1.03 | Showing Up With Amy Waninger

I do my best thinking when I’m driving. 

Surely you know that feeling - when the miles and minutes just slip by and before you know it, you’ve reached your destination.

I had so much to think about after I met Amy Waninger over a cup of coffee during a road trip back to Chicago following a soul-refreshing trip to the beach in Florida last spring. 

As someone who fancies herself evolved and self-aware, I realized what a blind spot I had as we unpacked my own biases in that coffee shop just outside of Indianapolis. 

I felt supported, humbled and grateful as I hit the road again, lost in my thoughts and realizing what was possible as I headed the rest of the way home.

Our conversation continues in the next episode of Bound & Determined. We chat about putting people first, leadership blind spots and showing up - even when we’re not invited. Listen to the full episode here.

Amy is a diversity and inclusion expert and the founder of Lead At Any Level; you can download her eBook, 21 Insights for Inclusive Networking, here.

I love a road trip - do you? Tell me more below!

O

Too many years ago to count, in lieu of exchanging Christmas gifts, the adults in my family adopted a grab bag of sorts with a few simple rules.

This year, I smiled as I unwrapped a jar of oregano, an “On This Day” calendar, and a subscription to O - The Oprah Magazine.

My brother knows me so well!

Love or hate her, Oprah has been a household name for nearly my entire life.

I recall being a young girl, at home on a random weekday, when The Oprah Winfrey Show aired at 9 a.m. on our local ABC affiliate, channel 7.

For the next hour, I’d be glued to the TV.

Over the years, of course, Oprah would launch ventures too numerous to count, reaching her audience in so many ways - never reinventing and always maintaining relevance.

As I thumbed through that copy of O yesterday, I could’ve sworn that Oprah Winfrey had sat down herself and written the entire issue just for me.

And I was reminded, of course, that Oprah’s gift is her ability to connect with her audience - an audience of one or one million.

And that billion-dollar business she’s built? It’s the outcome of her ability to put that gift to work.

New year, new opportunities. What’s one thing you can do to connect more authentically with someone today? Share with us below!

#HaveHerBack | Allison Hamilton-Rohe

I’ve been knee-deep in a closet renovation that’s taken way too long.

Isn’t that so true of every home improvement project?!

I’m finally ready to move back into the closet - now with fresh paint, new lighting, and a much more efficient configuration.

But not everything will be making its way back.

The last of the suits I own will be donated, along with my “office heels” and a plethora of black slacks that were a miss as I searched for “the one.”

But the blazer that’s been with me for meetings, on dates and out to dinner with friends?

It is so quintessentially “me” and it is staying.

I’m inspired by my friend, Allison Hamilton-Rohe, as I take a second look at how my clothing reflects the way I see myself.

In her words: “Women are an unstoppable force, but their number one source of shame is how they look -- I want to change this paradigm so every woman can walk out the door feeling beautiful and confident every day.”

Learn more about Allison's work during a styling session that you can sign up to win here.

She’ll also be joining me on season one of Bound & Determined: The Podcast; you can learn more here.

Over to you: what makes you feel unstoppable? Let me know in the comments below!

Grab Your Blue Blockers!

I started wearing glasses in the second grade.

The frames were pink and made of plastic, and they had the tiniest image of Bugs Bunny, embossed in silver, on the arm.

I remember seeing the world for the first time when I put them on.

You know, really seeing the world.

I loved those glasses for their ability to help me see things in the distance, but as I got older, I hated them.

Alas, my vision was getting worse, and “Coke bottle” glasses would just never be fashionable.

At age 12, I was fitted for contact lenses and never looked back (pun intended)!

Flash forward to earlier this year when I learned about blue-light blocking glasses. They’re meant to filter the light that our devices emit, and, as I spend hours every day in front of a device, I was intrigued.

The jury is out if wearing my “blue blockers” will provide any benefit in the long-term, but I’m willing to take the chance.

Self-care may be a massage or an extra hour of sleep - but can also be putting glasses like these on before you sit down at your screen. How are you preserving your physical health while at work? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

It's Not Creepy, It's Social Media

I’ll take “It’s Not Creepy, It’s Social Media for $200, Alex.”

Clue: “I’m Following You.” "What is Instagram?”

Up until a year ago, Adjunct Advisors, LLC was nowhere to be found on the 'gram.

After all, thoughts of insurance don't usually evoke beautiful imagery, do they?

Car accidents!

Fires!

Hurt people!

Fear!

Anxiety!

Stress!

Sigh.

I still see all of this in my feed as I scroll - and likely always will.

But, as I flex a bit of my own creative muscle, I see those with me in the industry do the same.

I see more and more insurance professionals using the platform not to push a product or make a buck, but rather to invite their customers to see the humanity of the work we do - and us!

So curious: As a consumer of insurance, do you follow your insurance agent or provider on Instagram? As an insurance professional, do you make a point of following your clients there? Tell me more below!

