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Press Release

Bill Cole Named VP of Technology at Heartland Financial Group

BLUE SPRINGS – June 25, 2018 – Heartland Financial Group (“HFG”) recently announced that Bill Cole, Chief Operations Officer at One Life America (“One Life”), would be assuming the role of Vice President of Technology. Cole will continue to serve One Life as COO, in conjunction with his new role. 

“The One Life acquisition has landed us some talented executives with a pedigree of success in managing agency operations,” said HFG CEO, Todd Hill. “We are excited for Bill to spearhead our investment in technology as we seek to garner greater operational efficiencies on the day-to-day.” 

Cole was one of One Life’s President Scotty Elliott’s first hires in 2010. He came to One Life with an impressive background in custom software development, implementation, and deployment. He was charged with building out One Life’s technology infrastructure to include an IT helpdesk, software development team, and network administrative platform. 

“Bill has been an absolute pleasure to work with” stated HFG Chief Distribution Officer and One Life President, Scotty Elliott. “He shows up to work every day with a can-do attitude and he possesses that rare skill set of combining a strong technical acumen with extraordinary interpersonal skills. I fully expect him to make an immediate positive impact on the operational effectiveness of HFG’s platforms.” 

As VP of Technology, Bill will be charged with overseeing all technical components of the HFG enterprise. He will look to ensure that HFG is remaining technologically relevant and seek to build out custom solutions to support the expanding and diverse distribution. There will be a keen focus on helping create a top-flight shared services platform out of the Blue Springs, MO home office, with technological advancements at the forefront. 

“I’m excited to tackle this next challenge in my career” Cole said. “I have learned so much during my tenure at One Life that has prepared me to take this next step. I look forward to helping HFG build a championship technology division.” 

### 

About Heartland Financial Group 

Heartland Financial Group (HFG), headquartered in Blue Springs, MO, is one of the nation’s leading independent distributors of life and health insurance products focused on serving the Senior Market. HFG develops and distributes life and health insurance products with insurance carrier partners and markets these products through its distribution network, which includes a career base of agents, partner IMOs and call centers. HFG has over 150 employees and a network of over 50,000 agents nationwide. HFG presently generates over 500 million of annual premium across the enterprise. You can learn more about HFG at www.hfgagents.com. 

Media Contact: 

Tegan Harrison 

Public Relations 

tharrison@e-hfg.com 

816-878-9747 

Partnership Inquiries: Tegrey Moot, Chief Marketing Officer 

Heartland Financial Group 

tmoot@e-hfg.com 

602-820-8470 

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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – Nov 2016

Agent Spotlight November 2016
Bianca began working for a credit union around the age of 17 to pay her way through college. Upon graduating she was recruited by a large corporate bank that began promoting quickly because of her hard work and excellence.

During her time at the bank, she worked closely with high profile clients starting small businesses and working an average of 50-60 hours per week.

The problem she kept running into was the better she performed the more she was promoted and the more hours she had to work.

As long as she can remember, Bianca has always wanted to be a business owner but was afraid of not being able to count on a steady paycheck. She also
wanted a career that was flexible enough that whenever she started a family, it would allow her to be at home more.

Looking for her desired schedule, Bianca left her position at the bank and accepted a Commercial Marketing Manager position for a well-known insurance company. But, her time with the company proved to be frustrating and a strain on her family.

One day, Bianca bumped into Sharon who was working with Unique Writers. Sharon told Bianca of the opportunity and how perfect it would be for her.

Bianca was skeptical after hearing what Sharon had shared due to her experience. She told Sharon that she “wasn’t buying it.” Well, after further conversations with Sharon, it wasn’t long before Bianca became an agent with Unique Writers!

Bianca started as an agent about a year and a half ago and has been enjoying her experience. She loves visiting clients and helping them find the protection that is truly best for them.

“Unique Writers has done a great job providing this opportunity for us (the agents). It was ‘the answer’ for my dreams, skills, experiences, and so much more!”
“It’s like family to me” Bianca said about working with her mentor. She likes the support she receives from her coaches and that this position challenges her to be the best she can be.

Bianca is one of Unique Writers agents who works part-time. She works 2-3 days a week and is one of the National Leader Board’s Top 20 Agents. In order to see success, she said “Every week, I need to be seeing clients – constantly … and working really hard on those days I’ve set aside.”

She said if she does that, she gets to enjoy the family time she’s always wanted, doing the things she loves and gets paid really well for it!

Bianca loves being an agent and helping her clients on appointments. She was also honest about having those tough days once and a while, “Sometimes I have rough days with the kids and start feeling, ‘I don’t think I can do this today.’”

