Ten questions with an agent: Jimi Honochick, YMI Insurance
January 21, 2025 by ClientCircle
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Welcome to our “Ten questions with an agent” series where we catch up with ClientCircle users across the country to learn more about their business, community and perspectives on the insurance industry.
Our first stop is to Lehigh Valley, nestled amidst the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, where Jimi Honochick serves as president of YMI Insurance, an agency with locations in Allentown, Bethlehem and Stroudsburg. Originally started in 1955 as Yutz-Merkle Insurance Agency and the Lehigh Agency, Jimi’s father, Jim, purchased these agencies in 1996 and 2011 respectively. The agencies became YMI Insurance in 2022, and Jimi moved into his current role as president in 2024 after serving multiple years as vice president. You can learn more about YMI Insurance here.
Now let’s see what Jimi has to say about his journey in insurance.
Q: What inspired you to become an insurance agent?
A: Having grown up around it, it was not my top pick for careers. In fact, I tried to get as far away from it as I could and moved to LA to work in television. But when I was home for holidays, I would hear my family talk about the work that they do and their involvement in the community and it really spoke to me—I love helping people and being a part of something bigger than myself.
Jimi and his wife, Tricia, take their three kids camping the first few days after school starts as part of a Honochick family tradition.
Q: What type of insurance do you enjoy selling the most and why?
A: Commercial, for sure. After TV, I earned my MBA and had a career as an equity research analyst. Pivoting to commercial insurance allows me to continue learning about businesses; I’ve just had to switch my mindset from investing in them to protecting them.
Q: Are there any local charities or causes you or your employees are passionate about supporting?
A: Community is one of the main reasons I got into insurance, so we tend to be involved in a lot of charities, from youth sports to the arts to the YMCA. Every year we play in a golf charity for Second Harvest Food Bank who do amazing work in the area to address food insecurity.
Q: What’s a hidden gem in your community that more people should know about?
A: THERE ARE TOO MANY! The Lehigh Valley is such an amazing blend of people, cultures and industries— we’re fortunate to have so many gems. It’s not hidden, but more people should know that downtown Bethlehem is one of the greatest places on Earth! From their recent designation as a UNESCO world heritage site, to the magic of Christmas, to the country’s largest free music festival—Bethlehem has it all!
Jimi hosts a podcast highlighting local business owners in the Lehigh Valley called “YMI Talking Podcast.” In season 2, episode 12, Jimi shares a meal and conversation with Jas Bansal of Aman’s Artisan Indian Cuisine.
Q: How do you celebrate milestones or wins with your team?
A: With three offices, it’s hard to get everyone together often but that doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate! We do get together for a night out for big celebrations – we just had dinner and saw John Legend’s Christmas Show!
Left: YMI Insurance has a rare chance to get employees from all three locations together to celebrate the holidays. Right: YMI Insurance supports the Salvation Army Angel Tree program as a team, providing presents for families in need in their community.
Q: What's your morning drink of choice, whether you make one at home/office or grab one on the way to work?
A: Anyone who knows me, knows I love coffee! So my morning drink of choice is coffee, followed by another cup of coffee which I brew at home before taking the kids to school and heading to work!
Q: What’s the most unusual item in your office or workspace?
A: I have a “Honochick Dr.” street sign that hangs over my door in our Allentown location. It’s an homage to my grandfather who was an MLB umpire for many years and a local celebrity in Allentown. He was very involved in the area (a theme in my life!) and ultimately had a street named after him. I like that it reminds me of where I come from and points me to where I’m going.
Q: If your job had a theme song, what would it be?
A: I LOVE theme songs, so I’m taking this question very seriously. “Holding out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler. Someone once described us as “Insurance Superheroes” and it really stuck with me—we help to protect the families, people, and businesses of our community and we are there when they need us most. The song is also a lot of fun which is something we’re good at as well.
Q: What’s one small change in the industry you think would make a big impact?
A: As an industry we need to be better at recruiting—this is something I’m passionate about. We do ourselves a huge disservice when it comes to attracting top talent. Insurance has so many great opportunities and can be such a great career, but nobody thinks about it and it’s not at the top of anyone’s list. We need to market ourselves to the next generation and start recruiting better.
Jimi was awarded the “Forty under 40” award from Lehigh Valley Business in 2024 honoring his work at YMI Insurance and involvement in communities within Lehigh Valley.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone starting out in this field?
A: Be a sponge. There is so much knowledge in this industry and you can learn so much, but you need to be open to learning. Ask questions, seek out mentors, read guidelines and policy jackets! The more you learn, the better you will set yourself up to advance in your career.
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