Ted & Tracy Agelis
Oakland, NJ
Previous Occupation: Music Teacher

Humble Beginnings
As the son of a Greek immigrant, Ted Agelis of Oakland, NJ, was no stranger to big dreams and hard work. “My father was a self-employed carpenter / contractor, and he didn’t pale in the face of stressful times,” he remembers. “I learned as a kid to face problems head on, and that stress is what causes you to stretch yourself and grow.”

Tracy grew up as a child of divorced parents, going back and forth between her father’s and mother’s homes. “We never felt like we were missing anything, we always had enough, but there wasn’t money for anything extra,” says Tracy.

Big Dreams
Ted says he always knew he was aspirational and wanted to make a name for himself, but he didn’t know exactly where he would find that success. In the early years, he leaned into what came naturally — music. “I was in college studying music, and I was also performing and teaching music lessons on the side, but I didn’t love it. It wasn’t my passion,” he reflects. When he was approached about Primerica, his interest was piqued, in part because he owed his brother money.^{1, 2} “I bought a drum set using my brother’s credit card and when the bill came, I couldn’t afford to pay him back,” he laughs. “I needed extra money and was able to reimburse my brother — just six weeks after becoming Life-licensed!” ³

Tracy was a flight attendant on a private jet after she met Ted. “He was working part time with Primerica and teaching music while I was always traveling somewhere,” she explains. “I was gone about 17 days a month. Neither of us had a lifestyle that made sense for a long-term relationship.” ⁴

Making Music, Making Plans
Ted was doing well for himself as a part-time Primerica Rep and Tracy took notice. “He loved what he did,” she says. “I left my job and joined him in the business and never looked back.”

The couple married and worked together as partners in business.⁵ Their son Nico was born, and today, Tracy has been able to take a different role because their business offers them the flexibility to work around their schedules. She now manages the family and household, along with some of the event planning and social aspects of the business. Ted’s day is typically spent seeing clients and building their business. “And with our new baby girl, Teddie, I’m right where I need to be,” smiles Tracy.

Making a Difference
“Certain clients stand out over the years; although each one is valued and important,” Ted explains. “We were able to transform the finances of a client, who just started to reap success in his professional life. He was single, living in a condo, and saving money to buy a house. Before he met us, he was sold a whole life insurance policy and misinformed on the savings component. After working with Primerica, we switched him to term life insurance, and he invested the rest of his money. Today, he is married with three kids and has money saved.” ^{6, 7}

Another client Ted met while he was doing a kitchen table presentation with the client’s daughter. “She invited me to her parents’ home to talk about her finances,” Ted says. “Her dad was listening nearby. We ended up doing term life insurance for the father as well as an investment.⁸ A year and a half later, he passed away. Money gives people options they wouldn’t have otherwise. It can be life-changing for future generations.”

Working with Primerica has also had a profound effect on Ted and Tracy’s own lives. “We handle challenges differently now,” explains Tracy. “We’ve experienced a lot of personal challenges and tragedy over the years, but we continue to have a positive outlook. When most people tend to complain and become negative when they go through tough times, Primerica helps us stay hopeful and optimistic in the face of darkness. We always do what’s right, 100 percent of the time. We feel good working for such a wonderful Company and making a difference.”

And the Beat Goes On
“I don’t perform publicly anymore, but I’m a bigger music fan than ever,” Ted exclaims. “The best part about music today is that I get to play with my 3-year-old son. Nico has also taken an interest in the drums, so we often play together. What a full circle moment! We each have our own drum sets, and when Nico asks me to rock out in the basement, there’s no place I’d rather be!”