Bianca says what helps her is she stops and thinks “What if this is someone’s aunt, grandma, or sister? What if something tragic happens today?” That’s enough to get her motivated, pick herself up, and keep moving forward.

“I’m here to help these families … I’m going to trust, stick to my game plan, show up, and write the policy.” And on one of these particular days, she pressed through and wrote a great policy for an older woman and was so glad she did!

Bianca learned that there are hard days and mistakes will be made. She reminds herself “Learning comes with disappointment. It doesn’t make me a bad agent. I just have to press through.”

She also encourages other agents to “listen deeper” and “get to the heart” of what your client really needs. You might go in for Mortgage Protection and walk out with a whole lot more – and the best coverage for the family.

Bianca has been married for almost 6 years, has two boys (3 and 5 years old), loves the outdoors, and is a singer-songwriter. She comes from a family of musicians and can play guitar, piano, and violin.
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – Oct 2016

Agent Spotlight October 2016
Before Unique Writers Joe was a National Sales Director for a hose manufacturer in Oregon.

The company promised Joe the world and a 12% commission.

The opportunity sounded so great that he decided to pack everything up and relocate his family. He also agreed to a small base salary because he knew what he was capable of accomplishing. In the first six months, he was living off of his savings, but he knew the potential was worth it. As the savings were depleting a breakthrough happened … Joe landed six very large corporate accounts – a commission of $12,000,000! In case you missed it … that was twelve MILLION dollars!

Then the bottom fell out. The hose manufacturer was sued for acquiring more business than they were able to support. They closed their doors and Joe never saw a dime. He was devastated. Joe knew the layoff was imminent before it happened; and one day while driving home from Arizona (after setting up one of those large accounts) he got a call from his cousin. His cousin had been working for UW and started telling Joe about the opportunity. It sounded great but he was skeptical. He stopped by UW’s home office anyway and met with Mike Passaglia (CEO/President).

Joe returned home, after that initial meeting with Mike, to talk with his wife about the opportunity with UW. She told Joe “Honey, you’ve never let me down.” He was nervous because they were broke, borrowing money from family, and about to be homeless. He decided to go for it!

Five days later he finished the pre-licensing material, took the licensing test, and had his license.

Joe’s early beginnings with UW began with a list of 100 pre-approach leads. He wrote his first deal after knocking on the first door. It was a Final Expense client and he was paid four days later.

That’s when he knew he could do this!

Joe now enjoys being the Annuity Trainer and New Agent Support for UW. In this role he loves being able to come alongside new and veteran agents. Joe went all in with UW a few years ago and has never looked back. He had this to say, “It changed my life. I have time with family, I’m financially secure, and I know I can always make at least $250,000 a year producing.”

Filled with gratitude, Joe went on, “I owe Unique Writers everything. It’s the system and the belief in me that allowed me to get to where I’m at today.”

Joe described a favorite sale that also happened to be the largest commission he’s earned (from one client). He set up a Mortgage Protection appointment
and the meeting went great.

He wrote the Mortgage Protection coverage … and since he filled out the Financial eValuator in the initial meeting he was able to roll over both of their 401(k)’s. The final commission came to a total of $40,000! Joe gave credit to “sticking with the system that UW has in place.”

He that he focused on, “being a Mortgage Protection Specialist first” and then he was able to come back and see how else he could help his clients. He was able to get his clients the coverage they needed and was paid well for it.

Joe encourages agents to engulf themselves in the UWU Campuses. He recommended, “Don’t stray from what Unique Writers put in place and keep yourself accountable for your actions.” He also shared, “There are ups and downs. Ups are phenomenal! But we’re down you need to remember that it doesn’t last forever. That’s when you get with your coach so you don’t suffocate yourself.”

Joe’s been married for thirteen years has two kids (5 and 9), and likes to HUNT and fish. This year he also bought his dream house, dream dog, and dream car.
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – August 2017

Meet Jose - The Legacy Life Spotlight Agent for August 2017
Jose left his country and moved to Chile for a new work opportunity – providing him experience in recruiting and in sales. A few years later, he moved to Colombia where he could apply his experience in a paralegal services role. Over the years, he also vacationed to the States to visit a friend.

In 2002, Jose moved to Florida and picked up a sales position at his friend’s funeral services company. He flew in on a Saturday and started his first day on Monday. He enjoyed helping families through their most difficult times and offering the best solutions to celebrate their family members.

The company realized Jose’s potential and noticed how well he was doing. He was promoted, 8 months into this position, to manage a group of 15 people. In his 2nd year with the company, he received another promotion to managing 3 more groups (of 15 people each). Jose also met his wife, Maebell, while working there (see our February Agent Spotlight for her story).

