While working for those previous companies Brian did not have a pleasant experience. “I felt like I was someone’s pawn on their board. I didn’t feel like I was working for myself. I was making money for someone else, but not for me.”
Brian began to look for other opportunities and saw an application on Monster. He submitted his resume and received a callback.
“After speaking with Andrew Winnett, the opportunity sounded good to me. He answered all my questions about contracting, the system, and what I needed to do to get started and be successful. I said to myself, ‘This is something I can do!’”
It was a relief for Brian to hear that this wasn’t a get-rich-quick-thing you hear all the time. “This company will make you rich, but get rich slowly” was something that Brian had heard Mike Passaglia (CEO/President) say.
He appreciated that UW was honest about getting started – that it would take some time, not a lot, but some. But, once he got going he was confident he was going to do really well.
Brian hit the ground running but was authentic about not having the UW system down right away. He said there were some growing pains in the beginning. He felt it took him a couple of months to start seeing the results he really wanted.
When asked “why do you feel it took a couple of months?” Brian said, “This was something different. It was a different system than I was used to. I was new to this. I was also taught that things like terms were ‘bad’ … but now it was good. There were little things like that I had to unlearn.”
Brian went on, “The only thing blocking me, was myself.” Once he realized that, he felt like he began to turn a corner. “
“The support I received from the UW coaches was also huge for me.” Brian likes that if he’s struggling, he knows he can call Mike, or Andrew, and any of the other coaches for pointers. “And when I do that, it helps me to be more successful.”
Brian has only been with UW for a handful of months but has been selling insurance for about eight years now. “I can’t see myself doing anything else. I can’t see clocking in and working for a boss telling me to go pick up some boxes.” He’s already been on the National Leader Board several times and is definitely going to be a National contender in 2017!
Brian remembers his first appointment … “I butchered the script! I didn’t think I did that great of a job but they still bought.” He said his experience became better and better the more he learned and committed himself to the UW system. “Once I really learned the script I felt more confident to go into a home. I mean I’m still learning, but now I feel I can sell to anyone I sit in front of. Most of the experiences now look like … I show up and boom it happens.”
Brian has also been venturing to Reno, Nevada; and has seen some good results. He said, “I’m able to be engulfed in work for two to three days and away from my daily distractions. When I do this, I’m able to get fully focused. I’m writing a lot more policies because I’m getting in front of more people!” Brian said he’s gone to Reno two times (about once a month) and is excited to go again next month.
“This job is not always glam and glory. When you’re selling it’s the greatest job in the world and when it’s down you might feel like quitting. You just have to know … The ups don’t last forever and the downs don’t last forever. If you prepare for the downs you will be mentally prepared and be able to press through them.” When asked what might influence some of those downs Brian said with a bit of laughter, “I get bit by that lazy bug once and awhile. If I can stay away from that I have a much better week.”
Brian has been married for 8 years, has 3 kids (3, 8, and 10 years old), loves to play basketball (favorite NBA team: LAKERS!), and his favorite thing to do with his family is to go to Disneyland – they used to go 2-3 times a month!