By Nathan Dagley

There is nothing I love more as an employer than to reward those on staff who work hard with a positive attitude. The baseball great, Sam Ewing, said it best – “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” We like to recognize those at Dagley Insurance who are willing to turn up their sleeves. This is why the Dagley Insurance Spirit Award was created.

Sure, we reward our top producers, but by far this is my favorite award to give out each quarter. This individual must be a team player, helping others and exceeding expectations. He or she must lead through encouragement with an attitude of positivity that is contagious. This team member makes opportunities, takes initiative and looks for ways to improve our organization. Their peers nominate the Spirit Award recipient.

Each quarter our staff emails me name of the team member who they feel is most deserving of this award, along with why they believe this person should receive it. I love opening my inbox that morning to read emails from team members applauding their peers. Oftentimes, I am completely unaware that an individual has gone above and beyond in a certain area because they would never brag about it themselves. Thankfully, their teammates don’t let these efforts go unnoticed. The tough part is choosing who out of the nominees deserves it the most!

We announce this award among others at our Producers Meeting each quarter. Just this past week we surprised Tracy Wiederkher, Customer Service Manager at our Katy insurance office, with the Spirit Award. The Customer Service Department has undergone a few transitions this past quarter and Tracy has really stepped up to the plate, exhibiting all the qualities that embody the Spirit Award recipient. And this wouldn’t be the first time Tracy’s name has made the Spirit Award plaque!

If you haven’t implemented a way to honor team members like Tracy in your organization, I encourage you to do so. Not only do you learn about the amazing feats that employees perform on a day-to-day basis that might otherwise have gone unnoticed, you are able to reward these individuals as well. It also serves to establish a culture that promotes character above all else. As the CEO of Dagley Insurance and Financial Services, it is one of the activities I look forward to the most each quarter. Congratulations, Tracy!

Whether this is your first home or you’re an expert in the field, the home buying process can be overwhelming. From searching an endless sea of houses and negotiating a price to obtaining a mortgage and getting the proper home insurance, you may be wondering if you’ve thought of everything. The following four tips can help ease your worries.
1. Strengthen Your Credit Rating

In order to buy a home, you’re going to have to obtain a mortgage. With today’s uncertain economy and a high rate of foreclosures, banks and mortgage lenders have become regimented with their lending practices. Before you start the home shopping process, you want to strengthen your credit rating by paying down your debt. Ensuring that your credit cards and loans are paid timely each month can also prove beneficial.

2. Enlist the Help of a Professional

While some home buyers would rather search for a home on their own, enlisting the help of a professional can offer significant insight. A real estate agent can be instrumental in finding your ideal dream home. They can also provide a competitive market analysis, so you don’t over pay for a dwelling. When it comes to pricing, the right agent can be a firm negotiator.

3. Get a Home Inspection

A home that has all the bells and whistles may be aesthetically pleasing. However, you need to delve further with a home inspection. This form of investigation is completed by a certified and licensed contractor. Important areas to inspect include the roof, foundation, appliances, structure, and heating and cooling units.

4. Obtain the Proper Insurance

Before you can close on your home, you’ll be required to obtain the proper home insurance. A standard policy typically covers the structure of your property, as well as offer liability protection and coverage for your personal belongings. However, going over your home’s specific needs with an insurance agent can ensure that you’re getting the right amount of coverage.

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Our Katy insurance team at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services had so much fun raising funds and stuffed animals for The Joe Joe Bear Foundation. This non-profit organization gives new teddy bears to children in our local Houston and Katy hospitals. Recently, donations to the organization have been low and yet the needs high.

Jeanette Maurer formed the foundation in 2009 after the passing of her godson, Joe. She is the CEO/President of The Joe Joe Bear Foundation. Our CEO, Nathan Dagley, met with Jeanette this past week at our Katy insurance office. Along with our partners at Encompass Lending Group, we raised approximately $600 and 200 stuffed animals for The Joe Joe Bear Foundation!

Boy, did it feel good to be able to give these donations to Jeanette. Our staff, fantastic insurance clients and partners made the teddy bear drive a success. This allows The Joe Joe Bear Foundation to keep doing amazing work in our community. Thank you for all who participated!

Life insurance is designed to provide coverage and protection to your heirs when you pass away. People with dependents apply for life insurance to provide financial relief to their loved ones after they depart from them. Just as there are different types of life insurance policies, the insurance premium that you pay for these policies also varies. Generally, the premium is calculated by the insurer on the basis of perceived risk of dying. The higher your chances of dying, the higher the insurance premium you pay. There are some simple ways to lower your life insurance premium.

Improve your health. Health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart diseases can lead to a higher insurance rate. The insurance rate for smokers and nonsmokers also varies.

Quit smoking. By quitting tobacco use, you can lower the insurance premium. However, keep in mind that some insurers only treat nonsmokers as people who have never smoked in their entire lives. Others may give you a non-smoker premium rate if you have successfully quit for anywhere between 6 months and 5 years.

Stick to your diet or your exercise goals. Weight is another factor that affects your insurance premium. By exercising regularly and controlling your weight, you can lower your life insurance premium. After improving your health, you can request a reevaluation by your insurance provider.