In 2009, Jose began to feel a stir within him for more. “I knew I didn’t want to work for anyone else … I wanted to be my own boss.” He also said he wanted to work from home, have a flexible schedule, and get paid well for his hard work. He considered real estate, but the market was in a bad spot. In June, he left the funeral services company and in September received his insurance license.

Jose landed his first sales position with another insurance company. He was learning on the go – in a new field and in a new industry. He realized that he needed help; but didn’t know who to trust. Jose hopped around among a few agencies before he went online and found Eric Salazar (National Director of Sales).

“There are a lot of companies out there that you can work with, but you don’t know who is telling you the truth,” Jose said he didn’t trust Eric at first and only bought a month’s worth of leads.

“I didn’t buy anymore because I didn’t trust him yet. But, I said, ‘I want to be successful so I’m going to trust him and give him 6 months. It was the greatest decision I could make. I started to apply exactly what he was telling me and that’s when my business began to grow!”

Jose traveled to California to the Legacy Life home office to meet Eric, Mike Passaglia (President/CEO), and the staff. He said he was hesitant at first and wasn’t sure if he could believe this opportunity was true.

“I didn’t know it was the best way to do business, but now I see that if someone comes into this business and applies exactly what they say – you can save a lot of time and be successful.”

Jose expressed his appreciation for the Legacy Life team.
“I’ve been doing this (insurance) for a lot of years now and I don’t know if there is another company better. Legacy Life is definitely the best IMO in the market.”
Jose and his wife Maebell are both helping families protect their legacies in Florida with Legacy Life. In 2015, he expanded his business by opening another agency. You’ll see him as a regular on the National Leader Board – finishing in the Top 20 in the country in 2016 … almost tying his wife for the #15 spot. He’s on track this year and in the Top 20 once again. Watch out for this power couple helping the good people in Florida!

Jose remembers meeting with a couple in a small apartment in Florida – 40 minutes away from him. Normally his appointments run 20 minutes, but this particular meeting ran for an hour. The wife was being persistent because she really liked the options, but the husband was being very resistant. In the end, the wife convinced her husband that this was something they needed to do. Jose closed the sale.

A week later he received a call – they were canceling the policy. Over the next 2 months, the wife would call Jose – she was convinced that this is something they really needed to do. Jose went back to the home, knocked on their door, and struck up another conversation. This time the husband agreed that this was something they needed.

Jose received another call 3 months later from the wife and she began telling how her husband was a truck driver, was in a horrible accident, and died. Jose was moved after hearing what happened. “You never know … what impact we’re making for these families.”

Get Started:
“It doesn’t matter when you get your license. You can make as much as the person who started 10 years ago. You can get your license today and start selling. If you’re a hard worker, you can do very well here. And, if you don’t know something, eventually you’ll gain the experience to do well.”

Attach Yourself to Someone Successful:
“Nobody knows who’s going to be successful. The best thing you can do is find somebody who IS and do 100% of what that person says. If you try to do it on your own, you will not make it. If you stick with somebody who is successful, it will be easier for you. Give it at least 3-6 months and you will know if it’s good for you. Once you find it – stick with them!”

Jose and Maebell have been married for 8 years and have 2 kids. In his spare time, he loves to travel (at least every 3 months). But, you’ll likely find him on the weekends poolside, with a cold beer and firing up the grills (he has several for different techniques). “I could spend the whole day cooking for everybody else. I LIKE IT!”
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – July 2017

Meet JC - The Legacy Life Spotlight Agent for July 2017
Before Legacy Life, JC started in the computer industry as a systems administrator. He did quite well in his role for 15 years, but after some downsizing it was time for a change.
In 2002, JC was ready for a fresh start and made a transition into insurance. He received his license and was on his way with his first agency. He liked insurance and was gaining a lot of great experience; but it seemed like something was missing.

Over the next 10 – 12 years he found himself in and out of a few agencies; and sometimes on his own. JC was determined to find a really great place to plug into. He didn’t want a place that was just one-sided … good for the company, but not for the agent. He was in search of a company with genuine integrity and could offer a winning structure.

JC reached out to a friend he had worked with 6-7 years prior. His friend, Sam (a Legacy Life agent) was telling him about some of the success he was having and how he really enjoyed who he was teamed up with. Sam connected him with Eric Salazar (The National Director of Sales) to hear more about the opportunities with Legacy Life.

