What’s your mantra for success? You only have one reputation. Don’t mess it up.

Who do you look toward as a mentor in this industry? My father, Curtis Anderson. He has been in the business for more than 34 years. He started at the bottom and earned his way to where he is today. He is a hard worker with lots of experience and has been a great leader, mentor and father.

What are your future goals in this industry? I want to continue to build lifelong relationships. I also want to continue learning the business so I can better assist my customers. I will continue to work with AAMGA to try and make the industry better and some day, I hope that I have helped mentor some of the next generation of insurance professionals.

How do you balance work and personal life? My wife also works at RPS, so when we get home, our two boys are the priority. There are times that one of us may need to log on remotely, but we usually do that after the boys have gone to bed. Our boys are getting to the age that sports are going to take over our evening hours and weekends. Bottom line, family comes first.

Where do you hope to take your career? I hope to continue to improve and learn every day. Someday I would like to retire knowing that I did good things for people, made friends and earned the respect of my peers and competitors. Whether that continues to be in sales or someday in management, I just want to be able to look back and know that I was successful and I made my family proud.

Read on for more from TC Anderson IV

Gen Ys often change jobs—7 times in their 20s, according to research. How can employers retain young talent? I wish I had the magic answer, but the best thing I can come up with is that the employers talk with the young talent often. Make sure they are happy, satisfied and not bored. Keep them thinking and keep them challenged. Set up a written path for growth and advancement opportunities and then stick with it.

What skills do you think young agents will need in 2011? Technology skills, interpersonal skills and patience: our industry is getting faster with technology, but we need to get back to talking with our carriers and customers rather than just emailing them. Patience is key because we are in a difficult market, but hard work will pay off in the long run. It always does in this industry.

What do you see young agents struggle with in their first years in this industry? What advice do you have? Staying motivated. Employers need to make sure they keep the young agents motivated, engaged and eager to learn. Employers need to provide hands on training and opportunities for young agents to try things on their own, even if they make mistakes along the way.

What new technologies should young agents utilize to get a leg up in this industry? I am not sure that utilizing a new technology is the best way to get a leg up. Instead, make sure that you are comfortable talking face-to-face with your customers. Make them feel special. This is still a relationship business and people are going to contact the person they know. They have to be able to put your face with your name or number or email address.

TC Anderson was featured in the May 2011 issue of AA&B. He is an underwriter/broker at Risk Placement Services.