How The Insurance Industry Found Me

Welcome back to my second newsletter. Today, I'm going to share the story on how the insurance industry found me.

It was Sunday June 4th, 2017. While I was in an airplane for the longest flight of my life, most of the sports world was watching Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Cavaliers. During that time, I was helping manage Shaun Livingston's social media pages and was planning to update throughout the game like I had for every playoff game during the past 3 seasons.

I was taking a flight from Peoria, IL to Dallas, TX. Typically this flight takes 2 hours at most. On this trip, it took 10 hours. The next day, we all had an early morning meeting at the office filled with reviewing client proposals and interview strategies. Needless to say it was a very long day, I missed the game, and knew I would be tired for the long meeting I had coming up. All in all, I wasn't in too great of a mood.

While we were on the longest plan ride ever, we were stuck circling Oklahoma City and Dallas. I was near the back of the plane right by the bathrooms with an open seat next to me. For the story's sake, it would be important to know that I have a weak stomach. While everyone used the bathroom and sat next to me in the open seat waiting for their turn and stinking up the back of the plane, I told myself that I wouldn't let this happen again. I paid $10 to upgrade my flight home so I could sit as close to the front of the plane as possible without going to first class.

That week spent in Dallas wasn't great either. In my role at that time, I would get a job order to help a company fill an open high level engineering or other corporate position. I found the candidates, would get all the necessary information and then send that candidate up to my boss who would package everything together and sell the candidate to the hiring manager. I would also find out from my boss if there would be an interview and get help scheduling that too if needed.

One of the nights we were in Dallas, we went out to watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals. During that time, my boss had a little too much to drink and let my peers and me know that he liked to play video games, nap, watch movies, or cheer on the Cubs while he was waiting for us to do our job. When I first heard it, I was shocked. As the night went on and he kept repeating it. I became angry and knew I was done and would have to plan my next move. I got through the next 3 days the best I could and prepared for my flight back home.

Some people have asked, why did I get that upset? If you were working your butt off and the person above you is in a role to help you succeed and they aren't doing their job to help make you and your peers better, what kind of future would you have at that company? Do you really want that person in control of your destiny too? I didn't think so.

We got to the airport and started heading towards our gate. Luckily, every flight to and from Peoria, I've known someone and this time was no different. It could be just the randomness of a medium sized town, but it's a nice touch when you're traveling to always have someone to catch up with.

The time finally comes to go to our seats and I sit in the open aisle seat in row 6. In no time, I begin talking to the lady sitting next to me and we have a great conversation. People tell me that I'm crazy for talking to people on flights, but it has helped me get out of my comfort zone and I've learned a lot about different people. This time was no different. While we were talking, she let me know that her office had an open recruiting manager position. I begin to think to myself, is this for real? All the stuff that had happened that week and I'm here? Was it a God thing, good timing, or just a coincidence? Whatever it was, like a moron, I turned down the offer. I was nervous my peers would hear and wasn't sure I wanted to join the insurance industry.

The next day, I talked to a good friend of mine. Little did I know that was becoming an agent through the person I was on the plane with. He told me that he really liked her and that I should reconsider...

Seriously...WHAT IS GOING ON?

I thought about the flight, upgrading my seat, my horrible boss, and just how everything came together. I truly thought now that God was pointing me in this direction so I called and took the interview. After several negotiations and meetings, I accepted an offer.

The past 5 years in the insurance industry have been amazing. I've built confidence, conversational skills, and learned management techniques that will help me as I continue to grow.

You may be in a job that you don't like, have a boss that you can't stand or are just looking for something new. My advice to you is to take chances, pay for that upgrade, talk to people you sit next to on airplanes, and be ready to grow. You never know when a moment will present itself. I mean my moment came from a horrible flight and weak stomach, lol!

Thank you for listening to my story and I'll see you all in two weeks.

Anthony