We were lucky to catch up with Jodie Lamb recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jodie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
As a child, one of my favorite movies was ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.’ The thrilling journey of poor Charlie Bucket, who finds a dollar bill and turns it into a golden ticket, resonated deeply with me. Whenever I discover forgotten cash in a purse or pocket, I feel an overwhelming sense of joy, as if the universe is smiling upon me. That simple act of finding money can transform an ordinary day into one filled with good fortune and hope. Charlie turned his lucky dollar into an investment that paid off with an exclusive golden ticket, granting access to a tour of Willy Wonka’s mysterious and magical chocolate factory, and so much more!
What is my mission?
My mission is to empower injured parties by maximizing their settlement opportunities. I provide clients with crucial information to make informed, once-in-a-lifetime decisions that can secure their financial future, safeguard their settlement, and offer peace of mind for years to come.
I want to help the underdog. I was once the injured party, unaware of the settlement process, the lifetime of chronic pain and surgeries, without legal guidance, and unaware of the settlement opportunities that existed. My mission is to help others in the same position I found myself in thirty years ago.
As the firstborn in my family, I witnessed the challenges and triumphs of young love. My parents, high school sweethearts, married shortly after graduation. My mother began her career as a beautician but soon dedicated herself to raising four children while my father worked tirelessly to provide for our family. Thanks to my mother, who only had a checkbook and never knew the account balance, I never felt poor growing up. We were a happy family because we were wealthy in love.
My mother would proudly make beautiful dresses and dolls for us. I would have never known my mother made my favorite Cabbage Patch doll if not for my cousin, who pointed out the missing Xavier Roberts signature on the butt cheek.
From a young age, I recognized that most had more than we did and that there were greater opportunities than what I had experienced. I placed importance on education and financial prudence early on. Before I was old enough to ride my bicycle five miles into town, I started babysitting. My hard work and determination paid off when I saved $500 to buy my first car, a 1986 Chevy Chevette, at the age of sixteen. This car symbolized freedom, a sense of accomplishment and opened my world to experiences I had never dreamed of as a child.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was the first person in my family to go to college which profoundly changed the generational legacy of my family. With no familial guidance or understanding of the academic process, I initially aspired to become a neonatologist. However, upon arriving at university, I discovered they did not offer a medical program. I had to figure things out on my own from a young age and shifted my academic focus to business. I selected a finance major and leaned into the coursework, graduating with a concentration in insurance. Twenty-five years later, I am still in the insurance industry. For the last 20 years, I have used my expertise and personal experience to help others avoid the missteps I took many years ago when I was in a terrible car accident that would forever change my life.
Post undergraduate degree, I deepened my expertise in finance and insurance through various roles, including working with insurance companies, engaging in individual financial planning, handling personal injury claims, and ultimately specializing in structured settlements. I have the profound opportunity to help parties negotiating their personal injury settlements to have the information necessary to make sound financial decisions—options that I never knew existed when I had my own personal experience.
I was a freshman in college. My parents had recently divorced and were living over an hour away from the home I knew as a child. I moved in with my grandmother. I was paying my own way through college, working 40 hours a week, and attending school full-time. On an ordinary morning, while driving from my grandmother’s house to university, my life took a dramatic turn when a car ran a red light and crashed into the passenger side of my vehicle. Their on-coming car struck the passenger side of my car, causing it to spin around in the intersection, hitting a parked car and a telephone pole. I was taken to the hospital and told I would be stiff and sore but nothing to be concerned about. I went to my doctor afterward and was assured the numbness in my back was normal and would go away. When the insurance company offered me $1,000, I felt I was given a Willy Wonka golden ticket. I happily accepted, unaware of the consequence of settling my injury claim without proper due diligence.
Since that fateful accident and subsequent settlement, I have endured relentless chronic back and neck pain. Over the last 28 years, I have had countless doctor appointments, nerve ablations, dozens of in-office procedures, countless physical therapy appointments, and four major spinal surgeries. I have survived excruciating pain from nerve damage resulting in drop foot and the inability to walk unassisted at times. I was humbled to the point of being bedridden and crawling from bed. Those memories are forever ingrained in my mind. I know the pain of personal injuries caused by unforeseen accidents that forever impact our lives and the pain of financial consequences that follow.
One of the many memorable stories that give me peace in knowing I have done good and honor my purpose and mission involves a young girl who was only three years old. A year earlier, she was burned badly at daycare from an overheated bottle and had burns and scarring on her tiny hands. She was a happy and carefree child, unaware of the disfigurement left from her unfortunate experience. Her parents were not represented by an attorney, and the insurance company asked us to meet with the family to discuss settlement options.
The little girl’s mother was an elementary teacher raising two young girls. Her Dad was soft-spoken but engaged, asking important questions. The child’s grandfather was there as well. He was the same age as my dad, and both looked as if they could play the part of Santa Claus. Grandpa had already started a college plan for his granddaughters, so the discussion of how settlement money could help this child turned to a lifetime of financial security and peace of mind. In the end, we created a plan that would turn her $250,000 settlement into over $4.7 million. This child’s settlement will provide her with guaranteed income for life with NO TAX EVER ON INTEREST, DIVIDENDS, OR CAPITAL GAINS.
