We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joshua Harris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Joshua, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
Step 1 was to get my insurance license. After I got my license I appointed to some carriers and got started helping clients. Over the course of the next twelve months I learned to ask the right questions and lead a customer down a path to getting life insurance.
I had to work through figuring out leads, systems (like crm’s and dialers) and build structure to my day.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
With over 15 years of success in sales and leadership, Joshua Harris has built multiple 500+ member sales teams and has continually produced at a high level himself.
A licensed life insurance agent since 2012, Joshua has shifted his primary focus from personal production to building an innovative, successful, and exciting call center environment in the Columbus, OH area; one of the first of its kind. Joshua was inspired to create such an environment after being recognized as a top producer in the field.
Prior to entering the salesforce, Joshua was a record-breaking Division I Quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate at Bowling Green State University. Following his collegiate success on the field, Joshua was drafted in the 6th round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and later played for both the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. In 2016, Joshua’s on-the-field success and off-the-field leadership earned him induction into the Bowling Green State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Despite his commitment to his personal success and the success of Freedom Direct, Joshua still finds time to make his family a priority. He and his wife Tami live in Ohio where he enjoys coaching their two sons in football, golfing at every opportunity and traveling whenever their busy family schedule allows.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I was released from the NY Giants in 2006, I had to pivot to getting into the work force. Although I was still hoping to get signed by another team, there was no guarantee that, that would happen. So I started looking for work and got into sales because it would allow me to make as much as I wanted based on my own success.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
Initially I got my insurance license to be able to make some extra money. The industry was recommended to me by a very close friend of mine that thought I’d do well.
I worked the business part time for two years before deciding to go “all in”.
Now I help hundred of clients and year and teach other agents to do the same. Even if they are coming into the business part time. I know where they can get!
Contact Info:
- Website: Gofreedomdirect.com
- Instagram: Joshuaharris5
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua1and5
- Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/joshua1and5
- Twitter: Joshua_harris5
- Youtube: @joshuaharris849