Van Carlson has an extensive background in Risk Management with more than 24 years in the industry. Prior to founding Strategic Risk Alternatives, Van ran his own property and casualty firm for 15 years. With many commercial business owners as his clients, he saw the Great Recession of 2008 hit hard, and just like them, he was also affected by the sharp downturn in our economy. During this time, he realized there must be a better way to manage risk overall. From that desire to improve business operations for both himself and his clients, along with his extensive background in insurance, risk management, and finance, Strategic Risk Alternatives was formed. Since its start in 2008, several changes in US Government regulations have allowed the business to thrive – substantiating what Van already believed in: businesses needed a better solution to mitigate risk and create a war chest for the future. In 2013, increases in domiciles allowed the company’s success to skyrocket – with double digit growth year over year – and it’s only just begun. As CEO, Van is an innovator, developing SRA products for a variety of industries that can take advantage of adding additional revenues while mitigating risk at the same time. By delivering institutional-type ideas to small-and-mid sized business owners, SRA positions it’s clients at the forefront of their industry, offering robust marketing motivators and customer retention program.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
None Specific
When business started difficulties overcame:
“the naiveness. I just wanted to go and sell insurance, to go and meet with clients. Pretty soon all these hats you are wearing from HR, who’s hiring the first employees to the process and procedures of a daily work schedule – all these hats. That’s really when you start to adapt to change that it’s inevitable, it’s going to be a constant and you just got to embrace it. That took me a while for me to get over”…[Listen for More]
Favourite Books:
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It Book by Michael E. GerberFavourite Quote:
“pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered” Vans business partner
Recommended Online Resources:
Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware.
Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“you will be successful first and foremost. That’s the mindset you have to have. But when you do become successful, I think what happens inevitably people stop doing what made them successful… If you are going to get into this have got to spend money to make money. And sometimes entrepreneurs will all get caught up in a lifestyle… As success comes revenues come up with it but you have got to be constantly adjusting that dollar what made you successful and what made you get there in the first place. And I think a lot of time business owners lose that or they don’t see it”…[Listen for More]
More About Van Carlson:
Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:
“The three ‘C’s’ of leadership are Consideration, Caring, and Courtesy. Be polite to everyone.” Brian Tracy
Other Quotes From the Chat with Van Carlson:
- “working with business owners I saw a lot of business owners make mistakes and that’s what I learned from”
- “education is invaluable. And I would say to you getting a college degree and doing all of those things is great but really the education comes from doing, learning by doing ”
- “I think if you are out there doing something and you are learning I don’t know if I would want to shortcut any of those things truthfully because all of those things bring you to a point where we are at today – all of those experiences good bad and otherwise. So from that standpoint I really can’t think of anything directly that I would say that I would cut out because it’s hard to say where I would be if I didn’t have any of those experiences even if it was the most minute of issues it still forms my beliefs, my work ethic, my everything that I’m doing today. So, I don’t think I do have anything that I would want to cut out as far as being able to grow my business faster. I think the education I was able to get out of all of the grind has been invaluable to me”
- “the secret to success is making a quick decision and moving on and knowing when you have made a bad decision and re-directing”
- “because of the way we live today in the age of information everything is at your fingertips, there is so much information out there for people and you can literally become paralysed with it. And fear sets in and after fear sets in irrational behaviour sets in and you will make mistakes”
- “if you can implement systems inside of your business where you have standard operating procedures and all those things that’s when you can really start to see freedom away from your business where you can actually enjoy your life and your business isn’t your life”
- “as business owners and entrepreneurs go you will get into the grind but after a while the grind grinds you down. And I think it’s important to constantly be looking at ways to put systems in place where you can step out of that”
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