Apply for life insurance early on in life or as soon as the need arises. Some people believe that they do not need life insurance until they have children. However, that is not the case! In fact, the sooner you purchase life insurance policy, the lower the premium you will probably need to pay every month. If you have debts, if you are planning on getting married, or if you have elderly parents relying on you, then you should be protected with life insurance!

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By Nathan Dagley
In sports the goal of a huddle is to ensure that all team members are on the same page concerning their role in the next play. What would happen to a team if it never huddled? Easy answer, right? They wouldn’t win many games. The huddle gives the team the ability to address any issues and realign to the coach’s strategy, setting them up for a win.

Meeting with those in your business serves the same purpose and yet it’s always surprising to learn that many insurance agencies do not meet with their insurance agents and support staff on a regular basis. If you are not meeting consistently with your staff, you are missing out on a huge opportunity. This has been crucial to the success of Dagley Insurance and Financial Services and is something that I have learned from others who have made it a successful practice within their businesses.

We do not meet just to meet at Dagley Insurance. We meet to problem solve, plan and improve. In order to accomplish these goals, there are a few meeting principles that we have implemented within our insurance agency that have contributed to our success.

Schedule your meetings for the year

November and December at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services are heavily spent planning for the upcoming year. I’ll explain more about what this entails in a future post, but one thing that is firmly set before the year begins is our meeting schedule. The proposed schedule is sent to the key players in our organization and enables us to adjust for any roadblocks that would prevent us from meeting consistently.

Have a set agenda

This seems like a no brainer, but I’ve attended many a meeting that was set up more as on open forum. Our Operations Manager sets the agenda for both our Producer’s and Manager’s Meetings. Each Manager is allocated a specific amount of time to discuss his or her updates. The Operations Manager begins working with the speakers on the agenda several weeks prior to the actual meeting. It’s no small task, but it’s worth the extra effort.

Designate a point person for meetings

I’m sure we have all experienced being a part of a meeting where it wasn’t clear who was in charge of the meeting. These meetings often run long and lack clear direction. Having a point person will save you from this pain. Make sure you have a team member that is responsible for the organization and implementation of staff meetings. Our Operations Manager does a fantastic job of making sure that everyone has the necessary info such as the meeting agenda, dial-in number, etc. as well as orchestrating the actual meeting itself. If everyone’s in charge, then no one is in charge.

 

Set expectations

As the CEO of Dagley of Insurance and Financial Services, the executive team and myself set the expectations and tone of the meetings. When you pull up a chair at our Manager’s Meeting you must be ready to discuss the important updates within your area of responsibility as well as take notes. Everyone’s time is important especially with the level of performance and professionalism that we expect from our team.

Provide an added benefit

If our meetings are around lunchtime we provide lunch. This may seem insignificant to point out, but this is something our employees really look forward to and shows that we value their time and insight. This is also a great time to learn more about your team members – what’s important to them and what motivates them.

In my next post, I’ll share more about how we establish who is to meet and when at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services. We’ve got it down to a science now, but there was a time when finding the right meeting groups and rhythm was a work in progress. Now whether it’s our Katy TX insurance office or our Colorado offices, we are aligned and working toward the same goals. We’re set up for a win.

Your summer vacation is a time to spend with your family. You shouldn’t have to worry about how much money you spend while you are on your trip. There are a few ways to save money so that you have more to spend on the fun activities you enjoy.

Use Daily Deals
If you have paid attention to sites like Groupon or Living Social, then you know that there are numerous deals for restaurants and attractions. When you know the dates of your trip, start watching these sites to get the best deals. This will also give you a way to find out what attractions are available in the city.

Public Transportation
Save on gas money by using the public transportation offered in the city. Whether it’s a taxi or a shuttle bus, there are likely several options that you can utilize that will get you from your hotel to anywhere. Some of these modes of transportation might even be fun for children like a trolley car or light rail.

Student or Military ID
If either of these apply to anyone in your family, make sure the proper IDs are packed in your bags. You can save money at restaurants, attractions, and sometimes the hotel room simply for being in school or serving the country.

Get Groceries for the Room
Instead of going out to eat all of the time, purchase groceries for breakfast and snacks to keep in your room. Only eating out in the evening or if you have coupons will help you save money on food! Children might not want a lot to eat, so getting items to make a sandwich or a few snacks will keep them sustained until you do eat a larger meal.

Take Pictures
Unless it’s something unique and has a purpose, don’t waste money on souvenirs. Take pictures in front of landmarks and fun attractions. You can look back at the pictures to remember the trip and save money on things that simply take up room in the house.

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By Nathan Dagley

If you are one of the several thousands of guests who staid at the Houstonian between December 28and June 20 then you must keep an eye on your online and financial accounts. The Houston hotel suffered a data breach that could have exposed your credit card information. However, this warning is not just for Houstonian guests. It’s a threat that every American faces.

This news comes on the heels of Target’s recent data security nightmare, which exposed the credit card information of thousands of customers. Specs, a Houston liquor retailer also experienced a similar attack that had been going on potentially since 2012 and was discovered this Spring.

