Interview with retirement specialist Jodi Katina

hello and welcome to the life of an entrepreneur i'm jan mccarthy with entrepreneurial voice and we are broadcasting live from skid row studios.com and we are real radio on the internet we're here every tuesday at 11 a.m pacific standard time and i'm really really excited to interview our guest today we're talking about business matters and sharing business tips and resources and and journeys and and all of that kind of thing and our guest today is julie katina and she is a retirement specialist of mass mutual and if anyone wants to call in and ask us questions you can do so the number is 1-800-897-9000 and we would love to hear from you but otherwise welcome jody i'm glad to have you here thank you very much i'm happy to be here awesome so tell me um we want to get into what it is that you do what is a retirement specialist and and how you got to this point but tell me a little bit about your background in terms of growing up uh were you surrounded by entrepreneurs and what was the path that got you from from childhood to retirement and how did you get to where you are now and what did you do to here oh wow um well my family i grew up in fullerton and um my father was an electrician and my mother worked at the school she was a homemaker and worked part-time at the school um we had some business owners in our family my grandparents um both sets owned their own business and um but growing up it was mainly seeing my dad go off to work every single morning and um you know it he worked real hard and i saw that and you know it was always expected to go to college and make something of myself and i always loved working with children and so i decided to go to school to be a teacher um having been told all along that there's not a whole lot of compensation unfortunately for teachers but my heart was with the children so i got my degree in child development at cal state fullerton um scroll forward a little bit um i was that something that you always you said that you definitely loved children but what did you were there things that you were thinking when you were little like um when i grow up i'm going to be this or was it always kind of when i grow up i'm going to be a teacher you know i i knew i wanted to work with children and um in college it was kind of funny i i wanted to be a physical it was actually in high school i wanted to be a physical therapist working with children i thought that would just be a little bit of a challenge for me and i was like well i'm going to be a teacher and i'm going to be a teacher and i'm going to be a teacher and i'm going to be a teacher and i'm going to be a teacher and i'm going to be a teacher and i'm going to be a teacher and i'm not too good in math and science so i found out how how much science is involved in that major so i quickly changed and it was uh teaching for my goal now that's kind of an unusual um career path for someone in high school was there something that happened that made you think this would be really fulfilling and great there was um i actually lost my parents in a plane crash when i was 12 years old and um they were awesome parents and we were a really really close family and so going through high school without my parents and seeing kids not having the best relationships with their parents i guess in high school i had to grow up pretty quickly and i thought that if i could make a difference in a child's life that would be really fulfilling wow i'm sorry to hear that i didn't know that story but it is interesting how, how things happen. And a lot of people do think about whatever career path, whatever business they're thinking of starting it quite often, especially for women, it comes from a place of pain or passion. And so that helped to fuel you in, in, in moving forward with what you thought you wanted to do. Definitely, definitely. So I went, I got my degree in child development and I start the big buzzword during that time was corporate daycare. So I thought, well, you know, it'd be wonderful to help mothers have their children in the corporations and set up those daycare systems within the corporations. And I fell in love, got married, moved to Las Vegas and worked at a preschool that was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even on Christmas, Jan. Wow. Oh, that's so sad. That just broke my heart. But here we are. It was fulfilling for me. Well, yeah. I mean, lucky because those kids had you with so much love and care to share. Yeah. So, um, again, the money wasn't there though. And it just, I was getting calls at midnight, you know, uh, because something had happened at the preschool and argument between the teachers and it just wasn't the right atmosphere for me to grow and use my skills and use my talents. And, um, I actually worked for farmer's insurance. I, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, I did a, a career change to work for farmer's insurance as a claims adjuster. And I worked my way up through farmers, worked for them for 10 years. And, um, when I left again, my passion is helping people and, um, making a difference in someone's life. I was handling the large loss claims, people that had had a catastrophic loss, whether a death fatality or lost their home or whatever it may be. I would able, I was able to go in and help them with, the claims process with that. So that's what you really loved was working with people and helping them to recover something or be able to deal with that loss by what you were able to do for them. Definitely, because I got a lot of opportunity to share my experience, even my tragedy in my childhood. And they knew I had been there and they could relate to that loss. So that was that was rewarding to me. So you were there 10 years. I was there for 10 years. And then I came back to California. And, you know, farmers changed their their way of doing business. And they took away a lot of our support. And it just wasn't a right fit for me anymore. And I decided to go work with some family members that worked in commercial truck dealership. My cousin was the general