Jessica Medlin, consultative broker at Edwards, Church & Muse
Years at company: 3
College: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2005
Organizations: IIANC, YAC Vice Chair, IIACM, BLOC, Charlotte Chamber
What’s your mantra for success?
I have a postcard on my desk that reads, "Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." It reminds me to get outside of my comfort zone and push myself to do more.
What advice do you have for Millennials struggling in a professional environment?
I think technology has hurt them as much as it has helped them. With technology comes lack of social interaction. This generation prefers to use social networking rather than actual networking. Technology has improved efficiency and time; however, people still want one-on-one interaction when they are spending a lot of money on something as intangible as insurance. My advice is to make sure your clients know your face. It’s a lot harder for clients to move their business when they have more than an email relationship with their agent.
What has been your biggest challenge as a young agent?
I would say the biggest challenge I faced was balancing my time between work and the insurance industry organizations I joined. I have been involved in some insurance organizations since I was a college student and feel that most of my relationships formed due to my involvement with the IIANC and other similar groups. Now that I have those relationships, I have found it hard to back away a little and focus more on what makes money for the agency and myself. My goal for 2012 is to manage my priorities better and make sure my production goals come first.
What sales strategies worked for you in 2011?
Because of my age and inexperience, networking has helped me. I volunteered for events and showed people I’m a dedicated, hard-working individual. When people see you in action, no matter what you are doing, they form an opinion. I have had more people ask me about insurance due to my commitments.
What skills will young agents need in 2012?
I believe the key young agents hold is the knowledge of technology. Because the younger generation grew up with computers, some of the things they find to be basic are not considered basic for the more experienced agents. A lot of agents still like to handwrite their applications for the account managers to enter. Technological skill will help them understand the carrier’s online quoting systems faster and sift through much more information. This in turn will allow quicker response times and new business because of their fast service/ turnaround time.
Do your associations or your agency reach out to students?
Our local IIACM and state IIANC are both great at reaching out to the universities. We have three universities in North Carolina that have risk management and insurance programs. North Carolina knows the importance of getting new and young blood back into the industry. Both organizations provide scholarships to students at each of the schools and the IIANC makes sure the students have an opportunity to join our events throughout the year. This allows the students opportunities to talk to both agents and company representatives.