“We kept the communication open and Eric assisted me with some things long before I came on board. I could immediately tell the integrity was there.” Then in 2014, Eric and Mike Passaglia (President/CEO) were in New Jersey doing some trainings. JC attended one of those sessions and knew this was the kind of group he had been looking for.

“They had structure and integrity. This was the kind of group I wanted to work with.”

It wasn’t long after the training event when JC decided to make the official transition to the Legacy Life family. He has been enjoying the whole experience and went into more detail as to what it’s been like.

“I like the independence – especially coming from the computer industry. I’m able to set my own hours. There’s flexibly in my schedule … I can even be available (during the day) to help my wife out when needed.

I have access to all the training and help I need; but still remain independent. And I don’t have a ceiling on my income. Legacy Life affords me the opportunities to
have all this.”

JC also loves helping people find the coverage that fits their needs and knowing they’ll be covered if the worst were to happen down the road.

“I like that I get to help people find the products they really need. I know it is going to help them and their family … that’s a good feeling when you get to do that!”

He has been with Legacy Life for a little more than 2 years now. JC, a seasoned agent, said he is connecting with the coaches and consultants in the home office on a regular basis. He’s even a regular (attender) on the Tuesday National Call because he feels he always gets a good refresher to help him throughout the week.

He is always looking for ways to learn and grow by tapping into the resources he has access to. It’s no wonder, he’s a regular on our National Leader Board – finishing in the Top 10 year to date in 2016. Look for him in our Top 20 for 2017 as he continues his pursuit to help more families.

JC has been doing this long enough to know the importance of finding someone the best coverage – no matter how healthy they may look when you sit down with them. He recalled a lead he received through a referral. It was a man in his early 50’s who seemed fairly healthy. While at the appointment, he found out the man was married and looking for $300,000 in Mortgage Protection. The husband had already met with another agent(from another company) who already quoted him, but JC was able to find another product for a better price. The husband decided he wanted to think about it. JC stuck to his training and continued with the appointment. He has had a lot of success, but sometimes you’re just going to bump into that “one” – that no matter what you do, they still want to think about it. This was one of those times. Six months passed and JC received a call from the couple. They began to tell him that the husband had been diagnosed with cancer and they needed his help. JC’s heart sunk when he heard the news.

“I’m not going to give up. I’m following up with the husband as the professional I am and letting him know of some products that will still help. I just wished he would have done this when we first met because it would have been a lot cheaper for him.”

On repetition and training:
“I’ve been doing this for a long time and no matter how many times I’ve heard something, it’s good to hear again. It doesn’t matter what it is, it’s important to hear it again – because it’s going to help you in the long run.”

On Phone Calls:
“Keeping a strict schedule and making phone calls is by far the most important thing you can do. Nothing really happens if you don’t do that. You

JC was born and raised in New York; and after college (in North Carolina) he moved to New Jersey. He has been married for 25 years, has 2 sons and a grandson who is 12. In his free time JC likes to watch movies.
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – June 2017

Meet Josh - The Legacy Life Spotlight Agent for June 2017
Josh moved to Florida a year ago to start attending college. He is currently finishing up his first year, already considered a junior – holding a 3.9 GPA – and pursuing an undergraduate degree in finance with the hopes of earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

Before Legacy Life, Josh was working a position requiring him to report to a manager whose style was extremely toxic. Plus, the pay wasn’t worth sticking around for. It was the push he needed to begin looking for a new line of work.

He started applying to anything business-related and that looked appealing. He changed things up a bit and threw his resume out to some insurance companies as well.

It didn’t take long for companies to take notice. Even some well-known Independent Marketing Organizations (IMO) attempted to recruit him. One day, he clicked on a Craigslist job posting connecting him with Josh Sivak (an agent with Legacy Life). Sivak gave Josh an honest accounting about some of the IMO’s he was talking to … informing him that not all are what they say they are.

During the job search process, Josh was working on getting his insurance license. He passed his test with a score of 93. Soon after he got his license, Sivak introduced him to Eric Salazar (National Director of Sales) of Legacy Life.

Josh gave Eric a call to hear more about the options available to him.

“It went great. He told me to think about it overnight. I did. Then I got contacted right away and I’ve been happy ever since!”

Josh has officially been with the Legacy Life family for two months and enjoying this new experience. He shared a little bit about some of the aspects he likes about this opportunity.

“I’ve been in the same area of Florida since I moved; but now I like that I’m able to get out, explore, and get paid to do it. I’m not just trying to benefit my pocket
and hurt someone else’s. I love that I get to meet with people who see me as the professional I am.”

