Jason Starner, Commercial Team Lead at Conner Insurance, shares his journey from a banking background to insurance professional and the pivotal risks that shaped his career. Reflecting on 25+ years in the industry, he discusses his unexpected path into insurance and the valuable lessons learned along the way.

• Growing up in rural Ohio with a father in banking initially led Jason to assume he would follow that career path
• His first real exposure to insurance came through a finance class at Bowling Green State University
• Early career anxiety about meeting experienced insurance professionals was overcome by purposefully seeking relationships with top agencies
• The transition from carrier representative to agency side required taking a significant risk - "burning the ships" on his previous career
• Transparency with clients and team members has been fundamental to building successful relationships
• Current insurance market continues to be challenging with general liability claims and "nuclear verdicts" driving increases
• Mentoring early career talent provides as much fulfillment now as closing new business
• Taking calculated risks earlier in your career can lead to unexpected growth opportunities

Insurance is about relationships first—listening, empathy, showing up consistently, and following through on promises. If you do these things and focus on transparency, the technical expertise naturally falls into place.