During one of the educational workshops held at NAIFA’s Performance + Purpose Conference in San Antonio, attendees received some words of inspiration from two NAIFA members who overcame several obstacles before enjoying a high level of professional success. The attendees learned some valuable lessons about the importance of persistence and staying the course.

At the age of 23, Barjes Angulo started in the financial-services industry by working for AXA. He was not generating much business, despite working hard and doing what he was told do. In his third year, he was essentially forced out of the business.

Then a friend called him and introduced him to someone at New York Life, which was looking for agents and advisors. Once he got to New York Life, something “magical” happened. “That was the right fit for me,” he said. He quickly found financial success, earning a six-figure income, and qualifying for MDRT. “This was a far cry from having to ask for money to get to work,” he said.

Angulo shared some of the reasons for his success with the audience. They include:
*Persistence. People are not always ready to buy when you approach them, he said, so it is all about staying in the game.
*His burning desire to help clients and make a difference in their lives
* Starting his work -day early
*Hiring staff as soon as he possibly could.

The second presenter, Tyler Hirth, also did not experience early success in the business. He did not do well at MetLife and his dad told him to quit the business because he was three months behind in the payment of his student loans.
Hirth did not quit the business because his lifelong dream was to become an agent like many members of his family.

He happened to attend a local NAIFA meeting where he met NAIFA member Corey Anderson, who told him not to quit and not to accept a job he had secured selling fertilizers. Hirth listened to Anderson, turned down the offer, continued to do what he does best, and today, he, too, has found a high level of professional success.

His success factors include:
*Attend NAIFA meetings and build relationships with other members you meet there. “You will learn from the best in the business if you do,” he said. “If it weren’t that NAIFA meeting, I would not be here today,” he added.
*Attend NAIFA’s Congressional Conferences., as well. “You can use your attendance at this meeting to let clients know that you met with key lawmakers. This helps build credibility with them,” he said.
*Know your numbers. Know how many calls you have to make to get to the number of prospects you have to see each day.
*Track your activities to understand how you are spending your time.
*Join an accountability group—and make good use of it.