manager. And she had always tried to get me to work for her for so many years while I was in the daycare and while I was at farmers. And I thought, there's no way I'm now I could never be a salesperson. You were really at this crossroads. And now all of a sudden you're you were taking a leap of faith and going into something that you had never been involved in. Absolutely. And everybody thought I was crazy. And what gave you the courage to do that? My faith. Okay. My faith. Absolutely. Just I'm a firm believer. If a door opens, I'm going to do it. If a door opens, it's okay to walk through it. Sure. Okay. If it slams in your face, you don't try and open it. You find another door. Exactly. So I interviewed with a truck dealership. And three interviews later, they hired me. And I was working on a dirt lot in Fontana, wearing jeans and boots and selling commercial trucks to these owner operators. And again, these guys are coming to me as company drivers. And I'm like, I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to drivers and they want to own their own equipment and it's their dream to own their equipment. And that's the way I looked at it as I was helping them realize their dream. So I enjoyed that too. Yeah. Did that for about 12 years. And then I got to another impasse in my life where, you know, I wanted more. I wanted to make more of a difference for people. I got married and my husband is now my business partner and he was a financial planner with MassMutual as well. And we got to talking and we thought, let's combine our efforts and see what we can do in changing people's lives. Fantastic. So tell me a little bit about that. So you're entrepreneurs, a lot of times the question does come up, you know, working with a partner, working with a husband or wife. And what all of that entails. So we're a lot of times when you take on a partnership, you have, it is a lot like a marriage. So you've already got the marriage thing going, but a partnership is different. So how you divide responsibility and kind of divide and conquer or just divide. And so how did you approach that? Did you all sit down and say, okay, marriage is one thing, but this is a business partnership. And how do we want to structure that? Or did you just, say, hey, you know what? We're great. We work well together. We're married well together. So let's do that. There's a lot that kind of goes into it. So what made you decide that? And what kind of, if you don't mind my asking, what kind of discussions go around that? Right. Well, my husband was extremely busy doing his one man show and doing very well. He was the top 3% in the company. He never had an investment. He never had an investment. He never had an investment. He never had an investment. And I saw him just doing the paperwork and the administration when he could be out doing what he does best and talking with people and helping people with their financial planning. So we sat down and we said, okay, either you continue at the commercial truck dealership doing what you're doing. You're doing great and you like it. Or I hire an assistant. And I loved what I was doing at the time. But the hours were kind of hard because I was staying at the, I was at my client's disposal. If they could meet me at seven o'clock at night, I was there, you know? And so it was really hard to balance the married life, the family life and corporate America. So we talked about it and we prayed about it. And we just really felt like it's a good fit because of my sales background and my people skills that I could be an assistant, so to say, initially. And so that's kind of what I had to get my license. I was just going to ask, was there training and education? Absolutely. Absolutely. I had to get my license and I did that while I was working at the dealership. So kind of a crazy time. But yeah, you know, we, I got my license and I started out assisting him and then we realized, well, maybe because of your sales background, maybe you would be better. As a partner rather than an assistant. And so I was a little apprehensive a little bit because it's a brand new field that I didn't know anything about. However, MassMutual is wonderful with their training program. And I went to the training program and I have the best mentor ever. You're lucky, right? Absolutely. So I'm learning from him as well. As far as the conversations, you know, it's, it's interesting. Working with your husband. I love it. We get along great. We had a lot of warnings from people. Don't do it. Don't do it. It's going to break up your marriage. But for us, we're best friends and we celebrate each other's victories and we understand each other's woes. And when you have a good day and a bad day, we can relate to each other. And when you are victorious, it benefits both of you. Absolutely. So that kind of eliminates, but this is a big question because it kind of, eliminates maybe that competitive spirit. Oh, definitely. That you might have in a, in a, that might, might occur in a partnership. Sure. So, so that's something to think about. But did you sit down and, and really strategize that, well, these are your strengths and these are my strengths and, and this is why we feel that it can work? You know, we did. He's, he's a planner. He, he can see things that I can't see as far as, um, the overall picture. He's really good at, um, analyzing things. And so he, um, he had a complete piece about me coming aboard and being a partnership rather than assistant and helping him. Um, for me, it was, it was a little bit more difficult to get used to working with my husband because I was used to answering to a boss all the time, having to be in the office at eight o'clock and staying until God knows when, when the last client left. Mm-hmm. Um, to going to making my own schedule and, and having that freedom to, to work my business. Mm-hmm. So we had quite a few conversations, definitely, but he is very supportive in, in, uh, lifting me up and encouraging me and, and saying, you know, we're going to do this together and you're fully capable. Yeah. Well, you've brought up, you've brought up