Food For Thought

Ah, this edition of this magazine is making me hungry! There are so many restaurants with delicious food in Saline County. Isn’t it interesting how mouth-watering food always makes you feel like you’re “home?” I am not originally from Saline County, but there is just something about sharing a meal with all of you nice people that makes me think of my mom and how it feels to be in her kitchen. I am so grateful for this beautiful community and its many important businesses. 

I have been thinking a lot about our business owners these last 6 months. Business owners have enough to worry about without a global pandemic. Now, they have to develop strategies to help prevent workplace exposures to COVID-19. They are scrambling to develop tools to protect their professions, and working hard to communicate with their communities. 2020 certainly hasn’t been for the faint of heart.  

As a business owner, I know exactly how it feels to worry. I am constantly considering how this pandemic will continue to affect our industry and the lives of our policyholders. I am continually adjusting our systems to sufficiently serve our customers in this new world. As our new world as changed, so has our level of panic. It really makes me wish I had a cupcake from SugarDumplin’s.

With all of this concern, the fixed anxiety that typically accompanies owning a business hasn’t gone away.

I want to tell you a story about a business owner friend of mine. His name is Joe, and he has owned a construction company for over 30 years. Joe lives with his pretty wife, Sarah, and they have been married for 37 years, with 2 grown children and 5 grandchildren. Over the years, they have used the equity in their home to financially support their company’s operations. As Joe has gotten older, he has started to worry more and more about what would happen if he became sick and couldn’t work.  

What if he were permanently disabled? What would he and his wife do if he couldn’t operate the business as he does now? What if he suddenly passed away? What would happen to Sarah? Would she have to move out of their home? For the first time in her life, would Sarah have to work outside of the home just because he hadn’t taken the necessary steps to adjust and plan as their needs changed?

This self-doubt has started to keep Joe awake at night. He feels unprepared. He doesn’t feel confident he has taken the steps necessary to protect his family in the event that something unexpected and catastrophic were to happen.  

Joe isn’t alone in his fears. Illness, disability and premature death are three of the most worrisome risks for business owners, but they don’t have to be. You can’t ignore or transfer these risks, but you can proactively plan for them.

Now, let’s start talking about what I do and how an insurance agent can help you minimize your risks, whether you are a business owner or not. At our agency, we have a 3-step review process where we discuss the seven major risks that everyone faces in life: Premature Death, Illness, Disability, Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Longevity Risk and Liability Insurance. 

The first step is a discovery call where we discuss your family, and discover your needs and potential risks. We then analyze those risks carefully. The last step is my favorite step and the most critical. In this step, together, we craft a customized plan to meet your needs. This necessary, blended process will ensure that you and your family will be ready for anything that comes your way.  

Once your plan is in place, the only thing left is for your insurance agent to manage your household. Each year, you should set aside a minimum of 20 minutes to review and potentially adjust your plan if needed.

In case you are worried that this level of attention to your insurance plan is going to burden your wallet, don’t. You may be surprised at how affordable it can be to take care of the “what ifs” that are keeping you up at night.  

Is this type of planning a good fit for you? Call your insurance agent and see. Joe called me, and I am happy to say that Joe isn’t worrying about these things anymore. Stay safe, my friends.