 Hey, what's happening ladies and gentlemen welcome back to the king penny podcast. This is episode number four and we're going big today You know first I want to shout out to the people who participated in the king and queen of the rocky squat competition You know, I mean we had two winners Brianna and Brayton. Hey, they killed the game man. A lot of reps man just surprised by the females that Squatted 135 I mean in the 30s and the high 20s in a minute and stuff like that and the guys too who did the 275 man like the guys really pushed themselves The max on the squat was a 635 guy really brought it man deep in the bucket man So I want to give them a shout out also too. I want to say it while I'm saying it next month We're gonna do deadlifts. Okay, so probably around the 15th of July. So be looking for that flyer to come out Hey, so today on the podcast, we're got a special guest who's gonna talk to us all about insurance man Hey, this is the guy you need to know, you know, I've been knowing him for a while You know, we just reconnected here recently It's been great to see how his progression in his evolution as a career man a family man The positivity of him has always been there. Oh and a super competitor as well We'll talk about that later. Hey man, like the guys welcome man. I appreciate you appreciate you Man, so let's start off with your name. Yeah, I'm Chris Contreras. Yeah, okay And where you from Denver, Colorado grew up grew up out here moved out here I was about eight years old from Albuquerque, New Mexico, but I grew up out here man. It's my home. So yeah Yeah, what's the family status look like you single you married? I'm married. I'm engaged But practically married man happily, you know what I mean been with been with her for about 10 years Two kids eight-year-old and that's six week old Yeah, man, so a lot of rest was nice not getting too much sleep, but hey man the grind don't stop Thank you, appreciate likewise man. Thank you Congratulations on the new one man. Thank you. So I'm already set you up with the insurance thing Yeah, but what is it that you actually do for living? What's that? Yeah, so I'm an all-state agent home I work for all-state. So yeah, we sell everything We're licensed in all four lines property, casualty, life and health Property and casualty as homes landlords policies all the toys autos Four by fours, you know everything everything you have man besides besides health insurance We sell everything besides health. So what's the coverage area of your everything in Colorado? So I'm bound in Colorado so I can write anything in the Colorado state lines Every state you kind of go to you have to get licensed in those states and you have clients down here as well Yeah, in the Longmont birthed I got a lot of friends that I play cornhole with up here in the Longmont. So got a lot of clients through that way So yeah, man shout out to them. Oh, man, you're gonna It's not just it's not just barbecue anymore, man, these guys are legit man Sponsorship Yeah, all kinds of different sponsorships Bro, it's it's getting paid to play cornhole, bro. It's getting crazy We talked sports a lot, you know what I mean? Because he honestly just came from a golf tournament Yeah, like, you know, I mean a guy's super competitive has a lot going on and stuff like that So how did you get into insurance work? Um, so my parents I saw my parents kind of grow up with it We like I said, we we grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico Not a lot of money not a ton of money But I saw him come out here and kind of go from the bottom to the top as a child going from food stamps to To a good living, you know what I mean? It kind of inspired me as a kid saying hey, wait a minute, you know what I mean? This might be on to something so I kind of just always kind of caught my eye and went from there, you know, so yeah Yeah, man, but what would do insurance agents do what's like a day-to-day like so pretty much What you do is you pretty much quote people So you you try to quote people on the same type of coverage that they have now and if we can save your money It's a no-brainer. You have the same coverage and you're saving money It's it's you're gonna win them no matter what But that's pretty much it man And not only that but when you when you have a certain company to back you like all state state farm certain names that are that are known People trust the name. They know and they're not gonna get If they have a claim or something their company is not gonna leave them hanging, you know what I mean? So they're gonna have the money and the power to back them You know, so yeah, so let me let me let me shoot this myth out here. It's the question I mean it does insurance go by your credit report. It can it can it goes off a bunch of different type of factors It goes off of how many claims you tend to turn in it comes off of your driving record Your credit report things like that because they want to know what kind of person you are and how if you're more likely to Turn in claims on small stuff if you're likely to maybe not turn in the claim if it's if it's right there on the bring You know what I mean? It just kind of depends on a Character report almost if you will you know what I mean? so they want to know what kind of person they're writing and What type of rate you're gonna get back and what is and how do you deal with that one clients like aren't happy with the raid? Are