several things that entrepreneurs face. And one is that sometimes when you make a decision, you have a lot of the naysayers. Mm-hmm. So you had people saying, don't do this, don't do this. And, and the bottom line is you have to kind of trust your gut. You have to have those hard conversations. Absolutely. I mean, they are because, yeah, that, that potential. I've worked with my husband, so I actually can speak a little bit from experience. And it was, and it was great. Mm-hmm. Um, so fortunately, I just told you, we celebrated 31 years of marriage, so it didn't destroy our marriage. Yeah. Um, but I also read. I recognized, and it's also important to recognize who you are. And I recognized that I really wanted my own thing. Mm-hmm. Uh, so, uh, but I still am very involved in, in the businesses that, that he runs and, and vice versa. He's also involved in mine. Right. Um, so, but it does take a, a very, um, special kind of relationship because you are together a lot. You got to really like these people, right? That's for sure. You're together a lot. So you have to really think about that. All right. Am I ready to, uh, be with this person all day and all night, you know? Well, and Steve, um, being the one man show, he didn't have an opportunity to do the follow-up that he really needed to with his clients. Being there, developing that relationship, that trust rapport. He did that initially, obviously, because they purchased the, the products they did. However, um, that's kind of been my role I've evolved into is that, you know, I call the clients and I'll say, how's it going? Oh, you just had a baby. Great. You know, and just really develop that, um, rapport and that relationship part of the financial planning business because you want to feel comfortable with the person you're trusting your money with. Exactly. And this is kind of a husband and wife team, which makes, make, helps your customer not feel like they've been dumped to somebody else. Yeah. To, to someone who doesn't understand. Right. Right. And then Steve's amazing. He's amazing at, you know, the nuts and bolts of the business, putting together the plan, really analyzing this, the, in, in the particular situations and then helping them meet their goals. So. So you're really great at, at, I'm noticing you're really great at pointing out what his strengths are. So, and I'm sure that he reflects that back to you as well. He does. Like it's all such a great relationship, but you do have to really recognize what your own strengths are. Sure. So what are your strengths that you knew? And, and have learned that you were able to bring to this relationship, to this partnership and, and to this business? You know, I, I like to think of myself as a sincere person and honest person and a warm person. And that's important to me that people understand that relationship is important to me and developing those bonds and, and talking and being there for each other. Um, so my people skills, I think is. Is a great strength in what I do, because I like to think that people feel comfortable when they sit down with me and, you know, sometimes it's at a restaurant. I can speak from when I first met you. You're, you're very warm and inviting. Oh, thank you. I'm sure that, I'm sure that translates. I know it translates. It does. Um, you can have all the people skills, but if you don't have the organizational skills and the communication skills, um, you're not going to go very far. So with, I'm organized. I'm the person that organizes our business and. It was all manual before. Now we're, we're transitioning over to electronic. That's huge. Can I hire you? No, we're a slow transition. But nevertheless, we're, we're making that move. And how did you have the skills to do that? Just learning by doing and talking to people and just trying to figure it out on my own. Um, you know, there are so many resources out there with the internet that, um, I've. I've. I've. I've been able to tap into and just the Google calendar. And I sent my husband an invitation for one of his meetings, like, what's this? I'm like, honey, this is the way we're going. So just say yes, you're going to be there and it'll go on your calendar. That's great. So just baby steps, you know. And then, you know, trying to take the paperwork off of him and organizing him. He's kind of an organized mess in his office. And it drives me crazy because I'm very, you know, organized and kind of orderly. And so it's just kind of melting those skills together and figuring it out, you know, and making adjustments when you need to and keeping what works and reinventing the wheel. So what do you love most about what it is that you're doing? More than anything. It's giving people peace of mind. What I do is I'm a solution provider. I provide solutions, things that keep people awake at night. How are they going to be able to afford to retire? How do they save the money? What would happen if, you know, God forbid, you're skiing and you have an accident and you're not able to provide for your family? And that's something that really touched. Which is you and you're able to draw from your own experience. Absolutely. Regardless of what it was that you're how your parents had planned. You either know how important it was that they did or how important it was that they didn't. And thankfully, they did plan ahead. And it was the insurance policy that paid for my wedding, paid for my college. And they were planners. They had the forethought to protect their family. And so that's near and dear to my heart. Yeah. I was just going to say you can really speak from experience and speak from your heart. And it also really one of the things I think that consumers really look for is that authenticity. And it's really authentic. It's not just a story that you made up that obviously no one would ever make that up. But just as a story to kind of go along with whatever it is that you're selling. Right. And we do. We crave that authenticity and what it is that someone's selling and providing. And this is also. It's also a service and a product that people are sometimes a little bit