Becoming an Effective Unit Manager in the Insurance Advice industry with Kristoffer Jun “Toffee” Yurong – Transcript

Gwen Lazarito
Hey guys, welcome to another episode of the financial planners Southeast Asia podcast win here and today I am with Christopher Yurong or Sir Toffee Yurong he is a senior unit manager at AXA Philippines and a 2022 Gamma global FL a bronze award. So, thank you so much for being in the podcast today, Sir Toffee.

Toffee Yurong
Hi, Gwen. Good afternoon. I see afternoon right now. And good afternoon. Good evening, and good morning to everybody who’s listening to this podcast. How are you?

Gwen Lazarito
Yeah. Well, for me, I’m doing great. And thanks for asking. Well, actually, Toffee, just to break the ice. It just wanted to ask why Toffee?

Toffee Yurong
Actually, my high school friends coined that nickname of mine, because of my name, Christopher. And I used to be very dark color used to be very dark during that time, you know, when you have when you’re adolescent, you know, at stage or they would usually always tell me that I looked at sound like the chocolate trophy. I just, you know, got to carry it over until the day the nickname.

Gwen Lazarito
Ah, that’s so interesting. But I think it’s fine because we’re Filipinos are we were meant to be marinas and Marina. So I was just very curious. How you I mean, I see it in your name. It’s in the Topher? curious why you you bet like it’s stuck. So it stands out like it lets you stand out whenever, like I see people’s posts. Because of your name. Yeah, it stands out. So I guess my first question with regards to the podcast is because I want our listeners to know more about you like, how many years have you been in this industry in the financial advice industry?

Toffee Yurong
In the financial services and insurance industry? I’ve been with the industry for since two end of 2015. So that’s seven years? Well?

Gwen Lazarito
Yeah, a few more years to go.

Toffee Yurong
Yeah, I actually just realized that it’s been that. You know, time flies so fast. So I just Yeah, you don’t really notice time until you just realize that you’ve been there for like that long.

Gwen Lazarito
Yeah, time flies fast when you’re having fun. I’m sure that no, and why did you get into the advice industry in the first place.

Toffee Yurong
That’s the funny and surprising part at that time, because, for one, I am actually an engineering graduate. I’m an engineer by profession. So I work in a telecommunications company for eight years. And that I just said, you know, when you just become fed up with things, because after I was still I was still in school, I was on my last term in university I was already working. And then I didn’t have that opportunity or the chance to take a break. So it took from that time on, then eight years after it just all work. So then suddenly, I just realized, I really want to do this next step out of the whole of my whole, boring life and just figure things out. So I was based in Manila. So when I read, I resigned from that work after eight years, and then I came back here to Cebu to iOS, I plan to like, take a breather for about a year. And then my advice, my financial advisor, because I have a a policy from my company. Notice that I’ve been slacking off in here in Cebu for a few months already. So he tried to call me and say, What have what have I been doing? And I said, I said, I’m still having a taking a vacation, try to figure things out at my life and stuff. So I didn’t have any plans. So he invited me for an orientation. And then I said, Okay, I can do this because this is just I mean, I’m not Try to do this as an employment or something. So well, I’ve started to get bored also, so I can’t do anything. So I tried to join the trainings. And then I started to like the, the subjects and the topics and the trainees because it’s all about financial planning. It’s something new to me. So slowly, I come to appreciate it. And then the next thing I know, I already took the licensure exams and passed it. But at the back of my mind, I’d say like, Okay, this should just be for us to make my to do things in a day. So I’ll just want to take it on a day to day basis. And then suddenly, on my first month, I was able to sell three insurance policies and maybe I can do this actually. By the way, I did not have any sales experience prior to joining totally zero, but I’m the type was really talkative. So maybe probably that’s the reason why I have been staying long with with this industry, because you really need to have a it’s actually a skill to be really talkative. Yes, that’s I don’t know what happened seven years after I’m still here. So that that’s just if it came as a surprise, and by accident, and then I came to love it. That’s why I’ve been here ever since.

