From Yes To Success

“Start with a Yes and see where that takes you.” – Tina Fey

This simple mantra is one Sam Jazayeri has lived by and now fiercely applies to his professional career and it continues to serve him well.  Radiating confidence, charisma and passion, Sam’s fresh take and inspiring outlook won him IBAO’s Future Leader Award of Excellence as a rising young talent in the world of insurance. Sam shares what it takes to make a difference in not only the insurance industry, but life in general and how he continues to focus on achieving consistency in both his personal and professional life, as the Director of Operations at PrimeService Insurance. 

Wise Beyond His Years

We’d all be lucky, to have a friend at work like Sam—someone who has your back, cheers you on and celebrates your success along the way—who’s honest, humble, positive and approachable. Sam started his insurance career in 2016 when he joined PrimeService Insurance as a Producer.  Upon joining the then four-year-old family brokerage, Sam had his sights set high, wanting to take on more—more work, more responsibility, more strategic planning, more everything. He credits joining the brokerage early on as part of his success, having had a very behind the scenes view of goal setting, growth and constant improvement in how you accomplish success—that and strong mentors that can really show you how it’s done. Sam credits his parents, David Moghaddas and Neda Tahmasebi from PrimeService Insurance and Royle Leung from BrokerTeam Group as his role models both personally and professionally, “learning from them is both rewarding and inspiring. Their leadership is why we are where we are today.”

When asked what advice he had for his fellow Millennials and Gen Z who are looking to build their careers and considering the insurance industry, his advice was three-fold:

Follow Your Curiosity: Identify, engage and learn about the things in life you’re curious about—constantly channel your inner five-year-old that scours pages of books and looks at things wide-eyed and open to new things.

Insurance Is a People Business: At the end of the day, people are primary. Numbers, premiums, losses, and claims fall secondary.  From clients to colleagues and partners, people are the first and foremost priority. 

Have a Grow the Pie Mentality: As much as possible, take a grow the pie mentality—grow the overarching industry and do not think that your success takes away from others, there is room for everyone to grow.

The Fun Starts After Yes

“Take advantage of every possible opportunity. Have an open mind and say yes to any chance you get. New activities and experiences unlock chances to learn more and meet more people in this industry. You’ll get out, the same amount as you put in, creating a butterfly effect for years to come.” Sam has unlocked a way of thinking that is the key to his success, and a direction that many never achieve in their professional careers. He doesn’t let nerves, pessimism or time constraints impact his output, instead he opts to show everyone what he is doing rather than tell them about it. In his relatively short career to date, Sam impresses with his long resume of saying yes, which includes: CAIB Facilitator, YBC Territory Leader, Director of Operations at PrimeService Insurance, host of The Joker Broker Podcast, and professional speaker—headlining many industry events including this year’s upcoming IBAO Convention. It’s clear that Sam is set to make a big impression on the insurance industry. This theme is the throughline for everything Sam touches, from recruitment to training, coaching, content creation, client service or mentoring—keeping a positive attitude and having an organic sense of what people around him are looking for has worked in his favour.

Walking the Walk

Consistently high customer service is the standard that Sam and his team at PrimeService Insurance strive to achieve daily, all while battling the complicated and stressful world of insurance. “Empathy for your clients is the key to everything. Reminding yourself that on the other end of the phone, other side of the desk, on a zoom call or email is a client that may be having one of the most stressful days of their lives and they are looking to you for help and guidance. Taking this approach will allow you the chance to build rapport and take your relationship from insurance transaction to the next level—something that is of utmost importance in our industry. “It’s critical to make sure you are treating every interaction, every conversation, like it is the most important one. Even if it’s your fiftieth call that day, take the time to connect with clients on a human level. Be human, be humble and be on the same team.”

“Say yes to opportunities. When you say yes, it creates a butterfly effect and when you’re in a place that you never expected you’d be in, you never know who you’ll meet or what will happen, one thing just flows into the next – it’s amazing.”

The Best in the Biz

When asked why his team is the best in the business, Sam handwaves the title away and offers his own interpretation of what constitutes success and how his team achieves it. “Our people are by far the thing that makes us unique as a brokerage. They are the lifeblood of the organization. Our focus is unmatched in how we enable our producers to go further in their careers. We want every single one of our team members to be a trusted advisor and great source of information for all our clients and potential clients.”

“Training and education are our core philosophy and tenant—it makes everything is possible. Constantly looking for areas to grow and improve and not waiting for them to present themselves to you. Excellence arises from a continuous process of improvement.”

Upping the Cool Factor

As a young broker and millennial in an industry that is slow to adopt change, Sam is taking chances and making real a difference in how today’s young talent looks at the world of insurance. “Have an open mind and take a chance to look under the hood. There is huge potential in the insurance industry and the opportunities are endless. If you want to see things change, be that change. Suspend your disbelief and pre-judgement.” “There is a group of current clients that have been with me from the beginning of my insurance career—we grew up together and I can call many of them my friends. When they were looking for insurance for their business, home, or project that they were working on six years ago, the only people in insurance that would talk to them were their parents’ contacts and me. Fast forward to today, many of those clients are leading million-dollar companies, have received funding or financial capital or more. We grow together in our business ventures and it’s really a beautiful thing.”

You Can Have It All

Opportunity abounds in the insurance industry and any pre-conceived thoughts need to be thrown out the door in this new age. There’s a lot to be excited about and for Sam, there are standout moments that make the work so meaningful. “When a vision comes to life. Seeing goals and results materialize. Seeing the team grow, succeed and love their career.” As invested as he is in his career and contributing to his brokerage, Sam preserves his energy and drive by staying well-rounded. “I have maintained a consistent balance. I have been able to grow professionally and this hasn’t come at a cost for me personally. My career is a big part of who I am, but it isn’t all that I am.” Sam continues to straddle the lines of professional and personal, work and friends, ambition and equilibrium, and is continually proving that today you really can have it all.