they um, you know, it's tough to tell because there's certain times where we just can't flat out beat the rate But that's when you sell the the name of all state and you kind of tell them Hey, you never know the quality of the company you have until you need them the most until you have to turn in the claim It's nothing worse than turning in a claim and saying sorry We don't we're not gonna cover you on this on this point versus having a name That's credible that you dirt do turn in a claim and they're saying don't worry about it. Everything's taking care of we're gonna get your rental We're gonna get this taken care of for you So you never know the quality of the company until you actually need them the most, you know It means that's what it comes down to with the shit But what's got no, but so you're saying you quoting people would not like that Are you actively like are you cold-calling people are people contacting you are you getting leads from like the generator from? You know the internet are you yeah? So are you so basically when you first start off? There's a lot of companies that'll sell you leads so a lot of people will call and say hey They're sitting the quote and give them a call you have to pay for those leads and a lot of time They're thirty forty dollars apiece and sometimes we're not all that great, but Fortunate enough for us. We've been in the business probably about eight nine years and we have a lot of word of mouth So our book of business has expanded to a point where our clients were telling telling other people about us And we're just kind of growing from that so we've had to make cold calls in quite a while But that's exactly where you start. Yeah, you absolutely you start from making calls man sending emails and Grinding, you know, so what do you do when it's slow like when what do you do like, you know? Cuz I'm sure it's absolutely like any business. Yeah, it's like, you know when it's slow You definitely try to reach out as much as you can social media is a big standpoint You know, we're always posted stuff on social media We're always trying to reach out to people that were once with us that are no longer with us saying hey Give us a chance to quote you again, you know things like that and not only that but other than the sales aspect from it It's really comes down to service to people changing our cars people have hail claims people need to change billing People want to know what the rates are gonna people want to know, you know What it's like if they change their coverage from full coverage to liability or vice versa So there's a ton of service involved with it, too But yeah sales is really mainly that's our bread and butter has been going back on our previous clients that We're once with us. We'll reach back out and say hey, you know Hopefully we built that type of respect and we're poor that they'll say hey, of course, we remember you guys Yeah, let's go ahead and quote it again. Let's move from there. So that's kind of so which cause you mentioned hail Yeah, and that's been a crazy thing. Yeah, why not like that? My question for you is cuz you know my vehicle does have a whole lot of hail damage. Yeah If I do file the claim for hail damage, right? You know, is it gonna raise my rate? Down the line like the next time I go to you know, go to get a policy or get a is this going to be reflected Yeah, it's the hail damage life. Absolutely not and actually it's crazy because what makes the car full coverage is Comprehensive and collision so comprehensive is considered an act of God is considered hail damage considered theft vandalism a windshield getting a crack in your windshield Vehicle against stolen anything other than collision pretty much and those are considered active gods or something It's out of your control. So it's not something that'll reflect you personally So you can turn in as many comprehensive claims as you as what happens I should say and nothing will affect you personally. So it's way different than getting to an accident. That was your fault or Running a red light and you hit somebody then that's gonna of course reflect you when you're driving habits But comprehensive will not so that's a good not a lot of people know that so I'm glad you brought that up No that and I know so too. What it would it what is other things that? What are things that insurers would like the clients to know yeah Hey, well when I tell my friends and family that are better with us And even pretty much anybody that'll listen is a good key note, man If you have full coverage in your vehicle right now Hey, if we're not your agent call your agent and just say hey I have full coverage out of $500. Maybe I have $1,000 adjustable What would it cost me to drop that to a zero? Okay, if I get a crack to my windshield I got to replace my wish it was by the way, it's crazy My wife has a GMC Acadia man and it shows a little speedometer on the windshield And it has to be calibrated and everything every time we replace it that thing is $800 We dropped ours to a zero dollar deductible if it gets a crack through it You have zero deductible to pay and our bill went up I think $15 a month especially in the hail damage season that we're in now is Definitely worth doing at least checking into and seeing how much it would be more a month because it could save you hundreds Hundreds of dollars going down the line. So Tip tip of the whole podcast man check with your agent to see how