Gwen Lazarito
That’s actually a good story. Because a lot of some of the listeners that we have are the ones who are in the fence about financial advice, if it’s the right career for them. And it’s stories like these, where you get to realize you don’t actually know if it’s the right fit for you until you try it. Right. So why not dip into the water and see if it suits you. So let’s just That’s so great. Thank you so much for sharing that to us, sir. Sophie, and how many advisors do you currently have in your team? Now,

Toffee Yurong
I have been a unit manager from my company for running three years already. So I’m a bit of a pandemic unit manager. So yes, ever since probably, we’re around 30. But not all are really active. So and so let’s just say that No, what I would really want would have around five to seven advisors who will be active in selling. But in terms of like, just the manpower account, I was able to reach about 35.

Gwen Lazarito
Total, that’s a lot to manage, right? Even. Even if they’re just like four to five, who are, let’s say, top sellers. I’m doing air quotes. But so I guess my next question would be like, Have you noticed any surge or drop in the attrition of financial advisors? After the pandemic,

Toffee Yurong
I wouldn’t really say that this would be a definitive statistics, because let’s, we all know that the pandemic was a showstopper. So everything had to, really, how do I say this really adjust to it. And we, it’s, again, I would always say it’s not definitive, but during the pandemic, I was really able to talk to people and make them realize and convinced that the life insurance industry or financial advisor ship can be the savior, but can be their fallback during pandemic. So I added to it that after the pandemic, a lot of those that I have, you know, invited to join, actually got back their lives, their careers and everything already after the pandemic. So the the being that a big financial advisors admittedly had to take a little bit of a backseat as we go to go back towards the new normal, and I am cool with that. Because I also understand that before, before the pandemic, they had that kind of life, they were just you just had this to your heart, it’s a break or a gap. And I introduce it to them and then when they get back, of course, they really need to prioritize getting back on their feet. Yeah, definitely. I would, I would say it’s like they just had their own travel revenge work with me going out to Rancho I understand that as well. So this is actually for me, this year is still a recovery phase for me. That’s why it’s, it’s, I wouldn’t say not challenging but situational for me because I understand them. So now, those who been producing and mighty are the ones who really are have been with me ever since pandemic. So these are the ones that who understood The business or I should say,

Gwen Lazarito
I do get that. Because I have seen, like a lot of people and even the advisors that I’ve interviewed here in the podcast, especially last year, most of them said that their business actually thrived because of a lot of the their market have realized the value of an insurance. But they’re also and it helps that we can meet each other in zoom. So those people who are very good at technology was able to pivot really quickly. But there are still financial advisors as well, especially those who really prefer the physical touch meeting up in coffee shops, they were the ones who were struggling as well. Even people that I know, who are wary of technology would still prefer getting in touch on a physical level. And I think, yeah, you’re right. It’s so situational thing. So what it’s very interesting to hear that from a point of view of someone who’s actively in the industry just now,

Toffee Yurong
sorry, just to just to add when attrition in this industry is like the above, as I say above average. And we first thing to first thing that you need to do to thrive and be successful in this in this industry is actually to accept that fact. attrition is something that you really need to work around that work on, but work around because it’s going to stay. Regardless, is it COVID are no COVID is going to stay.

Gwen Lazarito
That’s true, because not everyone is actually has the calling. So as we mentioned earlier,

Toffee Yurong
just like any other industry, even in the BPO industry, attrition is like it, so you just have to live with it and work around it.

Gwen Lazarito
That’s true. I did not find my calling in the BPO industry, but I know that a lot of my friends have. So yes, it actually depends on the people. But I guess in terms of you now managing people like what sets you apart as a unit manager?

