Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandra De La Torre.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story really started almost 25 years ago with State Farm. I don’t think I could have imagined then where this journey would take me.
I started working with State Farm corporate in many capacities. I managed the call center, i was life underwriter, life company manager, and managed the training department for 6 states the trained all the new agents.
I knew I wanted to build something of my own, an agency where we could take something that can feel complicated and overwhelming, like insurance and financial services, and make it simple, personal for families and in their language.
Becoming a State Farm agent gave me that opportunity. But I’ll tell you, the road to where I am today wasn’t a straight line. There have been challenges, failures, lessons, and plenty of moments where I had to reinvent myself. I think that’s actually been one of the biggest reasons for my success, I’ve never been afraid to learn, adjust and keep going.
Today, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built. I’ve had the honor of qualifying for Million dollar round MDRT) twice, being among the top 1% financial service and life insurance agents in the world. I am currently among the top 3% of the agents in the USA. As proud as I am of those accomplishments, they aren’t what I consider the biggest measure of success.
For me, success is the team I’ve built, the families we’ve helped protect, the people I’ve been able to mentor, and the opportunity to give back to the community that has supported me.
And I think the biggest thing I’ve learned over these almost 25 years is that you don’t have to have your entire path figured out when you start. You just have to be willing to work hard, keep learning, surround yourself with good people, and have the courage to keep moving forward.
I’m still growing, I’m still learning, and I’m definitely not finished yet.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not. It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, and I think that’s an important part of my story.
One of my biggest challenges has been people. Building the right team, finding people who share your vision and your work ethic, and then learning how to lead different personalities has probably been one of my greatest lessons. I’ve made mistakes along the way, and I’ve had to learn that sometimes what worked for your business yesterday isn’t what’s going to take you to the next level.
I’ve also faced medical challenges and some very difficult things in my personal life, all while still having a business to run, a family to take care of, and a team depending on me. There were definitely times when I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing or what the next step was.
And I think that’s something we don’t talk about enough in business. People see the awards, the accomplishments and the success, but they don’t always see the uncertainty behind it. There were times I had to figure things out as I went.
But every one of those struggles taught me something. I learned to ask for help, to surround myself with the right people, to trust myself more, and most importantly, to keep going even when I didn’t have all the answers.
Looking back, I wouldn’t say the struggles got in the way of my success. In many ways, they helped shape the leader and the person I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At the heart of what I do, I help people protect what they’ve worked so hard to build. I own a State Farm agency, and while people may think of us primarily for auto and home insurance, what we really do goes much deeper than that. We work with families and business owners to look at the entire picture from protecting their homes and income to life insurance, financial goals, and preparing for the unexpected.
One thing I think we’re especially good at is making insurance simple. Insurance can be confusing and intimidating, and I never want someone to leave my office not understanding what they have or why they have it. I want my customers to feel educated and confident about the decisions they’re making.
I think I’m also known for building relationships. I don’t want to simply sell someone a policy. I want to know their family, understand what matters to them, and hopefully be their trusted resource through the different stages of their lives.
What I’m most proud of, though, goes beyond the numbers and the awards. I’m proud of is the team and the business we’ve built, and I’m incredibly proud that our success has given me he platforms to give back. whether its mentoring young women, supporting organizations in our community, investing in our schools, or helping other women see what’s possible for themselves, that part of my work means a great deal to me.
At the end of the day, I want to be known for more than being successful in business. I want to be known as someone who used that success to make a difference in other peoples lives.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest advice is “don’t wait until you have everything figured out, because you never will.”
When I was starting out, I thought successful people knew exactly what they were doing. What I’ve learned is that most of us are figuring things out as we go. You make a decision, you learn from it, you adjust, and you keep moving forward.
I also wish I had learned earlier not to take every setback so personally. You’re going to lose employees, you’re going to make bad hires, you’re going to have ideas that don’t work, and there will be seasons when you question yourself. That doesn’t mean you’re failing, it means you’re building something.
Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you in areas where you need to grow. Find mentors. Ask questions. And never let your ego keep you from learning.
I would also say, don’t compare your beginning to somebody else’s middle. Success takes time. Be consistent, protect your reputation, treat people well, and do the right thing even when nobody is watching.
And finally, bet on yourself. There will always be someone who thinks you’re not ready or tells you why something can’t be done. You don’t need everyone else to believe in you, but you do need to believe in yourself enough to take that first step.
If I could talk to the woman, I was 25 years ago, I’d probably tell her, “You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to have some really hard days. But keep going. You’re capable of so much more than you realize.”
Contact Info:
- Email: agent@alexdelatorre.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoursfagentalex
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/agentalexdelatorre
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandratstaefarm
