Free Essay

Entreprener Paper

In: Business and Management

Submitted By remccrory
Words 1408
Pages 6
|Entrepreneurial Paper |
|Dameron-Jones Insurance Agency |
|Della McCrory – Owner/Agent |

|Rebecca Erin McCrory MGMT 485-02 |
|12/3/2009 |

An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of an enterprise, or venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome. Entrepreneurship has worked up its way to become one of the most interesting subjects to learn. It has appealed to dynamic youths as in the past we have witnessed the rise of many entrepreneurs from having nothing and being nothing to become the wealthiest and the most influential people in their societies, countries or even globally. Their achievements have inspired the youths of their times and the many who came after them.

The subject of this paper is an entrepreneur that I know well, my mother, Della McCrory. She is the owner and agent of Dameron-Jones Insurance Agency. Dameron-Jones is a small hometown based business that has withstood the very turbulent times in the economy and maintained its roots in the community and so it remains the oldest insurance agency in Hammond, Louisiana.

In 1945, Mr. Ed Dameron and Spencer Jones started the insurance agency in Hammond, Louisiana. Della began working at the agency in 1979 and did not become the owner until 1994 when Mr. Dameron passed away. Since she had worked for the agency for so long, Mr. Dameron left in his will that Della have the first opportunity to buy the business. So in 1994, she became the new owner of Dameron-Jones Insurance Agency.

The main reason for choosing to purchase this business was that she would be able to take time off when needed, make her own hours and not have to report to anyone other than herself. Della wanted the freedom of being her own boss. She knew that the monetary compensation would be much less than the non-monetary compensation she would receive but money was not what she was looking for. Being an entrepreneur gives a person the ability to be their own boss, but with that also comes the responsibilities of all aspects of the business. When asked about the pitfalls and challenges of owning this agency, Della said that the worries of the expenses are the greatest challenge. “No matter if I leave the office, the worry still rides on my shoulders of how to maintain this business in order to keep it afloat. You never leave the work at the office; you take it with you each and every day because it is your livelihood. No one else has to worry about the light bill, about the advertising expenses, or what each company’s retention numbers or loss-ratios are. It’s all your personal responsibility that you take as a trade off for being your own boss.”

The insurance industry has a very competitive market and each company has to find ways to distinguish itself from another. There are two types of agencies, independent and captive. An independent insurance agent is an agent that represents several insurance companies. The agent is independent from all the companies he or she sells for, and can therefore in theory evaluate different insurance policies objectively. Independent agents pay all their own expenses and keep their own records and earn their income from commissions on the policies they sell. The opposite of an independent agent is a captive agent, who works exclusively for one company, like State Farm or Allstate. A captive agent has an exclusive relationship with the company he or she represents. The company mandates that the agent only sells the products offered from that company only, for the privilege of working under their name. An independent agent has no exclusive relationship with any company he or she represents. The agent is free to choose the product he or she will sell and the company he or she will sell for. Independent agents generally have a wide variety of products and companies. This variety is good for the client and the agent. The client has a better chance to find a company that can fit exactly what they need, the client can shop for the best price, the best company rating, and the best product without having to go or call company after company. The agent can look for what is the best product for this client and not feel pressure into selling anything that is close to what the client needs just to get paid. With Dameron-Jones being an independent agent, she feels that it gives her an edge over the captive agents in the area which helps her to gain and retain business

While insurance is a price competitive arena, trust and customer service play huge roles in attracting and retaining customers. “In the insurance industry, customer service is the key element that distinguishes one agency from another. The price of the policy is important, but the way the customer is treated and respected makes the ultimate difference in where they spend their money”, Della states. When I asked her what she felt was the defining characteristic that makes her business successful, she tells me the following, “My customers feel like they are a part of a family, not just a number. At Dameron-Jones, we strive to make each and every one of our customers feel welcome, we remember their names, their children’s names, invite them in to talk and take their time to discuss with us any problems or concerns with their policies they may have and how they feel we can address them. We make sure the customer knows that they matter here and we are not just out to make a dollar but to help to protect all the things that they have worked so hard to get. The thing about insurance is that you pay for it and hope that you never have to use it. Many people feel that it is a waste of money but when they have a fire, or there is a hurricane and they lose those things that they have worked so hard to get, they understand the importance of having it. Our main goal is to make our customers happy, because without our customers, we have no way of keeping the doors open”. As with any service industry, the way customers feel they are treated has an enormous effect on the success of a business.