Toffee Yurong
It’s, I was really waiting for this question, because I really don’t have an answer. But basically, I see how do I set myself apart, probably because I have accept that I mean, I have created an image for my team, our a lot of the managers do that as well. But for me, I wanted to create a youthful image. And I am geared towards the retails and the masa. Because before I really ventured into being a unit manager, I was a financial advisor for like four years, more than half of my time in the industry. And I realized that I am the type who functions and works at my peak if a dude talking to a lot of people. So just to just to put into context. In this industry, we have this like high net worth clients, you have retail clients, when you say high net worth, these are the ones who would really buy policies by big amounts. If we have any say retail, these are the ones who the normal, normal premium, the normal like Lisa, I tried selling in this in this group, the high net worth but when it’s when you know, when it’s a high network, a big policy or a big issue, you need to cook it you need to like and I do, it takes time, it takes years even and I tend to be very impatient about it. That’s why I realized that I am at my element that I am at my best if I do talk to as many people as I can. So that’s why when I realized that I want to continue that kind of branding or that kind of culture. So I I opted to to really invite people into my team for those who are like that, you know, very the energy so high who’s really willing to go out and talk to as many people and go in retail. That’s why if you look into my my credentials, I mean into my portfolio, a majority next 90% of our cases are really retail. So that’s, that’s my that’s that’s how I wanted to build a culture of hyperactivity. That’s why also I do not have details and details in my team. Sorry, my bridge I have one. That’s it. But you know, I try to manage them according to their, you know, their strengths and their weaknesses. So, but I am most excited I am I am most like, how do I say this, I’ve always prepped up if my advisor is also really very active, basically. Which I love you, I know you’re my theta advisor.

Gwen Lazarito
I’m sure she knows what and I actually understand because I mentioned to you earlier before we started the recording that my husband is also a financial advisor. And he also likes like, as much as he wants high profile cases as well, he tends to gravitate to younger people, too, because he likes the energy, he likes talking to them. And yeah, that’s why I can understand your sentiment for family

Toffee Yurong
based on the our population. You know, when you become unit manager, you tend to read these kinds of things, you know, the Philippines will actually have probably 40% millennial and Gen Z population. So I really wanted to be the first or maybe pioneer, my team wants to be pioneer in making sure that we capture that market more broadly. And I would like to say also that same as your husband is the future.

Gwen Lazarito
Yes, that’s true, because I’ve noticed that when you tap into, let’s say, a client, and they’re young, they tend to be more vocal about financial advice and financial management than in previous generations. Right? So and that’s where referrals come in, and

Toffee Yurong
more, and they tend to be more they do research, so they are more educated, it’s a little number one, it can be easier for you to justify the product, but at the same time, it can also be challenging, because you will be talking to someone who’s well equipped, or well versed with investments or

Gwen Lazarito
Yes, that’s true. That’s true. It’s a double edged sword. Exactly their way right. And but in this case, so since your ideal client and even your ideal team member are young, energetic people, right? How do you position your value as a unit manager when looking for that ideal team member?

Toffee Yurong
I tend to be like to be them. Like, it’s not that I tend to be them I am actually transcend like them as well. I’m, let’s, let’s be fair, I’ve already in my late 30s. But I am but I’m still single. That’s why I can still do things that are that younger than me. People can

Gwen Lazarito
can just go

Toffee Yurong
blah, blah, like crazy for like, like, what Lou younger people watching Netflix novella. Yeah, I do Kdrama as well, for the business. But yeah, he’s really good. But what I’m trying to say is as well, I still have the energy. Let me maximize satellite. So because I’m also thinking I, when I became when I when I do become 40. And then when I reach that age, I really had to, I really do have to my age as well. So I’m actually I’m in the in the point in my life I am I have to prepare myself to transition to something, whatever it is that in that age, so that would include my clientele, my advisors, because imagine if you’re 45 years old and new, still wanted to have advisors who are in early 20s, that will be a little bit of a challenge eventually. I’m still in the gray area with that, but I’m trying to prepare myself to really transcend to try and transform but to really grow and proceed to the next level.

Gwen Lazarito
Grow with your with your your with your group as it go. So and I guess that’s fine because if you have like a steady number of team members who grow with you, then you guys can age or codes to get there. Right. And that’s good because a lot of aspiring team members for you will a will be able to see that level of oneness with with the ones that you currently have. Right and right and I guess my next question would be How do you acquire new team members to your team? Like, I know that a lot do seminars. But do you, like encourage other types of activities in your team?

