From Claims Adjuster to Insurance Broker: How Adam Emami Has Been Guided by Mentoring at DHW
May of 2020 marks three years since Adam Emami became a commercial insurance broker at DHW. Coming from a background in underwriting and claims management, he walked into DHW green of sales experience. But Adam took on the challenge, bolstered by the agency’s commitment to his success through meaningful mentoring. This is Adam’s story.
What is your previous experience in the insurance industry?
I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from California State University. My first job out of college was as a claims adjuster for a national insurance carrier, Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies. From there, I went to Travelers, an insurance company with a reputation for being one of the best property casualty insurers in the industry. At Travelers, I was an underwriter for bond and specialty insurance.
What made you choose to leave the underwriting and claims sectors of insurance and go into sales?
There were a few factors that led me to the brokering side of the industry, but mostly, I wasn’t passionate about sitting behind a desk from 9 to 5. These felt like jobs, not careers. I surely don’t need nor like to be micromanaged. As a broker, I have autonomy over my work day and my productivity.
Plus, even though when I came to DHW, I had no previous sales experience, I had a lot of relevant insurance carrier experience. I knew my knowledge of claims and underwriting would be great assets to advising clients about their risk management and mitigation.
What did the first few months at DHW look like for you?
During the first month or so at DHW, I devoted my time to learning all the different lines of insurance, because previously I had focused on workers’ compensation and commercial surety bonds primarily. So Terry Stotka (DHW’s CEO) dedicated some of his time to sharing his wisdom and educating me, not just on insurances, but also on effective sales techniques. About two and a half months in, I gave it a go and started reaching out to prospects.
How was that experience like for you—your first sales pitch?
Thankfully, I had some early success, which gave me a lot of confidence. I got an appointment on my very first day. I honestly wasn’t that great; it was just timing: I found someone at the right time. But just having that experience gave me a lot of self-confidence and self-belief that I could do this.
After that, I was able to bring in some accounts. So I continued having some wins, but I had a lot of failures too. I was able to set up meetings, but then I would get into situations where, either I wasn’t finding businesses who weren’t a good fit, or I just wasn’t good enough yet in how I communicated my value.
How did mentoring play in those first months?
Terry and I would debrief after certain calls. So it was a combination of failing and debriefing with Terry and having the occasional success here and there. I’d also go with him to meetings and watch how he would conduct himself. He’s really good at what he does, particularly getting to understand people’s needs. And that is what I, as a young salesman, wasn’t particularly good at.
It sounds like you started learning about what you were doing wrong to do it right. What were some pivotal moments in your growth?
I had all this knowledge, but I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I was just like any young salesman in that I was kind of naive. I just wanted to tell the whole world how I could help them without actually listening to what their needs were. I eventually learned how to listen, so I could focus the conversation on resolving the business’s unique needs.
Also, one of the most significant turning points for me—where I gained more confidence and control over my work—was when I learned to control my emotions. I’m a pretty emotional guy in the sense that when I win, I get pretty excited, and I kick myself when I’m down. That was the biggest challenge for me: to be more balanced in how I deal with situations. I’ve continuously improved in that area.
A big part of my growth is due to having Terry’s patient support and his good advice along the way. I’d say rejection is tough for everyone to take, and I’ve grown to reframe how I perceive rejection and to control my response when it happens. But also, what helped was that Terry had a belief in me that I didn’t have in myself at the time. He basically would tell me, “Adam, you don’t know how good you are yet.” He’d continuously give me encouragement.
Fast forward to three years later, how do you see yourself now compared to how you were when you started out?
I’ve fine-tuned my craft, and success has come more consistently and easily. I look back at my first year and think, how the heck did I get any clients?
There’s one markedly different thing: Before when I would go into the meetings, I don’t think I articulated enough how much value I could bring to someone’s business. As a result, I’d get caught in these situations where I was just focused on getting a quote.
But now, I’m not willing to drive the conversation on quoting their business. I go into prospect meetings with enough confidence to ask them to see the value in having me as their broker.. If they don’t, that’s fine; we can go our separate ways. The beauty is that I can filter out who is serious about making a change in their broker and who isn’t. Because, the fact is, if there is a need to change their broker, a quote with better terms is going to happen by default.
It sounds like you’re willing to walk away from the negotiation table without making a deal? Is that a fair assessment?
Yes, I’ve learned that’s the power of negotiation. You have to be willing to walk away. People can sense if you’re willing to do that, and you won’t come to a mutually agreeable deal if you’re not. For me, being able to walk away changes the dynamic of the meeting because I’m in control.
Looking back, when I started out, I didn’t have any accounts, and I was so desperate I would have taken anything. When Terry brought me on, he said, “I’m not going to give you anything. I want you to be hungry and I want you to earn it.” He was right, I was hungry, but also a little desperate. Over time, I’ve been able to build a solid book of business based on my own merits. That’s a huge boost for the psyche and gives me the confidence to keep going.
What does the future look like for you?
I think I’m an OK salesman, but I don’t think that’s actually why I’m successful. These past three years, I’ve increasingly grown to recognize that the value I bring to the client relationship is me. See, it comes down to one thing: About 95 percent of my competition doesn’t have my background in underwriting and claims adjustment. What I bring to the table doesn’t exist in the broker world, and it’s just a matter of getting people to see that.
I try to stay open-minded to criticism because I think the biggest mistake we all can make is to think we already are where we need to be. With Terry’s guidance and how the company is operating, I’m excited about my future.
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Want to chat with Adam? You can reach him directly at (530) 902-1124 or aemami@dhw-ins.com