When asked about the effect of the economy on the insurance industry as a whole, Della said, the industry is holding strong but has definitely felt the pinch. A hostile investment environment and shrinking economy has had a significant impact on the financial and underwriting performance of the insurance industry during the first part of 2009. The sharp decline in profitability and shrinking capacity was primarily accredited to poor investment market performance, persistent soft market conditions, modest catastrophe losses, and a spillover of the housing and credit bubble collapse into the mortgage and financial guaranty segments of the insurance industry. While insurers remain cautious about the economy and financial market conditions, there is guarded optimism that both will continue to improve as we move into the second half of 2009. Fundamentally, the insurance industry remains quite strong financially.

With the opportunity to discuss the different aspects of the business, I have learned a great amount of information. This is so very important because my goal is to take over the business from my mother and become the owner and agent for Dameron-Jones Insurance Agency in the near future. Once I have graduated, my aim will be to take the agency in a direction that positions it to continuously grow and provide optimal customer service in order to remain at the top in our area.

Going into this interview, I had a general idea of the intense responsibility that an entrepreneur has, but my eyes have been opened to many more pieces of this ever changing puzzle. Not only does the owner of a business never leave her job but there is always the nagging voice there pulling at your thoughts as you try to stay ahead of the game. I have always respected any person who takes the leap in owning their own business, but now the respect has grown even more with the knowledge that I have gained. I look forward to the challenge and anticipate a roller coaster so I am prepared to hang on and enjoy the ride.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Comprehensive Grammar Answer Form

...writing. In fact, the three universities that I have attended in the past have all required me to use the APA style of writing. As I recall my high school years, the APA style of writing also seemed to be a favorite amongst my high school teachers. They all required that term papers be written in APA style as well. This type of writing actually does not differ much from the ones included in the text reading. The text mentioned the APA style of writing several times. In my opinion, it appears to be the most popular style of writing, especially amongst college students. Based on the results of the quizzes, my grammar skills were actually a little better than average. I actually had expected to do better, but I guess my grammar skills are not as good as I thought they were. In any event I feel very confident when it comes to spelling, as I have always been a great speller. Even in grade school, I was a good speller. I learned at a very young age to challenge myself when it comes to spelling. Challenging my-self in that area really paid off as I became older, as I’ve never had a problem with spelling. However, I feel that I need more help with run on sentences and with thought patterns. Though I proof read my paper several times, it’s hard for me to see that I have several run on sentences until after I get my grade back. In general, I feel that my writing is just mediocre. However, I also believe that when it comes to writing, I am my own worst critic. Reason being, I am never...

Words: 751 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Security

...computer and communications equipment (owned by MIS) magnetic media (owned by Manager) power supplies and plant, such as air-conditioning units (owned by MIS) Software assets (owned by MIS) • • • • application software system software development tools utilities Information assets (owned by Manager or MIS) ‘Information’ means information held by the Company on its own behalf and that entrusted to it by others. The following are examples of the media which may contain or comprise information assets. • • • • • • • • • • databases and data files system documentation user manuals training material operational or support procedures continuity plans and fallback arrangements back-up media on-line magnetic media off-line magnetic media paper Services • • computing and communications services (owned by MIS) heating, lighting and power (owned by Manager or Building Services Manager) 1 17/01/03 First•Base Technologies Town Hall Chambers High Street Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex BN43 5DD UK Tel: +44 (01273 454 525 Fax: +44 (0)1273 454 526 info@firstbase.co.uk Guidance on Information Classification Categories for classifying document security Category 1 : Routine (non-confidential) documents Description: All documents of a routine nature. Effects of disclosure: No measurable damage to the company or a department. Examples: Normal memos, routine reports, circulars. Estimated occurrence of this classification: More than 80% of all documents would be within this class...

