Birth of a saleswoman

Dia de los Musertos

Today is my year anniversary of walking through the doors of the insurance agency. I was lying on Kerri’s couch a bit hung-over the morning after Halloween and got an email about an interview that afternoon. I was excited about a brand new opportunity.

Upon walking into the third floor office and being handed a clipboard with a questionnaire and a room full of people dressed in suites and clearly here to interview as well, I almost turned and walked out. Three times while I was filling out the questionnaire, I almost walked out the door. The third time I was actually starting to stand and make a run for it when a colorful-headed woman with a Mohawk appeared in the doorway and said you can follow me.

After a dynamic presentation by the agency owner, I was pumped about an illustrious career as a training manager with the company. The owner and director were cool as shit. He was dressed in a pair of intentionally worn-in jeans, a colorful button down with a sharp vest and a bow tie. He sold the dream well that day. And I was buying.

The first months were brutally tough learning a new industry and how to sell right around the holidays. I was committed though like a bulldog that’s clamped down on its target. I was going to make my money back at the very least.

I finally got assigned a solid partner and we finally started making some money. And then we got pretty good at it and it became fun. The fun times were short lived and more stressful months followed. But I made it. My partner didn’t. None of my partners, except the guy I worked with in the very beginning, survived. Only a few do.

I constantly think about how jaded my boss must be with the 95% turnover. I guess that’s why we recruit so heavily. Balance.

I have come to enjoy many aspects of my job. I like travelling to see new parts of Texas and have fallen in love with Dripping Springs. I love meeting business owners and working with all kinds of cool clients, including Thirsty Planet Brewery and Jesse James West Coast Choppers. I really do feel good about getting people valuable life and supplemental insurance coverage so they are financially protected at the worst time of their lives.

Reflecting back over the past year, I realize how much I have grown as a person. There’s something about breaking into a new field that’s gratifying. I have more confidence in me.

Last year at this time when I was attempting at a career as a freelance writer, I didn’t know how to do it. I checked out a ton of library books on the topic and immersed myself in online and social media resources. I didn’t know how to sell my self and my work. After slinging life insurance for the past year, I definitely feel like I can peddle my own work.

At the agency in our Monday meetings there is a lot of talk of John Maxwell and goal setting. If you swing an ax 5 times every day in the same spot eventually the tree will fall. My thoughts always go straight to my writing and bypass a single thought about building my insurance career.

I am at a cross-roads again where I have to decide if I want to stay at a management level and the training responsibilities would increase again but so would the compensation structure. Or go back to just being an agent. I already tried to do that once, but instead landed in a purgatory situation, which has been nice.

After mulling for just a few days, I know my answer. I have always known my answer. I am writer and until I do that every day as my primary focus, I will not be truly happy.

A year later, I am wiser and re-committed. I will make it as a writer. It is happening. Now. I have a great day job that I am committed to. It definitely has its purpose in my life. For sure.

Happy Halloween! Here’s to adapting to the situation. Always! #mortonsaltgirl