Like many of those whose family thrives in insurance, Avery Moore (pictured) never planned to enter insurance. Growing up and watching her mother who was working in the industry at that time, Moore found insurance boring. Little did she know that she would swallow her words years later and fall in love with the sector.
Fast forward to today, Moore works as a commercial lines producer at ECI Insurance Agency, a company that her grandfather started in 1964. When she took the role as vice president of sales development, she helped establish an online marketing program that has boosted ECI’s profitability and expanded its presence among millennials.
In this exclusive interview with Insurance Business, Moore shares her personal advice to those who are still thinking of joining the insurance industry. She also talks about how she was able to overcome her personal glass ceiling that hindered her potential.
Please share with us how you got into the insurance industry, what led you to this career?
I am a fourth generation insurance ‘brat.’ Growing up I swore that I would NEVER work in insurance for some strange reason – I had it stuck in my head that it was boring. The crazy thing is I watched a mom that had the flexibility to make every softball game, band concert, or ortho appointment and always had enough money to give us a pretty comfortable life. When I was looking for my life’s purpose, my mom suggested that I worked for a buddy of hers until I found that purpose – it was another insurance agency of course. Before I knew it, I had fallen in love with a career that’s sole purpose was to help people when they were potentially have one of the worst days of their life. That’s a pretty cool purpose. That was five years ago and I’m stuck like glue.
Tell us briefly about your company and its role in the insurance industry. What makes it different from other companies in the same space?
My grandpa started our agency in 1964. Since then, we’ve grown from what was then a local mom and pop shop to being a part of the 16th largest partnership in the entire nation. I could say that our customer service and all that good stuff is what makes our agency different, but I’d be lying. I think our customer service is great, but if I’m being honest, we’re known as the techy agency. We use technology to our advantage and our purpose is to give our customers the experience and ease that technology can offer while sticking to our roots and making it about the customer.
What advice can you share for those wanting to join the insurance industry?
Jump and jump now! I was told six years ago that in the next 10 years 50% of our industry would retire. When I chose to jump the timing was right which meant there was a TON of opportunity out there and the longer I am in this world the more opportunity I see. Sometimes good things come and you have to take the opportunity or lose it forever. For those that are passionate and willing to work hard the flexibility, income, and reward is endless! Now is the time.
What is the most fulfilling aspect of your work in the insurance space?
Every single person is wired a different way and the same is true of what is fulfillment for us all. For me personally, I love those gruelling days when I finally sit down and can say I worked hard for my clients. This industry is competitive by nature and there is a part of me that thrives in that type of atmosphere, but there is also a part of this industry that the consumer doesn’t see in which you as an agent are always thinking about the best interest of others. For me personally, I love that and it makes me better at the end of the day.
Do you think a glass ceiling exists for women in the insurance industry? How do you overcome it?
We work in insurance. If there’s one thing we know, glass is fragile and if weakened it breaks – but it takes that first crack. Being a 20-something in insurance now, I, for sure, can’t say I made that first crack. Depending on the day it can sometimes feel like there is a glass ceiling over me, but if I’ll simply walk a different direction usually I’ll find a place where others before me have shattered it. What I believe is the key to breaking glass ceilings is overcoming your own head trash. If I believe that I will never win an account, or I can’t be successful because of my sex or age then I never will. The voice in your head is the single most powerful influencer that we have on ourselves and we don’t even realize the stuff we believe or assume because of that voice. If I change my thoughts then I change my behavior. We all have our own glass ceilings that we place on ourselves.
You previously worked for Wilcox and McGrath. What have you learned from that experience?
Do I have to pick just one? I learned so many things getting to work there. They are the reason I fell in love with this industry. Not only did I get to work with some great people, but I learned that as a producer you might be the face of the company but the real MVP is the account manager. Those account managers work tirelessly and know the accounts better than the producers do sometimes. Oftentimes the glory goes to sales, but accounts are kept because of those women working tirelessly and there’s something to be said for that.
If you were not working in the insurance space, what would you be doing now?
I love creating – I would be doing something within that space. I love to write. It’s this beautiful thing that creates ideas and stories out of nothing. Stories have the ability to change the world. Don’t believe me? Just read Harry Potter. I also love nutrition. When I was 21, I lost over 50lbs and discovered the power food and fitness has to shape your body. Nutrition and fitness changed my life and gave me discipline that stretches over into so many other aspects of my life.
What are your passions or hobbies outside insurance?
I married the coolest kid I’ve ever met about three years ago, so I’d say he’s way past a hobby at this point… dare I say he’s a passion? I love working out, reading, eating tacos, and drinking copious amounts of coffee. We just got a dog and though we try to be as unmillennial as possible, being a dog mom is pretty great!
