KIA&B 2018 Vol. 23 No. 1 | Page 22

V ariations on the parable about the goose that lays the golden eggs exist throughout the world. The point of the parable is that if you find the goose that lays golden eggs, feed him, treat him well and reap the benefits of your great luck. If you kill the goose expecting to reap the reward of her production all at once all you will get is one meal of cooked goose. If you find the goose that lays golden eggs you are best off not being greedy and enjoying the benefit of the golden eggs as they are produced. Many agents find themselves in an enviable position. They earn a good living, albeit a stressful one, by helping many clients protect their assets. And doing so over a full career brings many clients who continue to support the agency owner through their renewals, forming a basis of considerable value to the insurance agency owner. For many of us our agencies are our “Geese that lay the Golden Eggs.” We find the gosling. We raise it and feed it and watch it grow larger. At some point the eggs it lays become ‘golden’ in that they provide both current income and future value in our agencies. But too many agents try to reap the benefits of their agency value before they are ready, selling the goose even thoug