Advisor Today - August 2009

THE EDGE Leading

A Call to Service

During our interview with John Joseph Stroble, CLU, FLMI,

executive vice president and CEO of Southern Farm Bureau Life

Insurance Co., we learned several important lessons. A major

take-away: Exemplary customer service is the cornerstone of a

successful practice.

NAIFA: You joined Southern Farm Bureau on the administrative side of the business. How has that experience helped you now as head of the company?

NAIFA: What business skills have con-
tributed the most to your success?

Joey Stroble: I’ve always considered myself a servant of the agency force, and in heading up our claims operation, I realized the importance of an agent’s work. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with families who’ve lost loved ones and heard many stories about how their lives would have changed dramatically had our agents not convinced them of the need for life insurance. So my experience in claims has influenced me in terms of the responsibility I have as CEO.

We’ve got a tremendous group of men and women who represent our company. But when you get right down to it, they’re selling a promise and we must, in management, have our company in position to deliver on that promise. So we try to run our company in such a way that we will be able to deliver on that promise—whether it’s a week from the time the promise was made or 40 years down the road.

Stroble: You cannot be successful without preparing and organizing your daily work routine. Setting goals is also very important, and I think you have to have a passion for what you do. I’ve been blessed to enjoy coming to work each day and trying to do better than I did the day before, and I have always surrounded myself with very talented, dedicated professionals.

NAIFA: What traits have you observed in
some of the most successful advisors?

RESOURCES You can listen to the interview with Joey Stroble by tuning in to the podcast, “The Leading Edge with Joey Stroble.” You can access it at www.Advisor Today.com or at www.naifa.org.

Stroble: They have a passion for serving their fellow man and a desire to take care of their needs. They are loyal, educated in their company’s product offerings, have a strong work ethic and are team players.