What Drives You?

[Crabcake Johnny]

Yes, but my average volume is $4,000 since I deal with older clients. $17.50 a month is $210 commish for the year or 5% commission.

I also will no longer sell a carrier if I can't be direct. I want direct access to underwriting, client tracking and support. I feel Carefirst is saying "we don't want to deal with agents." This would be a different mentality then other Blue's that allow direct appointments.

And I'm missing the Carefirst underwriting guidelines for the indie market. Just how do I know if someone will be accepted or declined after 6 weeks of underwriting? 8 weeks later "sorry about that - declined."

No thanks.

 

[BKrocko]

I really planned on being a guitar player (Money for nothing and the chicks for free). LOL - now that I'm good enough, I'm too old!

There is an old Irish saying: "If you want to make god laugh, tell him your plans".

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I really needed to find a permanent career. It was starting to destroy my retirement and finances by being with company A for 2 years, company B for 4 years ect....

It's very nice for me mentally to have found something I plan on doing until I retire.

Regarding commission vs salary; I've never been a salary fan. I believe in getting paid what you're worth based on both your talents and effort. I can't wrap my head around a concept that I'll make $62,000 regardless of how hard I work with no guarantee of promotions. Nor any guarantee that I don't wake up the next morning and I'm laid off.

I think insurance is arguably the most secure profession around.

 

[LaffAgent]

Making money and doing the right thing aren't exclusive, and the desire to make a lot of money doing the right thing is rewarding for everybody involved.

Would I do this for free if I didn't need the money? Maybe, maybe not. I do get a lot of satisfaction and have been around long enough to see people benefit from my work - three death claims so far this year. We wouldn't wish a death on anybody, but when it happens and you see a family that doesn't need to worry about money - and maybe they would have a whole lot of worries if you hadn't done your job -there's a lot of satisfaction in that.

On a side note, I have virtually no social life other than my work. That's not a complaint, it's just the way things are. If I get to go out a few nights a week and sit at somebody's kitchen table and drink coffee and shoot the sh*t and get to meet all kinds of people and hear all kinds of stories, it's not a bad life. Add a few minutes talking business and make a few bucks and it's even better.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I haven't run across an successful insurance agent yet where this wasn't their life.

 

[NHB_MMA]

There is a book with a title, something like "Do what you love, the money will follow". I read it once, or maybe twice. Lot's of good advice in it.

Just to share a funny comment I once heard from a marketing guru I think highly of, I paraphrase:

This do what you love and the money will follow stuff is crap. I make millions of dollars from motivational speeches and consulting for marketing companies. I would love nothing more than to have a room full of people that pay $2,000 to sit there are watch me watch football on Sunday, while I lay on my hammock, but I haven't found that market.

I tell myself that on the bad days. More than once I've said "I'd love to do what I love to do for a living, but there's only one Mario Lemieux and I wasn't born with his skills."

 

[midwestbroker]

I think that I would consult seniors on Medicare if I was independently wealthy. But I would not do it full time! Maybe a visit or two a week to centers and homes.

If I could get the state to fund me doing that and still sell insurance, hmm...wouldn't that be nice.