Robert K Taylor, a former Public Adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California, goes over in this interview how he ensures his success and how the only obstacle in his field is one’s own abilities. He was taught at a young age by his father and other family members that work ethic is a very important skill for getting ahead in life. He used his developed work ethic to become a critical thinker capable of solving complex problems and augmented his listening skills to ensure that he could listen to clients and work with them towards success. He insists that all these skills have allowed him to progress in his industry. He further mentions that consultants take on more responsibility quicker than their peers as the tasks continuously become more difficult and more lucrative.
When Robert K Taylor is not consulting, he enjoys time with his hobbies. He is an avid fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the Giants and enjoys a good game of golf in the beautiful weather of California. He also enjoys exploring the world and all it has to offer, from fine cigars to aged wines.
Let us start by telling us about your business.
I do insurance consulting work in a risk advisory capacity. I handle risk management and serve as an advisory to policy holders or property management groups. I make sure the property of the people I’m working for is properly insured and make sure their quality control is up to date. There’s a lot I have to for the job, and each client I have is unique with a different set of intangibles I have to stay on top of. Every day I wake up to a new set of numbers I have to crunch that cover a whole different set of factors that make a real-world impact on my clients.
Please tell us how you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
It sounds unfashionable, perhaps, but I provide good quality customer service. I always have open lines of communication and make sure that I’m available 24/7 to my clients, and I mean that literally. My phone is always on. I keep them up to date on things whether it’s good news or bad news. They expect that level of information and assistance from me and that’s what I deliver. That’s the key to being a success in what I do.
Please tell us the one thing that separates your business from the competition.
This is a difficult one to answer because the services I offer are kind of a one-of-a-kind with a boutique-style niche. I advise high-end clientele with properties that are hard for them to manage. I don’t really see a lot of people in my world that provide what I offer and do what I do, and I’ve never felt pressure to do more to grow my business because I just don’t see a lot of competition out there for me. I suppose I’m lucky in that way. Getting out of bed and not really worrying about what the “competition” is up to leaves me free to just focus on what my clients need.
And to finish this section, please tell us what the one major key to your company’s success is?
I have been able to deliver for my clients for three decades now. “You’re only as good as your last claim,” as they say. I’m very driven to top myself with each client. Ultimately, one of my favorite sayings to keep me going is “Never give up in life.” That’s how I operate in business and my personal life. I only have one life so I’m going to put all I have into it.
For our readers just starting to build a company, what advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
I started at 19 and this is the only business I’ve ever had, the only occupational realm I’ve ever known. If you were to ask me to fill out a job application, I’d have a tough time – despite having been an undeniable success in my line of work. I suppose it could boil down to this: I’ve taught myself virtually everything I know. It has been a trial by fire, and if any entrepreneur is out there reading this and they have an idea or innovation that puts them all alone on some new frontier, don’t be afraid to push forward. You may not be getting much in the way of mentorship or career guidance, but if you’ve got the guts and the imagination, you can work your own way through the normal problems that come with getting your footing in building a company. I’ve forgotten more than a lot of people know, and I’ve probably failed more than I’ve won, but I’m able to round that corner now that I’ve conquered a system that has been so successful for me for the past couple decades
For entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what big piece of advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
I always tell people to make a habit of stepping backwards to go forward. Just regroup, reassess everything. Come at things from a different angle, a different perspective. Always reevaluate and reposition. Life is like a matrix, it’s always moving. You just have to know how to pivot and how to angle yourself to get in the right situation.
In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
My insurance work is weather driven, so I’m always watching the ebbs and flows of the industry. Keeping up the current market trends. Finding out prospective areas to target for growth opportunities for my business clientele. Up and coming territorial changes, like how everybody’s leaving California and getting out of the suburbs now and moving to the rural areas. I’m following those trends and saying to my clients, “There’s a market out there and you want to be first.”
What is your “Why”? In one sentence, why do you get up in the morning?
My job is to help the little guy – which is usually the policyholder or the business owner – so they’re not being taken advantage of. I get up to help those who might be down on their luck who are in need of some much-needed advice.
What is the most important thing one must do to be a great leader?
Listening to clients to better understand the environment you’re in and be able to navigate everyone through the stormy times. Every situation is different, so you have to be able to identify advantages and drawbacks on a dime, and the best way to do that is to listen to the person living it. What worked well for one client may not work for another. Don’t dictate a solution, co-operate towards one.
Describe how important your customers are to your business?
They’re my lifeline, my sole source of income, and making sure that they’re taken care of is my main motivation. Consulting is a very person-centered industry. The main goal has to be the well-being of your clients because they are both your customer and your marketing through word of mouth recommendations.
Describe a positive way that technology can make the world a better place?
Technology has its good and bad sides, but faster technology speeds and higher broadband has definitely made it easier to reach out to larger groups of people. Sometimes I need to contact multiple people at once for a conference to get a good understanding and multiple inputs. Without the fast internet speed, the process would become hard and just overall a hassle.
Tell us something positive to motivate our readers?
Find something that you love in life, that you have passion for, because if you don’t have passion for it, it’s a struggle and will always be that way.
Tell us how you start your day to get ready?
Three cups of coffee minimum. I need a lot of energy in the morning to make sure that I can give my clients my absolute maximum effort.
Describe how you handle rejection and setback?
I handle rejection well because I’ve learned which bad ideas not to duplicate, which helps lead to more success down the road. It may sound cliché but it’s true when they say, “learn from your mistakes”.
Describe what your hiring philosophy is?
I’m completely on my own in business so I don’t hire.
In one sentence, describe how you keep your sanity in a competitive business environment?
“Tomorrow is another day” is my mantra. I like to leave yesterdays problems and setbacks where they belong- in the past. Today is a new day and I believe it is important to focus on the present and the future.
