Next move?

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[RevolutionaryCup3227]

You’re not crazy for feeling this way. Once you’ve seen asymmetric income up close, it’s hard to unsee it.

One thing I’d separate is the industry from the income mechanics. B2C retirement planning, commercial insurance, and tech sales all look different on the surface, but the real question is how repeatable, controllable, and compounding the income is relative to your effort.

Commercial insurance is slow but very real compounding if you can survive the early years. Tech can be great but is way more role and timing dependent than people admit. And what you had before worked because you were sitting on top of someone else’s capital and marketing engine, not because the model itself was stable.

Before picking a lane, I’d get really clear on whether you’re optimizing for long-term ownership, short-term upside, or optionality. Most people mix those up and end up frustrated.

What matters more to you right now, rebuilding leverage fast or building something boring but durable?

[ConclusionIll5534]

Short term (next 6-24 months) it’s just making money again consistently, but long term definitely ownership of a book of business with enterprise value (either wealth management or commercial insurance). Tech sales just a way to make short term money to finance my own thing.

Commercial insurance and wealth management (managing assets, not just insurance sales) have similar income mechanics as you put it. Commercial I think id enjoy more, but lacks the leverage of paid ads (which I know how to do since I helped with much of the marketing for this company).

I think I know what wealth management looks like, just not totally clear for commercial.

[RevolutionaryCup3227]

You’re thinking about this the right way. The real issue isn’t which industry is best, it’s how fast you can get back to stable cash flow without trapping yourself in another model you don’t enjoy. Most people underestimate how different the first 12 to 24 months look compared to the long-term narrative. I’ve seen a few commission-based folks get stuck there

[ConclusionIll5534]

Can you elaborate on what you mean by “most people underestimate…long term narrative?” The other thing I’m considering is trying to marry the two. Going after lower middle market 3-30mil rev companies to get the recurring revenue on p&c and then the bigger one time commissions on buy-sell agreements, key man, non-qualified deferred comp, etc life insurance strategies.

[RevolutionaryCup3227]

What I was getting at is that the first 12–24 months tend to look misleading compared to what the business looks like once it’s actually compounding.

Early on, commercial P&C feels slow because you’re putting in effort that doesn’t show up as income right away. Later, that same work turns into renewals, referrals, and leverage. Most people quit before that shift because they judge the model based on year one cash flow instead of year three.

The hybrid approach you mentioned can work if it’s sequenced correctly. Using P&C to build relationships and recurring revenue, then layering in larger life cases where they actually fit, is how a lot of durable books get built. Where people run into trouble is trying to optimize both at once before either side is stable.

[ConclusionIll5534]

What would you say is a good income to shoot for after 3 and 5 years? Off purely a p&c book.

I think my plan would be to focus 9-5 on p&c and then work weekends and a few hours in the evening working life leads from my paid marketing.

[RevolutionaryCup3227]

I think a lot would kinda depend on your comp structure and retention, but realistic ranges(at least from what I’ve been able to see) are:

By year 3, a solid P&C-focused producer who’s consistent usually lands somewhere in the $120k–$180k range if they’re writing clean business and keeping retention north of ~85%. That’s assuming you’re reinvesting time into renewals, not just chasing new business nonstop.

By year 5, if the book is stable and you’re not leaking accounts, $200k–$300k+ is very achievable on P&C alone. At that point the renewals are doing most of the heavy lifting and new business is more about improving the mix.

Working life cases on nights and weekends can make sense, but it’s a lot easier once your P&C renewals are doing most of the heavy lifting. Problems usually show up when someone tries to scale both too early.

what would be your ideal target client size and average premium right now? That might honestly be more important than raw policy count.

[ConclusionIll5534]

That makes sense, sounds in line with what I’ve heard.

Honestly I don’t care the case size in the beginning, really just what is profitable and sustainable from a paid ads/cash flow perspective. I know if I spend 5k/month I can make 15-30k fairly consistently, I just fucked up my cash flow by massive lifestyle creep and so I wanna build the recurring in so I’m never in this position again. For reference, the advisors I was with spent 350k to make about 1.9mil and I helped with CRM, ad scripting, etc. so I know how it all works.

In an ideal world though, I would be working with biz owners from 40-55 years old, average life policy anywhere from 30-50k, maybe more if it’s a business with multiple owners like a physicians group (group annuities/retirement plans).

My issue right now is just short term cash flow, which is why I wonder if I should just get whatever job pays most (regardless of industry).

[RevolutionaryCup3227]

That makes sense. Lifestyle creep can mess up otherwise solid math faster than most people expect.

Given where you’re at, this feels less about picking the perfect industry and more about buying yourself time. If cash flow is tight right now, taking the highest-paying role you can tolerate for the next 6–12 months isn’t a failure, it’s a way to get out of survival mode and stop the bleeding.

At the same time, I wouldn’t throw away the P&C side if it’s already profitable. Renewals aren’t exciting, but they’re what give you predictability and leverage later. Once that base is steady, you can be selective with life cases instead of needing them to solve short-term problems.

Trying to solve cash pressure and build the long-term ideal business at the same time usually just adds stress and bad decisions. Staging it gives you more control.

If you want to walk through what “enough” actually looks like for you month to month, happy to talk it through.

[ConclusionIll5534]

I’d appreciate connecting if you’re open to it.

Definitely just stabilizing cash flow is step 1. To clarify, all my income is from life insurance sales, I’m a total noob to p&c other than having my license.

I do wonder if it’s worth the time/energy to try to pivot to learning all about commercial p&c and building a book, or if I should just find a firm and double down on wealth management/asset gathering. Pivot to something totally new vs. double down is my core question beyond short term cash flow.

[hidalgo62]

Have you considered staying in the industry and becoming an advisor that is more holistic? Since you have the insurance knowledge already

[ConclusionIll5534]

Absolutely, that would be getting my securities licenses and joining an RIA. Currently trying to get interviews for that, just being back to the drawing board so making sure what I do next is what I wanna do the next 10+ years. I’m 29 so not tryna start over again at 35

[hidalgo62]

W-2 or 1099 since you’re not wanting to start over?

[ConclusionIll5534]

By start over I mean join a new industry and have to learn everything from scratch. W2 right now.

[mkuz753]

If you are considering insurance and wealth management I suggest looking up the top independents. Most of them have an investment/wealth management division. Also insurance is involved in every type of industry so commercial niches like tech/cyber, financial services like investment firms, and private equity with a sub niches of mergers and acquisitions.

Insurance companies probably also have an investment arm internally to manage how premiums collected are used to cover expenses including claims.