Josh expressed that the support he receives from his coach, consultants, and the staff at the home office has been crucial. He was honest about his experience starting out, that if the support wasn’t in a place he might have thrown in the towel.

“It’s been night and day since my last job. Eric is like a mentor to me. He has great advice and has really helped me out! Johnny (Production Consultant) has also really helped me … whether I have a product question or was in the home with a client – he’s been there for me. And, I get so much from the weekly National Sales Training Calls.”

Josh commented how great it’s been when he’s nearly 3,000 miles from the home office to have this kind of help – only a phone call away.

Josh has only been with Legacy Life for a couple of months. He definitely applies the mindset of work harder and smarter; as he leans into all the support available to him. He’s one of the agents that work at this part-time; but because he has a great system to run with, he’s already been on our National Leader Board … and we expect to see him on there as a regular very soon.

Josh recalled an appointment that made an impact on him. He met with a client in her 70’s whose husband had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease. It requires her to take care of him all day, every day. She told Josh of a life insurance policy she already had; and made it very clear that she wasn’t interested in meeting – because no one can find coverage for her husband. He didn’t let it devour him from finding them something for their specific needs. “I knew I could find them something; because all the carriers I have access to are great at helping even the most high-risk clients find coverage!”

He set the appointment, sat down with them, and showed them the coverage they needed. When his client heard this, she was overwhelmed with gratitude and began to cry. The husband was so happy because now if something happens to him, he has peace of mind that his wife will be taken care. “I almost cried. It’s nice there was an option available for them … it would pay off the rest of the mortgage too. And, I get to make about $1,000 off of it.”

Josh said the encouragement he would share is the advice given to him by his coach:

“You can’t be experienced without having experience.

As much as you try to learn all the scripts and products, you’re not going to be great unless you go out there and actually do it. There’s going to be a lot of obstacles; but if you sit there and quit, you’ll never win. It is a hard

Josh is a full-time student while also working for Legacy Life. He used to play football when he was in high school. Now he enjoys hanging out with his fraternity and his girlfriend. He’s pretty good at the guitar; but not looking to hit a big stage any time soon. He’s also a secret gamer on the side … when he has the time for it.
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – May 2017

Sam - The legacy Life Agent SPotlight for May 2017
Meet Sam – The Legacy Life Spotlight Agent for May 2017Before Legacy Life Insurance Solutions, Sam saw success while working in the mortgage industry … up until it crashed.

Sam was looking for work and was recruited by a well-known Independent Marketing Organization (IMO). He liked the transition from the mortgage industry to selling mortgage protection.

“I didn’t grow up wanting to do this, but I’ve discovered that it’s been a perfect fit for me.”

Even though Sam made a remarkable transition into this new field, he found the IMO’s structure challenging for new agents. The lead program had gaps, the training of new agents was nonexistent in some areas, and the overall structure was lacking. Sam was honest about his rough start in the insurance industry:

“I only made 1 sale in my first 8 months.”

Sam really liked insurance but decided it was time to switch companies. Over the years he found himself bouncing from agency to agency. Each company appeared okay at first, but over time just seemed to be missing the “complete package” he was looking for.

Sam continued to feel something was missing from the companies he had worked for. He couldn’t put his finger on it till one day while on the phone with a carrier. He asked if they could give him a recommendation to someone they enjoyed working with. They told him to reach out to an “Eric Salazar.” This was his impression of the exchange with Eric:

“Right away I noticed a lot of confidence in his voice. I could tell that he was genuine and trustworthy. He wasn’t like others, in the past, who was faking it – just trying to recruit me. Plus, all of his answers were spot on. I was really drawn to all that.”

Sometime later, Sam had a fantastic conversation with Mike Passaglia (President/CEO) when he decided to officially join the Legacy Life family.

Sam expounded on the culture and the differences he’s enjoyed since coming on board with Legacy Life; and how impactful it has been for him.

“Previously, I was going outside those other companies for coaching and paying $250 a month for it. It was good; but now, I get that top-notch coaching for free! I like everything that sets Legacy Life apart. It was a no brainer for me.”

“… insurance can feel very isolating … like you’re alone on an island. I mean, I’m here in New Jersey and I don’t see anyone on a weekly basis, except for my clients. But here, it feels like a community. I am constantly being inspired by the other agents and the stories they’re sharing. It feels so good to have that camaraderie.”

He went on to tell where he gained this sense of community:

“I never felt comfortable going to a conference in the past. But, I’ve been to every conference since I joined Legacy Life. For me, it’s become a business and something social. You get to meet the people you hear on the phone calls, you connect with other agents who are doing what you do in the field, and the training are just different when you’re there. It’s been incredible for me. The value I get from a conference is in meeting all the people and getting a crucial “nugget” that helps my business … I can’t get all of that over the phone.”