wary of. It is. Because they don't understand. Insurance and the insurance salesman. And, you know, and I try and remember that because I'm just who I am. You know, I want people to know who I am, where I come from, who Steve is. And, you know, and so they feel comfortable doing business with us. And so I have to remind myself that, you know, there. There is. There is a stigma out there for insurance salespeople. It just is what it is. Right. Exactly. But once we sit down with people and they understand, I think both Steve and I are good at showing our heart when we talk with people. And so it makes a difference in them feeling comfortable enough to share their personal information, because even the whole money, you don't talk about money in a lot of families. You know. Well, I mean, all of us have sort of been trained to not divulge that information. And and and that's hard. And so they really do have to have that trust factor. Definitely. And you understanding that is really important, too, that they have to have that in order to just open up their books and open up their lives. Right. There's really you've got to be a really good researcher and detective. And you're like the psychologist. Absolutely. Just keep digging. No, no stone left unturned. Just divulge their secrets. Right. And and then they have to feel confident that that those secrets are with you. Sure. So absolutely. And it's it's just really rewarding because when things happen and, you know, Steve and I haven't had to pay out our first death claim yet. But the more seasoned agents who have been there 15, 20 years, they'll say, wait until you have to pay your first death claim. You're the company when one of your clients has passed. And you made sure that that client was covered. It's just it kind of gives meaning to what we do, if that makes sense. We had an agent that he was formerly a dentist and he was skiing and he had a horrible accident and he was no longer able to be a dentist. He had the forethought to have that income protection. And that's what kind of saved him from losing everything. But still, Steve still has that battle still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still still insurance policy and you know it makes a difference yeah yeah now how do you say came into this business and your husband has I mean he's he knows the ropes so he knows how to go out and find the clients and and he's he's built up a following right referrals and and that that kind of thing so you came in and you were able to probably benefit from that a little bit but how does one come in and like especially in a business that's somewhat saturated misunderstood right and I don't know those two words fit yeah absolutely how do you go in and make your mark how do you stand out and how to how do you quickly and effectively communicate that warmth and trust and and and everything well first and foremost is meeting one-on-one with the client over the phone I think a person gets a feel for who you are but the the initial interview when we're actually meeting at a coffee shop and sitting down and and getting to know each other and I can explain more about what I do and I can understand what their situation is and what their situation is and what their向 is and how do we get out of that向 and get out of that向 and get out of that向 And I'd call companies day in, day out, 50, 75 companies a day. And I was able to feel comfortable enough to talk to the CEOs and get to the top and really dig and try and get to the right person, decision maker, so to speak. And that's important for people to know because a lot of businesses are like this, where you do have to do the cold calls. Definitely. And my husband does not like cold calls. He would much rather do the warm. He's amazing with warm referrals. But for me, in building our partnership, I focused on the cold calls. And again, you brought in one of your strengths. Right, exactly. And being a woman, I wanted to focus on the women's industry, the women small business owners and PTA presidents and going into elementary schools and trying to help families save for college, making an impact that way. So definitely just meeting one on one with people face to face and understanding where they are, what they have in place, because a lot of people do. They have a lot of different insurance policies. There's a lot of insurance companies out there. Yeah. And we kind of a lot of insurance policies, unfortunately, have been structured to lapse. And a lot of people don't know that. And unfortunately, the agent may. They may not know it or they may know it and didn't tell the client. They are just selling what they're able to sell, if that makes sense. Right. So when I meet with our clients, we ask them to bring what they have, their policies. And, you know, my husband and I do these meetings together because we think it's important that they know both of us and we'll look through the policy. And sure enough, you know, it will lapse in 15 years. And which means that that client. That customer is going to lose all their investment. All that monthly premium that they've been paid into that policy is going to go away and they're going to lose all that money. So we equate it to you're rowing a boat to Hawaii and you got a hole in the boat and you're going to start sinking. You can either try and plug it or you can get out of the boat and get into a ship, you know, so to speak. So we rewrite those policies all the time because we point out. Where they're headed and make let them make the decision. But I think being able to point that out to someone is so important because they would have lost all of their investment. Right. I think you again, just. Listening to you, I love that you recognize each other's strengths and and utilize those to the to the best of your ability. So I think that's a great point. And moving this business forward and that's really what you have to do. Right. And then also, like you said, you you're such a tremendous support for each other. And as entrepreneurs, not everyone has that luxury of of having a partner that they can go on this journey with. Right. So if you whether you have this or not, it's very, very important to surround yourself with others that are like minded, that are there to be. And so I think it's important for us to be to know who your cheerleaders are. Right. And to know who is going to kind of have your back, so to speak, and continue to like you were saying, your husband said, you can do this, you know, and and encourage versus, you know, the they're always going to be negative energies out there. Absolutely. People who and maybe they're not even trying to be mean. They're just they just don't understand. Right. Right. So. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. husband or you surround yourself with a group of women or men or through networking, that's vital because you need that support because it can be a rough road. Well, it is. It's a lonely journey when you're out there and we're kind of a very unique breed. Absolutely. You know, so, and even just trying to get it all from one person is hard because you and I met at a group of women entrepreneurs and it is important because you get, not only do you meet new people and help to develop real relationships versus just passing out cards, but you also get to get that support in a number of different ways, not just your husband or not just your wife or not just your business partner or, you know, one other person. It is very, it does take a village sometimes. Absolutely. Absolutely. So, I love that, that you're getting that and I think it's so important for everybody. That's really the foundation for success. Absolutely. And also teaches you about building relationships. Well, and I've learned a lot about networking. I mean, before at the truck dealership, it was just picking up phone calls, you know, picking up the phone and calling. If you had the courage to do that and get them into the dealership, more than likely I'd close the sale. But in an entrepreneurial relationship or business, you have to network. That is vital to your business, getting in front of as many people as you can and not just to sell something, but to network and do referrals and, you know, support each other. That's incredibly important. Yeah. And the other component there is not just networking, but really building relationships with those people. Definitely. And I think that's sometimes misplaced. It's misunderstood. So, it's great that you're doing that. I also would love to chat about, and if anybody wants to call in, we would love to hear from you. The number is 1-800-893-9562. A lot of women are very afraid, men too probably, but right now I'm talking to a woman and I work mostly with women. So, I'd like to really focus on this. A lot of women are afraid of, or a lot of people are afraid of sales. Right. You're not. So, tell me what your philosophy is and were you ever afraid of it or how did you get over it if you were? Well, I think it's simple. My philosophy is anyone could be a potential client. I mean, if I'm in the nail salon and I strike up a conversation with the person next to me, you know, and we hit it off, I would say, let's keep in touch. We should have coffee sometime. What's your phone number or do you have a business card? And then a couple of days later, I'll follow up with them in the grocery store. And I mean, my son's little league, every person needs what I'm selling. They need that peace of mind knowing that they've planned ahead for their future. So, my philosophy is basically, every single person could be a potential client. And so, it's up to me to make that first move, take the initiative and be able to say, hey, hi, how are you? And with a smile, you know. Recognizing that everyone can benefit from what it is that you're selling. Every single person. And so, that's what allows you to feel confident and feel energized. That. To. To approach people and share what it is that you're doing. Definitely. And that, and honestly, the product that I'm able to sell, it's the best in the industry. I mean, I'm, the value of what I'm doing is once people understand it, they just, they get it. And it's like, oh yeah, why didn't someone tell me this before? You know, and because I was in the same boat many years back and no one had told me that I could save for my son's college and in a, in an insurance policy. You know, I thought insurance was just for when you die, you take care of your family and your burial expenses. I didn't realize you could save for college or even for your retirement. Right. A lot of people don't know that. So, that's my frame of mind is I'm going to strike up a conversation and become friends with someone. And I don't like the sales approach. Sure. Exactly. No. Does that make sense? Well, see, I'm not afraid of sales either. And I have the same philosophy as you. And that is because you, first of all, you do, and this is the advice that I want to share with our listeners, is that first of all, you do have to believe in your product or your service. Absolutely. And whenever you were selling the trucks, you were helping people realize their dream. Absolutely. They had a dream of owning a good product. Yeah. Yeah. So, you have to believe in the product and the service that you're selling. Definitely. Otherwise, you're a fraud. And when you realize that in your case, like you said, everybody that you talk to, you feel like everybody can benefit from this. Now, not everybody can benefit from every product and service. Right. So, you have to know who your ideal client is. Absolutely. And you're looking at retirement. So, a 15-year-old is not your client. Right. That doesn't mean that you won't still start a business. