How our construction and manufacturing broker hit the ground running, spends more time with clients and is reaping the rewards...
“I’ve worked in insurance for a long time now. I know what I’m good at, the kind of business I like to do, and how I like to do it. Joining Konsileo has helped me do more of it.”
Ian Macro, 39, from Leicestershire, joined Konsileo in May 2024. He hit the ground running, developing a book of mainly construction and manufacturing clients, based largely in the East and West Midlands.
“For me, it’s all about building a relationship with a firm, getting to know them and really understanding the risks and challenges they face,” says Ian. “If I think I can add value, I’ll take it on. While construction and manufacturing are my sweet spot, I work with lots of different kinds of businesses. I particularly like being able to make connections between clients – so if I identify where they can help each other, I’ll make those introductions.
“I also always ask for a referral. If I’ve saved someone money, or spotted a risk they weren’t aware of, I’ll ask them if they know someone who might benefit from the same service. That word of mouth is really why I’ve been able to grow my book so quickly.”
Get Out What You Put In
Ian joined Konsileo after years at the same company, which was then bought out by a bigger company.
“I really enjoy my job,” says Ian, “but I don’t enjoy managing people. I found I was doing less of the things I liked and more of the things I didn’t like. I also wasn’t loving working within all the rigid rules and structures that come with the corporate world. And I couldn’t see the effort I put in being rewarded in my pay.
“With Konsileo, you really do get out what you put in. I’ve been very happy with what I’ve been able to earn in bonuses on top of my salary, and I love being able to do what’s best for my clients without being restricted by a list of preferred suppliers. I’m loving being a broker again, and being free to do things my way. I feel like I’ve been able to get back to what made me good at what I do in the first place.”
Flexibility Both Ways
“I like to be very hands on with my clients – I like to go out and meet people, whether that’s at networking events, on-site visits, or knocking on doors asking how I can help. And I don’t just work 9-5. Clients know I’m around for them out of hours and that they’re always going to be able to get through to someone that knows them – not an anonymous call centre. That kind of service makes a huge difference to people, and I think it gives Konsileo a real edge over competitors because we’re actually on the ground and inside the communities and industries we work with.
“What’s really great is that the flexibility works both ways, so now I get to do things like the school run every day, and the odd trip to the gym. My daughters are 7 and 9, and when they were small I would leave for my commute before they woke up and get back after they’d gone to bed. With Konsileo I’ve got a much better work-life balance. Here, you’re treated like an adult in an adult world, and trusted to do your job without clocking in and out. To me, that just makes sense.”
The Konsileo Way
“The Konsileo way of working just really suits me, and the kind of broker I am. I like doing things my way, but I’m also connected to a whole load of colleagues I can collaborate with. That includes people in the West Midlands Hub, the great group of brokers I started with in my cohort – and other people I’ve met along the way. You basically pick your own team based on your individual strengths and expertise.
“So, one person I work very closely with is another Ian – we’re sponsoring a local basketball team together as part of our marketing efforts. Another is Jackilyn. She acts as a service director for my clients while I’m focussing on new business, and we split the revenue using Virtual Team Contracting.
“Everything at Konsileo goes through this unique broking platform, including your income. Everything is totally transparent and totally fair. That’s the bit I’m really flourishing with. You can see who you’re working with, what you’re bringing in, all your activity – and all your rewards. And it’s really, really clever. So, when you’re out and about it logs all your emails, auto-fills your forms, and generates your documents on the go. I’d only ever worked with Acturis before, so it’s been a revelation to me how quickly we can get changes made, insurers added – and anything else to help us help clients better.”
Self-Motivation
“While there’s loads of great support for you, you can’t work for Konsileo if you’re not a self-starter. No one here is going to tell you what to do – you have to know what you’re doing and then they’ll give you the tools to do more of it. My golden rule is to be active every day – because activity equals income. The pay-off is not only the pay, which is great, but the fact you’re allowed to be yourself – because when it comes down to it being yourself is presumably what got you where you are. You’re not a square peg being forced into a round hole. Here you get to play to your strengths, and the sky’s the limit.
“If you’re self-motivated, driven, love doing the very best for your clients and giving that personal service, you could be very successful at Konsileo. I’m certainly very happy here.”
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