Wheat Fields and Growing Insurance Agencies

A few years ago I went to see one of our OAA members who has a small agency in a small town in Oklahoma.  It’s a nice little town but there’s not a lot of economic activity there.  It’s surrounded by beautiful country with scenic vistas of cattle ranches and wheat farms.  But Main street is boarded up and falling down.  Like a lot of towns in this part of the country, it had seen better days.  Sound familiar?

Anyway, after eating lunch at the local gas station, my partner drove me around town.   Back at the office she said, “I just want you to see what I have to write around here, and why it’s hard to grow.”

Hmm.  That is a challenge.

I said, “Let me see your insurance license.”  She gave it to me and I looked at it for a few minutes.  Scratching my head I said, “I don’t see the name of your town anywhere on here.” 

She looked puzzled and said, “What are you talking about?”  Her puzzlement increased when I replied, “It just says ‘Oklahoma’ on here.”

I then made a bold statement, “Give me a cell phone, a laptop, and a list. Put me anywhere in any wheat field in Oklahoma, and I’ll build successful, profitable, growing insurance agencies.” 

I went on to explain that our license means we can sell anywhere in our state.  In fact I had customers in her town myself, as well as dozens of others across the state.  I could see that she was beginning to think…

See, almost every limitation we have is one we put on ourselves.  Virtually, every disadvantage can work for us.  It’s just in how we choose to see things.

Today, that agency is significantly larger than it used to be.  Another successful OAA member!

I love wheat fields!  They remind me of limitless opportunity…