Viewpoints

“Spanish is my first language,” says young agent Deuel Romero. “I got into the industry when I saw a huge opportunity with the underserved demographic of the Hispanic business owner community.”

“It takes a lot of work to do this job,” says young agent Yuliya Karpov. “This profession provides an opportunity to find harmony, to learn about yourself and what you need, then reflect and adjust accordingly.”

“Everyone says insurance is relationship-based and sometimes that can just be a throwaway statement,” says young agent Kate Adams. “But when you’re up against a deadline, it’s six o’clock at night and you’re not going to get paid if you don’t get something done by 8 am the next day, you need relationships and connections.”

“I see more people my age coming into the industry,” says young agent Ander Urdaneta, “and with new faces comes new ideas—and with new ideas, the industry is just going to keep growing.”

Gonyo has worked every role in an independent agency—from working the front desk to producing—before starting her own agency at 32 years old with “minimal money in a tiny little office,” she says. Today, Blue Line Insurance has four branches and 15 employees, 14 of whom are women.

As the co-founder of Project 55, a nonprofit launched in January, Brenden Corr is committed to reshaping how mental health is addressed in workplaces.

Carey Wallace, an entrepreneur at heart, is the founder of Agency Focus, an independent insurance agency consulting company.