In a world where the expected tale is one of personal struggles and an elusive happy ending, John Wetmore defies convention. He stands at the intersection of two vastly different stories: one of resilience and a relentless pursuit of achievement amidst personal hardship, and the other of an insurance mogul living a life of abundance and impact.
John Wetmore was once 20 years old and working the third shift in a warehouse in the Boston projects to make a living for his two children, but today he is a multimillionaire. Wetmore generates enough income from overrides and interest that he no longer needs to sell policies at all and spends his hours between quality time with his family of seven, mentoring other agents, and flying on private jets to events with the industry’s most influential names.
Before insurance, Wetmore had been working odd jobs, putting himself through degrees in accounting and finance, and searching for a more fulfilling career path. His young family was his main motivation for seeking opportunities that could provide higher income and financial security, but these were few and far between. It wasn’t until Wetmore began ‘testing out’ the insurance industry and saw that technology could catalyze his sales generation, that he believed he found the limitless opportunity he was searching for.
"I was intrigued by the potential of the insurance industry and how technology could play a transformative role. As I worked part-time in insurance, I witnessed firsthand the impact of technology in boosting sales success and improving efficiency," Wetmore explains.
Automation and digital platforms were modernizing every part of the industry, but few agents had yet to realize the power of digital lead generation programs. This is the technology Wetmore references specifically when asked what the catalyst of his career was.
Without lead generation technology Wetmore would not have been able to achieve his goals of running, first, 10 appointments a week and then increasing to 30 appointments a week, which would not have allowed him to increase his commissions from $800 in one month, to $100,000 in that same year, and then $460,000 in a couple more.
"I can't stress enough how crucial it is to have enough leads. No matter how good you are or how much you know, without sufficient leads, you'll face challenges in this industry," Wetmore adds, "I tell my new agents, if you can get a lead for less than 20 bucks - and then get 100 of them - you'll become a millionaire in a few years.”
Wetmore had more than achieved the financial stability he and his family needed as an individual agent, but what had brought Wetmore to millionaire status was actually pursuing his passion for helping others through mentorship and leadership. By leveraging overrides and building a strong team of 50 agents with his first firm to mentoring over 2,000 agents as a managing partner with one of the largest agencies in the U.S., Wetmore was able to impart his experiences and knowledge that made him successful onto new agents so that they could achieve that same level of success. Just one example of Wetmore’s impact is Zach’s story.
"Zach's hard work, dedication, and coachability led to remarkable success. At one point he was selling $800,000 in a year - a testament to the significance of generating more leads and activity - and I was able to watch him grow from a 22-year-old rookie to joining me as a 25-year-old managing partner - the youngest ever.”
Zach and Wetmore had developed a close business partnership through daily mentoring and still maintained their regular communication on strategies, insights, and business collaboration.
On mentorship as a whole, John believes, "Mentorship is a game-changer in the insurance industry. I can guide and support other agents, and in return, I get a percentage of their commission. It's a win-win situation. As a mentor, you have the potential to grow significantly, earning from your mentees' success and it’s truly fulfilling to watch them build their businesses just as I did."
Today, Wetmore’s main focus is mentoring, growing new insurance agencies, and searching for cutting-edge technology that can enhance any aspect of the business. Wetmore has earned his position as an industry influencer and he continues to shape the insurance landscape through his leadership and innovation.
It’s hard for most people to imagine how someone in his position at 20 years old could have created a completely new life for himself and his family, but Wetmore truly believes it is possible for anyone to achieve with the right support within the industry and an innate drive for success.
Wetmore reflects, “My career story would be significantly different if it weren’t for my own mentors, being able to leverage technology to increase sales, and knowing I wanted more out of my career by filling in that missing piece that would make it rewarding both financially and personally.”
Wetmore is constantly searching for new opportunities in the industry to empower others and encourages agents at any stage of their career to reach out. It’s never too early for new agents to seek advice even if they feel the nature of the industry is to ‘go it alone’ and it’s never too late for seasoned agents to unlock new potential that may have never seemed possible.
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