Executive TLDR
• Partnership is the only shortcut in the business
• Two aligned spouses multiply production
• Communication and shared calendars are critical
• Define roles based on strengths
• Hold quarterly accountability meetings
• Do it first before asking your team
• Raise kids inside the business culture
• Adapt roles as life seasons change
• Never compare partnerships
• Build a legacy that outlives you
Video Summary
The Partnership Panel explains why alignment between spouses is one of the greatest competitive advantages in building a Primerica business. Each partner shares how defining roles based on strengths — whether field training, underwriting, licensing, prospecting, or office management — creates efficiency and eliminates resentment. They emphasize structured communication, shared calendars, quarterly division-of-labor meetings, and weekly accountability tracking to keep both business and household running smoothly. The panel highlights the importance of leading by example, being licensed, attending meetings together, and never asking the team to do something you wouldn’t do first. Over time, roles evolve as families grow, children age, and business demands change. The key themes are unity without comparison, multiplying production through duplication, raising children within the culture of entrepreneurship, and building a generational legacy that can continue regardless of circumstances.
FAQs
Q: Why is partnership considered a shortcut in Primerica?
Because two aligned spouses working together multiply effort, production, credibility, and duplication faster than one person operating alone.
Q: Should both spouses be licensed?
Many successful partnerships recommend it so both understand the field, can step in if needed, and lead the team by example.
Q: How do partners avoid conflict in roles?
By identifying strengths, using structured communication, holding quarterly division-of-labor meetings, and tracking responsibilities in writing.
Q: How do couples balance family life and business?
Through shared calendars, nightly planning conversations, clear task assignments, and viewing the household as a structured operation.
Q: What happens if one spouse isn’t naturally strong in field work?
Roles can be divided strategically — one may focus on prospecting and training, while the other manages underwriting, compliance, or operations.
Q: How does partnership impact children?
Children grow up understanding entrepreneurship, travel opportunities, leadership, and family unity around shared goals.
Q: What is the biggest mistake partnerships make?
Comparison. Comparing roles or other couples weakens unity and damages both marriage and business momentum.
Glossary
Partnership Model
A business structure where spouses work together in defined, complementary roles.
Division of Labor Worksheet
A structured document used quarterly to assign and review household and business responsibilities.
Duplication
Teaching others to replicate successful behaviors, systems, and leadership practices.
Field Training
Coaching new representatives on appointments and client presentations.
Underwriting
The process of reviewing and approving insurance applications.
QBI (Quality Business Index)
A measurement of policy quality and persistency within a hierarchy.
Persistency
The percentage of policies that remain active over time.
Legacy Business
A business designed to support future generations financially and operationally.
Accountability Meeting
A scheduled review session to track production, responsibilities, and performance metrics.
Leadership by Example
Doing the behaviors first before expecting team members to follow.
Video Summary
00:00
So I’m going to start with you, Bryn. Your first question is kind of a two part question. Can you please share what your role is in the business and how you balance that with being a wife and a mom of three boys who are six and under.
00:16
Yeah. So currently my role right now is I help with the back end of the business, helping with the underwriting, making sure that the clients, when they sign their life insurance application, they get through the underwriting process smoothly. I also help with QBI and persistency within our bay shop and the hierarchy, just managing and monitoring that. And I wear a few other hats. I do the mortgage business as well and just kind of pray and hope that the office runs smoothly and do whatever we need to do for that.
00:47
One thing I will say for partners is one thing that was very helpful for me is that Eric and I went on a ton of appointments in the beginning of the business when I first started and I got to gain that perspective of what it’s like to be out there in the field and on KT appointments. So and I will say anytime we’ve got on an appointment together, we have 100% closing ratio. So it gains a lot of, I think strength in seeing partners in the business together, working the business. I think your clients see that you guys are in this together and that you both are of sound financial concepts and can teach them to both the wife and the husband and they both recognize what you see in the business. Regarding being a mom, we got this girls.
01:33
Right.
01:33
Like we know what to do. Right. We make it all balanced. We of course, we implement a schedule. Eric and I have a shared calendar. It’s very important that both of us are aware of what our schedule is like. We talk about every night. We have a recap of what our day is going to be like the next day. Making sure that no kid gets missed up from picking up from school or getting to baseball practice or whatever it is. So. So communication is really big between Eric and I when it comes to balancing being a parent and running the business. So communication, of course is always going to be the key.
02:10
Thank you. So what I’m getting from that is partnership is the only shortcut in this business. Right?
02:15
Yeah.
02:16
Awesome.
02:16
Only two is better than one.
