“What do you do when you’re full of life, and you learn there’s a fast-growing cancer inside of you?”
Nautilus Member Agent Bill Lyon shares the story of his client, Noelle, a free spirit who would rather spend her time helping others than think about herself.
Watch Bill’s story (3:01) to see how this remarkable woman reacted to the news that she would not watch her daughters get married after all.
“My brothers and I always felt that we had the perfect childhood, until an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line and changed everything.”
As a teenager, Nautilus Member Braden Draggoo was at the top of his game athletically. He and his brother felt like they had the perfect childhood, helping his dad remodel rental homes from the 1920s and connecting as a family over shared dinners.
Then one day, as his father was driving, an oncoming motorist crossed the center line and changed everything for Braden’s family.
Watch this video (3:50) to hear the story of a father’s love and to learn how Braden’s experiences as a young adult uniquely impacted his understanding of what happens if mom or dad isn’t there one day to put bread on the table.
“I told myself that Mike could buy insurance through his brokerage firm and was taking care of his insurance himself.”
Mike was a good friend of Nautilus Member Agent Carrie Hall. Right after college, Mike contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which later went into remission. Since Mike was in the financial services industry himself, Carrie assumed that he would purchase life insurance of his own accord.
Spend a few minutes (3:35) to see the emotional impact of that assumption and why this experience has not only forever changed Carrie’s view of the importance of life insurance, but also is why she believes in relentlessly pursuing the issue of proper coverage for her clients.
“If something happens to me, take care of my wife. Don’t let her marry some schmuck.”
David Levee’s best friend, Michael, would tell David, “If something happens to me, take care of my wife. Don’t let her marry some schmuck.”
David would laugh at him and remind him that they were only in their 20s. Then the unthinkable happened.
Listen to David’s story (2:58) to learn about the moment he realized that this industry gives him the opportunity to perform miracles, to give back to his clients and friends and family what they need, when they need it.
“The first life insurance death claim I delivered was to my mom, for a policy I wrote on my dad’s life.”
Nautilus Member Agent Gib Surles began his career in the life insurance industry at 24 years of age. The very first death claim he delivered was a life insurance policy on his father’s life, payable to his mother.
That personal experience of witnessing the magic of financial security from a life insurance instrument affected him throughout his entire career. He knows there is nothing more humbling than being able to walk in the door after a tragic situation with money for the heirs.
Watch this video (3:25) to hear Gib describe that experience and see why Gib considers his career in the life insurance industry his nobility of purpose.
What do you do when your bank goes bankrupt?
The 2008 economic downturn had far-reaching effects, but for Tom and his wife, Linda, who had just recovered from nearly losing everything to estate taxes after Tom’s father passed away, it was financial double jeopardy.
Watch this video (2:45) to learn how Nautilus Member Agent Harvey Krautschun used the versatile power of life insurance to help protect his clients’ assets.
Many people have dreams, but not all of them will take the risk necessary to make them come true.
Nautilus Member Agent Jerry Coats recounts working with a third-generation farmer named Bill, whose son, Larry, wanted to raise cattle rather than crops.
Larry found just the right bull and happily flew off to buy him with three years’ worth of expected farm revenue in his pocket, a huge investment in his dream of expanding the family business.
Watch Jerry’s video (2:59) to see how this story proves that while dreams can be risky, smart business owners—with the help of their trusted financial professionals—can mitigate that risk and chase their dreams in a responsible way.
“I encouraged my client to consider purchasing more life insurance in the event of his untimely death.”
Clients Heather and Corey had a young family, including twin boys. Due to a tight budget, they weren’t interested in purchasing additional life insurance on Corey’s life, but knowing that he was the family’s sole breadwinner, New York Life agent Nathan Engstrom continued to pursue the issue.
Watch this video (4:12) to hear the story of a loving husband who, for financial reasons, wanted to reduce the face amount of the coverage he had in force.
“When I got the call about the life insurance policy, I was thinking, be in force, be in force—please be in force.”
Nautilus Member Ralph Sklar’s client had been out walking his dog when a drunk driver changed everything. His wife, Pam, was adamant that they couldn’t afford any more life insurance coverage on her husband’s life.
