Acquanette Chatman

I would say hard work, discipline, and putting the work in on the front end. I don't give up easy, and I do whatever I have to do to get it done. If I have a goal, I do my best to meet it. I would say just being disciplined and having some grit, and just going the course and not giving up. That's what has allowed me to be successful in business for 19 years and achieve top agency status at Allstate on more than one occasion.

I would tell her to stay focused and put in the time on the front end, meaning that while you're in school, from elementary on up through high school and graduating, always be respectful. You have to respect yourself before others will respect you. Go the extra mile and be a little bit different from others. It's okay to be extraordinary, it's okay to be different, and it's okay to be smart. A lot of kids now don't want to be smart, but if you put in the work, then you can live a good lifestyle and do the things that you want to do. Get a good education because I do believe that's important. Stay focused and have a goal as to what you want to do in life, have a why. Early on, I knew what I wanted to do when computers were coming on the scene, so I took the classes I needed to take. I already kind of knew the lifestyle I wanted to live. Having a why is important, and having goals at different ages so you'll be where you want to be in life, because time really does go by really quickly.

I would say probably retention is a challenge. People are coming and going because everything is so expensive now, so people are shopping around, and that makes it a little bit more difficult. The one thing that's good about the industry that I'm in is that everybody needs insurance, so that makes it good. But I have to focus on making sure that I have good customer service, that I have good people working for me, and I have people who have some type of integrity to work and be a part of the agency.

I would say integrity is one of the most important values. I just believe that you have to be trustworthy in business and in everyday life. If people can't trust you, or if you're not honest, then it gets to be a problem. People won't want to either be in a relationship with you or do business with you. So to me, integrity is one of them. Another one is being all-inclusive in business. You have to include others, and you have to be flexible. All of that, for me, makes a good team and work environment.