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. That's a great way to start a conversation. Right. But that's exactly what you're saying, is knowing who your clients are. Right. And recognizing that you're providing a benefit for them. You're sharing something with them that they can get a lot from, a true benefit. And so, I think it's great. And that's what I love hearing you share that, because it's the same philosophy that I have too. It makes a difference. I mean, you have to believe in what you're selling. You have to have passion and truly believe that you've got the best thing out there. And I know I do. Yeah. There are other products out there that just can't even compete with what MassMutual is able to offer. And I'm fortunate in that aspect and that, you know, we pay the highest dividend interest in the industry. Yeah. Period. Or none. Who's going to argue with that? Some people say, well, I can sell somebody else's thing. Like I can sell, like MassMutual is, you're an entrepreneur, but it's also a company. You don't own MassMutual. So it's a little bit easier sometimes when it's, I think this is where some of the clients that I have that I work with, where they struggle, is that, well, that's someone else's. I can sell someone else's, you know, as long as I believe in the product and the service. I can sell someone else's, you know, as long as I believe in the product and the service. Believing in your own product and service. That's vital. I mean, why did you go into the business? What made you sell the product you are? And if you can convey that, you'll be successful. And that's exactly what I believe too, is that you wouldn't, you came into this because you totally believed in it. Absolutely. Whether you created this product. Get back to your first love. You would give it to your mother. You would give it to your sister, your brother, your best friend. You know, and if you can give it to them and feel 100% comfortable with it, then you. You are wanting to make sure everybody else has it too. Definitely. And what the benefits are derived from it. Definitely. But it is an interesting topic. And I'm sure that you've run into people who, no, no, no, I don't like to sell. I don't like to sell. Right. And yet we're selling every day. Yeah, we do. You know, I mean, whether it be trying to sell your husband on why we need a new house. Exactly. You're selling in every situation. And Daniel Pink has a. A great book out called To Sell is Human. And he really talks about all of the, you know, that exactly what you just said. You're trying to sell your house and you're trying to sell your husband on the house or to go to a movie. Exactly. Or this restaurant. You've got a vested interest, but you really do believe that, you know, so that's selling. And you can imagine at our home, we're both salespeople. I always tell them, don't try and sell me. I bet those are some interesting discussions. But it is. It is. I'm sure you run. I cross people go, oh, my gosh, I could never sell. I could never. I could never do that. I was one of them. And and just being able to reframe that and look at it in in a very authentic kind of way, I think is important. And I wanted to. That human aspect of just talking with someone. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's true. It's true. Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Yes, I do. So. Um. Even moving from farmers insurance to selling commercial trucks in the middle of Fontana. I mean, that was a risk. And throughout my life, I've taken risks. And I think that that's shaped me into the person I am because I'm willing to take that risk. There are a lot of people in my family, extended family that are very comfortable with the status quo. They don't like change. It's stressful for them to change. And I'm the type of person that people kid me because I'll have a different color hair. Oh, maybe I need dark red this month. You know, I just I like to switch it up. And I and risk isn't scary to me. Sure. It's uncomfortable. But if I don't if I don't take the risk, I'll always wonder. Does that make sense? Oh, it totally does. Jim. Jim Carrey. And I may be botching this incredibly, but he did a commencement speech and it was something along the lines of, oh, I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. I'm a risk taker. You're always taking a risk. And even at something along the lines that, you know, it's just as hard to fail as it is to succeed. Right. So you might as well try, you know. And learn from it. If it's a failure, learn from it. How did you get there? Yeah. What's the toughest part of what you do, of being an entrepreneur? Being an entrepreneur, that's a good question. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Toughest part for me initially was knowing how to get in front of people because, again, it was learning how to network and things like that. So now that I know how to do that, the biggest challenge. While you're thinking about that, let me go back to what you just said, learning how to network and getting in front of people. So what was it that you learned? Like, what were your thoughts before? That it's okay to go to a lunch by myself, bring my business cards and share what I do with people. Learning how in those business lunches to stand up and be able to say what I do. And the more I did it, the more confident I got. The more I put myself out there, it was practice for me initially. And I flubbed through it, I'm sure. But it's like the cold calls, you know, it's practice. You have to get it down, calling people. You have to get your call down. And not that it's a cookie cutter call because every single conversation is different. But, you know, you have to be able to make an impact. You learn how to connect and you learn how to make an impact. It's just doing it, doing the thing that you fear. Exactly. Will help you get over it. Exactly. And the reason I asked about the risk taker too was, you know, do you think that's a good thing? That's an important skill for or an important trait for an entrepreneur? It's comfortable. Corporate world is comfortable. You go in, you punch the clock, you know, it's comfortable. And you kind of have to get out of your comfort zone to realize your dreams. That's a vital. I mean, you have to take that risk. And knowing that you've got everything lined up, you know, before you leave corporate America, and you've started to build your business, the risk is little compared to the reward. And that's kind of what I look at. I love the fact that if my son has a little league game, I