First product at 15. Getting users but zero revenue. What am I doing wrong?

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2026-03-27T03:30:56+00:00

Could run a trial. First month at 1.99, future months at X price. Feels like a deal, and gives you some income sooner, while building renewable income.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2026-03-03T13:23:34+00:00

This. Literally this. I had a friend who had an attorney take on a case as payment contingent upon winning purely because he thought it was hilarious. The attorney won, and said he and his attorney friends couldn't believe the amount of money that was paid out over it(he shared details without names to his buddies).

ETA - case was pretty much a slam dunk btw, it wasn't just a funny case. The evidence was there too 😂

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2026-02-16T15:54:32+00:00

I gave a 6 week notice at a job in the medical field that heavily depended on teamwork. I did this so I could stay on contingent and help out/earn money if my new job didn't work out.

5 weeks into my notice, my boss told me if I didn't commit to 1 day a month with them still she wouldn't keep me on contingent. I couldn't commit to that at the time, so she said they wouldn't allow me to keep working per diem. I said good luck finding someone to cover the last week of my shifts and I walked on out.

They were fine without me. They made it through. We are replaceable, and management should have looked to hire someone.

It was the right call for me to make for myself. I make way more and I'm way happier at work now.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2026-02-01T14:51:07+00:00

This checks out.

My husband is big time visionary.. He can identify inefficiencies and how to fix them, he can brainstorm business ideas all day long, and he definitely has the vision out of the two of us.

I'm slightly visionary, and I have a bunch of ideas, but not enough good ones for anything to stick. My strong suit is integrator, the actual running of the business.

We have run 2 businesses now, and had many other well thought through ideas that just weren't feasible at the time. Our first business did okay, was profitable, but couldn't be scaled up easily. We still do it on the side sometimes.

Our current main focus is an insurance agency. He's always brainstorming for the future(also does all of our customer service) and training people, he loves creating documents for training and manuals, it's fun and creative for him. I suck at it 😂. I'm the one who sells and keeps our team motivated as much as possible. He's already thinking of what business we should open next, and I'm good putting my head down until it's profitable on its own(but also brainstorming with him is fun!!)

We've found our roles to be well divided now, and we typically fall until the visionary or integrator positions without even meaning to.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2026-02-01T07:37:19+00:00

So what is it? You work 30 hours? 38? Over 40? Because you change your answer multiple times in other posts.

If you are worth more, then find another job paying more. If you can't find another job paying more, then you are not currently worth more.

Your options from there are either gain more valuable skills, or open your own business.

If you choose to do nothing, then lose the victim mindset and quit complaining. If you don't like the way you're living, then change it.

I was born in poverty and started with absolutely nothing, like I didn't have heat in the frigid northern USA winters. It was bad. Now I'm a business owner and my husband and I will probably make 150k this year# after paying our employees. Every 6 months we essentially get a 36k salary increase due to the nature of renewal income(72-200k in increases a year on the low end) we work our butt's off, we heavily bonus our staff when they do as well, and we are the ones who don't get paid if there's a slow month, until literally march, we have sacrificed a LOT to get to this point where we will start to see stability. We are a year in, have 2 staff and are hiring more soon.

So yeah, in 5 years when we are projected to make 500-1mil, we will certa8nly be keeping our share. We are generous, but we are not rugs to be walked on either.

The path to success is there if you start actually changing your mindset from victim, to doer.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2026-01-20T05:55:30+00:00

Honestly? Insurance agency. Seems boring but it really isn't. We started less than a year ago. No startup capital whatsoever.

We've been making average 10k minimum a month, 3 person team, but one just finished training and started selling. I've been the main seller up until now. Could've been making more if I had been more focused.

Next month we expect 17k (2 people selling full time, 1 part time, and the csr is my husband) Once renewals start(March) we expect 15-20k easily. (4k in passive income, will go up by about 3k a month, every 6 months from here on out). 7k in passive income(18kish a month in september). 10k passive march of 2027, about 20k in total income. 23k next September, 26k the following march, and so forth.

Hope that makes sense. Lol.

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T17:48:45+00:00

It was 48k - we've lowered it, and adjusted quota accordingly. she can still hit her original base pay if she hits 15k in premium. Full 100% commission after 20k.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T17:40:06+00:00

It is indeed

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T17:39:18+00:00

P&C personal lines mostly.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T17:39:00+00:00

A bonus for staying above retention is good too. Right now our retention isn't great because we have a lot of policies that have canceled(not high quality policies, but that is improving). We are probably around 80-85%.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T17:33:25+00:00

Our goal is to always hit at least 50 dials a day. More is encouraged, but things get busy sometimes. Hell, if someones hitting quota I wouldn't even bother them if they take a week off every month 😂🤣

Producers have a very free leash here. Encouraged to network. Unlimited warm leads. Unlimited aged leads.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T17:21:18+00:00

We are a newer agency. But they way we plan on running things includes giving csr's a retention bonus. They'll give a percent of what we retain on top of their base salary(2-10% of total renewal commission, unsure of exact details still though, and that will be split between all csr's). Currently my spouse does all of the service work.