Sam has been working with Legacy Life for several years now. He is an extremely hard worker and has a huge heart for helping people. You can also find him as a regular on our National Leader Board.

Sam recalled a specific appointment that really stood out to him. It was a telemarketing lead that took a while to get ahold of. “It was really hard to get an appointment because she was so busy. The client kept pushing it off, but also kept telling me to call back … so I did what she asked me to do. I kept calling. I tried for over a month before we set up a time to meet.”

Sam was excited to get an opportunity to sit down with the client, but it wasn’t looking hopeful. His client was in her early 50’s, super healthy, and already had a lot of different policies. He found that she was being charged too much on her current policies and was able to get her better coverage – for a much better price. Three months later she surprisingly passed away. “I was completely shocked. She was young and healthy. You think they’re going to be okay, but the next day they could be gone.”

His client was a single mom who had a 16-year-old daughter. Sam was thankful that he was persistent and found her the coverage he had … especially since the policy provided for the daughter. “I love what I do. I know I’m doing something that really helps people. I see myself in insurance for a long time.”

1. Invest in yourself.

“It’s so important that we take the time to get the training we need so that we can really
learn our craft.”

2. Don’t give up!

“I’ve been doing this for 8 years and could have quit … especially in that first year. I mean, I bought 60 leads in a 30 day period and only made 1 sale! But, I didn’t quit. I stayed persistent. You have to keep going. It’s vital.”

Sam has been married for 7 years and has 2 sons (15 and 7 years old).

He and his family like spending time outdoors – especially going to the lake when the weather is warm.

He also enjoys attending his local church.
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – Apr 2017

Meet Kris - The UW Spotlight Agent for April 2017
Before Unique Writers, Kris worked for the college he was attending. It didn’t take long to realize that building maintenance for the school and cleaning bathrooms and dorms wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Kris began learning more about insurance, different ways to invest money, and the importance of protecting families’ legacies when his dad changed careers and started in the insurance industry.

In 2012, Kris received his insurance license and through an Independent Marketing Organization (IMO) he went into business with his dad. They saw great success in the few years they were there. As time passed, and even though things were thriving for them, they began to feel that there was something more out there for the legacy of their business.

Kris and his dad moved to another IMO in 2015 and did quite well for themselves and their team. Again, they found themselves in a place where they were fortunate for the opportunities presented to them; but there was a stirring to find a place that fits the legacy they desired to build for their business.

Then in 2016, Kris saw one of the UW agents (Andrew) on Facebook and reached out to him. Kris met up with Andrew to talk about his experience and had this to say about the meeting, “It was his intensity to help as many people as possible that stuck out to me; as well as how successful he was his first year – especially without having any previous insurance experience. But what really struck a chord, was that this was the kind of company we had been looking for! Our agents would have a great system to follow and the opportunity to make a great income!”

Kris and his team made the official transition to the UW family in early 2017 and have been enjoying every bit of the experience. He expanded on his appreciation of the culture with UW and how helpful it is in providing new agents incredible opportunities.

“I like how the newest agent can learn as fast as possible and make money as fast as possible. We can ALL become successful. I also like how UW says, ‘This isn’t a ‘get rich’ thing.’ It’s not all hype. It takes grit and hard work. But if you really become a student of the business, put in the hard work, and stick to the UW scripts and system … then you will make really good money and help people protect their biggest assets.”

Kris also really enjoys going on appointments and helping people find coverage and the security their family needs in case tough times come down the road.

“In the past, we met more with clients in our office. Now, I love to meet with them in their house – they are more comfortable in their own space. I love seeing their excitement to open up their home … it really creates a better experience.

It’s also the small things that we’re encouraged to do that stick out to me … like bringing a small gift, maybe some chocolates, or stopping by just to say, ‘Hi.’ Clients will give me a hug or say things like, ‘You’re so nice’ … ‘No one has ever treated me like this!’ I know I’m building trust and lasting relationships when that happens.”

Kris has only been with UW for a handful of months, but with his strong work ethic and passion for helping people, start looking for him on the Leader Board!

Kris had tried calling a specific client several times and even stopped by the house on multiple occasions when he was in the neighborhood.
He was persistent and finally, SUCCESS! He set an appointment to meet with her on a Saturday morning. When he showed up for the appointment, she was cooking breakfast for 4-5 kids and had totally forgotten about it.

She invited Kris in and began to share about how her fiancé had passed away months ago from cancer. “I turned to her and asked if he had any coverage.

