It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is already here. The year has flown by and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Whether you’re trying to get somewhere to be with people, preparing for an influx of relatives, or spending a relaxing and quiet day on the couch watching football, I hope the past 12 months have been extraordinary for you too!
Before we launch Black Friday or Thursday and start counting down to Christmas, I’d like to take a deep breath, slowly let it out, and enjoy a moment of sharing with you what I’m thankful for both personally and professionally.
Family: My wife and I are grandparents now! Between her kids and mine we’ve been blessed with 4 grandchildren over the last 18 months. There is something different and even slightly redemptive being a grandparent and loving these kids in a more mature and connected manner than we even did as parents. It’s truly amazing.
Discovery: My wife and I like to backpack. If you’ve ever backpacked or camped, you’ll appreciate the fact that life tends to become very simple when camping. Those are the moments of being truly grateful for food, water, shelter, and even a comfortable air mattress and sleeping bag to rest on after hauling an overstuffed pack (my nick name is “Just in Case”) over 7 miles of going uphill. I also discover a lot about myself in those moments and that makes the journey even sweeter.
Friends: Sometimes friends are as much family as our biological family. Sharing moments of elation, questioning, joy, or doubt provides a seasoning to life that is incredible. Lows are not as low and the highs are shared with people who truly care about each other.
Opportunity: My friend John Brooks and I check in with each other regularly. We both made career changes; I became an insurance agent 10 years ago and John a realtor a few years ago. One of his questions is, “Are you living the dream?” I am and I’m grateful for the opportunity to pursue the dream of starting and building Wise Insurance Group. The three simple beliefs that guided me when I started continue to guide me.
- People are more important than transactions
- Provide people the information to make informed decisions in their best interest
- Treat people the way they want to be treated the business will follow
Partners: In order to bring complete solutions to our clients, we must partner with companies that share our beliefs and who care for the client. The companies we partner with are the ones we use to protect our and our friends homes, cars and families. My belief is if we wouldn’t recommend them to a close friend or one of our kids, why would we recommend them to you?
Journey: The journey of starting a new insurance agency or business and wearing the many hats is amazing. It can be a little overwhelming too, but it’s incredibly rewarding to build on to the dream each day and share that journey with you! I’ve added an intern, Elizabeth Reimer, who’s been a huge help with some projects. I plan to add a support person in the near future to ensure we continue to provide exemplary service to our valued clients and partners.
Relationships: No business can succeed for long without relationships. No relationship can be built without trust. Trust is built one step at a time with integrity, honesty, authenticity and respect for everyone. Our business grows each month because people appreciate the way we do business and share our name with their friends, family, and colleagues.
What are you thankful for? Take a moment to share it with me in the comments section of our blog or on our Google + or Facebook pages. I’d love to hear from you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
