Pros
Good contract, ownership of the financial interest in the book, etc. You have to recognize the positives of the contract and take advantage of it. If you are going scratch/NOBIT...remember that enhanced comp runs out quick. Spend money and work like a devil for 36 months, and hope you dont catch a bad market. If you think you are going to run it on a shoestring and make it work, you are wrong. Be properly funded at the start, and dont get attached to your book. Buying and selling/swapping is common...if you plan on this from the start it works. If you get attached and are unwilling to move, it doesnt. High risk, and potentially very high reward. Take advantage of the EFS relationship. Lots of opportunity in life/financial that most agents dont get. Corporate culture is great...award trips are unreal awesome. 3m+ books cash flow well.
Cons
It's captive. Decent brokering options, but mother Allstate gets the first right of refusal...and brokering is really just for preservation of relationships. You are not going to get new business on price. If you have to be the cheapest to sell and cant grasp value add, go independent.