She said, ‘No’ and began sobbing. She went on to tell me how hard it had been.” She also shared that she saw how important it was to have coverage and filled out an application with Kris right there.

“Helping her find coverage and feel secure in their family’s toughest time, made me feel so rewarded that I could help them out.”

“At Conference, Ted DiBiase Jr. and I were talking about one of the session speakers who said, ‘If you’re faithful with little, you’ll be faithful with more’ and how that applied to us. Even if you’re just getting started this will help you be successful in work and in life.
What we do now, will help us when we become successful. We have to put in the effort, time, and work now if we want to see success and grow our businesses.”

Kris is a BIG family guy and loves hanging with them as much as possible – especially his 2 little sisters and 2 little brothers. He likes baseball (used to play when he was in school), being outdoors, on a lake, hiking and taking photos along the way. He also loves to travel. He said he has a goal … by age 30 he wants to travel to all 7 continents.
“It’s great that the insurance industry allows me the freedom, the income, and the time to do that (travel) … while getting to be my own boss.”
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Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – Feb 2017

Agent Spotlight February 2017
Maebell grew up in Cuba and was studying engineering before she moved to the United States at the age of 22. She landed her first job in the States with a bakery and began working really hard to learn English.

The bakery was okay, but the hours and the pay were not. After 6 months she said to herself, “I cannot stay here” and began looking for a new job. She came across a flyer that seemed exciting – it was a role in sales that offered commissions, training, and a career opportunity.
Maebell accepted the sales position she discovered on that flyer for a cemetery and funeral services company in 2004. She liked helping families through these hard times find the best way to honor and celebrate their loved ones. And, it didn’t take long for others to notice that she had a strong work ethic.

A year passed and she was promoted to assistant manager and managing 15 people … then promoted again the very next year to the manager and managing 90 people. She did this up until 2015. A little fun fact, Maebell met her husband, Jose, while working there (a fellow co-worker).

Years later her husband made a career change to the insurance industry and eventually joined the Unique Writers team. He quickly realized Maebell would be great selling insurance. Over the years Jose would repeatedly tell her, “You would be so good at this” and she politely turned him down every time.

She enjoyed the work she was currently performing, however, the hours proved to be extremely taxing. “I made good money, but I didn’t have a life. I was very busy.”

That all changed in 2015 when she attended the Unique Writers “Gold Rush” conference with her husband. “I immediately fell in love. I said, ‘I want to be a part of this!’”
What stood out to her the most from the conference were the personal stories of Joe and Spencer. “Joe’s story was really moving and touched me where I was at. I didn’t like how I could be fired at any time.” Then, after hearing Spencer speak Maebell said to herself, “I love that you can make good money and have a good life too. If he can do it, I can do it too.”

Immediately following the conference, she began going through the courses to get her insurance license. She was still working at her other job and doing the courses part-time; but 2-3 months later she had her license!

When asked what her experience has been like with Unique Writers, she had this to say, “The team has been awesome. They have helped me a lot. The online University has been so great since I live in Florida – it doesn’t matter if I live in California or not, I have access to these resources wherever I’m at – no matter the time of day.”

Maebell recently passed her 1-year anniversary selling life insurance and definitely made impressive strides. You’ll see her on a regular basis on the National Leader Board – finishing #15 in the country in 2016.

Maebell ended with this, “I absolutely love that they have great leaders and a great system to follow – it’s the packaged deal! I love that you can own your own business, have freedom, time with your family, and go on some really nice [incentive] trips.”

Maebell said that she was a little rusty getting reacquainted with the sales field. But once she jumped back in she said it was really fun. “It’s what I like to do. We don’t just make money … we get to help people too! With insurance, I can help a lot of people with all the products we have available that they need to protect them.”

Doors Will Open
“It doesn’t matter how many doors don’t open for you. What matters is the one that does. If you focus on that you can make $1,000, $2,000 to $3,000 in a week. Do that every week for a year and you can make the money you want to.”

Be Positive
“When you’re positive people are more willing to invite you into their home and buy from you. If you visit 6 people in a day and they don’t open the door for you, you know the next one that does, you can make $2,000 or more. That’s the one that matters. You have to stay positive. It makes all the difference.”

Follow The System
“You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. They (Unique Writers) have a system that works. If you follow it every week and with positivity, you’re going to get paid really well for your hard work.”

She has been married for 8 years and has 2 kids – Camila (4) and Sebastian (5). She credits a lot of her success to “my two amazing parents who helped me a lot.” Maebell is a pro scuba diver and tries to go every vacation. She also added that she has “the best husband a woman can have!”
Categories
Spotlight

Agent Spotlight – Jan 2017

Agent Spotlight January 2017
Imre’s journey into insurance began long before Unique Writers when he moved to the United States from Hungary in 1980.