Words: 2760 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Research

...TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: CC: [CLICK HERE AND TYPE NAME] SAMUEL NEWMAN-BREMANG [CLICK HERE AND TYPE SUBJECT] OCTOBER 22, 2013 [CLICK HERE AND TYPE NAME] C R E A T I N G W A T E R M A R KS I N M I C R O S O F T W O R D [Note: Some steps may vary in Word 97. For additional help, search for “watermark” in the product help or on the Microsoft support site at http://support.microsoft.com.] A watermark is any text or graphic image (such as the “Draft” in the background of this document) that is printed to overlap existing text in a document. A logo printed lightly behind a letter or the word "Confidential" printed lightly on a contract are other examples of watermarks. The rotated “Draft” watermark on this page was created using the Word Art feature. You can insert pictures (such as a logo) from a file or using Clip Art. All three features can be found by clicking on Picture in the Insert menu. To view a watermark as it will appear on the printed page, click Print Layout on the View menu or click Print Preview on the File menu. The watermark will print on every page of this document, just like headers and footers. To edit the watermark or insert a new one, you need to click Header and Footer on the View menu. TO FORMAT A WORDART WATERMARK (LIKE THIS “DRAFT” EXAMPLE): Use the WordArt… command on the Format menu to choose your desired settings for your watermark. There are multiple tabs in that dialog. Use the “Colors and Lines” tab to set the color and transparency. (This “draft”...

Words: 504 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How to Write a Good Academic Paper?

...How to Write a Good Academic Paper? That is a question which most students ask and most of them are new to academic writing. Academic writing if taken as a whole, then it would help you figure its significance and what is more important is, it would help you understand the purpose of it. Any good academic writer’s quality is his/her mind is loaded with creative set of ideas that help him navigate through the whole topic of academic paper. Ideas lead you to somewhere and only a few good students are gifted by nature and if you are not then you can also build up a good rhythm of academic writing. Secondly, you should also have a good sense of your audience; you should know what element of your academic writing would entice them and also create some space for your write-up for reading in their schedule. You then research for resources and data that would be of great use to enlighten your readers. Knowing what you audience wants, should be in your priority because readers enjoy what they seek in your writing. Usually what they look out for is something that could either bring them a smile or get them to think over the subject. Having creative ideas doesn’t guarantee a good and well-researched academic writing. You need to able to figure out ways of putting your research in a proper format so that readers don’t feel deviated from the focal point of your write-up. You should use your sources with proper attentiveness else it would completely ruin your efforts from top to bottom....

Words: 477 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Communication Styles Worksheet

...Hey Jessica, I’m glad your interested in attending the University of Phoenix let me tell you about some of the great resources that are available. First of all they have all kinds of hands on workshops that you can sign up for. They have ones for writing, math, computer skills, exam prep and plenty more. Some other resources are the Center for writing excellence and the Center for mathematics, there are grammar tutorials and plagiarism tutorials and a plagiarism checker as well to help make sure your papers have the proper grammar and the plagiarism checker reviews your paper and tells you how much similarities there is with your paper and other papers so you don’t accidentally plagiarize your paper. Riverpoint writer is a tool to help make sure you are citing your papers properly. In the center for mathematics center they have running start which gives you a review of math concepts to help you brush up on your skills, build math confidence gives you tips to deal with math anxiety it also has study tips, test tips, worksheets and videos. They also have live online math coaching which is only available two weeks before your math class starts through the end of your class. Hope reading about all these resources makes you want to come to the University even more. gotta go talk later. Hello Everyone, I want to review some of the great resources available here at the University of Phoenix. First off I want to go over the workshops that are available to you. There are all...

Words: 431 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Cig Rolling

...Joe Polce English 015 Mrs. Wickman How To Roll Your Own Cigarette Is anyone in your life a cigarette smoker? Do you often notice that they are always complaining about their ever-rising price? According to the U.S Census Bureau, out of the 6.7 billion people in the world, 2 billion are smokers of cigarettes or some other form of tobacco. Almost 75% of these 2 billion spend between $1000 - $1500 yearly on their favorite packs and cartons that they just cannot resist. We know its a habit, right? Its also an expensive habit. I am going to show you a quick and easy way to not only cut the cost of cigarettes in half, but also save you hundred of dollars. A select few smokers of the modern world have been fortunate enough to find the solution to the climbing prices of cigarettes. This solution is actually very simple. Why don’t we, instead of spending the $6 plus on an already produced pack of Marlboro Lights, make and produce our own pack of very similar cigarettes? Herein lies the solution; roll your own cigarettes. Most people shy away from such an idea claiming that they would never know where to start, or have no idea where they would buy the equipment, but on contrary the first steps to this new lifestyle are very easy, and the tools needed are readily available. The benefits of rolling your own cigarettes are numerous. First off, its inexpensive. GS Hammack, a man who writes for a website called AssociatedContact.com, said that “smokers that are looking for...

