Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Balsley.
Cindy grew up in Houston with three siblings and parents that believed women were incapable of succeeding in business. She was supposed to grow up, get married and have babies – that was the life her parents had planned. Instead, Cindy decided to leave Houston and find her own way in the corporate world. After moving to Dallas in 1983, she worked under various insurance brokers and became an expert in the industry. Eventually, Cindy realized she was making great revenue for others and decided it was time to run her own show and make the big bucks herself. She was single and thought if she failed, at least she wouldn’t be pulling an entire family down with her. With the support of close friends, Cindy set out on her own to build what would eventually become Balsley Insurance Group; a branch of The Woodlands Financial Group and Insurance Services. Years of experience have left Cindy well versed not only in the technicalities of insurance, but also in the important role of customer service. When she’s not in the office with her husband Kirk, you can find Cindy volunteering at church or cuddling on the couch with her dog Mitch.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn time and time again is that life happens, even if you own a business. You always have to deal with life and your business at the same time. It’s not like you can take sick leave or extended personal time when you’re in charge of everything. On the surface, it looked like I was living the perfect life, but things are not always as they seem. In 1995, after a bout of infertility, I finally got pregnant. I never seem to do things the “normal” or “easy” way. My pregnancy was pretty rough. I had morning sickness morning, noon and night, right from the start. My husband started working with me about a year before my pregnancy, and since we were commuting to the same place, he could drive me to work while I carried my trusty puke bucket along with us. The Bucket went with me everywhere I went. There was no way I could stay home, I had to work, and having a bucket with me all the time was the key factor to my success. I started interviews for an assistant, but just when I found the perfect candidate, I had even more pregnancy complications had to go on complete bed rest. My husband would set a cooler of drinks and food by the bed for snacks for the day, as I could not get out of bed except to use the restroom. To say this time was frustrating is putting it mildly. I still took some calls and did some work from bed. When I was finally able to return to the office, I was ready to dive in with my new assistant. I thought I would have at least a few months to train her, but life was about to take over again. After work one night I started having contractions, but the baby wasn’t due for seven or eight more weeks. I went to the hospital and was given medication to stop my early labor. The medication worked and labor stopped, but one of the rare side effects of the medication was fluid build-up in the lungs. Of course, I was one of the few people affected. I couldn’t breathe and was placed in the ICU until a group of doctors could figure out what to do with me. And remember, I still had a business to run. The doctor said my organs were starting to fail, so I was put on a ventilator. I don’t remember any part of the delivery. God took care of it all, like He always does. I woke up the day after delivery, still on the ventilator. I had to write questions out since I couldn’t talk. My husband Kirk and I had decided not to find out the baby’s sex beforehand, so this note-writing system is how I found out we had a baby girl; we decided to name her Audra. I had to wait three days before I could see her. The nurses would send pictures up to my room until I was able to go visit the NICU myself. I was able to go home after just a few days, but Audra had to stay in the hospital for over a week.
With all of this chaos going on, I still had a business to run. Customers don’t want to hear excuses about your personal issues, they just want you to solve their problems and answer their questions. Eight weeks after delivery, I finally returned to work. It was weird coming back and settling in; I guess because so much happened while I was gone. Before Audra was born, we decided Kirk would say home with her while I returned to work. I finally started to feel like things were back on track at work. I began training my assistant, who turned out to be a fast learner and a hard worker. We were rocking right along until the next bump in the road. My husband became ill and could no longer care for our daughter. Picture this: I’m recovering from a traumatic event, I have a six-month-old baby, a sick husband and a business to run; easy peasy, right? To make a long story short, my in-laws took care of Audra during the day while I worked, then I took care of her at night until Kirk recovered. Once he was better, things got back on track in the office and at home. I took care of the business, while Kirk took care of things at home. My confidence and happiness were both at an all-time high. Sales grew and money was great. I worked long hours, but that’s what a successful person does; they overcome. My first ten years with Company B were amazing. I met my goals and even exceeded my goals, winning trips to Cancun, Seattle, Orlando, Hawaii and more.