Dagley Insurance & Financial Services has shared our concern regarding cybersecurity with you recently when we discussed the Heartbleed Bug, an overall internet data breach that could have exposed millions of Americans’ personal information. Identity theft protection has never been more important than now.

As always, you should monitor your accounts closely. Unless you’re planning to go off the grid and function on a cash only system, it’s imperative that you protect your assets and family with Identity Theft Protection. As a Houston area insurance agent for the past decade, I’ve seen the importance of having this added protection firsthand. Please do not wait until you find yourself the victim of a cybersecurity breach. Call our Houston insurance office today and ask about adding Identity Theft Protection to your insurance policy at 281-644-1000.

We just learned this month that 77494 is the hottest zip code in the country. Katy, Texas is definitely growing. It comes as no surprise that a Texas home builder is expanding in the Fort Bend, Katy area. San Antonio home builder, Sitterle Homes, has announced that they will be developing a community at Roesner Road and Saddlehorn lane called “Roesner Woods”.

This will be the first Sitterle Home estate home product in the Houston Area. Roesner Woods will feature six different luxury designs each individually gated.

At Dagley Insurance we are well aware that the Katy community is growing and it comes as no surprise that this same growth is drawing new homebuilders to the area. We’re excited that it’s a Texas-based builder. Sitterle Homes’ products are located in three current Houston communities: Riverstone, Imperial Sugar Land and Cross Creek Ranch. Sitterle Homes first came to the Houston Area in 2013, but has been in business in Texas for nearly 50 years.

You can look for Roesner Woods in Katy TX to break ground in September, but if you’re looking to buy within the community you will definitely want to inquire soon. Sitterle’s recent Houston community, Riverstone, is already nearly sold out.

There is nothing that can replace a lost loved one. A son or daughter, a mother or father, wife or husband. However, there is a way that their legacy may continue on this earth.

Each day in the United States 79 patients become the recipient of an organ transplant. Equally sobering is that also each day 18 people die waiting for a transplant due to the shortage of donors. There are approximately 10,000 people awaiting an organ donor in Texas alone and yet according to Dr. Robert C. Robbins, president and CEO of the Texas Medical Center, more transplants have been performed in Houston than anywhere else.

With that being said, Houston will host the 2014 Transplant Games being held July 11 – 15, 2014. The Transplant Games of America is a biennial event that not only spotlights the accomplishments of organ and tissue recipients, but honors the donors and their families. Houston will have a unique opportunity to spread awareness regarding the importance of donation.

The more than 2000 athletes participating in the multi-sport event have either undergone life saving transplant surgeries or are living donors. Sporting events will include a 5k, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, swimming, track and field, among many others. Athletes will be coming from across the country to participate in the Games. The four-day event will not only include sports, but opening and closing ceremonies to honor our heroes.

Our very own from Katy, Texas and James E. Taylor High School graduate, Myisha Henry, is scheduled to participate in the Games. Myisha recently had a setback, but we are hoping that she will be able to participate! She was an outstanding track and field athlete for Taylor High School.

In honor of the Transplant Games and to spread the message of the importance of becoming a donor, Dagley Insurance will be sharing more information about organ donation throughout the week of the Games.

We cannot imagine what it will feel like to see someone running or walking because of your loved one. It’s a gift like no other. Houston’s Transplants Games will honor those who have given this ultimate gift.

Learn more about Houston’s 2014 Transplant Games by clicking the link and to find out how you can become a donor today, please visit http://www.organdonor.gov/.

When 3-year-old Brooklyn was at Texas Children’s Hospital during her infant brother Beckham’s stay, it was a scary time for the family as a whole but especially through her little eyes. There was a lot she may not have understood about why her little brother was in the hospital, but she understood that her family was hurting. It affected her too and while all eyes were on Beckham’s health, the non-profit Joe Joe Bear understood that big sister Brooklyn needed to be comforted as well. Joe Joe Bear not only gave baby Beckham his very own Joe Joe Bear to hold, they brought Brooklyn a special treat: a Valentine’s Day basket.

Brooklyn and Beckham’s mother, Stephanie, is one of our staff members at Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, our Katy TX insurance agency. This is just one of the many reasons why the Joe Joe Bear Foundation is close to our heart. Joe Joe Bear is a Houston non-profit whose mission is to provide new stuffed teddy bears to children with life-threatening illnesses to have comfort nearby 24/7.

Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, our Katy TX insurance agency and Encompass Lending Group, a Houston-based mortgage company, are teaming up to collect teddy bears for the Joe Joe Bear Foundation from July 7^th – 18^th. These bears will be given to children at local hospitals who may be going through treatment themselves or like Brooklyn, have a family member who is in the hospital for treatment. Both Dagley Insurance and Encompass Lending Group will have drop boxes at our offices.

You can drop your new teddy bear off at our corporate insurance office at 23102 Seven Meadows Parkway Katy, Texas. Our office is right next to the Starbucks at the corner of Fry Road and Seven Meadows Parkway.

And if you’re wondering, Beckham is home now and doing very well. He still has his Joe Joe Bear. For more about the Joe Joe Bear Foundation, please visit www.joejoebear.org.