Andy NearyI help insurance professionals turn brand awareness into business growth.

The habits of seven-figure insurance advisors: Meet Thomas Cox, the newest podcast guest.

19 May 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:29

In this podcast segment, Thomas Cox recounts his early career aspirations to become a Navy SEAL, the injury that ended that path, and the rapid decision he faced to either stay in a non‑SEAL role or leave the Navy. He chose to leave, and on the flight home he sat next to a senior vice president from MetLife. The executive expressed sympathy, offered his contact information, and guided Cox through a discovery conversation about his passions and strengths. After several discussions, the VP suggested that Cox might enjoy selling insurance and invited him to consider a role at MetLife. Despite concerns about his engineer father’s expectations, Cox accepted the opportunity, moved to Kansas City in 2011, and entered MetLife’s rookie training program, launching his insurance career.

Chapters

My dream was to be a Navy SEAL. So I went in the Navy after college, I got a SEAL contract, and then ended up getting hurt in boot camp. And they said, well, you got two options. You can either stay and I'll give you a job, but it's not going to be a SEAL because we don't mess with back injuries in the SEAL program. Or I'll give you a get out of jail free card and we shake hands as friends and you move on. So I said, well, you know, this is kind of earth-shattering. Let me— how long do I have to think about it? He said, you got 30 seconds, buddy. Make up your mind. I took the get out of jail free card and on the plane ride home from boot camp, I sat next to a senior vice president with MetLife who used to, I think his role was running the employee benefits a few years prior to me meeting him. He had moved into like a global role, but he asked me, we just started chatting on the plane and he's like, man, I'm really sorry it didn't work out for you. I know a lot of employers. Here's my card. Give me a call. So I did because I had no idea what I was going to do. And he was, it was awesome. He like, walked me through a whole discovery process about like, where were you in the— how do you feel? When have you felt in the zone and what gets you excited? And just trying to— he tells me he was just trying to help me figure out like who to connect me with. And after 5 conversations, he goes, you know, you might like selling insurance. Would you want to work for MetLife? And I was— my dad's an engineer, mathematical scientist by trade. And he was— I was thinking like, my dad's going to disown me if I sell insurance, but I don't know what else to do. And they were hiring in Kansas City for a rookie role. So I moved to Kansas City in 2011. To get in the insurance business and MetLife's training program.