02:18
So Jackie, partners tend to take on many different forms in this business. So when I asked you to tell me a little about yourself, you mentioned that you have been licensed for 11 years. What made you decide to get licensed and how and to have like an active role in the business.
02:37
Yeah. So I originally Decided to get licensed. I think I told you guys today because when I was in here for my first meeting, I was fired up. And I realized, like, if I didn’t make a change, it says this all the time, but what I was doing wasn’t working. And if I didn’t make a change, then the next year, five, ten years of my life is going to be the same or worse. And I had to teach myself finances because it was never taught to me. So I’m like, the worst thing that’s going to happen is I’m going to learn about money. I didn’t know all this was going to happen, but originally that’s why I started. And then my role, you know, in the beginning, just like Bryn, Jason and I, I’m fully licensed too. So we could.
03:16
Especially before we had kids, like, we would both go on appointments. You know, I think, like what Bryn said, it’s very important about perspective because sometimes if your husband or your wife comes home and they didn’t close or whatever, you could sit there and be Matt, like, what happened? But if you’re not in their shoes, calling people, getting on. Back in the day, we actually used to drive to people’s houses, so we would have dark house an hour away. And it can be defeating. So you have to put yourself in their shoes to see how they feel. And then I always just kind of focus on licensing. That was my main thing. That and rallying the team, doing events, because I did get my degree in event management, so I’m using that a little bit. But.
03:55
And I’m just always communicating with Jason, like, where can I help you right now? You know, doing an autopsy of the business, like, frequently. And I think we’re really good at that with communicating. Like, where do you need my help at this moment? And then, you know, we just. Cause your role is ever changing, I believe, you know, and obviously now I’m more with the girls, so he can do things, but we still, wherever you can, you know, prospecting. I’m always pretty good at that. So I help him add to that 25 list every week, you know, and just wherever I can help. Just asking him where I can help.
04:26
Perfect. Thank you. Now, Lois, you know, we tend to hear from lead agents all the time about how the business has impacted their family. Obviously, we’re going to say that, right? We want to make sure we’re throwing it out there the best. But I want to hear from a partner’s perspective, what would you say that this opportunity has done for your family?
04:48
The opportunity well, first off, we had more time. And when my kids were little, my husband was home during the mornings, and he did a lot of nighttime appointments. And it worked out well because my kids always saw him working. They understood where he was because we involved him in the trips. So they always went on trips with us. And so they always understood why, if he was gone, why he was gone. And we had them in the office a lot, so they knew people, and they were our friends. They were people that they knew. And there was, like a real family feel to our business always. And even now that we’re just. We moved to Florida, you know, most holidays we spend with friends who are in our business, you know, and it’s. It’s wonderful. So my kids.
05:37
My daughter’s 21, and she told me the other day that she’s been into 28 countries already, and her brothers are older. They’ve been. They’ve been to more than. They don’t even. I don’t even know how many. So that way, my husband always was able to take them to mission trips. They’ve been, you know, by the time they were 18, they had been on between probably 13 or 14 mission trips. So just freedom to do stuff. We always took our kids out of school. And Bill Arender told my husband a long time ago, don’t let, you know, work. Don’t let school get in the way of an education. So we always took our kids everywhere. And I was a teacher, so when went to Hawaii, I’d take them to Pearl Harbor. So were on a Primerica trip. But I’d always squeeze in that educational stuff.
06:21
But so my kids have. If you asked any of them, I’m positive that they would never regret it. And that’s why all of our kids are licensed. We have five adult children now. And so.
06:35
Oh, my gosh, I love that. 28 countries. You guys, have any of us even been to 28 states? I don’t think I have yet. Brittany, I have to ask the burning question in the room. We love our coach, Andy, but we only get him for a couple hours. How do you. Andy on said 24? No, I’m just kidding. That’s not really her question.
06:55
That’s gonna take more than a minute.
06:58
No, actually, Brittany, we’re gonna dote on you a little bit more. You actually Woke up at 5am this morning to drive Parker all the way back to your house, which you guys is about an hour away and all the way back, and hired a nanny just to take him to his football game. After seven years in the business. Congratulations. Happy anniversary. Andy and Brittany just hit seven years. Why have you. And do you still feel that it’s so important as a partner to never miss a meeting?
07:27
Well, first and foremost, we have to lead the way. So if you and your partner aren’t on the same page and you guys don’t show up together, how do you expect to have a team where them and their spouses are on the same page and have that partnership? Right. So. So you have to be the example. Not only our finances in Primerica, but Primerica has helped us as far as our parenting, our marriage, every aspect in our life. We’ve grown here together from the start. But it’s kind of a silly question, right? Because this, without Andy, there’s no red line. Without me, there’s no red line. And I’m not feel the need to show up. This is our family’s legacy. So if you get dropped in an opportunity and this is your legacy, your kid’s legacy, your. Your kids legacy.
