We're all familiar with the perils Dorothy faced as she traveled through the Land of Oz. Constantly on the lookout for lions, tigers and bears, her journey along the Yellow Brick Road was fraught with uncertainty. Dorothy easily could have thrown in the towel, but she had the drive and desire to stay the course.

Examining Dorothy's path to success, several things stand out: She established goals (return home), had a plan (follow the road), had the drive and desire (help from her ruby slippers) and surrounded herself with a strong and committed team (the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow). Facing challenges, Dorothy could have left her team behind and “sold out” to the wicked witch, but she remained loyal to her team and committed to her plan and goals.   

Similarly, the recent path for the independent agent has had plenty of uncertainty and challenges: the everlasting soft market, the impact that healthcare reform will have on your benefits book of business, or even the feeding frenzy of acquirers, jeopardizing true independence.

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