On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey sits down with Scott Zimmerman — a father, entrepreneur, and insurance professional based in Los Angeles, California. Scott shares how he stumbled into the insurance industry through a mentor, survived the steep learning curve of straight commission sales, and developed a long-term planning mindset that has carried him through the toughest seasons of business and fatherhood.
Watch the Full Episode with Scott Zimmerman
How Scott Got Into Insurance
Scott Zimmerman did not set out to be in the insurance industry. He tells Ethan that he was in school when a mentor approached him and said he should check out the business. The agency was run by the mentor’s father, and it was straight commission — no safety net. Scott got hired and jumped in, not knowing exactly what he was getting into. By his own admission, it took three to four years to really figure things out, but he stuck with it. That persistence through the early uncertainty is a theme that runs through the entire conversation.
Staying Accountable When It Gets Hard
The central message of this episode is accountability — and not the easy kind. Scott and Ethan dig into what it really means to stay accountable when the motivation is gone, when the results are not showing up, and when quitting seems like the rational choice. Scott’s perspective is that accountability is the real flex. Anyone can show up when things are going well. The people who build lasting success are the ones who keep showing up when the work feels pointless and the progress is invisible.
Scott connects this to his early years in insurance. Straight commission meant there was no paycheck guaranteed — if he did not produce, he did not eat. That pressure forced him to develop accountability habits that he might not have built in a salaried position. The discomfort was the training ground.
Long-Term Planning as an Essential Habit
Ethan highlights how Scott’s approach to long-term planning sets him apart. Rather than chasing short-term wins and reacting to whatever is in front of him, Scott thinks in longer timeframes. He explains that most people get frustrated because they are measuring progress on a daily or weekly basis when real results often take months or years to materialize. Long-term planning is not about being patient for the sake of patience — it is about building a strategy that compounds over time and trusting the process even when the daily reality feels slow.
Balancing Entrepreneurship and Fatherhood
Scott is candid about the challenge of being both an entrepreneur and a father. He tells Ethan that these are the two most important roles in his life, and they frequently compete for time and energy. His approach is not to achieve perfect balance — which he sees as an unrealistic goal — but to be fully present wherever he is. When he is with his family, he is with his family. When he is working, he is working. The accountability he brings to his business extends to his role as a father.
Starting Fresh and Changing Habits
Ethan and Scott discuss the power of starting fresh — not as a once-a-year New Year’s resolution, but as a daily practice. Scott believes you can reset at any time. A bad morning does not have to ruin the afternoon. A bad quarter does not have to define the year. The ability to acknowledge what went wrong, reset your mindset, and take the next right action is what separates people who plateau from people who keep growing.
Why This Episode Matters
Scott Zimmerman’s conversation with Ethan Van De Hey is for anyone who is in the grind — building a business, raising a family, or trying to develop new habits — and feeling the weight of accountability when results are not immediate. Scott’s message is honest and direct: staying accountable when it gets hard is not glamorous, but it is the foundation of every real success story.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Dr. Lucy Johnson: Small Wins, Big Results
- Chip Baker: You’re Not Broken, You’re Building
- Andrew Wolfram: Innovation and Forward Thinking
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