08:09
Like, are you not gonna show up? Right? So I’ve always attended everything. Cause this is what we’re doing as a family. This is our legacy as a family. We’re fully licensed. I’ve never missed a meeting. We do everything together. And God forbid, if something happened to one of us, the show will go on. Because we both know what we’re doing here. We both know our purpose, and we can both do the skills that we’ve learned together.
08:33
Awesome. Now, Yvonne, first I wanna thank you for helping with questions, suggestions. You guys have actually been in the business with your family for over three decades. I think there’s a lot of people in this room who aren’t even that old yet. Just saying, what are some key principles or values that have sustained your success across generations?
08:55
Absolutely. That sounds like really old. Three decades. I’m really not. But anyway, before Primerica, were in the military. And one thing that I loved so much about the military was that I was able to be one of the guys. You know, like, I could go to formations, I can go to places, and I understood the language and what was spoken all the time. I didn’t feel like an outsider. When we come into Primerica, I felt the same way. I can be one of the guys in here too now. I’m very thankful to Ed that he never pushed me into doing something that I did not want to do. When I came into Primerica, I had left the military. I felt lost for a little while. So I didn’t know what my role Was all about.
09:42
So Ed says, you just come in here, you get license, but at the same time, just do whatever you want to do. And I chose to take care of my boys. That was my number one job. I make sure that everything in the house was taken care of. So Ed didn’t have to take care of or worry about those things because we wanted to build something big and strong. So a guy, in my case, Ed, couldn’t focus in doing that if he had to worry about the home affairs. So I took upon that very seriously. And I worked very hard now because he allowed me to pick the role of what I wanted to do. I also wanted to be of great help to the family business. So I started doing things like working hard.
10:27
But I work hard at prospecting, finding people, and then sending them to Ed so Ed could do the field training. I wasn’t field training at all. So that was something that every day, everywhere I went with my boys, I did not use my sons as an excuse not to do the business. I used them as the fuel on why we have to do this business, you know, type thing. And that was like hard work for me, you know, type thing also. One thing that, you know, through the years we continue to do was do it first. We always believe there’s no way we can tell somebody, go jump, unless we’re jumping first. So we learned that value of doing it first. And that helped us tremendously. Because along the way, there are some people that are not going to agree with everything you say.
11:17
But were able to say to them, listen, look at my record. I have done this and this. And look where we are now. Look at your record. You have done this and this. And look where you are. You should be listening to us if you want to succeed in this business. So we always did everything first before we could ask anybody to do things perfect.
11:42
And how many other coaches I know mine says it all the time. Never going to ask you to do something that I wouldn’t do myself. Right. Okay, Bryn, another two part question. So partnership plays a huge role in this business. If your partner isn’t on board or you aren’t on the same page, it can be difficult to make your business work. How do you and Eric decide what tasks you are each responsible for in and out of the business? And how do you hold each other accountable?
12:10
So I was recommended this about two years ago and it’s been working really well for Eric and I. We meet on a quarterly. Our marriage has a lot of love and emotion in It. I promise, guys, we are in love, but my household is ran like a business. Our household is ran like a business, just like our business. So I was recommended. It’s called the Division of Labor worksheets, and I will recommend it to all of you. What it is you can Google it and you can print it out on a PDF, but we meet on a quarterly basis and go over it. It pretty much breaks down. There’s one for your household and one as parents.
12:47
And we sit down and we look over, where are assignments now and then for the next quarter, it’s one where can we do we keep the assignments the same? How has that been working? Do we switch them? Do we rotate them? Maybe Eric has more coming up in the next few months, so maybe I can take something off of his plate or vice versa. But it’s been really helpful because the last thing I want to do is he already has an amazing mom. I don’t want to be his mom. I want to be his wife. Right. So I like to have those worksheets in place where we keep them visible. And when we do need to hold each other accountable, we can look at them and say, hey, the doors still aren’t painted. Maybe that’s a real thing.
13:25
By the way, right now, our doors aren’t painted still. Right? So this will be on our quarterly meeting, so just get ready, babe. But they’re still not done. He told me he was assigned to them and we need to get them done. Right, But. And vice versa. Maybe there’s something that I’m dropping the ball on and he can hold us accountable in that meeting because the last thing we want to do is be nagging each other on a daily basis about stuff when we can just, you know, focus on running our business and just let that be that. So, also, in the business, we’ve really been able to just take a look at what our strengths are. You know, obviously he is the more social, you know, outgoing one, so he really fits so well in the field. Training, prospecting, side of the business.
