A Homecoming of Sorts

Last week was a bit surreal as I had a homecoming of sorts.

I spent the bulk of my insurance career, 28 and a half years, with State Auto Insurance (a Liberty Mutual company since 2021). After nearly four years with The Travelers, I walked into State Auto in May 1990. The final time I walked out of the building was November 2018.

A Blessing

I was blessed to work for State Auto for many reasons.?

First, I loved what I did. People were usually surprised when they heard me use the word love. I think that’s because so many people don’t enjoy their jobs.

I believed in the company. There were good people there who genuinely cared about the agents that represented the company and the people who placed their insurance with us. Insurance is a relationship driven business and State Auto was a relationship driven company.

My boss was awesome. He treated me like a partner and gave me the latitude to do what I thought was necessary to help boost sales. He also provided coaching guidance to help me continually improve. I learned so much from him and still lean on him for business advice.

The people I worked with were amazing. With all the travel I did, having breakfast, lunch, and dinner with so many led to friendships. It’s so nice to see them when I travel for industry events. Reminiscing with them is like talking with friends I grew up with – all good times and great stories.

As if that wasn’t enough, I was well compensated. I felt like I’d hit the trifecta at the race track. Not too many people get to experience all of that in their career, let alone for so long at one place.

Winds of Change

Despite all of that, I knew one day I would leave to pursue my influence training full time. That’s what I had the most passion for. The thought of working for myself was appealing so I began to set my sites in 2008, shortly after receiving my Cialdini certification. I got the website, started working on my first book, and began to build my social media presence. I even started working with clients outside of the insurance industry to avoid any conflict of interest.

My plan was to leave in May 2022, because I would hit certain retirement metrics and could immediately start to draw my pension.

Everything was going as planned until 2018. My boss decided to retire at the end of the year and things began to change in ways I was not on board with. I’d helped many friends land jobs at the company, but I could no longer encourage friends to come work for us. I couldn’t tell someone they should place their insurance with us. I couldn’t tell agents they should come on board to represent us. When I couldn’t do any of those, it was a clear signal I needed to go. I didn’t want to be a detractor to others who still believed in the company. I didn’t want to lie to others or myself, and I knew I’d be unhappy if I stayed.

As scary as it was, I bit the bullet, left a lot of money on the table, and walked out the door for the final time in November 2018. Despite being my decision, I was angry with management for quite a while because I felt the decisions from the top were what ruined such a good thing. That was evidenced by the need to sell to Liberty Mutual in 2021, at the 100th anniversary of the founding of the company. For me, it felt like admitting defeat.

Going Home

Last Tuesday I walked into the building for the first time in more than five years. I did so to work with a group of insurance agents known as PaceSetters. As an aside – PaceSetters remains the best new producer training program in the industry.

If you’ve ever visited your grade school, high school, or college, after many years, you’ll probably understand how I felt. The building was the same on the outside but totally different on the inside. It’s where I used to work but it’s not where I worked because it was so different.?

The training session took place in the spot where my office was when I ran the corporate university, my final role with the company. That was a bit surreal as I remembered my team and our time together.

While most of the people I knew either retired, were let go, or chose to move on, I did see a few familiar faces which was nice. It meant a lot when a former, long-time coworker said at the end of my presentation, “No matter how many times I hear you speak, I always love it.” As you might imagine, that meant a lot.?

Embrace the Moment

This experience served as a vivid reminder that while places and people evolve, the essence of our shared experiences remains. As I walked the halls of my former workplace, I was reminded that life is always changing and the importance of cherishing every moment.?

I share this reflection not just as a stroll down memory lane, but as an invitation to you to pause and appreciate the present. Our personal and professional journeys contain fleeting moments of joy, learning, and connection. Embrace these moments because they shape our stories and mold us into the people we become.

As we continue to navigate our lives and careers, I encourage you to hold onto the memories of good times, the lessons learned, and the relationships you build along the way. And remember, while we may never truly go “home” again, it’s about finding joy in the journey and gratitude for the experiences we’ve had.

Edited with ChatGPT

Brian Ahearn

Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE and a faculty member at the Cialdini Institute . An author , TEDx speaker , international trainer, coach, and consultant, Brian helps clients apply influence in everyday situations to boost results.

As one of only a dozen Cialdini Method Certified Trainers in the world, Brian was personally trained and endorsed by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.

Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE , was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by Book Authority . His follow-up, Persuasive Selling for Relationship Driven Insurance Agents , was an Amazon new release bestseller. His latest book, The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness , is a business parable designed to teach you how to use influence at home and the office.

Brian’s LinkedIn courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by more than 700,000 people around the world. His TEDx Talk on pre-suasion has more than a million views!