much it would be to drop that to a zero Also, check to see how much it would be to drop your roadside assistance to get a tow somewhere How much that is it's like a dollar a month. It's ridiculous. It's foolish not to have it in my opinion And you did a soft flex with your wife's car with the speedometer I So, how do you stay up right with the with the regulations and the different insurance? I mean, I'm sure the rules things change all the time. Are you guys like in classes? Are you guys like? Yeah, absolutely. So basically to be in to sell insurance in Colorado You have to renew your license every two years. So you have most Most companies require you to have for four types of lines of insurance Property Calculary Life and Health and you have to renew those every four years every two years So you have to take continued education classes. You have to pass certain courses to just keep your license up to date So you obviously have to know what's being it was changing in this in the state What's what factors are coming into play? So you have to stay up on that when you first get licensed in two years After that going forward. So so you've been in this field for a while. What's what's like the most satisfying? Most most satisfying man to be real is I've been in sales my whole life But with insurance especially is being there when someone needs you the most man when somebody says hey man I just told him my car got into an accident. I don't know how I'm gonna take my kids to school I don't know what I'm gonna do to get to work and to be able to tell him Hey, you have full coverage. We're gonna take care of for you We have a rental you have rental coverage on your policy is what we're gonna take care of that We actually have the lined up as soon as you drop it off at the shop And just being there when people are on a panic or or or don't know what to do And you're just there to help them and be that kind of type of feel You know what I mean is the is the most satisfying for sure So that's the best part of the job in my opinion is being there when they need you the most Okay, yeah, so for a young up-and-coming person or even an older person or whatever like that What would you? Advice would you give them if they're trying to break into the insurance field or if they need you know Like what kind of what kind of traits would they need what kind of work ethic or if you're interested in getting to the insurance field What I recommend is to jump in an office man I would recommend to Stop by and just try to get the job in an insurance office in general Kind of check out the lingo check out the atmosphere check out How everything's running and see if it's something you're sitting if it is something you're standing say hey I can see myself doing this best thing for you to do Is to get licensed because you're you really bring a value to Whatever office you're going to be a part of when you have property casualty life and health or even property and casualty in general And you can get those licenses online man. You can Fx online fx.com is where I got my license on you basically study it Then you go to the state and take the test pass the test you get your license When you go to an insurance office and say hey, I have my license I'm ready to get involved Then you can actually get commissioned off of Insurance sales and kind of go from there But first and foremost I'd recommend just to kind of get involved or just stop in an office and kind of see What it's like if you can see yourself being there if you can then get licensed man Just you know go for it, you know, but as far as characteristics and things you need pretty much like any sales You know type of thing don't quit You know what I mean good salesman is gonna hear no and not losing through the as them and keep going and going and going That's the thing you need in every sales job, but it's no insurance as well It definitely does come into play. So no, I'm glad you said that yeah, but also to want to shift the conversation I'm gonna come right back. Yeah, but I want to shift the conversation off or some insight as to How we know one another Yeah, but you know, I used to live a certain type of way and I used to you know Do a lot of different things maybe we're unhealthy not the best How did you move from that To where you are now like well, how did the shift come about yeah And what's what motivated you to do that to be honest with you? It was what kind of woke me up was having my daughter man You know I mean kind of having somebody rely on you and say hey, man You know wake up and start, you know, I mean making some moves and start, you know Being there for your family and things and when you have somebody relying on you like your wife or your daughter Kids and stuff it really kind of either Motivates you or I guess doesn't but it definitely motivated me to kind of make that pivot and take life seriously If you will, you know, so that's kind of what I want to because the main thing like and honestly Why I asked you to come on here because a lot of so Some of the other friends had moved in a in a different or the same further in the same direction That we used to be on but you found a way to step away from that Yeah, and you know, I mean focus on something that is and I see a lot of pictures and things like that Yeah, you know like the new family. Yeah, things like you've moved in a better Healthier direction. Absolutely. And you know, I want