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From teen insurance salesman to MDRT Brian Burgess began his insurance career early. He shares his story from one-man band to joining SwainWoodham with Daniel Smith. BY DANIEL SMITH
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s some rugby players remark that it was inevitable for them to play professionally given their enthusiasm for the game, Brian Burgess believes that his passion for insurance means he was bound to find himself working in the industry. Unlike many in the insurance business Burgess started young. “I have always been a real advocate for insurance. My 24 | ASSET 02 | 2021
sister worked with a lady whose husband was an insurance agent. I was 17-18 at the time. One of the things I used to do to earn some money was recommend people to him for insurance [and in return] I would get a little referral fee. I was probably just a bit of a natural born salesman. If I find something I like I tell people about it.” But what started as a way for a teenager to earn a couple of extra
bucks soon turned into a lifelong career, especially after Burgess considered the perks that ran with the job. “When I started to consider the options, I was thinking about what business opportunities I have where I can dictate my own hours, dictate my income, work for myself, but also provide a product for people. When I put up what the industry offered against what I wanted I thought ‘hey, that is a pretty good match’.”
