DJ McKENNA | Age: 35 Division manager, lawyers professional liability

Mitchell & Mitchell Insurance Agency Inc., a member of The Liberty Company Network

Novato, California

DJ McKenna’s father started the lawyers professional liability program at Mitchell & Mitchell about 25 years ago, so he grew up hearing about the market around the kitchen table. He also spent time in the office on weekends, doing his homework while his father worked. He joined the firm about six years ago.

What is the biggest challenge of working through the pandemic?

It’s probably right now the struggle of seeing what some of your clients go through. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the market, and right now I work primarily with law firms, and a number of firms are closed and they don’t know when they’re going back into the office.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the business?

Definitely listen and learn from those that have made it a career, those individuals who have that knowledge that you can’t gain from a book or any courses you take. And listen to your clients and build relationships with your clients and understand their business and the exposures that they face.

What should the industry do to attract more young people to work in it?

For me, it’s knowing all the different careers that are in the insurance industry, whether that’s working at a wholesaler or a brokerage, being in claims. There are countless opportunities in the industry that a lot of people aren’t aware of.

What is something about you that would surprise people?

I was a certified EMT/firefighter before getting into insurance.

What do you know now that you wish you knew at 18?

I don’t think insurance is ever looked at as necessarily fun, but there’s a lot of great events, where you meet people and build relationships. I wish I knew more about the opportunities in insurance and relationships that were built.

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