Jeff Manthei: From Hometown Roots to Thriving Business Owner

RLF Spotlight

Jeff Manthei | Belview, MN

Jeff Manthei: From Hometown Roots to Thriving Business Owner

On February 1, 2021, Jeff Manthei took a significant step in his career by purchasing an insurance agency in Belview, MN. A lifelong resident of the town, Jeff had already established a background in crop insurance when the opportunity arose.

“I grew up here and knew the community well,” Jeff shared. “I had been working in crop insurance and had a connection with Dave Asche, who, along with his wife Vicki, owned the agency. I’d known them my entire life.”

Jeff began asking the Asches about their succession plans, but tragically, Dave passed away unexpectedly in September 2020. Shortly after, Vicki reached out to Jeff to discuss the possibility of taking over the business. By February 1, 2021, Jeff officially became the new owner.

In preparation, Jeff obtained his Property and Casualty (P&C) licensing, enabling him to offer a wide range of insurance products to complement his crop insurance services. The agency also houses Brandi Samyn, She owns her own life and health insurance agency, called Samyn Insurance based out of Wabasso, but she does work at Jeff Manthei Insurance office two days a week..

Since taking over, Jeff’s business has experienced exponential growth. “Owning a business in the community where I grew up has been incredibly rewarding,” he said. “I’ve known many of the people here, or they’ve known my parents. My dad taught school here for nearly 30 years, so there’s a strong sense of familiarity and trust.”

Jeff’s career journey began far from Belview. Initially, he worked in Rochester as a project manager for IBM. “When I left IBM, I started looking for opportunities to move back to this area,” he explained. He worked remotely for IBM for a couple of years before transitioning to crop insurance, inspired by his father, who had shifted from teaching to a career in crop insurance.

Currently, Jeff is in the midst of remodeling his office, with plans to complete painting, install new flooring, and replace furniture after the new year. “That’s the top priority right now,” he noted.

Looking ahead, Jeff hopes to continue growing the crop insurance segment of his business while finding a balance that allows him to work a comfortable number of hours. “The freedom of owning my own business is something I really value,” he added.

Financing the business was one of Jeff’s biggest challenges. He worked with several organizations, including the Southwest Initiative Foundation, Southwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC), Citizens Alliance Bank in Granite Falls, and the Small Business Administration. “I’m incredibly grateful to all of them for helping turn this dream into a reality,” Jeff said. “It felt like a pipe dream until I got that phone call from Vicky.”

Jeff found the revolving loan process with SRDC straightforward once his business plan was in place. However, navigating government processes during the COVID-19 pandemic added stress to the experience.

When asked about advice for young entrepreneurs, Jeff emphasized the importance of determination. “You’ve got to have the drive and be willing to put in long hours. Buying a business can be one of the scariest decisions—especially in insurance, where you’re essentially buying someone else’s clientele without a guarantee they’ll stay with you. There were a lot of sleepless nights, but buying this business was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

 

jeff manthei

Jeff Manthei

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