Years at company: 8 years

College: University of Illinois '00

Organizations: Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce,Business Networking International, Toastmasters International

What are your main priorities as a youngagent?
My main priorities as a young agent are toprovide the best experience possible for my clients and to be anactive member in my community. One of my favorite quotes is fromZig Ziglar, who said, “You can have everything in life you want, ifyou will just help other people get what they want.”

How do you balance work and Your personallife?
It's a work in progress. I have a wife andthree daughters—ages 8, 5 and 2. When I first started in thebusiness it was all about me, but I know I have four people whocount on me not only financially, but emotionally. You only have somuch time in each day so it is really important to maximize everyminute. I use the early morning time to plan, read, and preparebefore anyone in my house has awakened.

What's the toughest thing about being a young agent in afield where the average age is 55?
Buildingcredibility. Young agents need to leverage all of their skills asmuch as possible to compete. You can't magically create 20 years ofexperience, but you can show prospects and clients that you arecommitted, knowledgeable and in their corner. Obtainingaccreditations and certifications are helpful, but you need to usethe knowledge from that education to provide real- world solutionsfor your prospects and clients.

Do your top carriers recruit youngworkers?
Yes, I know that several carriers arespecifically targeting motivated and trainable talent. We have onecarrier in particular that targets college athletes because theygenerally understand hard work, teamwork and dedication.

What can employers do to retain youngtalent?
Young talent is generally self motivated so Ithink the days of setting daily and weekly quotas are not goodmotivators for young employees. I think the important thing is thatemployers and young talent have similar long-term goals. Youngtalent sees the big picture and can be very entrepreneurial.

What sales strategies have worked foryou?
I started my first blog in 2011(brentmkelly.com) as a way to better communicate and provide value.This has been a great learning experience and has provided manydifferent opportunities. I also have started a second blog(theinsuranceprof.com) and focused my marketing to a few targetedniches where I have had the most success.