Why did you get into insurance?
I have been in sales in one form or another since I was 17. And on my returned to NZ in the middle of GFC I was looking for a career and not just another job. I was introduced to the Life side about 5 years ago and found a home there. I found myself enjoying the technical aspect of the industry, sales challenges and the growth opportunities on offer. So I stay and 5 years later, here I am.
How would you sum up insurance brokers in three words?
Product junkies & out of touch. Bold statements I know, but from my limited experience, brokers seem to get over invested in the pushing of product rather than trying to understand a customer’s intentions, direction and desires.
How would you change the industry?
I feel one change could improve the competitiveness of our industry. If we could each protect our own IP. I find it fundamentally flawed that I as an attacking adviser, the benefit of my work can end up in the hands of my competitors.
What’s the most important thing a broker can do to develop their business?
Find trusted and skilled people to support them. This can be a very lonely business and in my view the toughest sales gig around. Making sure you have a strong support network is key, you cannot expect to achieve great things on your own.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
If it was easy everyone would be doing it. And if everyone was doing it, there would be no money in it.
If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
Fire myself.
What has been the highlight of your career?
The highlight of my career is on the horizon – it will be when we have a well-established and successful Advisory firm in Northland.
What’s your favoured style of coffee?
Soy flat white.
Union, league, soccer or other?
Union.
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?
Bit of a hard one, I’ve never really thought about it, but since you are asking... Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington and Johnny Depp. Mostly because these guys are great actors in my view and seem like good lads.
Complete this sentence: If I wasn’t in insurance, I would be… fun and exciting. Possibly a builder or landscaper.
