For Mike Sprague, the realization he had chosen the right career path as a State Farm agent came to him while he was standing on a roof in the middle of winter.
It was just after Christmas when he and his son had ventured out to install the new State Farm sign on the roof of the building at 472B Main St. in Damariscotta. The sun had set by the time the last rivet had been put in and Sprague was standing on the roof in the dark December night.
“Being up there, putting on the finishing touches, that was the most memorable moment so far, aside from opening day,” Sprague said. “I arrived two hours early, unlocked the door, and just thought, ‘what now?'”
The nerves Sprague experienced were the result of his first career change in 20 years. After working in a variety of law enforcement roles for two decades, he decided it was time for a change.
“The experiences with law enforcement and the time it required was taxing,” Sprague said. “I want to live a healthy life with my family, and so I was led to go a new direction.”
At the time, Sprague did not know exactly what this new direction would be, however, he knew he wanted to be able to interact with the public and continue to help people. He found that being a State Farm agent would allow him to do both, just on a different level than what he had experienced working in law enforcement.
“Anything can happen to anyone at any time,” Sprague said. “Having the ability to put people in a place where they are better protected and prepared for whatever life throws at them is a role I am honored to have.”
Sprague started the application process to become an agent in fall 2013 and was accepted as a candidate and began his agent training in May 2014. He opened on Jan. 1 of this year as the first State Farm agent in Lincoln County.
As a State Farm agent, Sprague, along with his two full-time team members, Brittany Wallace and Brittany Dunham, offer a variety of insurance and financial services for both the present and the future.
“Financial services are like asking ‘when is the best time to plant a tree?'” Sprague said. “The answer is 20 years ago, but the second-best time to plant a tree is today. It’s the same with financial planning. If you didn’t start then, now’s the best time.”
Sprague said most of his job revolves around asking the questions most people don’t consider, or, in some cases, don’t want to think about.
“No one likes talking about what-ifs,” Sprague said. “But when we find out there is something weighing on their heart and tell them we can help put something in place to protect against that fear, that visible relief is my favorite part of the job.”
Nine months after his first day, Sprague is already looking ahead for ways he wants to see his operation improve. Among them would be adding another full-time employee to his team and potentially moving to a larger office. Sprague is also looking to get more involved with sponsoring local sports and become more interlaced with the community.
One thing that Sprague doesn’t anticipate changing as time goes on is his reassurance that the career change was the right choice for him.
“This is the only career I’m going to have for the rest of my life,” Sprague said. “The things we can do to help people are just so rewarding. I get up every morning and I’m excited to come to work.”