My joy was interrupted when a huge bomb dropped; Company B went public. Soon the company’s goals were centered on showing big profits for the investors. Agent contracts were drastically changed. We were all made independent contractors with ridiculous, unrealistic quotas. We lost our benefits and the capability of adding to 401Ks. In light of these major changes, Company B offered to buy us out at a low value. I allowed myself fifteen minutes of anger and then moved on. Little did I know that this shift was just the beginning of the end. Company B forced my fellow agents and I to sell products to clients that did not need them and even forced me to get a security license—all of a sudden I was a financial planner, really? The pressure was horrible and ridiculous.
My book of business had always been profitable, but thanks to all of the new rules, requirements and inflated rates, I started losing long-term clients. That was when I realized I was stuck. Do you throw away 17 years? Or do you stay and allow yourself to be bullied and threatened by your “contract”? The pressure from work began to creep into other parts of my life. I started having trouble sleeping, but who can sleep when they are not allow to do what’s best for their clients? Soon, anxiety crept in too and I landed in a major depression. It hit me hard and it broke my heart. The pain of losing my business, the one that I had built myself, felt like going through a divorce. I had let my carrier define who I was. Rather than allowing a myriad of aspects define my life and my business model, I had gotten hung up on building myself around a brand that no longer existed, at least in virtue. My mother taught me to always help people, but I was no longer able to help people.
I share this story of depression to help others. I advise you to never let your work define who you are. It’s one of the worst things you can do. There will always be things you can’t control. When I look back, I can see many of the business-related factors that contributed to my depression. I had all the classic signs: lack of sleep, lack of drive lack of confidence, and my frustration level was at an all-time high.
The good news is about 11 years ago I landed in the right place for me. I bought in a large independent agency, The Woodland Financial Group and Insurance Services. They are based in The Woodlands Texas. I have never regretted this move. I am my own boss, sell what I want and can offer my clients personal and business insurance. I love going to “work” everyday. TWFG treats me with respect and trust. The gentleman that started TWFG was once captive agent and really gets it. My book of business continues to grow and prosper (no one tells me what to sell or how much of it) I can provide the coverage and service my clients need rather than be told to sell a certain amount of a particular or lose your contract. The now-familiar search for a new company began for a third time. I started to look around and weigh my best options. I took my time, spoke to many people and reviewed a variety of contenders. I ended up landing at “Company C.” Unlike the parent corporations I had encountered in the past, this company was a true independent agency. The gentleman who founded Company C was himself a captive agent that got the raw end of the deal. He knows that many agents face the same struggle I did. They become captive to a company that asks too much, gives too little and exchanges human decency for a glamorous profit margin. It was a place where I could retain my clients moving forward, but this time I had to start from scratch.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about TWFG Balsley Insurance Group – what should we know?
I am an independent insurance agent offering personal and business insurance. We have several companies to shop for a client. Who wants to call ten companies when I can look for you. I council clients regarding their specific needs. Everyone does not fit into a box.
I am most proud that I started this business from scratch. Lot of networking and long hours but so worth it. I am available to my clients; nice to have a real person to speak too rather than an 800# that knows nothing about you. My 25+ years of knowledge and service sets be apart from other agents. My goal is to earn my clients trust and confidence. We can work really well together once that is established.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I care, the last thing I want to have to tell a client is you are not covered. My office is diligent in renewal reviews. We also call clients that have missed a payment, need to keep them covered. I am a good listener, I take the time to make sure the client and I are on the same page. Some conversations move to matters not related to insurance, sometimes people need to know they are important and someone cares.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2340 E Trinity Mills Road
Suite 300 Carrollton, Texas 75006 - Website: www.cindybalsley.com
- Phone: 972-478-4304
- Email: cbalsley@twfg.com
- Facebook: Balsley Insurance Group
- Twitter: CindyInsGal
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