Mike Kimlinger
Director, National Sales Recruiting
Switching brokerages can be a tough choice, especially if you’re a successful producer with a growing portfolio of clients.
There’s always another commission check, new prospects or clients on the horizon, or a winners’ circle trip just around the corner. These opportunities can be tempting enough to stay put, but you might be missing out on even bigger rewards down the line. Consider these scenarios:
- You’re an emerging producer with two to three years of experience. You’re still learning and building, celebrating early wins, but also feeling the urge to explore what else might be out there.
- You’re a proven producer who’s spent three to five years growing your book from $500,000 to $750,000 in revenue. Now that you’ve achieved that milestone, your focus has shifted from expanding to maintaining. You’ve encountered new challenges as you look toward your next growth phase—perhaps reaching that $1 million mark—and you’re starting to wonder whether this is where to stay long-term or if it’s time for a change.
- You’re a seasoned producer who’s already seen significant success. You’re enjoying the benefits of managing a book worth over $1 million, but also feel stuck. Loyalty to your team makes you hesitant to leave behind the accounts you’ve worked hard to build. You bring in more than $200,000 in new business each year, but despite your efforts, you lose some clients because you handle all the client management yourself. As a result, your growth is about 5% annually.
Three clear signs it might be time to consider a move
Does one of these scenarios sound familiar? Despite feeling stable and having strong relationships, the drawbacks of staying in a role that no longer matches your goals can start to feel limiting. Here are three signs that you might be more ready to switch brokerages than you realize.
1. You’re feeling burned out, and it’s only likely to get worse.
Most producers experience burnout for one of two reasons:
- External pressure to hit sales targets outweighs what’s best for your clients and your book.
- You’re reaching new sales goals that make it hard to serve your clients well while still growing your book.
If your days are spent chasing CRM metrics or if you’ve become a full-time account manager, you’re sacrificing quality service for your clients. When your client management style doesn’t match what leadership expects, burnout could be nearby—or may have already set in.
2. You’ve developed a specialization, but now you’re hitting a plateau.
As the industry moves toward niche expertise, top producers in specialized markets become strong competitors. For example, if most of your clients are in luxury hospitality, you’ll face tough competition for bigger prospects.
If your firm isn’t fully invested in your specialty—lacking the data, tools, resources, and relationships specific to that niche—you’ll find yourself falling behind larger firms targeting the same clients. You’ve become a small fish in a big pond, and steady growth gets harder to achieve without the right support.
3. Your firm overpromises and often underdelivers.
Broken promises can take many forms:
“When Bill retires, you’ll inherit all his accounts.”
“We’re hiring a top-notch account manager for you.”
“An exciting new tech platform is launching soon.”
“Stay with us, and it’ll pay off.”
Whether it’s managing clients without adequate support, struggling with outdated digital tools, or waiting on promises that never materialize, it’s understandable why you might look for a more supportive environment.