to make sure that you're applauded for that No, I don't appreciate that. I see it a couple of other friends mentioned it and things like that And I know that we haven't always been as close or as Connected as we have. Yeah, but people still have eyes on you They like all the stuff to be they they were showing me the stuff from all the nuggets games But now man, but I just want to applaud you on that I appreciate that man And you know taking your family and your career serious and yeah life in general. Yeah, yeah I think that's motivating for other people as well and I'm hoping anybody watching this Absolutely, you know see that they can move in a different route Definitely and and find a new enjoyment in life. Absolutely unhealthy You know going in the same direction bad, you know Go in the same direction fast and that's the kind of person how I am and I still know that I am You know what I mean? I can I can I can zoom in on a certain area that can take me in a bad direction really fast or I can zoom in in direction where it can take me You know advancing fast it's just a matter of where's that focus at and that's kind of what I Made a point to change was if I change my environment and change one around It'll change my future. You know what I mean? So it kind of just Made a point to me to stop hanging around certain people Change your environment and just kind of double down on the people that you want to be like, you know Show me your friends. I'll show me who your friends are and I'll show who you are You know what I mean? It just there's some truth to that man You know what I'm saying everybody talks about wanting to be loyal to day ones and all this stuff Which is true, but if you're not The leader of that relationship or being able to guide that relationship in a positive direction And that direction is going to bring you down You know what I mean? You got to be mad enough or woman enough to make that choice and kind of double down and Change some things or you know, you'll stay the same man. You know what I mean? And this is why we had So now I want to ship back So what are your short-term goals or long-term goals? Where are you at? So I got a couple different ones man. I mean I definitely have some personal goals. I have some business goals my business goals man, I eventually I Just moved and the reason why it's on top of my mind is because the rent kept here going up every time Or every a three-year lease that we had and I want to eventually own my own strip mall man, so that's the short that's the business side of goals, you know buy it but Costs quite a bit of money man. So that's still in kind of in motion that goes but Yeah, man as far as a personal goals. I just have a six six week girl six week old and Man, I'm trying to I'm trying to get into the weight pile of the Rockies man. Go see my boy Penny You know what I'm saying give me skin give me looking man So try to get trying to drop a quick 40 man, so that's just my personal goals But as far as business goals, that would probably be it You know and just growing growing the agency in general right now it's just myself and my mother who are owners of the all-state agency and You know just kind of growing from there They're looking to retire here soon, and I'm looking to to keep it moving and to keep Everything that I know we've got can pass down to other people and and also help grow the business that were that we're in so But I do want to ask you about so the strip mall thing you mentioned, you know I mean what where did that come from? I mean, I got it. I got a couple friends who are not a couple I got one friend that I know of that Started buying strip malls and started buying things He was telling me how much of course how much the equity is going to go up on that building and just all kinds of insight It made me actually purchase a home not too long ago about three years ago because I heard about equity man It was all new new news to me, but yeah, man Just kind of instead of paying rent and seeing it go up I think average was 15% a year and it never goes down. It'll always keep going up I mean, so it was like man, I gotta get in this and I gotta own something, you know And then not only that my fiance is a cosmetologist, so she cuts hair for a living She loves dying baliage I learned all these terminologies that she does baby lights low lights all kinds of stuff You know doing hair, but what beneficial would it be if we have an all-state agency in a salon And maybe some other businesses that we like doing in the same mall and only that you're making equity doing it You know what I mean? So that kind of turned me on to that and that's that's an emotion, man So hopefully be continued part two, you know, maybe in a couple years, you know I mean, maybe we'll have the podcast up in there, you know King Penny here. We got our strip mall going man You know what I'm saying with the weight part of the Rockies in the back. Who knows? I mean, I like I said, I've never I've never heard of anyone that this is this is you know what I mean? Yeah, man, you know, I mean, it's great like, you know I could see what benefits it could bring to a community Especially like, you know, yeah Good healthy things. Oh, yeah, place it good food Yeah, you know, I mean and you being in control of what the community and I wonder if you looked at it like that Yeah, because you will kind of be like owner sure more you'll kind of be in control of