Words: 1797 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Blowjobs

...go fuck urself Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets. Paper is a versatile material with many uses. Whilst the most common is for writing and printing upon, it is also widely used as a packaging material, in many cleaning products, in a number of industrial and construction processes, and even as a food ingredient – particularly in Asian cultures. Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Papermaking 2.1 Chemical pulping 2.2 Mechanical pulping 2.3 Deinked pulp 2.4 Additives 2.5 Producing paper 2.6 Finishing 3 Applications 4 Types, thickness and weight 5 Paper stability 6 The future of paper 7 See also 8 References and notes 9 External links History Main article: History of paper Further information: Science and technology of the Han Dynasty and List of Chinese inventions Hemp wrapping paper, China, circa 100 BCE.The oldest known archeological fragments of paper date to 2nd century BC China. Papermaking is considered one of the Four Great Inventions of Ancient China, and the pulp papermaking process is ascribed to Cai Lun, a 2nd century AD Han court eunuch.[1] With paper an effective substitute for silk in many applications, China could export silk in greater quantity, contributing to a Golden Age. Paper spread from China through the Islamic...

Words: 665 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Criminal Justice Paper

...Terrica Thomas Mr. David Makhanlall Eng 090 12-11-11 My journey as a writer is when I do my papers I have to make sure that I have the correct grammar and no misspelled words. Because when write you want to make sure that your papers flows and that you stay on topic. Because you as a writer wants the people to understand what they are reading. Because your paper have to have so meaning to it and it have to have some clarity to. When I revise my papers it make me look at the things I done wrong. Like when I have misspelled words I can correct them and when I have sentences that don’t make sense and I take the out. When I write I make the mistake of writing a lot of write on sentences. I have to make sure that I don’t do that anymore. I have to make sure that I don’t forget the punctuations because I have the habit of not putting them where they belong and stuff. When I was writing my paper on my mother I think that I did a good job but I think that I could have writing about her goals in life. What she has done with her life right now and what she wants to do right now. I could have talk a little more about what she has done for me when I was growing up. What she had to do to raise three girls on her own. The pattern of errors that I need to work on is run on sentences. Because when I write I can write a sentence that can go on and on forever without a period. A sentence fragment when I write I tend to write a sentence that don’t make any sense...

Words: 321 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

English

...reading and writing various forms of academic discourse • To further an awareness of oneself and others through the exposure to, study of, and experiences with the written word Course Breakdown INTRODUCTION Introduction and Diagnostic Exam Grammar Review Elements of Style by Strunk and White RESEARCH Definition of Research Research Topic Problematique and Thesis Statement CRITICAL THINKING Understanding and Evaluating Data Introduction to Reaction Papers BASIC ELEMENTS OF WRITING Audience, Point of View, Levels of Language, Voice, Style Structure of the Essay Proofreading and Editing PRE-WRITING Ideas and Data-Gathering Sources and Kinds of Sources Introduction to Report Writing Organizing Ideas Introduction to Concept Papers TECHNIQUES IN WRITING Kinds of statements Making Assertions Art of Persuasion Documentation and Plagiarism Introduction to Position Papers Requirements: Report 15% Reaction Paper 15% Concept Paper 15% Position Paper 15% Research Paper 20% Research Journal (Blog) 10% Class Participation 10% House Rules: 1. English Only Policy will be observed inside the classroom during class time 2. 6 absences = a grade of 5...

Words: 341 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Tips

...opportunity; clear articulation; persuasive idea)? 2. What MARKET OR MARKETS does the business address? -> student? undergraduate? all students? WHAT KIND OF RECIPES, EASY? CHEAP? 3. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS PRODUCT/SERVICE HAS AN ADVANTAGE in the marketplace relative to the market/consumer needs? --> convenient, easy to use, simple, accessible,cheap, .... Anything! 4. Evidence and reference to testimonials or CUSTOMER FEEDBACK? --> Use the results of your survey and show that people are very interested! 5. What’s the COMPETITION in the marketplace (brief appraisal of current market, product, and service offerings with a view to justify market possibilities)? 66> THE COOK BOOK paper one and online one, but you can say that most young people think that paper cook book seems old-fashion and rather prefer to check on the internet or phone, but it is more suitable to have your phone with you in the kitchen or if you suddenly decide to prepare something at someone else place rather than take your laptop with you n the kitchen 6. Who’s the TEAM that's going to make the business succeed? (drawing upon strengths of team; good distribution of work load, presentation time) --> what are the strenghts in your team? are you good in marketing, It, finance?? what distribution network/ channels are you gonna use to promote your product? 7. How would you realise the business opportunity in the first year (steps, stages, critical transition points)? 8. What’s...