Toffee Yurong
Absolutely, I have to be really honest, especially to those listeners who are relying on the be part of this industry, that this is not that financial, financial and life insurance industry is not at all, you know, a better process. When we have to number one, you have to really accept that fact that it’s a challenging industry, but at the same time, it’s very rewarding. So when you say that it’s challenging, you have to prepare yourself for that most of the time, it will be, I would say failures and frustrations. But it will not be it will not go according to what you really want to happen, or what the results that there will be the results that you really want. Now, going back to your question, I always tell people, that the only thing for us to thrive or not just right, but survive in this industry is to do activities, regardless of what what are the activities that will lead you to, you know, recruitment and everything. Yes, I do a lot of orientation seminars. That’s, that should be. That’s basic. But at the same time, me as a unit manager, I do a lot of prospecting. And when you say prospecting, I really look for people. So that’s predominantly what I do, like, really look. So that’s my activity look. So how do I look? Social media is really a very good tool that can help me that helps me, it tends to get challenging, because again, going back, as you have mentioned earlier, that this is not everybody’s cup of tea, and not everybody is gifted with the, you know, the talent, the skills for this. That’s why going further with attrition, I have accepted that attrition is very high, but at the same time, it does not, you know, it does not define me and it does not stop me. Because I am the type of unit manager that accepts whoever wants to, to whoever shares or whoever sparks interest, okay? Go. Even if you don’t have the sales experience, try it. If you get not that I cannot force you then I’d say hi, hello, and goodbye. It’s a it’s an everyday cycle. But it says it’s an everyday cycle, you have to populate it every day activity. And activity includes finding people convincing people inviting people ages, nothing really new, nothing really. They say this, nothing really no magic or anything. We all unit managers can actually do the same thing. It’s just that it should be the frequency. Do it every day. You can?

Gwen Lazarito
Yes, yes, that’s true. Because it compounds later on. Anyone who you’ve contacted today may not take on the message today. But they will remember that and they might take up on the offer later. Now, because you’re already managing financial advisors. Do you still have clients of your own?

Toffee Yurong
Oh, yes, I still do that. But this is a good thing about about my journey as a financial adviser, because everybody in my circle, and my network knew that I was before b before they know tofi They know me as a financial advisor. I was that and I was that all over the place for four or five years. So suppliers circa refer us the cup, I still do like now I do try to sell because I have time because you know, I can manage. I mean, my financial advisors can just a few of them can manage their own they do, you know, they can just leave them do the selling. So I have a little bit of time. That’s an illusion. I mean, you know, it’s true that you know, you earn in this industry, I mean, your earning capacity is limitless here, you just have to work hard and work smart. That’s why I do still sell and I still have clients up to now I even if not just clients complaints from other, from the clients of other advisors from not just my company, but other company would actually message me and I do still, you know, accommodate and entertain them for inquiries, complaints and whatever. So yeah, that’s that’s life.

Gwen Lazarito
I understand. And I guess it’s very interesting that you’re able to juggle all of these as a unit manager who is in you mentioned that you have at least 30 to 35 members and do bucket. So and I guess leading to my question, I mentioned earlier that you’re 2022 Gamma global NFL a bronze or do you So we talked about this a bit before we started recording. Now that to me, when I hear that that to me, sounds like success now. Yes. So I guess my question would be like, what has contributed to that success? Obviously, you know, you do have, you should have a great team in order to achieve that. But like, what are you doing with you and your team that has contributed to that success? Yeah.

