Brightway Franchisee Insured His Future at a Young Age

Jim Pihl is the owner of a Brightway Insurance franchise with multiple locations in Jacksonville, Fla. Pihl is a Jacksonville native who started in the insurance business at 18 and owned his own agency by age 28. He prides himself on always doing what is best for his clients. Offering full family protection is the goal of his agency – a one-stop shop for your home, auto, business, flood and umbrella insurance.

In our Q&A with Jim Pihl, we learn what a typical day looks like for him, what advice he has for aspiring franchisees, and lastly, why he highly recommends opening a Brightway Insurance franchise.


How long have you owned a Brightway franchise?

Since 2005.

What were you doing before becoming a franchise owner?

I owned an independent business in the same industry.

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Why did you choose your franchise?

The people, process and vision convinced me. You can tell that the executive team with Brightway Insurance is dedicated to helping each of its franchisees be as successful as possible.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I get into the office around 8:30 AM, meet with my staff for about 30 minutes, work with clients until lunch and then try to meet with a referral source for lunch. The rest of the day is spent helping clients and strategizing how to grow my business.

What were some of the challenges you faced when starting your franchise?

Finding good employees was a challenge, but Brightway does a great job in helping with selecting site locations, training new employees and helping us with day-to-day operations.

Where did you research or get advice about starting a franchise?

I did a lot of research online and talked to existing franchisees as well as their competitors.

What is your secret to success?

Hard work, dedication and not re-inventing the wheel. I think one of the only reasons someone would fail in this type of franchise is if they don’t work hard, don’t have the dedication or do not leverage the turnkey system that Brightway has in place to provide support for you every step of the way.

What would you do differently if you had to do it all over?

I would have started with multiple locations and a larger staff.

Where do you see your business in five years?

More locations and double the employees. 

What advice do you have for others looking to own a franchise?

Not everyone is cut out to own a franchise. Those who think their way is always the best way and want to reinvent the wheel might not operate in a franchise system very well.

Would you recommend others be franchisees? Why?

First, I cannot think of a better business than the insurance agency business. To not have to carry inventory and earn a residual income by selling a product that everyone must have is a dream come true. If you would enjoy a business in which you can provide the widest possible choices of solutions to your customers and have all your customer service needs handled centrally so you can focus on new business sales, then there is no better insurance franchise than Brightway Insurance. The support and knowledge that they bring to the table is priceless.

Where can people find out more about Brightway franchise?

www.BrightwayInsurance.com

Where can people find your Brightway Franchise on social media?

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