Derek Avera
Derek Avera has more than 27 years of experience in sales, management, coaching and consulting, including 8 years in VP- and director-level positions. As SOLID Leaders’ VP Sales and Marketing, Avera is responsible for developing and executing SOLID’s sales and marketing strategy. He also provides executive coaching with a strong emphasis on sales and marketing and supports SOLID’s executive coaches and advisors in their business development initiatives.
Avera is passionate about executive leadership development, performance coaching, the sales process, relationship building and quality communications. As a sales trainer and speaker, he delivers inspirational and practical sales training for sales executives and their direct reports, as well as SOLID’s coaches and advisors. In addition, he conducts 360-degree, interview-based assessments for SOLID’s Assessment Practice.
From 2011 to 2018, Avera served first as Agency Business Consultant and later as District Manager for Farmers Insurance. He held responsibility for all aspects of his district’s growth and won multiple awards for guiding numerous independent agencies to rapid growth and profitability. As a business coach, he provided leadership coaching and business advice for many business leaders, entrepreneurs and high-potential executives.
Prior, from 2007 to 2010, he served as VP International Business Development for travel services business YTB International, where he led a successful expansion into Canada and generated $2M in monthly revenue in 2 months. His previous role, from 2004 to 2007, was Business Development Officer for Evangelical Christian Credit Union. There he closed $40M in real estate loans. His earlier positions included VP – National Sales of Merchants’ Choice Card Services (1999–2002), Senior Sales Executive of KnowledgeBase Marketing (1997–1999), and Sales Manager for Perry Homes (1991–1996).
A native Texan, Avera holds a BBA in Marketing from Abilene Christian University as well as numerous certifications, including FINRA Series 6, Series 26, and Series 63. He is a frequent guest speaker and enjoys delivering dynamic presentations and facilitating interactive business workshops. Outside of work, he spends quality time with his beloved family, plays golf and follows all major sports.
