Please welcome Yetworth's newest team member, Luke Rother. He is a life insurance specialist and Certified Exit Planning Advisor here to expand our horizons! Here's Luke:
When I was a boy, I dreamt of the day that I would grow up and sell life insurance. Said no one, ever.
I never considered selling life insurance until I was about 26. At the time I had just lost my job in the non-profit world and my own world seemed to be crumbling. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.
As I searched for jobs, I found that most companies were not looking for a seminary-trained “professional” with a non-profit background. One of the few offers I got was with a financial planning firm out of Dallas. I had blown through my savings, so I needed a job. After getting my licenses, I quickly figured out that what the company meant by “financial advisor” was in fact selling life insurance and annuities to friends and family—and anyone else who would listen.
Most of us have had that experience of getting a call out of the blue from a former college buddy trying to sell you on his/her exciting, new business opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, these people do provide needed services, but I quickly determined that operating this way was not my style. The call sessions, the quotas, and the goals all seemed demoralizing.
What I did learn about myself in that early season was the need for actual advice and expertise in this arena. I watched enough 22-year-olds sell policies they did not understand to quickly realize that this industry has a bad name for a reason! In taking a job I didn’t necessarily want, I stumbled into figuring out what my purpose could be.
Thankfully, I had a good compass and example. My father has spent his career working as a life insurance broker and specialist in estate and wealth transfer planning. He graciously allowed me to join his company, and his training and mentorship continue to be invaluable.
For the last several years, I have had the opportunity to provide expertise to holistic financial planners and their clients concerning their life insurance needs. This includes doing policy reviews of existing coverage, running needs analysis for estate planning and wealth transfer, and finding creative insurance solutions for unique situations. My goal is to collaborate with advisors and help them create value for their clients by being an expert in a part of the planning process that is often opaque.
At the end of the day, life insurance planning should be more about strategy than about selling a product. Often, a strategy may include a product, but my job is complete when I create value for our advisors and their clients.
I began working with Yetworth when clients began coming to me for their disability insurance needs. The more I got to know Max and the Yetworth team, the clearer I could see the values we shared. I am beyond excited to be joining this incredible group of people as we look to expand what we can offer to advisors and their valued clients.
-Luke Rother, CEPA
