A note from our agency president, David L Sidle II.
October 1st 1972, David L. Sidle (my dad) opened Sidle Insurance at 114 4th Street in Watkins Glen, and later (1979) moved to the more familiar 304 N. Franklin St., Watkins Glen. We still have as clients several of the folks that came on board that first year, and I am eternally grateful that they’ve stuck it out. We’ve obviously seen a lot of changes through the years. I had just turned 4 years of age a couple of months prior to the agency starting. So, I quite literally grew up in the agency.
While I no longer have a box of toys at the agency and our clients are no longer in danger of tripping over me as a crawl around playing on the floor, I have not forgotten the values with which I was raised.
While dad and mom are now gone, I can still here their words…“Take care of the clients, and the commissions will take care of themselves”, “Treat everyone who walks through the door with honesty and respect”, and “Success in business really isn’t that hard. If somebody calls you, call them back, be involved in your business and your community, work harder and smarter than your competitors, and always be honest – even when it means losing the client”.
For a couple with no real formal education, they certainly had things dialed in. I am very proud to carry on their legacy, their work ethic and their community involvement. I still run into situations in our business where I think to myself, “I wish I could ask mom and dad”. Then I think back to the lessons that I learned working with them (starting around 1984 when I was in high school working part time up through about 2010 when they would still occasionally come in), and the answers become clear.
I don’t have a lot of memories from before our agency was started, and I suppose after 49 years, probably a lot of folks reading this don’t either. Thank you to our clients (past, present and future) for allowing us to be a part of your lives, and your communities.
We at Sidle Insurance have always understood that you have a lot of choices from where to purchase your insurance…even more-so today than ever before.
Because of this, we are always so grateful when you chose us. While I can’t begin to promise that we will always have the absolute lowest rates (nobody can), we will do everything we can to make certain that you will always receive the highest value for your dollars that we can provide:
Solid coverage from reputable companies at fair prices backed with professional, knowledgeable, service.
Thank you again for a great 49 years!
- Dave Sidle