Her Story
About Cheryl
I entered the insurance industry almost 30 years ago when I was married with three young children in elementary school. My children always came first, so I was looking for something part-time. My ex-husband encouraged me to go into the insurance business, so I took a crash course for insurance that lasted 2 or 3 days, took my test, and was hired two weeks later at Mutual of Omaha. In my first year, I made the President Club, which is a high honor that requires significant sales over five and a half months. In my second year, I became Agent of the Year for the whole state, making history as the first female and the first minority to ever win this recognition. Today, I work as a self-employed life and health broker, appointed with at least 25 different insurance companies, which allows me to find coverage for anyone who comes to me, regardless of their health conditions. I handle both individual and group insurance, and during the fourth quarter, I conduct enrollments for employees of four different brokers, sometimes speaking publicly to explain different plan platforms. My success comes from the trust people place in me, whether I'm sitting with someone in a 30,000 square foot mansion or in a lower-middle-class area. I maintain 100% persistency because I keep in contact with my clients long after the sale. I recently had a client who got very sick, and I call her every two weeks just to check on her and make sure she's okay. My philosophy has always been to do what's right for the client and look out for their pocket instead of my own, which is something I learned from my father's side of the family, who were all entrepreneurs from mainland China.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cheryl
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the trust that people place in me. No matter where I go, whether I'm sitting with someone in a 30,000 square foot mansion or in a lower-middle-class area, people trust me. Some agents know just as much as I do, but people want to buy from people they trust. I also keep in contact with my clients after the sale. I don't just sell insurance, collect my commission, and disappear. I had one client recently who got really sick, and I call her every two weeks just to check on her and make sure she's okay. She's surprised and says I don't have to do this, but I choose to because I care. This approach has given me 100% persistency, which means my clients stay with me and are loyal. I learned from my father's side of the family, who were all entrepreneurs from mainland China, that success comes from trust, customer service, and always doing what's right for the client. I always look out for the client's pocket instead of my own. I've never had the mindset of selling something just because it has the highest commission. It's always been about what I can do that's best for the client.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell her, if she has children, always put your children first. Try to work when they go to school, and make sure you're there when they get off the bus. When I made the President Club, I didn't work full-time. I worked from about 8:30 in the morning to 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I was raised that children are first, and that's the way my parents raised me. I taught my daughters the same thing too, to put their children first, and they've been very successful in their fields. I would tell her to try to get home for her children so she's there to help them with their homework, to cook their dinner, to be there to raise them, to give them advice, to talk with them, to see how their day was, and if they had any problems. Just extend yourself to your children. Family first, always.
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