Toffee Yurong
Oh, I would have to agree with you. By the way, gamma is like the it’s like an international association that is dedicated to really promote and to how do you say this to not just congratulate, but to really make the world known that we have unit managers is the financial and life insurance industries who are thriving, and who are exceeding and who are being excellent in their jobs as unit managers. So this is an international award giving body and organization at the same time. So I was my first it’s actually this is going to be my third gamma qualification. I will thing but my very first was like came as a surprise, because although I know what gamma was, my branch manager would always give me go for gamma go for gamma. When you’re when you’re new to it, you just said, Okay, gamma, whatever I add, yeah, I didn’t, I didn’t add that the matrix has to in order to qualify for gamma, I didn’t I did not put that in my mind, which I just just required for something like that. So for me, the one thing that contributed to like, gamma qualification was again, going back to the activity, and I always defer everybody I am not doing any business. Aside from this, I am doing this full time. So I, when I started, I told myself that I should not have any options anymore, I should not have an option B. So that my option A will only be my option, and my choice. So since I do not have any choices anymore, so I need to work out the remaining option that I have. So it transcended. And when I become a unit manager, the culture I created for myself and the team before that I was with my branch director and a branch manager. So I saw my I saw the potential not just for income, but for growth. So I started to really fight for it. You know, when you just do a little bit of explanation, in order for you to become gamma, you need to achieve some matrices and achieve some targets. I did not I just knew that targets, but I did not really focus myself on achieving it. But I was like, I needed I just needed to record I just needed to move fast, and bring my team as fast as I can to wherever we want to go up. Yes. So the gamma award just came in as a product of that hardware. Again, let’s I wanted to simplify if for the unit managers or the new, especially the new unit managers who will be listening to this podcast, I wanted to simplify. There is no shortcut to start out here. It’s your hard work and what do you add? Your hard work is just as simple as activity activity, what kind of activity I leave that to you. So what activity will help you grow your team what activity will help you grow your sales? Be creative with it, but there is no you know, there is no special magic thing for you to be a gamma word you just have to work hard just like in any other aspect of your life. You want to succeed

Gwen Lazarito
in any field

Toffee Yurong
as simple as that

Gwen Lazarito
Yes. That’s a true because yes, nothing beats working hard. And I love that you mentioned that you didn’t even really had the Gemeinde mind you just worked hard for it and

Toffee Yurong
I wanted the income actually be honest.

Gwen Lazarito
That’s that’s that is our all of our aspirations right to reach an ideal income. And just to just to add

Toffee Yurong
for my second qualification, that’s the time I worked on the maitre Cessna the system just to put some value with because it is gamma worthy. So what do I do next? So qualify, okay, so I studied a bit so there are qualifications so I from working hard on my first grammar qualification, then I shifted a little bit to working smarter. Yes, I realized that okay, so it’s hard to maintain. Yeah, so that’s it. You need a little bit of, you know, stuff to do that. Yeah, that’s done before, something like that for you to maintain it.

Gwen Lazarito
I think. And yes, again, that’s good that you mentioned that because on your first year of qualifying, you were actually after that you you reevaluated that year, right. And so you know, what, you what worked? Well, you knew what, what you needed to improve on. And therefore, because you already qualified the first time, you now have this benchmark on what to do in order to replicate that success. And now you’re being consistent about it. And I’m sure that you’ll be able to maintain that for a long time. Because you already know the formula. And then you can even pass that on to any of your advisers who wish to become unit managers. Right. And, well, I guess, part of that the things that you’ve done, right, and the things that you can improve on, like, what are currently the best practices that you and your team are doing? Okay,

