Episode Summary
Martha Camarillo, principal of MLC Insurance Group, was recently interviewed on the Broker Link podcast where she discussed her transition from a career in higher education to becoming an insurance agency owner. She provided insights into building a successful, multilingual insurance agency focused on ethics and community service.
Camarillo's background was in teaching at a community college before an insurance agency manager recruited her to UnitedHealthcare. She joined their marketing team and obtained tuition reimbursement to complete her master's degree. Though she had planned to return to teaching, agents Camarillo had been mentoring asked her to open an insurance agency with them for one semester. That agency steadily grew from 3 agents initially to over 150 agents today in Medicare and ACA.
MLC Insurance Group now services clients across North Texas and has agents in other parts of Texas, California, and Florida. With over 15 languages spoken by their diverse staff, they are able to serve clients in a variety of languages. Camarillo sees this as a key strength that attracts agents to partner with MLC, along with their focus on community service over sales.
Camarillo partnered with The Brokerage insurance distributor on the recommendation of a respected former employee, John Dubas. She emphasized the importance of transparency, chemistry, and ethics when evaluating potential FMO partners. Camarillo has found The Brokerage to be a great resource in helping her grow MLC over the years.
For agents looking to succeed, Camarillo stressed the need for self-sufficiency in lead generation rather than relying solely on leads from an FMO. She recommends agents focus on improving themselves continuously rather than comparing themselves to others. According to Camarillo, "Sell what you know and do right by people - the numbers will follow."
Camarillo advises that service must be the priority over sales numbers in insurance. As she says, "If you are here for the money, you're not going to be satisfied." She believes a focus on ethics, doing right by clients, and community service leads to fulfillment and business success in the long run.
Martha Camarillo's journey from reluctant insurance newbie to founder of a thriving multilingual agency focused on education and advocacy provides valuable lessons for insurance agents. Her emphasis on self-sufficiency, ethics, diversity, and community service over sales differentiates MLC Insurance in the competitive insurance market.
Timestamps
(0:00:04) - Broker Link podcast features Martha Camarillo from MLC Insurance
(0:00:31) - MLC Insurance Group is an all-service agency focusing on Medicare, ACA
(0:01:59) - How did your agency come to be
(0:05:30) - Why did you decide to partner with the brokerage and how has it been so far
(0:07:34) - What advice would you give to others who want to follow in your footsteps