His first jobs entailed things he already had a good amount of experience and success with. He was a professional horseback riding competition trainer. Imre was the Hungarian Champion in 1976. From there he moved onto working as a seismic drill helper in the oil fields of northern Canada – with temperatures dropping as low as 40-60 degrees below zero. He started a remodeling business in L.A. Business was looking promising when he received his electrical contractor license … that is, until a recession hit in the late 1980s.

In 1992 he tried his hand in insurance. Imre became an agent for a large well known carrier selling disability insurance. He said it took him about 6 months to start driving business because he was trying to reinvent the wheel as opposed to learning and listening from others. “They would say, ‘This is what you say. Here is why you do it this way.’ … I didn’t listen.” Even though people began to write him off, Imre didn’t give up. He is a very committed person and had a thought that would change things around, “If everyone else is doing it then so can I. I’m not going to quit. I’m going to make this work.” After that, sales made a turn from bad to great. Imre was seeing incredible results.

He noted that when the internet was starting to gain a lot of momentum in the 1990s everyone was going online to shop around. “It made things more difficult. I had to work even longer hours … going back several times (to meet with clients). And still nothing. So I got out.”

Imre switched fields in 1999 and started day trading. He was seeing a lot of success as a day trader … until the market collapsed. Imre found himself in a tough spot because of the economy. He had to find something and something fast.

He decided to return to construction. He went back to school to get the OSHA certification. He did so well that he was certified to teach. Imre became a safety manager building casinos inLas Vegas. He even worked on the City Center project – which was the largest construction project in U.S. history. He was doing great … until the construction industry took a hit.

Imre realized, “The best and most stable years of my life were in insurance. My biggest mistake was getting out.” He jumped back into insurance with a successful IMO. In the beginning things were going great, but it became what they said it wouldn’t. The atmosphere and practices became toxic.

That’s when he joined Unique Writers. Imre has been with UW for a little over 3 years now. “I like the whole organization! I like that they’re straight shooters. They don’t push a lot of administrative things on you. The support staff in the home office is great … they work really hard for you. I also like that I have access to so many great carriers versus some IMO’s that deal with a small handful.”

You will see Imre constantly on the National Leader Board. The UW system has helped him become one of the Top 10 Agents; and he will be wrapping up 2016 with close to a quarter of a million dollars in annual premium. He contributes his success to the UW program and team. “Eric [National Sales Director] and Mike [President/CEO] go out of their way to help me reach the level of success I want. I know if they say something to me, it’s going to help me! They are there for us.”

Imre closed with this, “We can let ourselves think that working for a big company gives us job-security. But that’s not true. Ever since I became my own boss I don’t have to worry about getting laid off due to a downsizing. The greatest thing about this industry, is that you can make $30,000+ every month. And, I don’t care how slow things become, you can at least make $1,000 a week. How great is that!”

Imre really believes in the work he’s doing. “When you write a policy for a client you’re giving the survivors the resources to keep going if a tragedy were to happen. I’ve been through the recession in the 80’s, again in the early 90’s, and in 2008. It’s nice to know when you help someone with their retirement, and if the economy collapses, you know they’re going to be okay! To provide this kind of safety … it gives you great satisfaction.”

“LEARN THE EASY WAY: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. When you come in, ‘trust’ and ‘believe’ in your managers. Even if you’re wired to learn the hard way … do what they say. There is a reason why the scripts are written the way they are. Learn them, respect them, and trust them. Things will go much easier – especially if you’re just getting started.”

“DON’T GIVE UP: Don’t look at the negatives. You’re going to get a couple of no-shows and cancellations. They happen to everybody. Don’t come home and complain about it, it happens. This is a numbers game. Make the calls. Make the appointments. Develop the right attitude. Look at the positives. This will make the difference for your family in a positive way. At the end of the day, a no-show doesn’t have to make a negative impact. Your monthly income can still be $5,000.”

“TURN OVER EVERY STONE: Work the leads. If you have some no-shows, door knock them. And, when you’ve done everything you can, then just let it go. Work them to the maximum extent until you get that final conclusion. Don’t just call once. “

He is married and has 4 kids. When he was in competitive horse jumping he won a lot of international competitions. He has his pilot license and really likes riding his motorcycles. Imre said when he was a little younger that he liked going a little faster than he does now. “There’s nothing like putting your knee down at 160 mph.” He’s also excited that one of his kids is now in the insurance business.