Toffee Yurong
okay, let’s do the best practices, actually, to be honest, this is still a struggle with me, when you come from pandemic, everything was different. And then you are now it’s not forced, but you are highly encouraged to really go back to the new normal, because the new again, for me, the pandemic was a showstopper, although I thrive Well, in the pandemic, I am a bit scared, but then a bit like in how do I say this, I am having second thoughts that what if will my strategy during pandemic be, you know, be still they still work during this time. So, I am at that stage that we really need to, to reconfigure and recalibrate, actually a lot of things because, again, the pandemic just have happened for the first time. So, there is no basis, no quick basis, the things that we did, would actually work after. So in terms of the best practices, I would, Domo to the unit managers listening, I would really want to, to encourage them, to build a culture, what kind of culture it will depend on war against to each unit manager to the type of team that they want to build, or the type of people that they want to work with. So second is the people you are going to work with. If you are trying to work with someone who you do not. That was create conflict, I would really say that early on, cut that give give that person the benefit of you know, not having the stress anymore. Because I always believe that if you are always in conflict with someone, it will not it will just bring chaos, and it will just it will not bring anything good to the team. So that’s the second advice that I could get. That is, this is for me the most important thing, always, always, in your team. Always be the first one to have that hope. When things tend to get tough when things get to tend to go not your way. And always, always be the last person also to lose that hope. You know what I mean? I’ve always I always tell that to my fellow unit advisors that do not first and foremost, do not show your emotions too much. When you are being agitated. Always choose understanding. Because he knew he needed to be the first one, you are the captain of your own ship, you needed to be the first one to you know, to lobby for anything to cheer for anything. And at the same time, you have to stretch yourself too thin. And be the last one to say that okay, this is not going to work. Let’s give it give it up and let it go. You should be the last one not in the middle, not the first one. So it’s a hard it’s a hard job actually. It’s a hard it’s sales is still our skills. And it’s hard sales is always hard. It may just look easy, but it’s very hard. What’s for me the hardest is actually the emotional attachment that you have to give into the job because this is for me. This is really an emotional job. Especially if you’re handling 35 people that’s 35 unique different souls with unique emotional imbalances. You know what I mean? Yeah, so there is no there is no one correlated solution to a problem that exists in that exists in one because the other one might be too emotional. The other one might be too naive. Yeah, so that so I’m not scaring the unit managers. Everyone’s like busy Do you have to practice patience, you need have to stretch your your your not just your emotions, but your understanding of the psychology behind even your mental health, you have to stretch that as much as you can. Because, again, you have to be the first one to bring hope. And the last one too. So this is about it.

Gwen Lazarito
Oh, and I get what you mean with regards to it’s a emotionally difficult job is an emotionally difficult career. Because I, I actually applaud managers every year, especially the effective managers, because it’s like raising in your case raising 35 children. So I have two kids, and they are like, Worlds Apart. Yeah. So one is, one is very, like she’s in her emo stage right now. She, she seldom smiles. And then the other one is like the poster boy is like the perfect child. So whenever I talk to this other son, it’s different. How I communicate with my daughter is also different.

Toffee Yurong
You have to be also very careful that you don’t have to make any if you need, you should not make them feel that both are different. They have to be very difficult. Yes, yes. And you cannot make them feel that, you know, there is a specialty for someone now understand. So hard.

Gwen Lazarito
Yes, that’s true. And imagine having to do that for 35. People, like changing how the way you communicate to each and every individual to suit their communication style, to how they feel at the moment, because each and every team member of yours has a baggage that you also need to take part of right. So another person might be single, but they’re supporting their family. Another one might be a parent or a solo parent, even in this job is the only bread and butter that they have. So and you have to hear those out and see what the solutions you can provide for each and every individual. And so that’s why I applaud all managers who are effectively doing that and growing a thriving team. Now, because you did mention that it’s very, it can be very taxing, but I guess it because we don’t want to scare future unit managers like what are the rewards of being becoming a unit manager?

