Get to know the individuals that ignite the insurance industry as they answer our icebreaker questions. 

Taylor Hendrickson is the Young Agents Council (YAC) director at the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. She's passionate about helping young professionals find their footing and thrive in the insurance industry. Whether she's planning engaging events, building meaningful connections with company partners or keeping a close eye on industry trends, Taylor is all about creating opportunities for others to grow and succeed.

In 2023, Taylor was honored as the Big “I" Young Agents State Liaison of the Year. She has since joined the Big “I" national Young Agents Committee and stepped into the role of chair for the Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) Young and Emerging Professionals Committee.

Thanks for joining us, Taylor. Let's start at the beginning—of your day. Can you tell us about your morning routine?

It's kind of a mess, honestly. I set multiple alarms and snooze every single one of them. Eventually, I get up around 7 a.m. to feed the dogs because they will not let me forget. Then I do my makeup and make coffee. The weekends are an entirely different story. The dogs allow me to sleep until 9 a.m. How do they know? I have no idea, but there's no need to ask questions.

What are your pets' names?

I have three. Winnie is a Dalmatian. She's super calm and just stares into your soul. Chloe is a Jack Russell Terrier. Small and spicy. And Olivia is my cat. She's independent, standoffish and lets you know she exists on her own terms. It's a wild house.

“The Secret Life of Pets: Taylor's House" would be epic. What phrase or cliché do you most live by?

“Go with the flow." I love to plan things, but I know things will never go exactly how I imagined, so I enjoy just riding the wave and adapting.

You're perfect for this column because we kind of make it up as we go along, as well. What's one thing you can't say no to?

A trip. If you say, “wanna go somewhere?" the answer is “Yep, I do." I'm already mentally packed.

So, what three items are always in your handbag?

Chapstick, receipts I'll never go through and a Tide Stick. I will inevitably get a stain on the white shirt I'm wearing.

Personally, I avoid wearing white. Tell us about a time you met a famous person.

I met Sally Struthers. Being a “Gilmore Girls" fan, that was a dream. She is exactly like Babette in real life.

What goals are you currently working toward outside of work?

Right now, I'm creating a fairy garden in my backyard. It's a whimsical little passion project that lets me play with creativity and nature at the same time.

Sounds magical. Which website do you most often defer to when procrastinating?

Reddit. My current go-to subreddits are rgardening, because of the fairy garden, obviously, rACValhalla still obsessed, and rSeverance because I have thoughts.

And last of all, what is something you're looking forward to?

Real answer: my wedding in November. Real, real answer: my honeymoon in Costa Rica. I'm so excited for the beach, the food and just getting to fully soak in all the joy after months of planning. Sloths. Beaches. No stress. Pure joy.

Enjoy it! Or, as the sloths would say, “eeennnnjjjjoooyyy iiiittt!"

This is a monthly column for Independent Agent magazine and iamagazine.com. To be featured, email hello@agencynation.com.