14:11
I’m more organized and structured. So having those relationships with our clients, making sure that they get through the process of the underwriting and the business and managing qbi, he cannot touch paperwork. We know that. So I take on all of that. So, you know, that’s how we pretty much definitely take a look at your strengths, see what you can do. And obviously, there’s going to be sacrifice throughout your journey. So maybe there’s at one point something that I don’t want to do that I do need to do. And the thing is to not hold the resentment, to just step in there and do it with a full heart so that at the end of the day, your family is taken care of and the business continues to produce the lifestyle that you want.
14:52
Okay. This is the only spot where I didn’t get very creative with the questions, but that’s because I feel this is a really important question. So, Jackie, same for you. How do you and Jason determine your roles, and how do you keep each other accountable?
15:04
I take that big Thor thing that is over there, and I hit him over the head on Sundays if he doesn’t do it. No, I’m just kidding. So really, like Bryn said, like, strengths and, you know, where the other one is stronger. Right. You know, and I think from the beginning, like, we’ve always been like a team. You know, sometimes people look at their partner as. Or their spouse as, like, their enemy or like, they’re against them. You know, it’s like, wait, we’re a team here, and, you know, we communicate all the time. So he knew from the get go, just like Yvonne said, like, because I stepped in right away and I got my license and step two, I realized what I like to do, what I didn’t like to do, what I was better at doing and he was better at doing.
15:44
So that’s when we just kind of would sit down and talk about our roles. And it’s hard sometimes, too, because some spouses, like, I’m very strong and so is he, but we don’t have a power struggle. Sometimes people, when they’re partners, they both want to go and go, and it’s like, you’re working together, not against each other. And then, like Bryn said, getting out of the comfort zone and doing stuff like I didn’t want to do, like, I’ve done it too. Holding each other accountable. You know, we actually do it every week. And now that we’re together as a family and we’ve merged, we have a meeting after our RVP meeting every Monday. And we have, like, spreadsheets, and, like, we’re responsible for certain production. Eric and Brenner responsible for certain production. Ed and Yvonne.
16:29
And we put all the numbers in and we see where we’re all at. And, yeah, we’re a family, but if we’re not doing the things that we need to do, we. We get on each other and it’s like, all right, we need to step up, but we have that spreadsheet, so we know, you know, where we’re at, and we track it that way. And then at the at home, you know, same kind of thing. Like we just weekly kind of know what’s going on. So we don’t. I mean, I know stuff he doesn’t like to do. Like he says he’s always going to fold the laundry. I know he hates it and then it never gets full, so I’ll figure it out. You know, stuff like that. Like he likes to do.
17:00
He doesn’t like to load the dishwasher, but he’ll put the stuff over here, you know, so I can’t expect him. Like I know he’s just not going to. Like, he likes to do things a certain way and so do I. So I just pick up the things he doesn’t like to do. And same thing with me, you know, everything around the house, like handy stuff. Like I tell him that’s your thing. So we just know, you know what. And he always says write a list. And I forget. But like really when I put it on a list, he does do it. The honeydew list, you know, so that’s a good list too. The honeydew list. Yeah.
17:31
Honeydew list. I might have to think about that one. But what I’m basically eating from both of you guys is really knowing each of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and writing it down. Having quarterly meetings. I love that. Sorry, Ben, you might have started having quarterly meetings.
17:45
She’s like, no, I’m sorry. It works though.
17:49
Lois, your role has changed over the years. Can you tell us how it’s changed and how did you know when it was time to move to a different role in your partnership?
18:02
Well, I’ve been licensed for over 20 years. And so it was different earlier in the business. So back then you’d have to have things physically signed. So Assad would call me and say, I need you to go to so and so at work. And I’d write down the address because he needed to change on his life. So I would drive because the kids were at school, or I would take the toddler with me or whatever. So I did stuff like that at the beginning, which obviously doesn’t need to be done now. So it’s different. And we used to have a very large office and we had 10,000 square foot office in Michigan, so we had something going on all the time there. So I was at the office anywhere from two to four times a week back then.
18:43
And then we moved to Florida shortly after it was Covid. So our business totally changed again. And so the main thing that never has Changed is that I’m always looking for people. And so even, like, if I need odd jobs done around the house, instead of calling a large company, I might go on Facebook and find someone who’s like trying to make extra money. And then they’ll come and I’ll show them, well, I need this weeded and I need this. And, you know, I talk to them. Are you interested in anything else? Like, what do you seem like you’re a really hard worker. And then I’ll just start talking to them. So that’s never changed, no matter what I’ve been doing in the business, whether I’ve been in the office more.
