Josh Helmuth, 34

Josh Helmuth says he went into insurance to serve.

“It’s a great way to serve businesses and the people who run them,” the Lykes Insurance risk adviser says. “If you’re in any type of sales or business, it’s more important to serve than to sell and do any type of product pitch.”

His first professional sales job was at Brown & Brown Insurance, and he joined Lykes in 2011. A few years later, he opened the Lykes office in Lakewood Ranch, which serves Sarasota and Manatee counties. He focuses on business owners in a variety of sectors in Florida.

“The best thing about this business is the people,” he says. “The greatest pleasure in this business for me is having all of these client partners who are so successful and have the most interesting and varied stories.”

Helmuth says he values the idea of “sharpening your sword” to become better at his job. “I’m 34 years old — I don’t know everything under the sun,” he says. “I’m continually learning to be a better adviser for my clients.”

In 2016, he became a certified insurance counselor, and he says he regularly keeps up with industry publications and trade organizations relating to his customer base and potential customers.

Helmuth says he measures his success in business in two ways: “Am I growing my client base? Am I enriching my client base?”

Through his insurance industry experience, he’s realized certain ways an agent can stand out. Helmuth says, “I think many times what is missing from an adviser and client relationship is that opportunity to be intentional and strategic in the goals that define mutual success of that adviser and client.”

— Grier Ferguson

Survey says

Name: Josh Helmuth

Age: 34

City of residence: Sarasota

Employer: Lykes Insurance

Title: Risk Adviser

Birthplace: Indianapolis, Ind.

Years on the Gulf Coast: 30

Marital status/children: Husband to Hyatt Helmuth, father of Audrey Grace Helmuth

Alma mater/degree: University of Florida, Business Administration

Best place to network: With carefully chosen strategic partners

Messy desk or clean workspace: Organized chaos

Eat lunch out or at your desk: In or out, never eat lunch alone!

Best business lesson ever learned: Never assume anything and be impeccable with your word! Also, my father’s continual reminder of K.I.S.S. — Keep It Simple Stupid.

Weirdest job you’ve ever had: Cart boy at a Sarasota golf course that shall remain nameless

A website that makes your job easier: LinkedIn

App you use the most: Waze

One thing you do everyday: Intentionally plan my day to create opportunity

Favorite off-hours activity: Family time, gym time and hopefully strumming my guitar

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: The Oracle of Omaha and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

What you would be doing if you could pick another career: Musician — performance preferably but studio would be almost as good

Your happy place is: With my wife and daughter; the smiles on their faces.

Favorite Ted Talk: Kare Anderson: Be an opportunity maker

Skill you’d like to learn: Piano

Who would play you in a movie about your life: Paul Rudd or Ryan Reynolds – both funny guys!

Describe yourself in three words: Intentional, tenacious and principled