Actual Statement – Dimitris Koutroubis

I am 58 years old and I’ve studied economics. In my previous career, I was a textiles merchant. 13 years ago, things turned for the worst when I lost my business and my rather high income. This experience taught me that, on the one hand, I wasn’t fit for being a merchant, and on the other, I wanted to do something that would provide me with the same prestige and income.

Shortly before my business declined, I had decided to become an insurance agent for the following reasons:

1. Counseling fits me as it has the prestige I needed.
2. It’s a profession that requires integrity.
3. I realized that this business has a real need for professionals, not impromptu amateurs. Therefore, having decided to recreate a strong professional career, I was sure that I would succeed.
4. Every person has a prevailing need for safety (and will continue to do so), for reasons that are beyond the scope of this note. I have always been very well insured… Therefore, there will always be a need for insurance.
5. Working as an insurance agent is a strictly personal matter, therefore, the work in this market is guaranteed. On the contrary, merchandise often falls into the hands of people that small merchants can’t compete with, like for example, clothing/textiles and the Far East.
6. The incomes of successful insurance agents are similar to those of high-ranking businessmen.
7. There is no need for capital.

After a long, personal search in the market, I decided to go with MetLife. The main reason I picked MetLife, was the number of branch offices they had, which guaranteed me with a viable working environment. Furthermore, another important factor was the bona fide feeling I had from my first encounter with the company. To this day, they haven’t proven me wrong.

Alexis Mordo’s branch office and Alexis in particular, helped me to correct my drawbacks which had led me to lose my business. For example, he helped me to set my own professional goals and pursue them consistently, to compare the results of my efforts with the goals I have set and to generally keep improving myself in order to become as effective as I wanted.

Finally, I’d like to note something I’ve realized: In the last 13 years, I couldn’t find a profession that could give me as much as being a merchant could (when the business went well). It’s been a long time since I was disappointed for not finding it and I’ve stopped looking.

Dimitris Koutroubis

22/12/2006