19:24
My husband has an extremely excellent office staff who’ve been with him a long time. And they’re great at what they do and I’m so thankful for them because that’s not my strength. And so they’re glad I’m not there probably too. And so I’ve done a lot of things entertaining. But the main thing that has never changed that I think a partner, whoever the partner is always to be looking and talking to people. And so these events are wonderful because you can look around and think of all the people that have come up on stage, different ages, different backgrounds, ethnicities, everything.
20:01
So these kind of events are great as a reminder to talk to everybody because you have no idea who might be interested and in the way the economy now is, and people who might not never thought about having a side hustle might do it now. And so just really look around when you, the rest of the afternoon up on stage, who you see walking across, because these are people that you see, your friend’s dad, your friend’s daughter, your friend’s son, your niece, people you might have never thought about asking before. So that’s something that’s never changed. But my role’s changed because I had kids who all did travel, sports, and now they’re all, you know, they’re all graduated. But now we have grandkids, so we’re going to start all over again with all that. So that’s the main thing I’d like to say perfect.
20:52
And yeah, shout out to office staff, because they really are the backbone, right, so that we can be left to do the income producing activities. Yvonne. And I’m going to come back to you, Brittany. I know I’m going in a slightly different order at the end here. How has Primerica evolved since you started and how did you adapt to those changes?
21:09
Okay. I don’t feel Primerica has evolved or changed fundamentals are fundamentals. And the things that I learned 32 years ago, they’re still, you know, the same things that we have to do today. I think I change quite a bit. You know, I became more confident about the things that I was doing in the business. One of the things that I, you know, felt was important was for me to be able to step in the place if Ed wasn’t around, you know, military again. I’m going to talk about the military all the time because it’s about readiness, you know, you got to be ready just in case something happens, you know. And I feel that I learned those values and I was prepared at all times to step in the game if for some reason Ed was not able to.
21:56
And, you know, what we did is we duplicated our effort because I became just as good as it was at presenting, recruiting, selling, doing everything Ed was doing. So instead of just, you know, growing a little bit at a time, you know, were really multiplying because I was there. It got to the point that when went to Spain and, you know, for some reasons, Ed had to come back to the US a year before, you know, our tour or our time over there was over, I decided, you know, not I, the family decided I was going to stay, you know, in Spain. And I ran the whole show by myself for a whole year. And that’s when I realized what a great thing has been to come in here to self improve. And not only self improve, but just cooperate.
22:44
And I said it last time. I didn’t want to be dead weight. I wanted to be somebody that Ed can look at me and be proud of, you know, to say, this lady, you know, she can step in the game at any time and do the things that I’m doing for the good of the family. So that’s how we feel.
23:00
So, so good. And Brittany, what advice would you give to other partners, especially those who are new to the business?
23:09
Well, first and foremost, I would say not to lose vision of what you can do here, right? Or why you started. I told Andy earlier today’s actually the seven year anniversary of the last day I worked a job. It popped up on my phone this morning, right? They got me a little retirement cake, but I haven’t worked since. Like this is work, but it’s not really work. You guys like they talk about their kid had a fourth birthday today, right? The last builder school. It was our daughter’s third birthday. Like your kids are not going to think about. Remember that one time mom was at a meeting for my third birthday, right? They’re going to say, I went to 28 countries. I was able to do whatever I want. I had all these opportunities, right? Because my parents put in the work.
23:51
They may have missed one or two football games, Right? But it was for a purpose. So I would say you guys constantly have to have the same goal. You know, we sit down all the time and figure out, like, not only business, but what’s the next tangible thing we want to accomplish together? What’s a big trip? We sit down with our kids. What do you want to do next? Right? Where do you want to go? What’s something you’re interested in? And we all do that together. And then we put pictures all over the house of, like, our goal or the house or the trip we want to do. And the kids are in on it with us, right? So you guys have to be on the same page. And I’d say the biggest thing for partnership, you guys, is don’t compare.
24:28
That’ll kill your marriage. That’ll kill everything. It’ll kill your business. You cannot compare partnerships because as everybody has stated up here, your roles are going to change. And the best thing you guys can do is sit down together. Don’t tell them what you want them to do. You figure out what each other your strengths, your weaknesses, and what each other wants to do, and you support each other in that. And if there’s something that neither one of you wants to handle, you find somebody really good to hire, and you go to work. Right? So don’t compare and keep the vision alive, and you guys will do great.
24:59
Perfect. Thank you so much. Huge round of applause for these superwomen.
