Insurance has an image problem: It's sad. If you talk to college graduates, those with business degrees or MBAs, they aren't calling us and saying they want to get into insurance. I know where they're running — commercial banking, real estate, energy, investment banking or private equity. The insurance industry struggles with finding men and women who want to come into our business at a young age. I think the independent agency channel doesn't do a great job of marketing how great our industry can be for young people to work in. It's flexible and stable — most agencies renew at least 90% of their business. And those that don't renew — the loss of that business typically won't require layoffs.

Developing a powerful sales strategy: When I got into the business 10 years ago, the agency didn't take as sophisticated of an approach to its sales process — and that led to us getting rolled more often than what we would like. Now, we focus on total cost of risk with our prospects and clients, not just the insurance premiums they currently pay. We look for ways to add value and where to eliminate coverage gaps or duplications. Lastly, we educate our clients on alternatives to finance their risks. This approach can help drive costs lower over the long term and can also enhance our ability to negotiate favorable terms with underwriters.

Related: 2015's best insurance pros under 40