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PROFILING INSURANCE PROS UNDER 40
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Falling Into Insurance:
I moved to Dallas in 1997. I had a 6-month old child, and I was working odd jobs—bartending, at a
hotel—and I was ready for a steady 9-to- 5 job. A friend of a friend hired me as a receptionist at an
insurance agency, and six months later I had my license. I understood insurance pretty well, I caught
on quickly. I ended up outgrowing that agency after two years, and I moved on to a larger one that
had more opportunities for advancement.
Beating Cancer and Gaining a New Outlook:
I’m a cancer survivor, of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was 31 at the time I was diagnosed. I couldn’t
have beat cancer without the support of my husband. At the time of my diagnosis, we had
only been married for six weeks. After the chemo and radiation process, I started looking
at life differently—thinking about what’s important and what’s not. Ten months after
starting treatment, I received my “all clear” and realized I needed to focus more on
my career. I wanted to find any agency where I could finish my career and set up
my retirement. Life’s too short to not be challenged. That’s how I ended up at
the agency where I am at today.
Developing the Next Generation of Leaders:
In 2010, the Lipscomb agency was looking for someone with a commercial
real estate background, who could work as an account executive. I liked
the idea of coming in on the ground floor of a well-established agency
and helping them grow this book. I was promoted to vice president of
operations about a year ago. Overseeing professional growth is part of my
responsibility now. I work with the support staff and help them plan and
work toward career goals. We talk about what they want to do next year,
what they want to do with their careers, what classes they will take, if
they are happy in their careers, if they want more responsibility, and if
their knowledge is helping them remain current in the marketplace.
A Job Well Done:
About two years ago, we were referred to a toxic waste hauler in
Houston. They were being non-renewed in their current market and
their agency had no other markets to go to. They did not have a
good loss history, and we worked with them to get them connected
to a safety consulting agency, so we could rebuild their insurance
experience modification. They also had financial struggles and claims
on top of that. We worked with one of our carriers so we could get
this account to a place where they could secure insurance again. It
was really challenging, but at the end of working with them and
improving their numbers, it was very rewarding.
V.P. of Operations
Lipscomb & Associates
Dallas
Years at company: 5
