Sara Altom, M.Ed

I got inspired in my field when I looked at two different routes - real estate or retirement planning. I ended up going the route of retirement planning because of my parents. My parents got put in some bad products, and I went through and reviewed them, and I thought to myself, this is terrible. There's seniors out here who are being misled, misinformed, and the families are the ones who are having to kind of pick up the pieces. Fortunately, I happened to look at some of their stuff, and I was like, whoa, did you guys read the contract on this? Then this opportunity came up in conversation with my friend slash boss at AmeriLife. Because we'd known each other for like 17 years already, we have a close working relationship and friendship. He said, why don't you come over in this field? And I said, I would love to. I want to make sure that people are getting in things that are right for them. My first year as Rookie of the Year, I went into that year with absolutely no goals. It just sort of happened by doing what's right by people, and being honest and real with them. Everyone makes mistakes - I certainly did my first year - but if you own up to them and have the conversation with people, they will still trust you. I certainly didn't get there myself. I had tons of people who were supportive and behind me, lots of really great women. I think being in various different fields - corporate, non-profit, state entity like school districts - has prepared me to deal with most scenarios. I have truly been through it all. Anything you can imagine a woman will come up against, I certainly have. The school of hard knocks prepared me to have a thick skin and know that I have to surround myself with a support system wherever I am. As a woman in sales, I've always told myself that if you put me up next to a man and we have the same credentials, I have to be quicker than him, I have to be more organized than him, I have to speak better than him, because I have to outshine on every level. That's one reason I feel I have been relatively successful - I went into that with that mindset from day one.

It's going to sound so cliche, but honestly, because when I made the jump from education, which is a very set salary, into this world of commissions, somebody said to me, you have to bet on yourself. You have to pull the trigger and bet on yourself and go all in. I really think that that was probably the most pivotal advice that I got, because it got me out of the set salary, it got me out of that world and into this world where truly what I can earn is based off of what I do. Now, I do see myself retiring in the world as a financial advisor and a broker-dealer, so I see that being my final stop. I'm just super excited that someone did say to me, take the chance, bet on yourself. If you're doing the things you're supposed to do, it's gonna work out for you. And thus far, that's been true. You have to trust the skill set and the intelligence and abilities you have, and go for it.

In both my personal and professional life, I value integrity, honesty, and dedication above all. I strive to approach every situation with empathy and a commitment to doing what is right, whether I am helping clients plan their financial futures or supporting the people around me. I am passionate about continuous learning and curiosity—whether it’s reading thrillers and building a personal collection of books, staying sharp in sales, or enjoying new experiences. As a woman in business, I also find joy in hobbies like golf, and I feel incredibly blessed to spend time with family, including enjoying my parents’ condo in Panama City Beach, Florida.