Anthony Michaels of Cortez Group Insurance talks with Linda Samuels on Lemonade Stand about the impact of his first job as kid, from his experiences and skills from the military, to becoming a business owner. Hard work and customer service are just two qualities Mike learned from his paper route as a young kid. Mike grew up in Swampscott, MA. During the interview, Mike also talks about some of his mentors growing up that inspired him to strive for excellence.
After high school Mike decided to join the army. September 11th happened just as Mike was finishing school and he felt that he wanted to follow in the foot steps of some of his friends and fight for the country. The concept of repetition used in basic training for the military led Mike to figure out the keys to success. One of the most important is to always stay busy. In Mikes words, “there are people who spend time thinking about what they have to do versus people who just do it which produces a different financial outcome.” Mike believes the military is a great way to learn a certain skills. Mike talks about his experience being in Iraq and serving in the military.
During the interview Mike and Linda discuss the parallels between being in the army and being in business. While in the army Mike focused on communications. This allowed him to find a job doing web design when he left the army full-time. He used everything that he learned in the army and applied those skills in the civilian world. Mike continued going in and out of deployment. He was rewarded with many promotions, eventually becoming a Staff Sergeant and Warrant Officer in the US Military.
Mike finally came back in 2011, when the U.S. army left Iraq. He wasn’t sure what to do with his time, until he received a call from an insurance company. Mike now represents Cortez Group Insurance where they focus on supplying small businesses, middle-income families, and individual’s with a full range of insurance needs. He is able to exercise his passion to help families and give them access to a better life through insurance.