what is allowed to be in that Absolutely, absolutely. I mean a lot of people like liquor stores. Yeah stuff like that I mean you would have control over a look here with having that we're not yeah, I mean, so it's a lot of Responsibility, you know, I mean absolutely 100% I never thought of it like that I gotta look down the line. Yeah, 100% something you're proud of too. You know what I mean? I mean, it's gonna carry your name It's gonna be a legacy. This is and so you might want to think about that But you know me on that path and I'm wishing you all the best success in that I appreciate it. And then so my last question to be so what has Working in insurance contributed to your life or to your you know what I mean have you Lifestyle changes or your you know, just overall just your skill set as a man. Yeah, what has insurance done for you? to be honest it really kind of Allowed me to bump elbows with the right type of people man and People that I wouldn't normally talk to or even kind of the same reason why I got into golf when you mentioned playing golf Is I got into it to bump elbows with different connections different type of people to kind of talk to people that I wouldn't normally Talk to about certain things business Other all-state agents what you're doing that I'm not what I'm doing that you're not and kind of working together and building each other up But yeah, man I mean working in the business has really Has helped with financial freedom somewhat not to the place where obviously we want to be at quite yet You know, we're not reaching the goal yet, but you know and just meeting certain people that I never would meet man you know and Ivy League or college people people going to college and things like that Which I never did, you know, but All-state and insurance industry definitely kind of embarked that on me and just being able to contact people I never would normally talk to man, and it's definitely beneficial. So, you know to To answer the question like that. Yeah, that's pretty much it man. Just it's all positive There's no negative that being in the insurance field has brought to me So definitely would recommend if you are thinking that way. So no, like I said man I want to thank you now. Thank you for sitting down taking the time to talk and explain things Thank you, man. I mean like guys. Hey, I just gotta I just got a policy. I don't know I didn't know that you could for a dollar at this. Oh, yeah, we will look Look into that, but yeah, but hopefully that's informative for everyone else, but I do like I said I do want to congratulate you on baby shake that man on the engagement on the The the the life change and the you know, I mean the career and everything like that man I want to wish you all the best going forward. You're already winning. So, I mean it's kind of I'm like look I'm late to the training You know, I mean like man all the things that you're doing man is great man You always been positive like I said man only good things can come from that I appreciate I want to plug the last thing. So how can people get in contact with you? What's the best way? Yeah best way man a Phone number 303 699 3 3 2 7 we're out in Aurora, Colorado Pretty much off of Parker Road in 225, but most are done over the phone You know, well, we'll go ahead and quote you if that's something you're interested in shopping your rates quotes are always free You know, you can always give us a call shoot us an email. My email is chris chris Contreras c o n t r e r a s at allstate.com. So just chris contreras at allstate.com No dots or anything between the first and last name But yeah, man quotes are always free. So give us an opportunity to save you some money I'm the type person that's gonna tell you, you know, we can't save you some money at this time Well, let's try again in six months I'm not gonna be asked you over the phone or anything like that the main thing with insurance I'm what we stand by is being able to build that trust and to know hey I can't save you money at this time, but let's try again in six months, you know So we'll we'll be up front and center with you and go from there man You know create a win-win situation if we could save you money and move forward then It's win-win if not then we'll wait six months and try it again The thing with insurance is every companies will fluctuate so you might have a good right now But in six months that might change and all state might take a rate decrease This company might take an increase decrease, you know, so it all fluctuates throughout so definitely keep your current company honest and Check them out man. Check out different companies and check out those quotes So I sound like you had a commercial ready to go already. Are you a good Man Hey, man, this is big chris man. I appreciate you man. I'm king penny. Thank you for tuning in to this fourth episode of king penny podcast Like I say stay tapped into the wave pile on the rockies man 1610 main street open twice daily One in the morning from 7 30 to 11 and then again from 3 30 to 7 7 days a week all free Come get your workout in man. I'm gonna sit here and finish talking to chris man And try to figure out how I can become the new all state guy man. You guys have a great day. Check out them deadlifts man Come on. Uh, what is it? Hey next month next month probably around the 15th I put the flyer out this week man. Hey wish you guys all the best man. Have a good one man king penny