can go. And I'm not going to have to ask my boss if I can have some time off and then make up the hours later. I can't believe I lived like that for so many years. I know. Seriously, you know. And I... I love the fact that I... I'm not punching a clock. Everybody will be quitting their job tomorrow. You can do it. But you can. You can. You can. Absolutely. If you have an idea and a dream and a goal and a plan, nothing's going to stop you. Nothing's stopping you. So going back to... Well, I gave you time to think while talking at the same time and doing what... Sorry. Which is multitasking. No, I asked you to talk and I asked you to think at the same time. So what was your... What's the most challenging thing? Because I'm relatively considered relatively new in the business. It was very difficult for me to convince my truck customers that now I'm the now financial professional. So that was... I had 300, 400 clients through the years that I've sold trucks. And I thought going in as an insurance representative, you know, I thought I've got it in the bag. I've got all these people. They're all going to buy from me. Right. But it wasn't that way. It was... Hold on, Jodi. You sold me the truck. How can I trust you with our money? How did you get so smart with all of this? Exactly. That's what their question was. And how did you answer that? I would say, you know... I would say... I would say... I would say... I would say... I have a team of professionals that back me. And you're right. I'm new into the business. But my husband's been doing this for umpteen years. He has a master's degree from USC in business and finance. And we have a team of professionals that are in Beverly Hills. And they're ready and willing to help and guide me through this process with you. Yeah. And of course, the most important... The most important reason you're an expert... The most important reason you're an expert at this is because you've been down this road. You experienced this as a child and found that people who had planned for this. And you can speak from your heart and authentically. And I think even, you know, that's the key as well. Right. You know, not only do you have the professional team behind you and the resources to be able to get them whatever they need. But you speak from experience that this is vital and will benefit them in the long run. Definitely. You know, so that's great that you brought that up because a lot of people don't think about that as they enter a business. There's like, oh, all my friends will come support me and buy from me and do all of this. And then it's sometimes they're not prepared for that question. Right. You know, that your customers asked you and they knew you well enough to ask. You know, which is great. But not everybody will. They just don't. And then an entrepreneur might feel that they are being abused. Right. Right. But we were friends then. Right. And now we're not. And they're not supporting me. So being prepared for that kind of question, whether they actually ask it, they're thinking it. Well, and through my training with MassMutual, you know, they said make 30 calls a day. You're probably going to get possibly 10 reaches if you're really good, you know, good timing, whatever. And out of those 10 people that you actually get to talk to out of those 30 calls, if you make one to two appointments, you're a-okay. Yeah. And I had never heard that in my whole sales career. You know, I just kept on calling, kept on calling. I didn't care. I just knew I had to get them into the dealership. So knowing that, okay, as long as I do what I need to do as far as making my calls, and I may or may not reach them, at least I can show that I'm making the effort. And in my mind, I know I'm working and I'm making that effort. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. You know, a lot of times people don't realize you do have to work your business. You do. You have to work your business. Absolutely. And you also can't take it personally. Exactly. So you have to be authentic. You have to be real. You have to believe 150% in what it is that you're doing. And you have to not take it personally. Well, I have a huge family. I have a very big family. And so I thought going into this business, you know, I'm going to call everyone, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, everyone. And I did. And, you know, I'm going to call everyone. you know, my family was raised, you don't talk money, business, you don't do business with each other, you know, a lot of them. Now, I've kind of been able to help some of my family members out. And then there's other ones that the door is still closed. All I can do is be there when they need the advice or have questions. And, you know, if they're not open to it, I just move on to the next person. Sure. Yeah. No, I think that's really, really great. So, we talked about what the toughest part is. What is the, and you've touched on this a little bit, but what is the most fabulous part about being an entrepreneur for you? Fabulous part. You never know what your day is going to be like. You don't know who you're going to come in contact with. You don't know. Initially, you may sit down with someone, a young, family, and they're concerned about, they're just protecting themselves and making sure that, you know, that there's a death benefit in case one of them passes. And you get to talking to them and they want to save for college or they want to, they're concerned about their practice. And just being able to help every aspect of that family's life is amazing to me, you know, to give them that peace of mind that they've taken care of. You know, and because to me, I like to be able to sleep at night. Sleep is good. Right, right. And if there are things that are keeping me awake because they're worries or concerns, I know that I need to work on those. And so, I know that there are people out there that probably don't sleep well at night because of these concerns. And if I can provide that solution, that's perfect for me. That's amazing. Now, how do you measure success? You know, more than anything