Bob and Debbie Conroy - Enjoying the Journey Together!

  After a long career with GuideOne / Preferred Risk and the Iowa FAIR Plan, I found out that I will be inducted into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame . It still seems a little surreal to me as I didn't see myself at that level. Apparently the people that nominated me, those that wrote letters of recommendation, and the board of directors that voted didn't agree. I am grateful for the honor. I was blessed to have great bosses, mentors, and coworkers. So many of them have passed away but their influence is still with me and I do my best to pass it on to those that I influence. Ron Wilson, Bob Conroy, Jack Martinez My late wife, Carol, and my wife Debbie were always supportive and and encouraging. Success at any level would have been impossible without their love and support. Ron Wilson, Dave Creighton Sr. Russ Lettington, Syd Vanderlinden, Bob Conroy

We closed on the office condo on Friday! We live in a condo five blocks from a Costco and work in a condo five blocks from Sam’s Club. We started demolition on some items that need to go, e.g., this was formerly a medical office and we do not need the status lights above the doors or the 18 feet of receptionist counter space. The remodeling quotes continue to come back over budget so we are rethinking what we need to do versus what we what to do. We are leaning toward making a larger office (10×20) for each of us and moving access to a private restroom to the hall, installing new carpet and paint and then calling it a day. Or least calling it “Phase 1” and delaying “Phase 2” until our revenue catches up with our expenses. Speaking of expenses, starting an independent insurance agency from scratch is not for the faint-hearted or cash poor. Our original business plan and proforma are proving to be accurate on the expense side but income is falling short. Until everything is in place ...

Things are moving fast now.  Brokers, lawyers, escrow agents, contractors and subcontractors are in a scramble to the finish line.  It is possible that we will close yet this week.  To us it represents material expense with a potential for income, to them, it represents immediate income.  Just as a rising tide lifts all boats, our decreasing cash position seems to be a rising tide for many others.   I love capitalism!

The bank agreed to accept our final offer on an office condo that they owned due to foreclosure. The office is at 1000 73rd St Suite 18 in an office condominium building on 73rd Street across from the Windsor Heights Wal-Mart. It is much larger than we need (1,775 square feet) but we plan to grow into it. There are a thousand small details required to get even a small business off the ground.  Next on the list are telephones, Internet, PCs and building out the network infrastructure.  It needs some cosmetic remodeling to convert tiny medical exam rooms into larger offices.  That work will start very soon. We created a new LLC to own the building.  It is named John Galt Properties, LLC.  If you don’t know who John Galt is then Google “Who is John Galt”.