Financial Advisor/ Seeking Athletes – Amazon Store

Join the Winning Team at The Zara Group! Are you an athlete at heart with a passion for teamwork and competition? Bring your sports background to a dynamic career as a Financial Advisor with The Zara Group of Northwestern Mutual! Why Current and Former Athletes Thrive Here: We recognize the unique strengths and qualities that former and current athletes bring to the table. Athletes excel in our environment because of their inherent drive, discipline, and competitive spirit, which are essential traits for success in the insurance and financial services industry. Here’s why athletes thrive with us:

1. Teamwork and Collaboration: Just like in sports, our success depends on teamwork and collaboration. Athletes naturally excel in a team setting, working together towards common goals and supporting each other to achieve the best results for our clients.
2. Resilience and Determination: Athletes are accustomed to facing challenges and persevering through difficult situations. This resilience translates well to the professional world, where overcoming obstacles and staying focused on long-term goals are key to building a successful career.
3. Goal-Oriented Mindset: The drive to set and achieve goals is second nature to athletes. This goal-oriented mindset helps our representatives stay motivated and committed to helping clients achieve their financial objectives.
4. Discipline and Time Management: Balancing training, competitions, and academics instills a strong sense of discipline and time management in athletes. These skills are invaluable in managing a client portfolio, meeting deadlines, and maintaining a high level of productivity.
5. Competitive Spirit: The competitive nature of athletes fuels their desire to excel and be the best in their field. This competitive spirit drives our representatives to continuously improve, exceed performance targets, and deliver exceptional service to clients.

Meet some of our local team, many who have excelled in athletics: 

Jim Zara – Wealth Management Advisor

• How long with NM? 34 years.
• Prior Experience? Prior to joining NM, Jim graduated from the University of Missouri's Business School.
• Passionate About? Jim is passionate about his family—his wife and their three children. Outside of work, Jim is an avid supporter of Mizzou sports, particularly football and basketball, where he enjoys game days from his suite on the 50-yard line. He loves the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, with memorable trips to Africa and Alaska alongside his son. Jim also values coaching, leadership development, personal growth, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Cassandra Clemens – Director of Recruitment and Selection

• How long with NM? 4 years.
• Prior Experience? Graduated from Mizzou’s Journalism School in 2010. Spent 3 years selling Personal Lines Insurance before transitioning into a Sales Training & Development Specialist role for a large insurance and travel organization, where she worked for 7 years.
• Passionate About? Outside of business, Cassandra is passionate about traveling and spending weekends at the Lake of the Ozarks, where she enjoys boating. She co-runs an online boutique with her aunt and splits time between St. Louis and Arizona to visit family. She loves being active outdoors, especially hiking with her Chocolate Lab.

Jesstine Kemper – Financial Advisor

• How long with NM? 6 years.
• Prior Experience? Before joining NM, Jess held leadership roles in various departments within the casino industry, working as a hotel manager, casino floor supervisor, slot supervisor, and marketing manager.
• Passionate About? Jess loves spending time with her husband and their 1.5-year-old son. They recently renovated a historic 1890s home in Soulard and enjoy exploring new restaurants in St. Louis, especially those featuring ethnic cuisine. Adventurous travelers, they are committed to leaving the country at least once a year—her favorite destination is Vienna, Austria.

Brian LaValle – Private Wealth Advisor

• How long with NM? 22 years.
• Prior Experience? Before joining NM, Brian worked in software sales and engineering. He started his career as an engineer and later founded a small company, where he was responsible for software architecture and selling their products.
• Passionate About? Brian is deeply committed to his family, including his significant other, his four children, and six grandchildren. He loves spending time outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and enjoys relaxing on his property in Bowling Green, MO.

Jakob Junker – Financial Representative

• How long with NM? 6 months.
• Prior Experience? Before joining NM, Jakob worked in the mortgage industry as a loan coordinator for a large U.S. lender.
• Passionate About? Outside of work, Jakob enjoys spending time with his fiancée Sarah. They love hiking on his parents' farm in Warrenton, MO, with their Pit Mix. Jakob is an enthusiast of trying new microbreweries in downtown St. Louis and enjoys playing slow-pitch softball. He is also a big fan of attending sporting events, especially Cardinals and Blues games.

Key Responsibilities: As a Financial Advisor, your primary role will be to engage with clients to understand their comprehensive financial needs, providing personalized guidance to help them achieve their financial protection and planning goals. You will design and implement tailored strategies that safeguard clients' assets, income, and overall financial well-being, ensuring their long-term security. Regularly reviewing and updating clients' financial plans and insurance policies to reflect any changes in their circumstances or goals will be crucial to ensure continuous protection. Additionally, you will cultivate a robust network of clients through referrals, active community involvement, and professional associations. Qualifications: We prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree in finance, business, or a related discipline. While prior experience in insurance, financial services, or business development is beneficial, it is not mandatory. Successful candidates will possess excellent interpersonal and communication abilities, strong analytical skills, and the capability to build lasting client relationships. We welcome individuals from business development-oriented organizations with uncapped earnings potential, including those from Medical Device, Education (teachers, administrators), Logistics, Solar, Payroll Services, Tech Business Development, Real Estate, Auto Rental and others. You will be required to obtain state insurance licenses, with training provided and sponsorship considered. Benefits: You will have continuous access to training and development programs, with sponsorship for advanced certifications to enhance your expertise. We offer a lucrative compensation structure including performance-based incentives and unlimited earning potential. You will receive extensive support from a dedicated planning team, marketing resources, and experienced mentors. Enjoy the flexibility to design a work schedule that aligns with your personal and professional goals. Most importantly, you will play a pivotal role in helping individuals and families secure their financial future, making a lasting difference in the community. 

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI. Jim Zara is a General Agent of NM and not in legal partnership with NM, or its subsidiaries.

Flexible work from home options available.

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