By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
For having barely thirty years of life under her belt, New York Life Insurance Agent Paige Connors has managed to pack more into her CV than most folks do in decades. Paige is a Harvard grad, she has been an EMT, has worked for her dad’s non-profit off and on since she was 14, has been on staff in a mental hospital and a women’s prison, and has had her own jewelry line. “I have seen people on their worst day, and now I get to teach them how to get to their best day,” she told me.
We’ll talk about how Paige delivers on her ambitious promise in detail, but first, some interesting details about her fascinating life. Her father is Tom Connors, the founder of American Training, a non-profit that was founded 40 years ago with the intent of helping adults get their GEDs; doing continuing education; providing residences for the developmentally disabled, at risk youth; and more. From their website, www.americantraininginc.org, they describe themselves as follows: “American Training has become a quiet leader in its efforts to introduce people from all walks of life to the rewarding potential that lies within. We provide education, training, support, nursing, residential and transportation services in a manner that insists on respect and dignity, and follows our exclusive WOW! Magic. (Wow Magic is the concept that Customer Service and personal development should be fun; ‘supersized,’ if you will.) Each program encourages every guest, student, and resident to live more meaningful lives by showing them how much their Life Matters and how to get there.” Paige’s passion, work ethic, creativity, and curiosity all stem from the way she was raised, and her involvement in American Training. Recently she was given a 15-Year Service Award with the organization, and still helps her dad out from time to time. However, she was never expecting to become a life insurance agent, and arrived at her new career serendipitously.
Paige’s fiancé Nick, whom she met at Harvard, moved to Florida and does IT for AT&T. Paige went with him, but jobs in her field were not at all plentiful and paid poorly. Because she has always loved to teach, finding out that being an outstanding life insurance agent involved educating prospective clients was especially attractive. She could equip her clients with the knowledge to understand the options and reasons for choosing certain products, which would then help them reach their financial goals; and this made New York Life an excellent choice all the way around. Nick was then given the option to settle in the Southeast, and after researching things like the crime rate and how we are growing, they chose the Huntsville area in which to settle.
I met Paige at a Limestone Leaders Business Network International meeting, and was impressed with her professionalism, knowledge, and sense of humor. When we got together for our interview, she chose to educate me as to the history of her company, its worth and assets, and a product called “cash value insurance,” which may be more familiar to some when it is referred to as “whole life.” New York Life will be 175 years old in 2020, and has been paying out dividends for 160 years. “That’s through several wars and the Great Depression,” Paige told me. She also told me that their level of solvency is such that if everyone cashed in their claims on the same day, and the company paid out every one of them, there would still be 26 billion dollars left in the coffers!
Here are some of the products that New York Life offers, and a bit of what they say about themselves from their website, which is www.newyorklife.com:
“We believe in the importance of human guidance and in trusted relationships built on being there when our customers need us most. Whether you are just getting started or are getting ready to make a decision, we’ve created tools and resources to help you move forward with confidence. Being prepared looks different across all phases of life, and here are the services we offer:
- LIFE INSURANCE, which includes term life, universal, whole life, and variable universal life policies. Your New York Life agent will always help you select what is best for you.
- RETIREMENT INCOME with policies designed for you whether you want income now or later
- LONG TERM CARE Traditional & Combination Solutions
- INVESTMENTS Annuities, Mutual Funds, ETFs, (Exchange Traded Funds) which are a low-cost option for seeking market-based returns, and 529 Plans, which are a programs which provide tax advantaged ways to save for education
- PREMIER SERVICES, which includes estate planning, wealth management, and growing as well as protecting your small business and life’s work.
New York Life provides opportunities for prospective clients to compare products and learn the basics using tools such as Life Insurance 101, the Insurance Needs Calculator, and the Retirement Savings Calculator. Today, no U.S. life insurer has a higher financial strength rating than New York Life. For our customers, that means promises kept, and peace of mind for the millions of families and businesses who rely on us.”
Paige further explained to me that simply stated, term life insurance is like “renting an apartment,” and cash value is “like buying a house.” She said, “Cash value or whole life is like paying yourself equity and becoming your own bank.” You can upgrade or downgrade your policy, depending on your needs and how you have to adjust for when ‘life happens.’” When she meets with you for a complimentary assessment, she’ll show you how to put a “bullet-proof vest” around your money and make it possible to pay for your children’s education, weddings, your retirement, and how to bless your family after you are gone. Because of her experience in the mental health field and heart of concern for people and their level of financial protection and security, she says, “I could not live with myself if all this is just a way to make a quick buck. It’s about truly being kinder, and I want to take care of people. That has always been my passion, and it still is.”
I will say that as Paige explained what she called, “Ali’s Perfect Plan,” and showed me ways that I can make my financial future brighter, I was intrigued, encouraged, and interested in learning more. I would invite you to give Paige Connors with New York Life a call today and let her show you without obligation that “life insurance” is all about living with passion and preparation, while taking care of yourself and your family.
By: Ali ElizabethTurner
