Her Story
About MaryJo
I've been working in the home protection industry for 17 years now, and honestly, if someone had asked me years ago if I'd be a sales rep for a home warranty company, I probably would have laughed. But it was one of those things - you don't know what you don't know, and then you kind of fall in love with it. I was finishing up my master's and looking for something, and I interviewed and just fell into it. I love educating people in general and building relationships, so it was a very easy transition because I like people. For the past 7 years, I've been with Achosa - I always tell people, 'I Achosa Kelly! Kelly Achosa Mary Jo!' because everybody's like, what's Achosa? My focus is really on educating and creating trust. I almost feel like trust is now almost like a currency, and it just creates people's confidence in you. My target market is people dealing in real estate - real estate agents, mortgage loan officers, bankers, people in home insurance - those who are connecting with homeowners every day. I get involved with local community events, charity work, and I'm involved in some of my local real estate boards. I do Women's Council of Realtors where I'm an educator for agents, helping them grow their business. I always see my growth comes in those partnership situations where I'm helping others grow. I'm involved in community, and maybe too many things to be honest - my husband would argue too many things.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with MaryJo
01What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
My biggest challenge right now is really about education and overcoming people's perception of that word 'warranty' because of past experiences or stories that can allow them to hesitate. I feel like we've modernized the home protection plan and made it a lot more user-friendly, but the uphill battle is not being able to talk to the people. I don't always get the introduction, so it's just an immediate no. It's a constant battle to educate the real estate industry, the mortgage industry, the insurance agents - all those industries - to educate them that there is something different. There is somebody that's focused on a client claims experience, focusing on doing what's best for our customers. My uphill is being able to get in front of the people that are making the decisions, which I think is always the uphill battle in sales in general - making sure that you're in front of the decision maker, having the opportunity. The biggest challenge right now is making sure I'm in front of the people that are making the decisions, and sometimes I'm not.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I've been working with a business coach who is very good about holding me accountable to a budget that I created. I'm focusing on that growth and sticking to a plan. I really prefer to have that moment to do my research and take my time. I need some processing time - it's something I've been working on. I need to do my due diligence before making decisions. I'm a processor - I have to hear, and then I have to see. I have to take a moment to process and then do a little deep dive to make sure things fit in with my branding and my budget. I like being authentic - I like authenticity of real-life experiences.
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