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.
Specialty bakery and national chain Nothing Bundt Cakes made its Springfield debut; Angelia Fox became a first-time business owner upon opening A&A Boutique & Country Decor; and Marshfield gained a drive-thru coffee shop.
Molly McCleary, owner and farmer of Maypop Flower Farm, says she’s seen edible flowers used many ways in different areas of the country. McCleary was initially contacted by several bakers, but says …
Carley Joy, sales and marketing director of SafeSpace Company says she and her father, CEO Rick Williams, have an honest and open communication style. Williams says the key is never to take things …
Brad Noble, co-founder of Art of Everyone, says art is the one thing that remains open to expression. He says art goes beyond the activity and helps build connections between people. Springfield …
Carol Taylor, former president of Evangel University, tells features editor Christine Temple about the new challenges she faced leading students, staff and faculty through a year of learning in a …
Michelle Romero, owner of PKD Venue, says because of her busy schedule, using social media has helped her marketing efforts. Incorporating your journey, including struggles as well as victories, can …
John, Jason and Jeremy Chapman, owners of The Acoustic Shoppe, say the pandemic just accelerated retailers moving sales online. They say customers appreciate the convenience and it allows them to …
Alex Neville-Verdugo, museum director of the Discovery Center Springfield, says though she’s currently between mentors, they have been important in her professional development. She says the …
Jennifer Leonard and Curtis Marshall, co-founders of Tie and Timber Beer Company, say pivoting to curbside service and opening their beer garden allowed them to serve customers while maintaining …
When Emily Laurie learned she had a malignant melanoma, she looked for a hobby to take her mind off the diagnosis. She made a bead bracelet and shared it online. Within days, she had a large number …
Did your business experience supply chain issues due to the pandemic? Jeff Eiserman, senior risk advisor with Ollis/Akers/Arney, talks about the causes and what effect COVID-19 continues to have on …