I had the profound opportunity to assist this child in ways my parents were unaware of when I was young. As a structured settlement consultant,
I have come full circle in my experience, education, and now the application of my career in service to others.
I make magic with money. Structured settlements offer investment opportunities to personal injury victims that cannot be matched by any other traditional investment vehicle or product. A structured settlement guarantees future money paid to the injured party at the date and amount specified at the time of injury. There is no tax ever on interest, dividends, or capital gains! Furthermore, there are no on-going servicing costs like other market based investments!
Structured settlements offer investment opportunities as colorful, creative, and exciting as the mysterious and magical chocolate factory. Like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket, the opportunity to structure a settlement with guaranteed tax-free future payments is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
My past is filled with examples and stories of mistakes made and opportunities lost. Yet, I am proud of my past, my upbringing, and how I use those experiences to learn and apply toward helping others. I have a unique perspective of those I work with from financial planning, claims process understanding, and investment opportunity conversations. I feel incredibly blessed and honored to be able to help those in their time of uncertainty.
I work with injured parties with catastrophic injuries and their families. Together, we build financial futures that provide peace of mind when claims are settled, knowing that they will not outlive their settlement money and the money will be there when needed and as promised.
Charlie had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it led him to many people who opened his eyes to a whole other world with unlimited opportunities. This film has resonated with humanity for over fifty years, exploring themes of humility, kindness, and the rewards of good behavior.
Do not throw away your Willy Wonka golden ticket opportunity. If you or someone you love has been injured and are settling (or anticipating mediation/negotiations), reach out to a structured settlement consultant to discuss what settlement solution options are available to safeguard the settlement for years to come. I like working with those who feel they do not know or are unaware of the choices they must make. I have been in their shoes before and know the path I have taken. That path brought us together and gives meaning and purpose to my past lessons learned to help improve opportunities for others.
I have embraced the role of the Willy Wonka of structured settlements, offering golden ticket opportunities that provide a glimpse into a fantastical world of financial security and innovation. Just as Willy Wonka’s factory was filled with extraordinary wonders, structured settlements offer unparalleled financial solutions designed to delight and secure the future.
A structured settlement feels like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, where imagination knows no bounds and creative and innovative ideas come to life. Each room of the factory, like a structured settlement, is uniquely custom-designed to delight, astonish, and make a magical opportunity.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients comes from referrals by past clients who have experienced firsthand the value and security that structured settlements provide. In my line of work, business owners, claim professionals, and attorneys are key advocates for achieving the best possible outcomes for their clients. They refer injured parties to me, confident in my ability to help them understand and navigate the benefits of a structured settlement.
My expertise lies in guiding these individuals through the process of securing their settlements with customized investment options that are uniquely available through personal injury claims. These tailored solutions are designed to ensure long-term financial stability and peace of mind, which are not accessible through traditional investment avenues.
By working closely with clients and their advocates, I help transform a challenging situation into a secure financial future. The trust and satisfaction of past clients who refer others to me are a testament to the effectiveness and reliability of the services I provide. The goal of our team is to is to continue delivering exceptional results, helping injured parties safeguard their settlements for years to come.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I am grateful to have nearly twenty years of experience supporting and collaborating with business professionals, claim professionals, and attorneys I met early in my career. Maintaining exceptional service that differentiates us from our peers is a high priority and long standing expectation, along with expeditious responsiveness. Meeting new clients and referral partners at networking events, professional association engagements, and educational trainings is essential to my strategy. We are looking ahead to continue advocating and growing awareness of the amazing opportunities of a structured settlements to the entire US population. I regularly make myself visible and keep structured settlements front of mind.
Growing my business and helping more clients often involves referrals from past clients, building strategic partnerships, and engaging in educational outreach. By providing exemplary service and maintaining regular contact, people who have worked with Team Lamb at Arcadia Settlements Group in the past want to work with us again. Our clients recognize our consistent responsiveness and attention to detail. It is a great compliment when past clients refer us new clients.
Active participation in the National Structured Settlement Trade Association, including committee roles and projects, has also been a significant part of my professional development. I have participated in many panel presentations and offer several educational webinars and workshops across the country each year. Continuously enhancing my skills and knowledge ensures I provide the best advice and solutions. By focusing on personalized, customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each client, I build long-term client loyalty.
At the beginning of 2024, I took my growth strategy to the next level by embracing social media and networking. Refining my personal brand and creating my website, SafeguardYourSettlement.com, solidified my presence in the virtual world. We created branded marketing materials, blog posts, articles, and case studies addressing the needs and concerns of our target audience. Utilizing client testimonials and success stories has built an online presence, credibility, and trust.
Maintaining an active presence on social media is like another full-time job. However, sharing valuable insights and engaging with contacts attracts new clients and reaches the networks of those who know and love working with us. This multifaceted approach ensures that we continue to grow our client base while maintaining the high standards of service and expertise that set us apart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.safeguardyoursettlement.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safeguardyoursettlement/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7180361170086760448/comments/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SafeguardYourSettlement
Image Credits
Fredshots, Fred Mahusay 7 Seconds Media, Madi May