Watch this video (3:31) to hear what happened when Ralph answered Pam’s call asking about the life insurance coverage her husband had in force.
“Last year, I was meeting a friend for lunch, and he tells me, ‘Well, I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is, my wife’s expecting a baby.’”
As Nautilus Member Agent Rich Maus was listening to his friend and client deliver some devastating news over a lunch meeting, he remembered a conversation they’d had about life insurance the previous year.
Watch this video (3:44) of Rich sharing the emotional struggle he and his client faced as they contemplated the potential repercussions of his client’s decision.
“He was the guy who says, ‘That always happens to somebody down the street. Let’s get onto the next matter at hand.’”
“He was the guy who says, ‘That always happens to somebody down the street. Let’s get onto the next matter at hand.’ But sometimes what happens down the street comes a little closer to home.”
“I got one of those phone calls that you just hope you never get.”
As a brand-new life insurance agent, Nautilus Member Agent Thomas Herlong asked his best friend, Charles, to let him practice on him. A few years later, Charles’s wife saw a news clip on TV that changed everything.
“That night,” Thomas says, “I got one of those phone calls that you just hope you never get.”
Watch Thomas’s story (2:59) to see how that practice session years earlier made a difference for Charles and his family.
What does a life insurance agent do when his client keeps putting off the purchase?
Year after year, Nautilus Member Agent Tim FitzGerald tried to get his client, John, covered by life insurance, but John kept putting off writing the check, instead sending Tim to his attorneys so he could get the coverage as part of his compensation package.
When Tim finally told John, this is not going to go through your business, John then made Tim go talk to John’s wife to get her to agree!
Watch this video (3:11) to see what impact this client’s stubbornness had, what impact Tim’s persistence had, and why this story, says Tim, “validates everything I do for a living.”
“My client’s wife, Cheryl, was a CPA, and she did not like life insurance.”
According to Nautilus Member Agent Tim FitzGerald, “You have to love somebody to purchase life insurance.” Tim’s client, Curtis, was a 48-year-old electrical contractor. His client’s wife, Cheryl, was a CPA, and she did not like life insurance.
Watch this video (4:00) to see what happened when Tim and Curtis met to discuss life insurance and financial security and see how those conversations and the decisions that were made at those meetings impacted Cheryl’s life and the lives of her children forever.
“Vines View Farms was no more.”
Growing up on a farm in a place called Paradise Hill sounds like heaven for anyone, but at six years old, Nautilus Member Agent Tyson Vines watched as his family’s dairy business was sold off, piece by piece, just days after losing his grandfather.
Years later, Tyson got a call from his father that made him wonder if history was going to repeat itself. Watch Tyson’s story (2:55) to learn how his father created a new legacy for the Vines family.
Buy-Sell Agreements
Bob and Al are co-owners of Boballoons. Their story illustrates the importance of having a buysell agreement in place when the unexpected happens.
Charitable Remainder Trust with Wealth Replacement
Deena and Dave love their local dinosaur museum and donate to it every year. But when it came time to figure out the best tax strategies for charitable giving, they thought it would be as confusing as spelling brachiosaurus. Watch this video to learn about the three places your money can go when you pass away - your family, the government, or to your favorite charities.
Income Tax Buckets
There are three types of income buckets - taxable, tax deferred, and tax free. What’s in your bucket?
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT)
Meet three families who made different decisions when buying life insurance. What were the different outcomes when the family breadwinner passed away?
Key Employee Retention
How do employers retain top talent? Watch this video to learn more about a key employee retention strategy.
Special Needs Trust
When David was injured in a car accident as a kid, his family was there to support him, but as his parents and grandparents aged, that support system got smaller.Thankfully, his family had a special needs trust created.
Supplemental Life Insurance Retirement Plan (SLIRP)
Scott learns how a Supplemental Life Insurance Retirement Plan or SLIRP would allow him to get money when he wants to, or needs to, without hassle.
Marketability Assessment
Mario and Maria both own successful businesses and have decisions to make when it comes to determining the value and marketability of their businesses as they consider an exit.