Toffee Yurong
Okay, so let me tell everyone, regardless if you’re a unit manager or not, if you’re in the life insurance industry or not, there is no word that is not taxing. And there is no word that is not emotionally and physically draining. And you have to we have we all have to access that regardless of what industry or it’s always always to be hard work. Okay, so for the millennials, I wouldn’t end Gen z’s, I would understand that it’s a bit of a challenge to really do accept the real world. Yeah, go out there. It’s not it’s not easy. It’s not the way you thought you had the way you thought, although all along. So I think, going back to your question, the first thing that ideally, I would say love about this industry in general, not just a unit manager is that the value of times, we don’t have a time in time out here, you you, you get compensated according to hard work, not on the number of hours. That’s why I say that’s why I also say that you can require at the same time, it’s better if you work smart. Second is if a lot of the industries have only started the work from home arrangement during COVID. But you knew before COVID We are already working from home. That’s why I can always relate it to time. So if I wanted to go to I wanted to go to vacation, let’s say in Morocco, or whatever, I could still work as a unit manager as an advisor, I just to share real quickly, I actually went on a just a Indochina Southeast Asian trip for 15 days, and I still was able to and the good and the magic there was my advisers didn’t know that I was outside the country because I try to you know when when you’re in the industry, so many people just wanted to dislike the natural world and be alone so I went there by myself. So that was that was actually one of the turning points that I wanted to really do this in in the long run because I can do things and still, you know, keep it to my itself, without people knowing. And then, of course, this may sound so much cliche and over, it’s overdone. But you know, compensation wise. You can really, it’s just a matter of hard work. And if you do your job, work our job well, if your work well, and you’re able to, of course, with the blessings from above, actually really do, you can actually have a good life here. So that’s the three, I think that’s the three. I don’t want to deal with the others anymore. But that’s those three are the ones that keeps me going. I can actually spend much time like, for example, I, if I want to go back to the province of my father and my mother, I just just do their Excel be working as long as internet connection?

Gwen Lazarito
Yes, yes. So yeah, that’s the beauty of I think that’s owning your time, owning your time and at the same time, earning your ideal income and maybe much more. Right. And that’s the beauty of it. And you’re right, it’s, it doesn’t just apply to unit managers in this industry in the financial insurance industry, it also applies to financial advisors as well. Just depends on how hard you work, and how smart you are. The how you work. And, yes, blessings, of course. But finally, my last question, before we end the podcast tovey’s, what would you offer as an advice for individuals looking to become a unit manager, become a good unit manager, that is,

Toffee Yurong
oh, when you have, okay, unit managers have the experience. Do not just test the waters without knowing if it’s hot or cold, you can do that in other aspects of your life, you know, that jump. And when you do that the whole the whole say that, when you know that you’re not unsure, that’s the primary job. It can do it can in other aspects of your life. But if you really want to, if you really want to, when you have one, if you want to have a really good start, and strong starts, as a unit manager, have the experience and what does that mean? Be a financial advisor has been a year or two know the ins and outs of the industry. I saw a lot of unit managers who didn’t have any experience as a financial advisor fail. Because they didn’t have experience. Yes, although if you really wanted to do this, without an experience, you can, yes, you can. But you really have to double time learning the industry. Because this is we are talking about money, other people’s money. And we need to be equipped with the technicalities and the education, and all the learnings to handle this. It’s money and money’s really hard in you know that. So number two, you also have to develop your leadership skills, you may be a leader from a different industry. But then again, as we summarize everything, it’s an entirely different kind of leadership here in, in, in the financial and life insurance industry. So you have you have to accept that you really have to accept that and work on that. Now it’s not because it is different from when you’re handling people who are salaried versus people that you have to deal with. Those are two opposite things. And I think another thing is have the have the courage to say that this will be the industry that you wanted to be. Because if you have an option B and Option C, I would say that I’ll just give you three months. If you want to be part of this, then be sure 100% Sure that you wanted to be part of this, get get experience, learn from mistakes, accept failures, and then when you think you already then be the best unit manager. Leadership skills were quite different from the corporate. That’s something

Gwen Lazarito
Yes. Yes, yeah. You mentioned that. Because in the corporate, all you need to do is just make sure that the the people that are under you stay in the company, right. But as you mentioned in this industry is different because you have to really come to terms with people leaving, so you have to adjust a bit to I guess what you’re saying is to support those who wish to stay and make sure that they grow with you. All right, thank you so much. tofi I genuinely learned so much here. Yes, it was a very interesting conversation. Yeah, you’re welcome. And I hope I hope that a lot of unit managers even the ones who are already in the industry for like quite some time can also learn from this conversation. So yeah, I hope that there’s this conversation helps a lot. And yeah for for now it’s goodbye but just for temporary hopefully we’ll have more episodes with Sir Toffee in the future.

Toffee Yurong
I’d be very glad to be to join you again.

Gwen Lazarito
Yes, yes thank you so much. Me too like why so thank you so much for jumping answer to you have a good one. Bye bye