Farmers Agency Owner Employee at Farmers Insurance Agencies

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Shea Garrison

Farmers Agency Owner

“We keep it very positive and try to have a winning attitude.”
- Shea

What attracted you to the Farmers® agency ownership opportunity?: Flexibility. I am a mom and wife, and I wanted to be able to make my kids’ games, take them to practice and be there for family dinners. That is very important to me. Secondly, I saw the opportunity to make a lot of money on my terms. In other words, I could work as fast or slow as I wanted but I was the one who made that decision. Finally, knowing that there is no ceiling on how much I can make, while also having the ability to pass something down to my kids is nothing short of amazing!
What do you like most about being an agent? Was there anything that surprised you after becoming an agent?: I love helping people. It sounds corny, but when you save someone $2,000 a year, it can be life changing. Or when a loss hits, you know that our amazing claims team is there! Or when you write a life policy on someone and you realize you just helped their family if a tragedy occurs. In general, I love educating people.
What do you value most about your agency or your agency’s culture? What sets it apart from other work environments?: We keep it very positive and try to have a winning attitude. If you go into the day thinking you’re beat, then you’re beat. We try to keep each other lifted up and motivated. I keep a bell in the office and when a Life policy is issued and paid, then we ring the bell and celebrate! We don’t focus on what we “can’t” write or what’s not working, we focus on what is working and what we “can” do. Additionally, there are staff meetings every week. We keep music on in the office and laugh a lot. I like to bring coffee or smoothies to the office on a Friday morning and have everyone come to the conference room to relax, talk about their upcoming weekend, connect, and then we hit the day. Just little things to boost morale and keep us all engaged.
Describe a typical day as a Farmers agency owner.: It’s wild—in a good way. Some days it’s typical and other days totally unpredictable, which helps keep things exciting. I focus on sales a lot so I look at what I can do as the owner to help my staff be successful. I can’t do all of the work alone and I rely on others to use their strengths. I reach out to referral systems a lot to keep the phone ringing. I meet with my staff to see what they can do to improve and what I can do to help. I have quite a few meetings throughout the week. I am involved in a networking group and try to stay active in the community. I am the owner, office manager, human resources, bookkeeper, salesperson, etc. We wear a lot of hats, but they can be balanced if you set up a great system for yourself and the staff.
What kinds of support and training opportunities does the Farmers organization offer? How have you grown your agency?: The University of Farmers® resources help a lot! We have a district manager in our area, so he and his staff help as well by keeping us up on the latest changes, news, and best practices. I’ve grown my business by staying consistent and always looking for new things to add to what’s already working. I have put systems in place that work, but I am always open to new things as well. Being consistent and open to learning and growth is what has helped me over the years.
What advice do you have for someone looking to become an agency owner?: I would sit with an agent or a few agents and ask them what makes them successful. Try to pick up some things from each one that you feel comfortable with. Put a game plan together long before you start. Put systems in place for sales, follow-up, referrals, etc. Get a payroll company and accountant. Speak to your accountant to see if an S Corporation or other type of entity is right for you. Put a budget into place. Do not fly by the seat of your pants, you have to plan and prepare for success. You can do it!