Christopher M. Paradiso, Owner of Paradiso Financial& Insurance Services LLC
Years at company: 6
College: Anna Maria College '98

Read Christopher's previous nGi Q&A.

How can employers retain young talent?
Today's young talent is looking for flexibility as a part ofany compensation package. Production goals can be integral to aplan that incorporates the ability to work remotely and or withflexible hours. Businesses with more diversity not only in theemployees they hire but in the tasks assigned to them willexperience a greater retention of those employees. I also feel thatour culture/identity of our agency is high energy with the focuson growth, so it's a happening place here in the office!

How did you determine that insurance was a viablecareer choice?
As a business person, I wanted to be involved in a profession thatcontinualy allows me to meet clients needs on an individualbasis as well as being active in my community. Insurance hasallowed me to do both!

How does technology fit into your workstrategy?
Technology supports the overall strategy of the agency and itaffords us the opportunity to communicate with our clients in themanner that best meets their needs. We love to use Skype, Youtube,record phone calls, etc.

Who do you look toward as a mentor in thisindustry?
I have always taken a multi-mentorapproach that spans across a number of industries. For legal andreal-estate issues, my Dad is my mentor. I've learned so muchfrom my Dad about business as well; he has been an attorney andowned his law firm for 52 years. For the insurance end of things,I've learned a lot from Dan King and Skip Daigle from TravelersAgency Development, Paul Murphy from Paul T. Murphy insurance outof Mass. and Bob Mackoul from Mackoul Group/New Empire Group out ofNew York. These guys have years and years of experience in theindustry.

What legislative issues are you interestedin?
The ones that affect my clients' coverages and those that affectthe independent agency channel.

What are your main priorities as a young agent(work/life balance, charity support, legislative issues,etc.)?
As a father and a husband, my first priority is my family, but mybusiness and charity work are up there, too.

How do you balance work and personallife?
By weighing both the short and long term affect of how my workinteracts with my family life. My family is at the core of who I amas both a business owner and a person.

What is an important less you learned when joining aprofessional working environment?
The environment has less to do with the decor as it does withthe people working there. Professionalism is the “people inthe halls” not the “pictures on the walls.” I believe in ourpeople!

What do you see Gen Y/Millennials struggle with in aprofessional environment? What advice do youhave?
Communication. This generation spends more timetyping LOL and OMG than understanding social styles of others andadapting to them. Realize that how you communicate is as importantas what you communicate.

Many young agents enter this industry because otherfamily members work in insurance. What advice do you have whenworking with family?
First I would say if your family wants you to survive in theinsurance industry they will ask you to go to work elsewhere for acouple of years. I feel very strongly about that. If and when youcome back to the family insurance agency, responsibilities shouldhave definitive expectations. Don't dismiss the foundationalreasons why family business have been successful thus far.

What skills do you think young agents will need nextyear?
The skills needed will be the ability to translate the everchanging insurance terms into everyday language that clients canunderstand. I also feel with such tools like YouTube you can getyour messages out to the masses without having to explainthose terms one person at a time.

What do you see young agents struggle with in theirfirst years in this industry? What advice do youhave?
I think the struggle in the beginning for new agents is theconfidence. That confidence comes from training and education and Ifeel we as agency owners don't do a good job at that. I feel thelife insurance companies do a better job at the sales trainingprocess. Sales training is very, very important to the survival ofall agents in the insurance world.

What sales strategies worked for you this pastyear?
Education. Our consultant shared his perspective that “our greatestcompetitor is our own clients' ignorance of what the value of theirinsurance policies do for them.” After really thinking aboutthat, we have changed every aspect of how we communicate with ourclients from e-mails, telephone, text, letters, websites andface-to-face to be sure we include an educational element in theinteraction.

What was the biggest challenge you faced as a youngagent, and how did you handle it?
The biggest challenge was getting direct appointments withinsurance carriers. Many carriers wouldn't even return a call.Being a college athlete, and for those that know me, I'mvery competitive, so I knocked on doors and calledeveryday until I at least got a face-to-face. Eventually I gotmy opportunity from Donanto Monaco from the Hartford, for which I'mvery fortunate.

What do you see as your biggest strength in thisindustry?
The biggest strength is my passion for working with otheragency owners. I run an all-day workshop that takes agency ownersand their marketing people from A to Z on social media marketingand social marketing. Our approach here at Paradiso Insurance isvery unique (with our marketing approach) and I love to help othersin this great industry. Through these workshops I have made somevery strong friendships throughout the country.

What are some of your career highlights?
Being picked as 12th Annual Rough Notes Community ServiceAward. Being able to give back to Connecticut Children's MedicalCenter was a very big deal for me and my family. Last year Ireceived a community service award from Astonish which was given tothe local food pantry–that was also a great feeling. My thirdwas having my agency on the August 2009 cover of RoughNotes.

Christopher was featured in the November 2012 issue ofAA&B. He is the owner of Paradiso Financial & InsuranceServices LLC.