Success Spotlight: Jayshree Patel
Jayshree Patel has been a financial professional with New York Life Insurance Company since 1997. Throughout her entire career she has been focusing on helping her clients protect their dreams and economic futures.
Jayshree consistently ranks amongst New York Life’s highest-achieving agents. She was named New York Life’s 2012 Council President, the highest honor a New York Life agent can receive and which can be earned only once during an agent’s career. The award is based on an agent’s annual sales, customer service and integrity. She has qualified for Council 14 consecutive years, qualifying for Chairman’s Council 13 times and Chairman’s Cabinet 4 times. Jayshree was also the 2008 Council First Vice President in the West Central Zone. She is a Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Round Table, having qualified for 13 years and making the Top of the Table in 2012.
But success didn’t come overnight. Growing up in a small town in India with her widowed mother and four sisters, security and certainty were scarce. The absence of her father, the main breadwinner in the household, had a tremendous impact on the family, teaching Jayshree to make many compromises from an early age. Transitioning to a new country and language took time and hard work. Marrying her husband Nilam at age 18, Jayshree later moved to the United States in 1993. In a new country, she found that working for a family business allowed her to make the adjustment while expanding her language skills.
As an agent, she now works to ensure her clients leave a legacy for their loved ones, so that they can live with security and dignity. Jayshree’s practice focuses on estate conservation and financial strategies in the areas of liquidity and survivor needs, supplemental retirement income and college funding utilizing life insurance and other financial products. The majority of her clients are small business owners who are first generation immigrants.
She lives in Lincolnwood, IL with her husband Nilam and their three children.
Life
I lost my dad when I was just three years old. My sisters, my mother and I had to learn to make many compromises in our early life. Now, as an agent, I make sure that my clients leave a legacy for their oved ones so they can live with security and dignity.”
“Finding balance is my utmost priority. Since I make my own schedule by choosing when to work, I find not only balance, but quality time to spend with my family Furthermore, since my husband and I now work as a team, my career has allowed me to travel the world with my entire family. To think, without his suggestion, I would have never had this fantastic career,” she laughs.
Work
When I joined the industry, I did not know most of the business owners I wanted to approach as potential clients. I had to be honest with them, because I was representing one of the most reputable companies in the industry. I would tell them that, while I wasn’t vastly experienced yet, I knew where to access the resources needed to meet their needs in the most qualified way. This candid approach was usually appreciated and created an immediate impression of professionalism and confidence.”
“The majority of my clients are small business owners who are first generation immigrants and have worked extremely hard to earn their money,” says Ms. Patel. “The work that I do with them will help the next generation work with money, rather than for it.”
Success
Doing the best for people with the most honest intent comes back ten-folds. Helping people protect their dreams feeds my soul, and that may be why I was able to protect 500 lives over the past [Council] year.”
“Discipline is key to anything worth achieving. As a financial representative, one must value one’s own time. Time is as valuable to me as it is to my clients and prospects, so I make the most out of it. Every meeting is an important meeting.”
“A self-driven individual does not need external motivating factors. I challenge my own limits. The worst that could happen is that I fall short. So what if I do? I’m still going to end up better than before.”
A Look at the Numbers
- Signed contract with New York Life Insurance Company in 1997
- Has helped protect over 3,000 clients = more than 3000 lives and families protected!
- More than $1 billion cumulative face amount of insurance in force
- Achieved the highest honor that a New York Life agent can accomplish in his/her career – New York Life’s Council Presidency
- Awarded Ben Feldman Life Award of Excellence in 2012
- Has qualified for Chairman’s Cabinet (top 50 agents in the Company) in 2001, 2006, 2008 and 2009
- Has won the National Eagle’s Award for New York Life’s top individual life case writer in 2007 and 2008
- Is a Lifetime Member of Million Dollar Round Table* and qualified for Top of The Table in 2001 and 2011
Why New York Life?
For over 168 years, New York Life has provided financial security to families and businesses, and supports the success of its employees. New York Life offers an innovative workplace. In fact, New York Life was recognized by Working Mother Magazine as a 2012 Best Company for Multicultural Women and named by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) to the 2012 NAFE Top 50 Companies for Executive Women list. The company also earned Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2013 Diversity Leader Award and has been named a ‘Top Company for LGBT Equality’ by Work Life Matters magazine for 2012.
To learn more about what New York Life can do for your career, go to www.nylcareersforwomen.com and www.newyorklife.com/careers. You can also contact a local New York Life recruiter at an office near you.
1 MDRT, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, is recognized throughout the industry as the standard of excellence in life insurance sales performance.