Today we’d like to introduce you to Ella Hermann.
Hi Ella, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a small town in Indiana of only 6,000 people. My grandparents immigrated from Denmark, Sweden, & Britain. I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Europe as a child and this exposure to travel opened my mind to what could be possible and began my journey to create a life by design. As soon as I turned 18, I jumped on the opportunity to move out of state and explore another lifestyle. This led me to Arizona State University. ASU caught my eye because, at the time, it was the largest college in the United States, and I wanted something polar opposite from the small town I grew up in. Only a few short months into college, I met my first boyfriend, who would later become my husband. I bounced around between different majors, such as marketing and pre-med, and eventually graduated with a degree in Professional Sales. My now husband had gotten an offer through his company to move to Dallas, TX and open an office. Funny enough, I had been telling him how I wanted to move to Texas after graduating college – all part of God’s plan. When I graduated college and moved to be with him in Texas, I started a job selling custom clothing. Like many people, I found myself stressed, overworked, underpaid, and working for the weekend. I got to my breaking point, took a leap of faith, and became an intrapreneur working for a company called AO Globe Life. This leap of faith, although scary, has been one of the best decisions of my life. I have now been with the company for 4 years, and last year, my husband and I led our local agency to doing over $1,400,000 in sales in 2023.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During the last 4 years running an insurance agency, there have been many challenges that I have had to overcome. When challenges and struggles arise, I have come to learn that it ultimately isn’t about solving the problem, but it is more about developing myself into someone that is capable on taking on the challenge. During my first year of being an intrapreneur, I would become frustrated and disheartened when challenges would arise, but what I’ve learned is challenges never go away. We just get better at handling them. There is a quote that talks about choosing your hard: Working out is hard. Being unhealthy is hard. Being broke is hard. Making money is hard. Working for someone else is hard. Being an entrepreneur is hard. Choose your hard. This realization has helped me to stop focusing on things being perfect (things will never be perfect) but focus on developing my mindset and skillset to become a person that can take on these challenges. One of the toughest things we will ever do is learn to overcome ourselves.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work in a niche of the life insurance industry that not many people have heard of. We provide permanent life insurance benefits for over 40,000 unions and associations – such as, police offers, teachers, nurses, veterans. Many people are provided life insurance through work, but the challenge with work benefits is they are often employee-owned and do not stay with you when you leave your job, move, or retire. We help members set up permanent life insurance benefits that will fill in the gaps that they are not able to get through work. We are one of the highest-rated companies for our financial strength and claims-paying ability – which means we pay really fast.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Having the right mentor is one of the most important things you can do in being successful. When looking for a mentor, I would look for someone that isn’t just an expertise in your industry but also someone that possess the values that are important to you. Work-life and personal life all need to flow together for things to work at the highest level. How you do one thing is how you do everything, so I would look for someone who treats others in a way that you admire, has a relationship you admire, etc. Remember, a mentor also has to choose to work with you. So, when you find that person that you want to learn from show your gratitude and respect for their time. Feedback is so important because it lets them know their time is making an impact. So, when they give you advice, implement it and share your results. It can’t just be a relationship where all you do it take. You implementing what they teach you and sharing your results is how you give back to the relationship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aointerview.com/apply/vendor/869?fbclid=PAAabKuDUOM3APaE3taDPz1f4RnG4Y9bAVb4PEMwaCFsQxlT3crz-3MaBt7KA_aem_AUldrSRY-iV0Z0t8PUdM6CF8RY1pHQbp610uJ_rfrc6zhMjF_G6eV_BArVRVbYIvNBk
- Instagram: @just.call.me.ella
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrittmaireYarian?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Caitlan Park Creative
Drew Main
