We’re looking forward to introducing you to Patrick Gaughan. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Patrick, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
— please skip this question if we can — I thought the warm up question wouldn’t be used and I don’t think it flows with the rest of my responses and sort of overlaps. So if we can just start with the next question that would be much preferred 🙂 Thanks!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Here’s the deal: insurance is boring. But it is important! People know that they don’t want to overpay for insurance, and I can help with that. But it is also important to have someone you trust who knows the products, knows what is happening in the market, and has the access to make things happen. Home insurance alone has changed drastically in the last 5 years. So if you knew what to expect the last time you bought a house, that may not even translate to today. On top of that, having an agent that is organized, proactive, and responsive is not only important, but it is fairly rare these days. I believe everyone needs a good insurance agent. I’m not the only good one, but I am one of them! So if we haven’t worked together before, I hope we get a chance to in the future.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
That would definitely be my wife, Nikki. She is the one you should probably be interviewing to be completely honest. Nikki is the most talented and accomplished professional that I know, and she’s only 28. I’ve always found identity in working. In college, I always had at least one job, sometimes more. A lot of times I would even skip class to pick up an extra shift. Then I worked in restaurants and foods trucks on the side for a couple of years while I got my insurance book started. I always took pride in showing up and knowing I was putting in work. But witnessing Nikki in action day after day, something new unlocked in me. Nikki showed me how to demonstrate professional value in a new way. Sometimes that means taking the lead and advocating for what is important. And that takes guts, but it can really make a difference in the long run. The nature of my business is to keep loyal customers over a long period of time. So I would rather tell them something they don’t want to hear today if it might save them later on.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Of course! By year three in the business, I was burnt out, not having much fun, and definitely not making a living. I actually sat down with my dad who happens to be my boss and told him I was going to be leaving the insurance business and wanted to give him notice. He advised against it, but he was supportive. I kept going through the motions in meantime… cold calling, setting up meetings, asking to quote people’s insurance. All the same stuff from before that mostly went nowhere, until finally I started to break through the wall. There are two people that without their partnership, I don’t know if I would have stuck in the insurance business during that time: 1. Alex Shoaee at Cap Out Investments – Alex and I were in the restaurant business together. He always had an idea and an ambition. I didn’t know where his life would take him next, but I knew wherever it was that he was going to succeed. So when he got into real estate investment and development, I knew I had to shoot my shot. We weren’t really set up for landlord and renovation insurance at that time, so it took some logistics to get the right contracts in place. But once we got our infrastructure in place things started grooving. We’ve worked together on dozens, if not hundreds, of projects together at this point and I’m very grateful he gave me the chance to earn his trust. 2. Zach Horn at Reece Nichols – Zach and I had mutual friends in college but didn’t know each other very well. After college, Zach got into real estate and became a stand out in the industry at a young age. He was gracious enough to meet with me and give me a shot at a few of his accounts. Before I knew it he was sending me business every week and things started to feel like they were firing on all cylinders. Other partnerships that I’ve made since then that have had a huge impact on me are Kent Hollingsworth at Fairway Mortgage, Brian Glasser at APEX KC, Jessica Swindler at Platinum Reatly, Shelby Bartelt at Summit Funding, and Ashlee Topping and Hendrick Toyota. I can’t emphasize enough how much I appreciate all of these people! If you ever have a choice between working with one of these people or anyone else, please do yourself a favor and work them.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
That would be my dad, Jerome Gaughan. He’s been in the insurance business for over 40 years and knows everything there is to know about the business. He also got to learn from his father, John, as he got started. Some people ask if it is difficult working with family, but it really works well for us. What I admire most about my dad is his character. He’s had an exceptionally successful career as an agent and business owner, but you probably wouldn’t know it at your first impression, and he definitely won’t tell you about it. He never drive’s a nice car, he doesn’t wear jewelry or flashy clothes, honestly when we were kids I assumed we were poor! But that’s the kind of guy he is, he doesn’t do it for the approval of his peers and he definitely doesn’t rub it in your face. Having him as a resource is so valuable, not only for his knowledge and experience, but his instincts as well. Jerry is the kind of person that when crisis strikes, he just knows what to do. He is retiring at the end of 2025, so I’m very fortunate that I’ve had almost 10 years working under him.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I think I have to answer this in two parts. 1. I really don’t give my best at EVERYTHING and I don’t even think that people should try to do that. The way I see it, we have a finite amount of time, energy, money, etc. There are several things in life that I really really care about, and a lot more things that I don’t really care for. My marriage, my career, my hobbies (rap music, ancient history, strategy games), my fitness, my family and my close friends take up at least 95% of those resources. That just leaves 5% for EVERYTHING else in the world, and at this point I wouldn’t adjust that if I could. Does that make me the best golfer in the world? No, I assure you it doesn’t! But that’s ok with me. And 2. I’ve never been someone who has thrived off of praise. Though I do hate knowing and hearing that I failed. But the older I get and the more energy I have poured into my career and other things, I’ve learned that when I am putting forth an effort and people tell me that they recognize and appreciate it, it does feel good. So I would hate to lose that. But at the end of the day, I love my job and I think I’d put forth that same effort even if no one ever told me they appreciated me again. Probably wouldn’t be as fun though!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://williams-gaughan.com/
