How does technology fit into your work strategy?
I try to incorporate technology whenever it makes processes more efficient, adds value to myself or the agency and when it is a possible selling point to a customer.

What's your mantra for success?
I'm constantly trying to improve myself and my community. It kind of stems from Olivet College's vision “Education for Individual and Social Responsibility.”

What are your future goals in this industry?
I want to become an insurance agency owner.

What legislative issues are you interested in?
I'm interested in the Michigan No-Fault reform.

What are your main priorities as a young agent?
I just got married on June 1, 2013, so I'm definitely committed to having a work/life balance. It's not easy being a new agent and trying to balance work, home life and the multiple charities I'm involved with, but I thank God every day for the great opportunities He has given me.

How do you balance work and personal life?
Setting priorities is key. I put the tasks and people I value most at the top of my priority list. Keeping that balance is a persistent struggle.

What is an important lesson you learned when joining a professional working environment?
Keep your projects and calendar organized. Also, communication with co-workers, customers and prospects are vital for success.

Many young agents enter this industry because other family members work in insurance. What advice do you have when working with family?
I don't have any family in the insurance industry, but I do work for a family-run agency. They do a very good job of keeping work life and family life separate. It's not easy to do, but can be vital to the success of your business.

What skills do you think young agents will need next year?
Not just next year, but for the foreseeable future, young agents will need to be good at adapting to change.

What do you see young agents struggle with in their first years in this industry? What advice do you have?
Gaining enough knowledge to compete with others that have been in the industry for 10+ years is important. Working on and achieving designations will help you gain that knowledge and make you stand out from your peers in a positive way.

What sales strategies worked for you this past year?
Not one strategy will be enough for obtaining prospects and making the sale. I used multiple sales strategies and most of them produced results.

What was the biggest challenge you faced as a young agent, and how did you handle it?
Getting over the rejection of not landing a big account after spending a lot of time and effort on it. It hurt, but keeping the big picture in mind, along with encouraging stories from experienced coworkers, helped me get over it and move on to the next exciting project.

What do you see as your biggest strength in this industry?
My age.

What is your biggest weakness? How have you addressed that weakness?
My age… and procrastination. I can do nothing but wait for my age to increase, but the procrastination I can and have addressed. Keeping a calendar with scheduled reminders helps keep me focused on what needs to get done. Having deadlines really helps too.

Anthony Pomerson was featured in the October 2013 Issue of AA&B. He is a resident agent and producer at Laginess Insurance Agency Inc.