John Ritenour was in the insurance industry for more than three decades, beginning in the 1970s and continuing until the 2000s. He began as a door-to-door insurance salesman, which was common in the 1970s. This initial experience was formative in how IOA Co-Founder John Ritenour approached the rest of his career.
Value of Entrepreneurship
Working as a door-to-door insurance salesman, John Ritenour saw the direct connection between professional success and financial success. John was able to sell life insurance policies thanks to a strong command of the policies and a knowledge of how to communicate. As he experienced success, his commission checks grew.
Experiencing success and the financial rewards that come with it led John to pursue greater opportunities. He eventually co-founded an insurance business with his wife, seeking to profit from the opportunity that owning an agency provided. This business was sold at a profit several years later, and the sale enabled John and his wife to move to Central Florida.
John and his wife then tapped into their shared entrepreneurial spirit again, founding the Insurance Office of Florida. The company has become Insurance Office of America, and it certainly rewarded the Ritenours for their risk-taking and hard work.
The connection between IOA and entrepreneurship doesn’t stop with the Ritenours, however. John designed the company so that insurance agents are encouraged to view their work as a small business, enjoying an equity stake in the business that they generate. Just as John personally profited from the business he generated in that first position, so do employees of IOA.
Respect for Work-Life Balance
The first position John Ritenour held as a door-to-door insurance salesman ultimately came to an end after a crucial incident.
Although John and his boss were on good terms, their relationships changed immediately after the birth of John’s son Heath. John requested time off for the morning after Heath was born, which would’ve required his boss to make some collections that morning. His boss refused, and John immediately realized the necessity for a quality work-life balance.
A healthy respect for work-life balance evidenced itself in John’s personal life through coaching. John and Heath both love sports, and John spent time coaching several teams that Heath played on as a kid.
At IOA, respect for work-life balance is shown by encouraging employees to take the time they need for personal enjoyment. Whether that’s coaching kids sports or doing something else, employees aren’t penalized for being in the office less.
A Long and Successful Career
These two foci — entrepreneurship and work-life balance — led John Ritenour through a long and successful career in insurance. He saw what was truly important and reaped the corresponding rewards.
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