What's In A Title?

If you make your living earning commission from the sale of insurance products, you might be an insurance agent. You might also be a producer, or even an account executive or a broker. Even still, you could be a risk management consultant or a risk advisor.

The title may vary from one organization to another, but the job function is the same.

In the insurance industry, unless you are in - or inching toward - the C-Suite, titles rarely translate.

In fact, I’ve been largely oblivious to titles in our industry as my own career path has taken shape. The focus has been on the function of the job - the responsibility, authority and opportunity.

This isn’t always the case, though, as I was reminded when a friend in an unrelated industry recently turned down a job offer. The title was Manager, not Director, a title she’d earned in her last position, and one she wasn’t willing to let go.

And yet another negotiated a substantial raise with the stipulation that the VP title she coveted must be bestowed within 6 months - and it was.

Titles can be a non-negotiable - or they can be a non-issue.

What weight do titles hold in the industry you serve? Let me know in the comments below!

Lessons Learned | Lesson Two

One year down, so many to go!

This week, I’m sharing a few of the many lessons I’ve learned since launching Adjunct Advisors, LLC one year ago.

Lesson Two: People have an inherent desire to help. Well, most of them do.

Building the foundation of a business is a series of very solitary activities. In the early days, I whiled away hours - sometimes entire days - identifying my ideal customer, perfecting a website, a logo, business cards and building the first product I’d launch.

Then it was time to start telling the world what I was up to - and I panicked. It was one thing to sell a product - and totally another when the product was one that I’d researched, developed and then brought to life...and had my name on it!

I started connecting with those closest to me - those I knew would love me no matter what - and told my story. With one single exception, every person I’ve connected with since has been open to learning more about the work I’m doing.

And that one exception - well, she’s a story for another day! :

Have you been pleasantly surprised when you’ve asked for help? Let me know in the comments below!

The Head and the Heart

They say that life is about the little things, and I was reminded of this when I (finally) turned on my air conditioning this morning.

Nearly 10 years ago, when it was time to put down more permanent roots in the neighborhood I’d grown to love here in Chicago, I sat with my realtor and made a list of my “must haves” for my new place:

☑ Dedicated parking spot

☑ Outdoor living space

☑ Central air conditioning

☑ In-unit washer and dryer

I knew I was home the very first time I turned the key in the lock on the front door of the unit I’d end up buying - I could feel it in my gut. It was THE ONE - but it also had none of these "must have" features.

Over time, I'd begin renting a parking space from a neighbor, I’d work with a specialty contractor to add the washer and dryer I coveted and finally, install that central AC that made me smile this morning.

The heart and mind are constantly coordinating as we consider what is right for us - and heart often wins. In sales, we often focus on the financial aspects of the product or service we offer - lower cost or competitive terms - but we can’t overstate the significance of heart.

I’d love to know - are you a “fixer upper” or a “move-in ready” dweller? Let me know in the comments below!

#HaveHerBack | Leah Neaderthal

I’m pretty terrible at asking for help.

I tackle just about every household task myself (before I have no choice but to call in the experts), and in growing my business, I’m humbled as I realize how many have helped me along the way.

Though sales has been a focus for much of my career, now I'm selling a solution that I’ve built, and to an audience who may not realize that they need it. It’s a heavy sale, and one I’m grateful to have the support of Leah Neaderthal to navigate.

In her words: "After several pivotal career moments, I made a decision: I needed to find a way to sell that felt comfortable, felt like me, and didn't feel like a sleazy salesperson. So over the course of several years, I developed a selling methodology that works, that feels good, and that builds really strong client relationships. Using that methodology, I have a 92% win rate and I've sold over $3MM in work.

Now I teach other women how to do the same thing in their business - because I know how hard it can be when you're so good at everything else."

I’d love to know - are you good at asking for help? Let me know below!

::

I highly suggest checking out Leah’s free training, The Leads to Clients System, here: https://lnkd.in/gnHhjyy ::

#365Connections

What is it about “likes” or “comments” on a social platform that feed us as they do? I can’t quite pinpoint the psychology behind it. Ego? Validation? Connection?

Maybe you’ve shared someone else’s article or spent time to write your own - only to find out, several hours later, not a single engagement! Sigh.

I assure you, though, that people see you - and that’s exactly how I came to know Michael Porpora, AAI, CIC. Michael and I have a common interest - the insurance business - and also share an affection for this social platform.

Our initial connection led to a curiosity, and then support, of one another’s efforts, like he demonstrates in a personal challenge he issued that benefits us all. Michael committed to introduce one of his connections here on LinkedIn to his audience each day for one year.

I was happy to wake up this morning to the news that I’m #215. You can listen to the brief clip below to learn more about Michael’s project and the work that I do.

https://lnkd.in/gKCZaJa

:: I so admire Michael’s dedication to this project - if you’ve ever issued a challenge like this to yourself, I’d love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments below!