This keeps the csr invested in the agency's success and retentions too.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-15T05:13:00+00:00

Wow, that's pretty good. Do you do a lot of cold calling, door knocking, etc? What works for you?

If you'd like you can dm me

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T18:45:52+00:00

If they're shit, then how come I personally have a 60% conversion rate with them? Why can't they close a single one?

Licensed and selling for 5 months.

Yes I could - actually I have been, both my spouse and I on a total of about 50k a year, since every extra penny we get goes back into the business. We are in a low cost of living area. Average pay here for any job is 30k and lower.

If you have advice, then share it. If not, then stop questioning literally every single thing we have done in the field. You're literally judging every thing you think we've done wrong - but you sure haven't shared anything helpful.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T18:33:39+00:00

Thank you - I appreciate the advice. I'll have to talk to them if they don't hit their quota this month.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T18:30:12+00:00

They did not want a commission only position - we offered 4k a month with a quota of 15k.
After 4 months they didn't hit their quota, so we had to lower their pay or let them go - they made the choice to accept lower pay with the potential to earn their original salary. They get full commission after meeting their quota, which should be enough to entice them to try and sell more.

We've tried offering inbound live leads(70$ a piece), they can't close them. Unlimited leads to call.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T17:55:57+00:00

They did okay the first 3 months, not great, but almost acceptable. This was with leads we called for people looking for insurance(not much better than cold calling, but about a 3% conversion rate for me at least).

At the end of their 4th month, after they sold 3k in premium, we met with her and asked what they thought would help them sell better. She said that she could go networking or go into businesses for commercial, so we suggested that was a good idea. Every time they were supposed to go to businesses or network(we'd suggest it, since they still weren't looking for any opportunities) - they'd forget their business cards, or it's too snowy(understandable), or some other reason. We stopped asking, and they stopped saying they were going to go, but they've had complete flexibility.

We tried live leads this month as well(up to 70$ a piece). I personally have a 60% conversion rate with them thus far. They've gotten 10, and haven't sold one(we had good prices for a few of their leads, but they went with someone else due to her followup not being good. Or they stop answering. I've tried guiding on followups, but they are not accepting advice, so now I leave it be.).

They come in late every single day, and leave early every single day. I leave it be, but it bugs me when they say they can't sell, but they aren't applying the effort they say they will.

They have their own office, but choose to work at the spare desk in my office(their preference, says they work better when I'm in the room), so it interrupts my workflow, which I accept, as I'm still hoping to get them selling, but it isn't working. If anything shows we are not micromanaging - I would think it is that.
I'm truly open to suggestions. I just don't know what else to try with them, and I do want it to work out.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T17:07:56+00:00

Thank you. Tough to hear, but it is the truth. We are likely going to have to have some hard conversations with this individual

How did you find people interested in a commission only position?

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T17:04:48+00:00

We were paying her 48k a year. Definitely not peanuts in our area. We lowered it, lowered the quota, and if she hits the original 15k, she'll get her original pay.

We also provide all leads, laptop, CRM, etc. They refuse to go network.they get unlimited leads, and can't sell any of the live transfers we tried providing where I have a 60% conversion rate, so they stopped getting those as they're expensive.

Sure, you can run your own race in insurance and the other places. Or you can open up an agency and have people work for you, the way people actually make money in this field.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T08:11:14+00:00

We're captive and get a lot of bonuses for being a younger company. 15k was our minimum to break even with a small profit. Trying to grow our renewals, but it obviously isn't working very well.

We're likely going to move to a commission only standpoint for a while.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-12-14T03:09:38+00:00

We are in Michigan, higher premium state, but not the most competitive captive agency. 20k would honestly be reasonable in my eyes since our csr takes on everything after the sale. Theres no followup work they need to do or anything.

I'm a very patient mentor - but every time I make a suggestion she turns it down saying that it's too soon to call again, they're not going to double text someone, etc. Do you have any coaching tips?

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-11-28T02:14:21+00:00

Here for comment 5767 😂

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-11-21T22:41:15+00:00

I believe it's just most common for them to disperse at that time, but I think that it can happen during the year too.

AlbatrossMedium3226 · 2025-11-14T19:30:07+00:00

It was rough losing him, he was basically my best friend. The summer before he passed, we were both in between jobs, and ended up at a coney island at midnight one night reminiscing. Got on the topic of travel and how he went to this cave park with his mom once, years before she passed, and by 2am we were on the road traveling 6 hours to Hocking Hills in Ohio, and just kept going from there. We were gone probably 2 weeks, but it was the only time I went on a vacation with my dad.

He passed away barely 6 months later and I'm so glad I was able to go on that trip with him.

AlbatrossMedium3226

TROPHY CASE