Turley began working as a financial planner in 1957, by selling life insurance. He also operated a bowling alley in Bel Air, Maryland, and an insurance firm in Baltimore. In 1977, Turley joined with Arthur L. Williams, Jr. and five others to found A. L. Williams & Associates, an insurance company. At A. L. Williams, agents advised clients to purchase term life insurance, rather than cash value life insurance, and invest the money they saved in mutual funds. The company became Primerica Financial Services, and was later bought out by Citigroup in 1989. He retired from the business in 2001, and sold half of his business to his son and the other half to Lynn Webb, a senior national sales director.