4 minute read
National Champions
National Champion
Representative Sean Connor
Willamette Valley Agency | Market 1
Growing up in a rural farming community, the relationships between insurance agents and my parents and neighbors, how agents were able to earn a residual income while forming lifelong connections, stood out. After completing college, I set my sight on stepping into the insurance industry and the rest is history. My connections with clients keep me motivated. Clients turn into friends, and you go through good times and hard times together. It’s like building your own community over time. Some of the most powerful moments aren’t displayed for all to see. I’ve never forgotten when I delivered death claim checks to the widows of some of my very first clients. That death benefit made a huge difference in their lives by giving them the ability to provide for their families. It still helps them today. I’m honored to enrich the lives of my clients by providing financial security in all aspects of their lives, whether it be property/casualty products, life insurance, or retirement planning. I’ve been involved with several large liability claims during my career, some ending up well over a million dollars. Our coverage helped my clients keep their homes and businesses and avoid being ruined by a catastrophic event. It’s a special feeling to know I played a part in that. I enjoy combining life insurance and retirement plans for my clients, so they’re able to have a successful retirement. Being licensed in multiple areas allows me to handle various aspects of their financial security, which is a great benefit to the communities I serve. Being named National Champion means I’m doing my job. I’ve built a lot of trust with my clients. That’s helped me get more “yes” responses as a financial representative. As you move forward in your career, conversations get more natural and positive. The bottom line is, it’s all about the relationships.
Advice to Reps
• If you don’t have your own business plan, talk to other successful reps and your manager. Get ideas that fit with the COUNTRY culture and start the process. I’ve had a plan every year and found it kept me focused, especially in the beginning of my career. • Hiring, and developing a team will be one of the most important parts of your business. They will service and produce, based on your style. Clients will experience the culture you want, and you can focus on more complex discussions. My full-time staff of five helps grow my business and serve our clients. • Build relationships with local attorneys, real estate professionals, mortgage brokers and insurance agents from other companies. They’ll send you referrals, which is important.
National Champion
Agency Manager Derek Nowicki
St. Clair-Clinton Agency | Market 5
I have always liked to help people. As a rep, I spent my first four years at COUNTRY making a positive impact in my clients’ lives. When I joined management in 2002 and took over my first agency, I found I could make an even bigger difference. My career has been a whirlwind of events with multiple stops along the way. At each of the three agencies I’ve led, I’ve been able to watch reps grow and succeed. It’s a great thing. I’ve been in their shoes and know what it takes to succeed, so I’ve enjoyed being able to mentor them on the way to do things. When I hire reps, I know I am giving them an opportunity they could not get anywhere else. It is especially gratifying when they go into management because I know first-hand how life-changing that can be. I never thought I would be a National Champion. It is a tremendous honor that means a lot. But it is more of a tribute to the 28 reps in my St. Clair-Clinton Agency. Players play, and coaches coach. I’m more proud of those 28 players than I am of becoming National Champion. One thing that’s helped us be successful is community involvement. Agency Choice and Operation Helping Heroes events have made us stand apart from our competitors. It is really important to give back. My reps have seen how that helps them stand out, so we’ll definitely do more of that in 2022. I’m a lucky guy. There’s no better organization to work for.
Advice to Reps
• This isn’t a 9-to-5 job. You need to be available to your clients 24/7 to be successful. The best ability is accessibility. • When a client reaches out and you’re not able to respond immediately, make sure you get back to
them quickly. With my reps, I do my best to respond back to them within five minutes or less. • Hold yourself accountable and do everything with integrity.
