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1. Positive impact

“This is the one industry in which if you do your job well that day, someone’s life is better,” says Sam Smith, president elect of the California Association of Health Underwriters and president of Genesis Financial in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
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2. Freedom

“I have the freedom to represent a wide array … of companies. That gives me the product flexibility to take care of my clients much better than if I were not an independent agent tied to one company,” says Kelly Fristoe of Financial Partners in Wichita Falls, Texas. “My clients all have different needs and not one company can solve all of those. I get to use my talents and skills to help them make the best financial decisions possible when searching for products and services that are most suitable for their needs.”
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3. Multiple solutions

“I have access to a whole array of products from different companies that allows me to give unbiased advice to help ensure my clients truly receive the best possible solution for their financial needs,” says Anne Petry of Jaggi Insurance in Forsyth, Ill.
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4. Excellence in client service

“After seven years of working for one of the largest insurance companies in the world, I started Landmark Benefits in a pursuit to deliver excellence in customer service,” says Tom Harte, president of the National Association of Health Underwriters and president of Landmark Benefits, Inc. in Hempstead, N.H. “For me, being an independent broker provides me the opportunity to manage my clients with excellence.”
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5. Control

“Freedom to adjust and modify with market changes,” says Tamela Southan of Benefit Solutions by Design in Richardson, Texas. “Offering multiple products and various business pipelines allows diversification and [the ability to] own the decisions for my business.”
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6. Ability to listen

“Our firm’s goal is to listen to our clients — understand their goals, objectives and concerns — and make every effort to meet their needs,” says Edward Watkins of Watkins Financial Group in Raleigh, N.C. “The best way to help a client achieve their goals and objectives is to bring them solutions from different sources. We work for our clients, not an insurance company. The freedom we have to work in this manner is why it is great to be an independent broker.”
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