Season Episode 68
Season Episode 68
Marques Ogden is a former NFL player, entrepreneur, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and Founder and CEO of Ogden Ventures LLC.
After playing five seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Jacksonville Jaguars, Marques went on to build a multimillion-dollar construction company. But his success took an unexpected turn when the business failed, leaving him nearly $2 million in debt and forcing him to start over.
Today, Marques uses those experiences to help business owners, executives, and organizations become stronger leaders. Through speaking, coaching, and consulting, he shares practical lessons on accountability, resilience, sales, and building successful teams.
He is also the host of Get Authentic with Marques Ogden, where he talks with business leaders and entrepreneurs about success, challenges, and personal growth.
Marques Ogden knows what it's like to win big and lose everything. From playing in the NFL to building a multimillion-dollar construction business that eventually collapsed, Marques has experienced both sides of success. In this episode of the Insurance Leadership Podcast, he talks with Ben Markland about the mistakes he made, what it took to start over, and why taking ownership matters in both business and in life.
For insurance professionals, his message is simple. Take responsibility for your work, build real relationships, stay consistent, and don't let setbacks keep you from moving forward.
One of the first lessons Marques learned in the NFL was to be your own CEO.
Nobody else can manage your time, your attitude, or how prepared you are to do your job. That's your responsibility.
Marques brings that same thinking into the insurance business. Whether you're a producer managing your pipeline or a leader responsible for a team, success starts with how you handle your own responsibilities.
Are you making the calls? Following up? Managing your calendar? Doing what you said you would do?
Before you can lead others, you have to be willing to hold yourself accountable.
Marques had a successful NFL career and went on to build a multimillion-dollar construction company. But he admits that as the business grew, his ego got in the way.
Eventually, the company failed. Marques lost nearly everything and found himself working as a custodian, trying to figure out how to rebuild his life.
He doesn't shy away from talking about what went wrong or the part he played in it.
It's one of the most interesting parts of the conversation because Marques isn't just talking about overcoming failure. He's talking about being honest with yourself about how you got there.
You can't always control what happens, but you can take responsibility for what happens next.
Marques makes a point that insurance professionals will recognize. Customers have choices, and many agents are selling similar products.
So what makes someone choose you?
Marques believes it comes down to the relationship, the energy you bring into a conversation, and how you make people feel about doing business with you.
People may be shopping for insurance, but they're also deciding who they trust to take care of them.
What does a winning NFL team have in common with a successful insurance organization? More than you might think.
Marques talks about the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and how every player understood his role. Not everyone had the same job, but everyone knew what the team was working toward.
Ben connects that to the insurance industry. A producer might bring in the business, but it takes account managers, service teams, and leadership working together to keep customers happy.
When everyone understands their responsibilities and supports one another, the entire organization benefits.
A strong team isn't about everyone doing the same thing. It's about everyone doing their part well.
One thing that comes through in this conversation is that Marques doesn't believe success happens overnight. He encourages people to focus on what they can do today instead of getting overwhelmed by everything they want to accomplish.
Make the phone call. Follow up with the prospect. Take care of the customer. Ask for help when you need it. And if something isn't working, be willing to change it.
Next month, Ben welcomes Michael Pires, Co-Founder and CEO of Enrichly HR, and Joe Markland, Co-Founder and President.
The employee benefits industry is changing, and employers are looking for more flexibility in how they offer coverage. Michael and Joe are working in that space through Enrichly, with a focus on personalized benefits, technology, and Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA).
If you work in employee benefits or lead an insurance organization, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.
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Remember: Simple solutions. Real results. That’s great leadership.
