Do your top carriers recruit young workers? Some of our top carriers do have programs for training young workers. It's great to get new blood in the industry. I wish more companies would provide training for young adults.

How does technology fit into your work strategy? We try to stay on top of technology. I work with three monitors and am always in contact with my iPhone. We talk with other agents in the industry to share ideas of what technology is helping their businesses. We want to be on the cutting edge. A company that won't adapt to change is doomed to failure.

What's your mantra for success? Plain and simple: hard and honest work. I pride myself on being available 24/7 for my clients and to always do my best.

Who do you look toward as a mentor in this industry? My father, Cal Ieuter, is my mentor in this industry. He is respected throughout the community and industry. I strive to be like him. If I ever have a question, he knows the answer or will help me find it. He has been in insurance for 42 years and, fortunately, has no plan to retire.

What are your future goals in this industry? My goal is to make Ieuter Insurance Group the best and biggest agency in Michigan. We have had tremendous growth since I joined the agency because of all the young motivated agents we have hired. We plan to continue to hire and train young producers to take our agency to the next level.

Read on for more with Karl Ieuter

How do you balance work and personal life? I have 3 kids under the age of 9 and a very supportive wife. She understands there are many late nights and weekends at the office, as well as functions I need to attend. However, I make a point of setting aside time to spend with my family. I also participate in their school and sporting activities. I teach Junior Achievement for both of my daughters' classes, help coach and cheer them on in their sporting events, and make a real effort to attend all their school programs. If I have to attend a function that is family friendly, my children are always there with me.

How does your office reflect how you work? We pride ourselves on customer service. Everyone on our team (30+ employees) believes in this concept. All emails and calls are returned the same day. Even if they don't have an immediate answer, they get back to our clients promptly. Keeping clients happy and protected is our goal at Ieuter Insurance Group. Several of our customer service representatives have their smart phones connected to the office email system so they can answer emails at all hours.

What is an important lesson you learned when joining a professional working environment? It is easy and quick to send an email, but even well-written emails can be interpreted wrong. I find it much better to pick up the phone and call the client to deal with the situation personally and immediately.

Many young agents enter this industry because other family members work in insurance. What advice do you have when working with family? I think it's important to leave business issues at work, and leave family issues at home. Working with family has it benefits and downfalls. When we are together as a family, we try to not talk shop. It makes it more enjoyable.

What skills do you think young agents will need in 2012? Young agents will need to take sales classes and continue their insurance education. We need to know what we are talking about and how to present it effectively.

What do you see young agents struggle with in their first years in this industry? What advice do you have? They sell on price. If you win on price, you lose on price. My advice would be to get a niche and stick with it. If they view you as an expert, they are more likely to stay with you and your agency.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in 2011 as a young agent, and how did you handle it? The biggest challenge was to make sure I qualified accounts. It's hard to walk away from accounts, but sometimes, it's the best decision.

How does your agency—or any of your committees/associations—reach out to high school or college students? The Young Insurance Professionals (YIP) of the PIA just had their winter networking event at Crystal Mountain. We invited college students specializing in insurance to attend the classes and network with others in the insurance industry. It was a great way for everyone to get to know each another.

Karl Ieuter was featured in the April 2012 issue of AA&B. He is a vice president of Ieuter Insurance Group.