is if the client feels comfortable and they're happy at the end of the sale, as when we actually, when they sign their name to the policy and give me the check, and they are really happy and thanking me, that's success to me. I've made a difference in that person's life. There's other ways to measure. I'm not much of a material person. However, Mass Mutual is great with incentives. The more policies you write, the bigger incentives. We just got back from Europe and that was on Mass Mutual and that was because my husband qualified for the trip. And so, that's success to me as well. You know, it's rewards of his hard work and our hard work. So, but more than anything, it's knowing that people are being taken care of. Yeah. I think that's a great way to measure success because money in the bank is not always a good indicator. Not at all. So, what is your best lesson, business tip, advice? Might start out with what would you tell yourself if you were just starting this again? Is there something that you would tell yourself? I would say stay focused, keep pushing through, don't let no's bring you down and just keep working. Work the business, work the process and it'll come. Does that make sense? Yeah. Yeah. Because, you know, being an entrepreneur, you can get distracted. And as a woman, we get distracted. We can. We can be the homemaker. The mom, the wife and all of those things, especially if you work out of your home. There's laundry to be done. There's errands to be run. Things like that. There's a lot of distractions that can pull you away from your business. And that's the biggest lesson that I've learned from my husband is when he's working, he's working and it's nothing. It's like he's gone into a corporate American job where you're in an office and you're doing what you do best. I was actually going to ask. that, and I forgot, you know, how do you, did you all set up, do you have a home office or do you go somewhere? We have an office in Torrance and we have a base office in Beverly Hills and then we have a home office as well. Okay. So I work out of the Torrance office. For me, that just works. I cannot be at home because there are way too many distractions. Right. And that is, that can be really hard for people. Yeah, it is. So when we decided, you made a very conscious decision. I mean, there's some people who will do their workout at home and there's others say, there's no way. I have to go to the gym. Exactly. Exactly. For him, it works for him to work out of our home. He's done it for years. That's just what he knows. And it sounds like he has that policy, like you said, that when I'm working, I'm working and, and, you know, he's focused and you don't bother him. Yeah. You know, not that he's a bear. But he's working. No, I understand it completely. And then our Beverly Hills office, that's where we're based out of. And then these are just the satellite offices. So. So it works for you too. So did you make, obviously I'm assuming you can go in at any time and. Oh yeah, absolutely. It's our office. So do you make a schedule though, that I'm going to be there from 10 to noon and try to adhere to that so that you have some semblance of order? Absolutely. You know, this is when I'm going to make my calls. This is, when I'm on appointment and I try and make my appointments when I'm in a specific region of the County, you know, try and group them in there so that I'm not driving back and forth every which way, organizing my time to be most effective. So. That's great. And, and your Beverly Hills office, you just go there. To drop things off and. Right. For meetings when we have meetings. Right. Well, the, the flexibility and having, having that kind of, uh, creating that kind of schedule, because even though we may be self-motivated, you get up and you check, you check your emails or you check your, your Facebook or you. Right. Realize that the dishwasher needs to be unloaded or, uh, now all of a sudden, you know, whatever, a multitude of things can happen and being able to have a schedule that you, you follow, uh, at least. That's crucial. You really have to be disciplined. Disciplined to be an entrepreneur. If you want that success, whatever success means to you, whatever you're working for, you have to be disciplined. And that kind of, that kind of makes the difference between, is this a hobby or is this a business? And there's nothing wrong with having it as a hobby. And there's nothing wrong with defining the lifestyle that you want, um, or defining, but if you can define what that success is going to be for you and it can be whatever you want. Right. Then. Then that will allow you to create the structure and the organization, organize it in such a way that you're able to achieve that. Definitely. And I've always been the type of person. I love to have a goal and it may be reaching for the stars. That's okay. But I love working towards a goal, you know, whatever it may be personal, financial, physical, whatever it may be working towards that goal. It gives me something to work towards and gives me direction. I agree. And I love that you said reaching for the stars. Cause my daughter used to, I had a pillowcase that said, uh, reach for the stars. If you miss, you'll land or reach for the moon. If you miss, you'll land amongst the stars. Perfect. It's still the same kind of thing, but, um, do you have a quick quote? We have about 30 seconds left. Uh, do you have a quote that your mantra that you follow? Well, what I do is I help people save the same money smarter. So if they're putting their money into a CD, a 401k, IRA, whatever, that's not very smart because you have to pay, set taxes and everything I do is tax free. And if they're saving the exact same money smarter, how much is it costing them, Jan? Yeah, no, that's great. Zero. That's great. Thank you so much, Jodi, for being a part of our show today. Thank you. I really enjoyed talking to you. You too. I got the eye of the tiger, the fire, dancing through the fire. Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me. You are listening to Skid Row Studios. You're listening.