YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Mark Acre rose through the ranks of Torchmark Corp. unlike anyone else before him. At age 26, he was the national insurance company’s youngest director in history, managing 15 branches and 900 agents. He took that experience to start his own firm in late 2007. And with three offices, Acre and his team manage $10 million in premium.
The industry has recognized his work, being named the Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and elected to the board of the NAIFA city and local chapters.
In his spare time, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in February. He did it to raise money for nonprofit Man Up and Go to serve the fatherless, empower single mothers and equip men to lead.
What is your proudest moment? The birth of my two biological kiddos and the adoption of my third.
What is your best productivity hack? An app called Habitify that sends alerts throughout my day until each task is complete.
What did you learn the hard way? Starting out working for a Fortune 500 company was an amazing opportunity. When I went out and started my own practice, I quickly realized that there were many things that happened behind the scenes that I needed to learn.
What historical figure do you identify with most? Napoleon.
A Hollister pub that debuted in 2017 expanded to Springfield; 417 Magazine operator Whitaker Publishing LLC changed ownership; and the Re/Max House of Brokers franchise business was purchased.
Hal Donaldson, CEO of Convoy of Hope, says he likes challenging people to hire the homeless. He says it requires understanding from the employers, but the dividends are smart, loyal and hard working …
Technology business consultant Mackenzie Scherer says each social media platform is suited to a specific audience and media type. Knowing your audience demographic and whether you want to blog, show …
Jordan Morgan, iOS engineer with Buffer, says the release of open source code has created opportunities for programmers worldwide. Morgan says this strategy provides a middle ground for software …
Security and patrol companies offer varying degrees of services and expertise. Natalie McGuire, Owner of Task9, recommends questions you should ask when vetting security and patrol services. Officer …
Cristian Rath, consultant with Abacus CPAs, LLC, says if you feel your goal is unattainable, work backwards to find the smaller steps to achieve it. He says you need to celebrate small victories on …
Lynne Meyerkord, executive director of the AIDS Project of the Ozarks says the pandemic has forced them to make a lot of changes. She says their federal grant money is currently secure, but she’s …
Nicole Chilton, director of marketing and development with the Springfield Regional Arts Council, says a great arts community helps draw talent to an area. She says the arts bring in $29.8 million to …
Eddie Gumucio, organizer and founder of the Queen City Shout Music festival says his wife’s experience with poverty relief agencies helped expand the number of nonprofits they could help. He says …
Author and Consultant Rosie Ward, Ph. D., says the “firms of endearment” are breaking the mold by nurturing culture and investing in employee training and well-being. Focusing on purpose over profit shows …
Abe McGull, assistant U.S. Attorney, says one of the most useful skills he learned in the military was planning. McGull says having a plan for any contingency allows you to be proactive rather than …
