. But he pushed the envelope even further when he asked a spectator to join him. This podcast tells a story that will inspire you and cause you to pause and ask yourself a critical question: how fiercely do I believe? Your goals need your...

There are five questions that you need answers to as you plan for 2022. Only, one of them will be tricky. Having clear answers will be life changing and extremely helpful to set up your year. Find out what they are...as well as which of the five is impossible to answer. If you like this, you may like my book . To protect your family, contact us . To change your life, join our team .

Piggybacking off of last week, what are you going to do differently/better to help move the needle? This podcast breaks down my answer to that question.  1. Focus on the activities that matter 2. Outsource and automate (admin, CRM, Dialer, recruiter) 3. Get serious about recruiting and Formalize a new agent onboarding process 4. Improve placement rate 5. Articulate and connect with my goals M...

Here we are in December! Can you believe how fast the year has gone by?! What are your thoughts as you look at the rest of the year? Are you seeing it as a "wash?" Maybe you didn't hit your goals or your year wasn't as profitable as you wanted. And with the holidays up ahead, why not just write off the rest of the year and start up in January? Huge mistake! In this podcast, I'm breaking down why t...

What's the biggest thing employees look for in a new job? The Bennies, right? The salary is great but I know a lot of folks who stay on for the benefits. How about the tired, worn-out woman who has "five more years" until the pension kicks in at a job she hates? Or the sick couple who keep a job because of healthcare benefits? I'm not saying there's no value with Employee benefits.  But I am...

We're agents for life. We meet with people in their homes and have conversations with them about the worst day of their life. What we say matters. If we don't do our job right, if we don't give sufficient emphasis or importance to our message, it will be received the same way.  Sometimes we have to have uncomfortable conversations in order for a prospect to fully understand the importance of...

There are a million ways to be an insurance agent. But only a few basic principles can/will make or break you as a successful agent. And the agents who experience the most success are simply masters of doing the right things the most. Mastering what matters most. In our business, the basics are very simple: get a lead, call the lead, present to the prospect, and sometimes they let you write a poli...

One thing we agents don't talk much about (but is critically important) is running the numbers behind our business, not just the ones that we track for our goals.  For this week, I thought I'd bring on a guest...an expert in taxes and finance. It's fun to make a few (thousand) bucks but it's even more fun to keep as much of that as you legally can and avoid Uncle Sam breathing down your neck....

What's the difference between a window and a mirror? One you see TO and the other you see THROUGH. But there's a third lens that's more important than both of these. A perspective known only to One. And it's a vision you should strive to have for yourself because when you do, it'll change your life. What we do is one of the most important lines of work in the world. You need to carry that belief i...

What does someone mean when they tell you that you can sell ice to an Eskimo? More importantly, what are they saying about someone who has that skill? Would you consider it a compliment... or an insult? This podcast breaks down what I've learned about being a true sales professional. Whether you realize it or not, you're in sales. You cannot get through life without selling, so we all might as wel...

What if I told you you are not just a field underwriter? Or an agent? Or any number of small-minded titles we give ourselves. What if you started thinking like an "asset protector?" What happens? If you're there to protect assets, the question you will have to ask is, what assets are there to protect? Starting out this way, you naturally enter the conversation with an open mind and curiosity to se...

What's the most valuable skill you can have when doing an in-home presentation? It's asking questions, no question about it (see what I did there)? Over the time I've been an agent, I've assembled a list of my favorite questions I love to use in the home. This episode is dedicated to that list of questions and how/when I use them. The key is to break down the walls, remove any sales pressure and c...

After an inspiring call this morning, I've committed to implementing a social media strategy of regular Facebook live videos. I'm challenging you to do the same. It's a free platform and with as many people on social media these days, there's really no reason why you shouldn't be on there in front of your audience. Besides, it's 100% free! Social media channels favor "live" content because it keep...

I hope you've been having a wonderful week. If not, let's make it wonderful, with a little more training you can put into use right away. This week's podcast includes a few of my top tips for better success in the home (or on the phone).  Onward and upward- let's go make this next week your best ever! To protect your mind, keep listening. To protect your family, contact us . To change your li...

All great things come with some kind of a tradeoff. A sacrifice if you will. We sacrifice our time, money...even our comfort zones in the hope of gaining something better in return. Success in life (and in life insurance) is no different. There's a sacrifice that must be made. I don't know of a single leader who got to the top without making significant sacrifices along the way. So if that's you,...