No new accounts, no money

Unless you already have an established number of accounts, like 20+ accounts, its hard to have passive monthly income.  The only way to survive is to constantly open new accounts every week. Honestly, being an independent agent and having to depend on weekly commissions to keep a roof over your head or food in the pantry is really not for the faint of heart. I'll be up front and honest with you. I dont receive a monthly income being an independent insurance again.  Why? Because of the charge backs fro accounts and policy holders who have stopped paying their invoices before the 6 month period. My monthly statements have been in the red for the past 10 months.

Sometimes I have to question why I'm still trying to make this work.  I like the flexibility, for the most part I like the agents I work with and I do like Aflac's products. Getting the rest of the world to see the value in it is a different story.  I still believe there is income to be made and I'm still willing to give it time.  I am also learning that I need multiple sources of income if I'm going to make this work or consider getting a part time job just make sure bills are paid and there is food on the table.

20 years ago I never would have thought that I would be in this situation at this age.  It really is like starting over again. Maybe this is my mid-life crisis.

Joining The Duck Family

I wish I knew what I now know 8 months ago. I officially joined Aflac in January.  It was all in the timing.  My temp job ended in October 2016 so I was back to job hunting again. I got a call from Aflac in mid November, they found my resume online. I was curious because I didn't see how I could even be a good fit. What did they see that I couldn't see?  I attended the informational session and got called back in for an interview.  The interview was more of a get to know you meeting.  In hind sight, I don't feel that I was mislead in any way what so ever. The regional director was very clear that this is strictly commission based, they do provide training and support, this is not a make fast money scheme and you do have to put in a lot of work.  Having been under the duck's wings for 6 months now (I dont count January because that was my training month) the market office here in the Bay Area has a very supportive team. The regional and districts are also supportive.  I've read a lot of reviews across the country about Aflac and not all markets and regions are supportive.  BUT as a new agent, its also up to you to ask for support. If you don't ask, they'll assume that you're doing okay. 

After agreeing to join, I had to study for my state license.  With the holidays coming up the soonest I was able to schedule my test was on Christmas Eve. The exam office told me that it may take two or three tries to pass.  So when I was told I had 3 hours to take exam and I finish way before the time limit, I began to second guess my answers. I started to go back and to double check my answers.  By the time I got to question 10, I told myself I'd better just hit submit because usually your first instincts are right.  Yay..I passed!!  It wasn't that hard. I thought the pre-test was more difficult.

Fast forward to July: It's been fun, nerve racking, mentally exhausting and I'm still determined to make it work.  Now that I've gotten to know the products so much better and what they cover, I wish I had the knowledge and experience back in January.  As with anything new, there is a learning curve. I'm not just referring to the products but everything else that comes with the territory like prospecting and keep the pipeline filled, up front commissions, opening new accounts, assisting policy holders and the worst of all, the no pay rate.😟

The one thing that I want to make clear on today's entry is waht I hear the most. The most common response I hear from individuals and business owners is "I already health insurance." or "We already offer health insurance to our employees."  Guess what? Aflac is NOT health insurance nor is it meant to replace any health insurance that you currently have in place.