Laurie Willet-Success Tips For Working With Business Partners and Distinguishing Yourself In Your Market

In this episode of the Power Women in Insurance Podcast, Teresa talks with Laurie Willet as she shares her insurance journey that spans over 40 years. She is the owner of Apple Insurance in South Haven, Michigan. She talks about starting in insurance at 15 years old, working for other agencies, and later partnering with a friend to start an insurance agency in the late 1990s. Listen in to learn lessons on how to handle a business partnership before and after getting into it. You will also hear how Laurie has started a CSR program-Safety Sammy- that involves educating kids about safety in a fun way in her town. “When you have a partner, you have to be in sync, you have to have the same goals and that’s hard at times”- Laurie Willet Top Takeaways: The power of women encouraging other women and fighting together in business. The importance of having the right education as a woman as you rise the ranks in the insurance industry. How to use the right strategies when dealing with a business partner.  What you will learn: [1:09] She shares her 40+ years of her insurance career journey.  [6:30] She shares how strong independent women encouragement helped her and her partner through their journey of success in insurance and the importance of having the right education. [8:01] Laurie shares the unwelcome treatment she received when she was starting her agency. [9:50] The challenges of having a partner and the strategies she used to make the partnership work.  [14:07] How she’s handling running the agency on her own after the retirement of her partner. [15:45] The character she has created -Safety Sammy- to excite kids as a part of her CSR.  [18:15] How the idea of Safety Sammy was born and how it’s working so far. [21:48] What advice would she give to women who are coming into the insurance world?  Visit the Power Women In Insurance Instagram Page! HERE Connect With Teresa! Sterling Insurance Group's Website: https://www.sterlinginsnow.com Teresa's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresa.comerkitchens Sterling Insurance Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sterlinginsurancegrouptx/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlinginsurancegroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sterlinginsurancetx/ Relevant Links: Website: https://www.apple-insurance.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AppleInsuranceofSouthHaven/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-willett-cic-au-ais-api-ains-78317051/