Words: 384 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Symbol

...The popularity of this clothes increased by their simple but still have the elegant look and versatility use. It is used by astounding population, where either it rural or urban are. Nowaday, this clothes has been modernize, not only the structure, color, material, but also the meaning of it. It have been consider as fashion too, with all the design. Just a normal simple meaning clothes, but could easily represent my culture. How wonderful ! At Hoi An, locate at the north of the country, there is a famous piece of artifact, name “ Hoi An Lantern”. Because of these lantern, this place is call “lantern town”, a beautiful accent place where visitor shouldn’t miss. The originally form is a frame made out of bamboo, then it wrapped by a color paper and the string on top connect to a branch, where you can hold. There is different use for this lantern, people can use it to light, to decoration, or even kid can play with it on Moon’s Festival day....

Words: 670 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Common Errors in Research Report Writing

...some common mistakes made by students in research paper writing. Textbooks, internet, and correction given during class seminar presentation constituted the sources of information gathered. It was realized that in the effort to give the best in writing research papers, students unconsciously make mistakes in topic selection, objectives of research, writing format hypothesis or thesis statement, literature review, research methodology, paragraphing, use of tense in sentence construction, referencing and quoting to mention but a few. This writing also incorporated some tips in avoiding these mistakes mentioned and therefore concluded and recommended that The mistakes stated above should be avoided at all cost when writing research papers. They can contribute to low grades or disqualification of your project. Therefore, it is advisable that students seek for guidance from their instructors or professionals in research papers writing. INRODUCTION Research assignments give you an opportunity to demonstrate practically the skills and knowledge learnt in class. In the effort to give the best in writing research papers, students unconsciously make mistakes. This article highlights common mistakes students make in research paper writing especially in their early days of undertaking...

Words: 1336 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Proposal

...functions. 6. A separate column (earth column /my earth) on a wall magazine to present their successfully completed assignments. 7. Unused lands will be used for flowering and planting the sapling of tree. 8. Separate plants to each green club members will be given for one year of which, they need to take full care of their plants. 9. Field visit such as zoo, local community forest and nurseries tri-monthly with specific theme. 10. Help all school students to discourage the use of plastic bags & plastic containers. 11. Art, essay and quiz competition related with environment (E-Quiz). 12. Encouraging guardians to become environment friendly. 13. Supply of cloth bags. 14. Assisting in making paper bags & paper related showpieces. 15. Regular competition on specific...

Words: 259 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Reflection Instructions

...Reflection Paper Assignments Due Dates: March 20, April 3, May 1 Overview These reflection papers are the chance for you to review your recent journal entries (or the sum total, if that helps) and to synthesize some thread of thinking or learning that you find in there. You might build on a single entry or on something bridging multiple entries, but the point is to capture something that you are learning. We expect the paper to have some over-arching, coherent argument so that it is not simply a string of thoughts. A string of thoughts is fine for your journal entries, but here we do want some synthesis. You should not spend time summarizing your activities, unless that is essential for your argument. Grading Criteria The criteria we will use to evaluate the papers are listed below. Note that you do not have to address all of these criteria in one paper. We want you to address all of them over the course of the semester, but any single paper can focus on only one or two of these. Regardless of what you choose to write your reflection synthesis on, your paper must demonstrate clear, coherent argumentation. 1. Expression of Learning 2. Discussion and/or synthesis of course readings 3. Reflection on assumptions and cultural frames of reference 4. Connection to proposal process Word Count The reflection papers, except for the final one, should be at least 500 words, but not a lot longer than that. The final paper should be around...

Words: 257 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Connect the Dots

...should be or in what direction to look. -I’m going to use the skills I mastered for the rest of the questions because those are the only ones I can view. The three skills I mastered were; sentence skills, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling, and the third was the craft of writing. These skills apply to my academic life because I have to apply all these skills in writing papers for classes. In order to write a quality paper, everything must be near perfect. I believe these skills give me a good base to work on a paper. -These skills apply to my professional life in a lot of ways. Each quarter we are to write reports on what we feel we could improve on as a department, having quality writing skills so everything looks more professional and you are taken seriously. My future profession which is to be a high school teacher also requires these skills, if you expect your students to have good writing skills you should develop them yourself first. -I was very surprised by the results. I say this because all throughout high school, English and writing was my weak spot. I always had trouble putting my thoughts onto paper and use proper grammar. My spelling was also terrible but after graduating high school I picked up reading and I believe that helped me greatly increase my...

Words: 260 - Pages: 2