Bill Gross’s abrupt departure from investment giant Pimco—which he helped co-found way back in 1971, growing assets under management to more than $2 trillion—is an important lesson for agency leadership.

Aside from the confusion surrounding why there was apparently no non-compete clause in Gross’s contract with Pimco, it appears his management style had worn thin on his staff when he decided to depart and join Janus Capital Group.

Earlier in the year, Pimco’s No. 2—Mohamed El-Erian—departed, sending ripples throughout the company that was losing its heir apparent to follow Bill Gross. But the most notable aspect of El-Erian’s departure was his reason for leaving: his desire to spend more time with his family.

It’s hardly unique, but El-Erian’s personal perspective that “it’s more important to be a good dad than a good investor” is instructive considering he was known for putting in 100-hour weeks. El-Erian’s epiphany occurred in May 2012, after his then 10-year-old daughter wrote him a list of 22 milestone events in her life that he missed. After departing Pimco, El-Erian has retained a post with Pimco’s parent company Allianz, serving in role of chief economic adviser. There, he says he spends "50% of my time and I love it."

Independent agents operate in an industry that can feasibly offer flexibility to all its employees. Certainly all working people must miss events, family or otherwise, that they wish they could attend. And many independent agents can attest to working evenings and weekends in order to help their clients with a claim issue—particularly in the event of emergency or catastrophe, but also during more mundane tasks like compiling paperwork for proposals and renewals. As digital marketing continues to advance, more agencies are assigning certain after-hours time for the agency staff to respond to inquiries in real time—or, alternatively, tapping into call centers and third-party responders.

But aside from the pulse of business, many career independent insurance agents cherish the flexibility of their work schedule, which enables them to make most of the important events in their personal lives. It’s a huge selling point for this industry—and one that many unfortunately overlook during the recruitment process. Sure, the pace can be hectic, but most successful people are willing to work hard if it means retaining some flexibility to attend those seminal events. Most importantly, it affords employees the opportunity to help their clients and the community at large.

Does your elevator pitch to potential hires encapsulate the essence of what an independent agency is and does? Try circulating an informal survey that asks what your agency staff values about working in an independent agency—the answers might surprise you. Be sure to include their feedback in developing your agency’s story.

And don’t forget to mark those important events you’ll regret missing and on your calendar.

Dave Evans is a certified financial planner and an IA contributor.