Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Ramirez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carla. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I majored in Economics and wanted to start a business out of college, but with little capital, I was limited in my options. Insurance was an industry I was familiar with via my mother and some of her friends, and while it didn’t appear glamorous, I knew it had a low entry to barrier, and that it would allow me to be my own boss, which is really all I wanted. At 21 years old, my goal was really just to be able to sleep in and not have a restriction on my lunch hour. Very simple.
It was never my intention to make insurance my career, but with time, I discovered, not only could I sleep in after hiring my first employee, but I could also attain much larger financial goals. Insurance is the business of protecting assets. You have to have them in order to protect them. As a young person, I befriended my prospects, who often became my mentors, as I wanted all of the things they had that I was insuring for them. I was fortunate to be able to live at home for the first few years, and with a nothing to lose mentality, I was able to really enjoy learning the industry and build my own book of business and team.
After 13 years, my team and I have managed to carve out our own agency culture here at the beach. We have grown together with our clients and now specialize in the needs of businesses and professionals. We’re a mix of scholastic nerds with various personalities, and I really love every one of them. The key to really growing a business is hiring and retaining great people, and I really hope to keep bringing on amazing individuals whom our clients trust and enjoy working with.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Fortunately, it has been pretty smooth. I am one of the few people I know that was able to pick a career early on that really worked for me. I compare it to my friends who were able to marry their college sweethearts and skip all the heartaches of dating. That which I was not so lucky to skip out on. I did eventually find my way to the one, thank God!
Carla Ramirez Insurance Agency, Inc.: Farmers Insurance – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our people really set us apart from other agencies. I hire very smart individuals. Our expectations for the quality of the work we do, the advice we give and the involvement when we are needed are all very high. I think most people have low expectations of insurance agents. It is not an industry where higher education is needed, and a lot of the agencies out there have unlicensed staff answering the phones. The public is bombarded by unprofessional advertisements to buy insurance from lizards and animated characters by calling an 800 number. It sets a really low standard of what insurance is.
Our firm operates more on par with a law or accounting firm. We take insurance very seriously. Insurance involves protecting people’s livelihoods, and whenever we are working on a client’s account, we ask ourselves, “What if there was a claim today? Would this client thank us for having done everything possible in our power, or would they be asking us why something is not covered?” This is the bottom line of what we do, and we aim to make having paid those premiums 100% worthwhile, if the worst should ever happen.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is achieving goals, resetting them and then achieving them again. To me, it is about growth. Growth as individuals, in our market presence, financially, or in our relationships with our clients. If we are growing and reaching goals in any way, we are succeeding.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3201 N Sepulveda Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
- Website: https://www.farmersagent.com/cramirez2
- Phone: 3105451027
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlaramirezinsurance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlaramirezinsuranceagencyinc/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/farmers-insurance-carla-ramirez-manhattan-beach-2
- Other: https://www.carlaramirezinsurance.com
Image Credit:
Main photo: Wood and Smith
Second photo: Sergio Luis Estevez
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