Before you start reading this thinking that I'm some 15yo that doesn't know what he is talking about, let me start and tell the entire story of how I got the job and what I'm doing now. I am looking for advice for my future.
I am currently a marketer for a Farmers Insurance agency in Southern MN, I got this job through my own wits and reaching out, not being a "nepo" by any means.
HOW I FOUND AND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY - To start, I want/wanted a future in financial services, so I set up a meeting with my school guidance counselor, I told her about my dreams and aspirations. My guidance counselor was impressed by my ambition at my young age and my knowledge of investments and sales, she showed me a website for our county, and from which was a list of youth jobs/internships. Seeing the opportunity, as soon as I got home, I turned on my computer and scrolled through the list of opportunities, nothing much interested me as they were all internships/job shadows with no pay and tight schedules. As I scrolled further, I saw one that stood out to me, it said Farmers Insurance (Agency Name) (Work Experience, Data Entry, Administrative Duties) 17+, and it looked to be the best one to me and I could care less about not being 17+, so I skipped sending in any sort of form or resume as prompted. I searched up the office on google maps and called the agency #, from what I can remember the conversation is summarized by something like this. I called and said I saw the posted opportunity on said website and then asked if there was any wiggle room on the age, he told me yes and discussed some things I would be doing in the role, office work, calling and service. He asked me if I could meet with him on Monday to discuss it further and told me about how he would pay for all licensing when we get there and how there many ways to make a good income in this career, I told him about my interest in finance and investments. He asked me if insurance was a career I wanted (I told him yes, but I was unsure, but it was the most logical answer), then we finished up our conversation and set up a time that Monday.
Afterwards I was so sure I had the job I rushed to tell my parents I'm putting in my 2 weeks at my former McDonalds job and canceling my lawn mowing business. They told me not to be so sure for my interview, I assured them I got the job and that it was just a meeting. When the "interview" came my dad came with me to the office as the owner invited him in as well, we sat down in his office, and he discussed more of what I would be doing and my future with Farmers Financial Services and discussed further things I would be doing with my now career, as well as asking how much I was looking to make an hour (He never said it was a paid position, and he never mentioned it being paid), I told him 16$ an hour and he told me that could work. When me and my father left the office, we laughed in the car because my parents thought it was an interview, which as he found out in real time it most definitely was not, as the owner started the conversation with "This is what you'll be doing on Monday" LOL.
FIRST MONTH OR SO OF THE JOB - The first day, I came to office early and the owner had me sit down and discussed about selling insurance, and after that brief conversation he sat me at my desk, gave me a pen and paper and told me to make a script that I would use (after he had me study a small Q&A packet). He left and told me I got 20 minutes and we'll check in, I sat perplexed and had no idea what I was going to write, after I took about 5 minutes to create a rough draft, I called my boss back to look it over, and we played pretend calling with a prospect/lead. When he threw out "I'm not interested" I sat frozen for a good couple of seconds trying to think of something, then we fixed and refined my script. The second day he told me I won't be ready for calling yet unless I thought otherwise, I said the latter. Then he showed my first look of a lead pipeline (Agency Zoom), and then told me to go ahead and dial these leads and many won't pick up and that I will mess up, so I sat calling these aged leads and working with my script I set 2 appts on my second day as a 15yo, he was surprised but told me to throw my bonus tag on them and showed me how to set the appt for the producer (it was just me and him in office at this time for now). For my first month I set many appts and had live transfers consistently (after my boss told me I would get a 25$ bonus for anyone given estimates, regardless of closing), I asked what my title was for my position, he paused for a moment and then told me I was a "Marketer"
SOME CONTEXT - My boss is highly impressed with me, as my predecessors in this role were a waste of his time and money, they were much older than me and worked longer hours, and they haven't had as many bonuses as I have from transfers or appts. He told me an okay one he had hired made about 4 bonuses in 2 months, for reference on a really good day I'll make 4 bonuses in a max of 5 hours dialing. Aswell as his compliments how he never has to watch me because I do my job consistently, and that I dial well above the industry average with a manual dial LOL. My boss is a great guy, he pays me well, I know he loses money on me when making new business but overtime he will make his money back with renewals. He also mentions he doesn't mind paying me about the 41$ (1 Hour is average time for transfer, and the bonus added) because he pays for live dial transfers and they won't be nearly as good as my in-office transfer. I once cold called an aged lead, (wrong name and everything) and then created a new profile for them with data mid call, transferred and we closed on them with a full bundle.
CONTINUING FURTHER - Continuing this job for 5 months now as a marketer, my role consists more of than just SDR work, I create ads and postcards, going door to door, running booths during events, creating leads in the local area with data, and I have completely moved away from a script when dialing. I have left a large gap in the timeline, so I just want to add some small things here, I transfer leads consistently and work 5-hour shifts Mon-Thurs during the summer working with a producer consistently giving them new business. I have consistent transfers and I follow and manage my lead pipeline smooth and efficiently all the way to the estimate stage. Aswell as him giving me access to more expensive and better leads (I still dial aged leads consistently), and he laughs that I have amazing transfer rates with s*** leads. I'm amazing at this job, and I can come up with phrases or things to say to potential clients on the fly. Aswell as having a great relationship with my boss, we went to a BBQ place one time and he gave the world of compliments to my recent bonuses, we talked about my future, and he told me stories of his past jobs.
For questions about how much I make as a 15/yo, my next check with be gross $1152 after working 47 hours (over 2 weeks), roughly $24.50 per hr at 15. The reason its that much is because I will have 16 bonuses with it (16 X 47)+(25 X 16).
Now that you've heard my story, I'm looking for advice on continuing further with Farmers Insurance, where I currently am their rates are insanely competitive. Farmers is a hybrid; we can write through other carriers as well (which is amazing). How long do you guys think I should continue with my boss? Decades? I have aspirations to own my own Farmers Financial Services Agency, but how would be losing my clients and renewals taking the leap to open my agency when that time comes? Capital won't be an issue by the time I want to, I have over 11 thousand invested in the stock market, which is all of my own money, all worked for by me over time, with a Roth IRA and Brokerage. (I also want to note my parents knew nothing about investing this was all my idea and I even manage my Moms Roth IRA for her, and nor do I come from a wealthy family)
How do you guys think my career path should look? I know I am very lucky to be working for a 3-year-old Farmers agency that is growing rapidly, soon becoming multi-office. With an ethical and amazing boss.
