"It meant everything to me to know that I had mentors who believed in me and told me that I could achieve whatever I wanted to do, as long as I was taking the right steps," says young agent Nnamdi Anene.
Nnamdi Anene
Client Risk Advisor
Atlanta
Age: 25
Go-to drink order: Tequila and soda with a bunch of limes
No. 1 item on bucket list: Travel—I'd love to go to Switzerland or Nigeria
Favorite candy: Anything sour
Why did you choose insurance as a career?
At the University of Georgia, I took classes on various business types, and I found the Intro to Risk Management class to be pretty intuitive. In my research, I saw there were many different avenues you can take in insurance and that flexibility was attractive.
Mentoring others on the state young agents committee?
One of my main mentors at our firm guided me in the direction of the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia Young Agent Committee (IIAG YAC) and told me how important it was going to be to start getting involved at a young age. I have the opportunity to meet a lot of different people and mentor younger folks just getting into the industry—whether it's reaching out a couple of times a quarter or grabbing coffee and seeing where they're going. I also get the opportunity to meet older, more established people in the business and talk to them. My mom always told me to learn from other people's mistakes and not your own, so I make sure to ask what worked for them, what didn't, and how they paved their own path.
Goals for the future?
With Sterling being privately held, one of my main goals is to eventually become a shareholder and a partner there. I want to inspire the younger generations as they come up and to become a role model to others. I want to be able to support my family—they've always been a big supporter of me and my dreams, and I would love to give back to them one day on a bigger level.
How did you get started in insurance?
I went to a career fair, but I was so nervous, I was too scared to talk to anybody. I was walking around in circles for two hours—and finally, a representative from Sterling Seacrest Pritchard (SSP) jumped out in front of me and was like, “Dude, I've watched you walk around here without talking to a single person, so you and I are going to have a conversation now."
We had a really good conversation, and he brought me back for an interview on campus the next day. I interned with SSP for a summer and built some really good relationships. They loved me, I loved them, and I could really see myself working there. When I graduated, they brought me on full-time. I started in employee benefits and switched to property & casualty.
What do you love about insurance?
I love the relationships you get to build. I meet so many different people from all different walks of life. We have interns and many new hires at our agency and I love to tell them my story and inspire them in any way that I can because I remember when I was an intern and how inspired I was by the people I had the privilege to spend time with. It changed a lot for me. It means a lot to give back to younger folks as I start to develop in my career.
Role model or mentor?
It meant everything to me to know that I had mentors who believed in me and told me that I could achieve whatever I wanted to do, as long as I was taking the right steps.
Jessica Lewis took me under her wing when I started working on the P&C side of the firm, and she took the time to explain things to me and treated me like I was an adult. I can't thank her enough for pointing me in the right direction as far as getting involved with the Big “I," IIAG and the IIAG YAC. She's been such an advocate for me in every single way. One of my role models at the firm is a gentleman named Jon Nordin, who played basketball at Georgia and is one of our top producers. I love shadowing him and seeing how he operates. I strive to be like him in my career and reach the levels of success that he's reached.
Work-life balance?
It probably varies from firm to firm, but at Sterling, we have a lot of flexibility. In a sales role, it's all about discipline and making your own way— going out, finding prospects, building your centers of influence, and cultivating relationships. You could either be really busy every day or you could be doing nothing all day, but either way, it'll reflect in your achievements.
Biggest industry challenges?
It's hard to find good talent. The workforce is changing. COVID-19 changed a lot of things as far as remote roles and there are pros and cons to that. While it's challenging to find talent, I think it provides an opportunity, especially for younger people, to stand out and make a name for themselves. If you're someone who is always going above and beyond and isn't looking to work from home all week, it's a lot easier to build your reputation in a positive way.
AnneMarie McPherson Spears is IA news editor.
