The Insurance Leaders: Recent Episodes
Daniel Seong and Ryan Reynolds
The Insurance leaders podcast is all about helping insurance agency owners achieve new heights by developing their ability to lead.
Join Ryan as he sits down with Jeremy Powers of Powers Insurance Experts as they discuss various topics that all revolve around what Jeremy calls "loving people." Today, connecting with people and engaging deeper with clients, the community, and your team has never been more important. Join us as Ryan and Jeremy dive deep into some great community and customer retention tactics. Enjoy the show!
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join us in this exciting episode as Ryan joins Michael McCormick and Taylor Dobbie, the founders of Insurance Soup, one of the most successful insurance Facebook groups who have demonstrated their ability to give back to the industry as a whole in massive ways. They founded Soup Live, Career Insurance Agents (CIA), and several other insurance-specific solutions designed to help captive and independent insurance agents. Check Out Insurance Soup Live 2024
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Ryan as he sits down in this heartfelt and sober exchange with Stephen Turnbull of T5 Insurance out of Clinton, NY. Stephen describes leaving a 101-year-old family agency for the discomfort of starting a scratch agency. While he is only 17 months in, and despite the hard market he has encountered, Stephen has committed himself to being involved in and leading his community by serving others.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Ryan introduces Nicholas Ayers, Chief Marketing Officer at Better Agency and an expert in the independent insurance industry's technological advancements. They discuss the evolution of technology in the space and its impact on agency owners, staff, and operations. Nick's influence can be seen in companies like Vertafore and Hawksoft and smaller companies that adopt his approach.
Nicholas emphasizes embracing technology for independent agency owners to stay competitive. Unlike captive agents with support in these areas, independent agents must take charge of technology adoption if they want to succeed. He also shares his video creation and marketing expertise and highlights the importance of personalized and targeted content creation to engage with customers.
Nick's work has significantly impacted the independent insurance industry's technology space, making him a respected figure in the industry. Tune in to this episode to learn more about Nick's insights on technology and content creation for independent agencies.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In our latest episode of The Insurance Leaders, we sat down with the incredible Patrick McBride of The McBride Agency in Dixon, IL, and WOW, what a story! Patrick made a daring leap, leaving his secure role as a captive agent with Farmers Insurance to chart his path as an independent agency owner. But here's the twist - 18 months later, after not taking a paycheck for 12 months, he was battling one of the most challenging insurance markets ever! Yet, Patrick's relentless focus on his clients and his innovative approach with human-optimized technology have set him apart and fueled his remarkable growth. His journey is nothing short of INSPIRING!
Are you ready to be motivated and uplifted? Patrick's story will do just that! Catch the full episode and stay tuned for more amazing stories in the world of insurance.
If you need to contact Patrick, you can find him at themcbrideagency.com.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Get ready for an electrifying podcast episode! Join us as we sit down with the dynamic James Jenkins, the driving force behind RiskWell in McKinney, TX. In this thrilling yet very different episode, we dive deep into a variety of riveting topics, including James's brand-new book, "Leaving Captivity." You won't want to miss the passion and expertise he brings to help agents conquer the industry's toughest challenges. But that's not all! We also uncover the transformative power of therapy in James's personal and professional journey. This episode is a rollercoaster of inspiration and valuable insights.
Get James's New Book
Go to jamesjenkins.com and purchase "Leaving Captivity," and you can find more about him on LinkedIn.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Ryan Reynolds as he sits down with Anson Ross Thompson of The Thompson Group. In this engaging episode, Anson takes us on a jounry through his distinctive business approach, his innovative company culture and his unique marketing stragegies. Anson along wtih his wife, Jenny, own the thriving agency that opperates in 27 states with locations in two. Learn about their dynamic partnership and their committment to excellence. Anson shares his secrets to successfuly managing an almost entirely remote team. Discover how he not only embraces the remote culture but also leverages it as a powerful recruiting tool. Uncover Ansons mission statemement which also serves as the foundation for his sales process. His straightforward approach of "Find the pain, heal the pain, show the love" allows him to engage prospects directly and secure early committments to move forward. Anson is known for his uniquely authentic personality. Find out how he uses his outlook on life to connect with creative business owners and cultivate lifelong relationships.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Get ready for an electrifying episode of mental health mastery! Join your host, Ryan Reynolds, as he teams up with the brilliant Dr. Tom Kimball, PH.D., LMFT, to delve deep into the world of mental well-being. In this dynamic discussion, we're about to unearth the secrets to managing your mental health amid these challenging times.
Key Highlights:
Elevating Mental Health:
Dr. Kimball opens our eyes to the vital importance of mental health, especially in the current landscape. Discover practical advice that will convince you why prioritizing your mental well-being has never been more crucial. It's time to break the stigma and be open about the impact of our industry on mental health, both yours and your team's.
Delivering Bad News Gracefully:
Gain insights from cutting-edge research as Dr. Kimball shares strategies for delivering difficult news to clients and employees gracefully and empathetically. Learn how to navigate these challenging conversations in the healthiest way possible.
Remote Work and Mental Health:
Explore the fascinating intersection of mental health and remote work. Uncover strategies to keep your remote team engaged and fulfilled, even when they're missing the in-person camaraderie. Discover how to provide your remote employees with the support they need.
The Top Ten Mental Health Hacks:
Stay tuned as we unveil the top ten ways to master your mental health. These actionable tips will empower you to take charge of your well-being and lead your team to mental wellness.
Don't miss out on this exhilarating episode filled with practical wisdom and inspiration. Elevate your mental health game and lead your team to a brighter, healthier future. Tune in now!
If you want to contact Dr. Kimball you can reach him at Dr.TomKimball@gmail.com or on his instagram account @AchieveLastingRecovery.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Ryan and Tony Merwin as they discuss Tony's path to success in the Medicare Insurance space. Tony began his career going door to door and now is operating a successful Medicare agency. Tony talks about his success in running Facebook marketing ads and discusses how often he has started his agency over. Enjoy the show!
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Carey and Ryan as they discuss agency finances, the M&A space, and teaching kids financial matters. Carey provides incredible insights for an agency trying to get their agency finances in order and the essential financial aspects agents need to get stable to thrive. We tackle the M&A space, how to find deals, and the critical aspects of determining if an agency is right for you to purchase.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Are you looking to improve the quality of the conversations you and your team are having with prospects? Risk Advisor might be your solution. David Watson, Founder of RiskAdvisor, joins us to discuss how vital these intake conversations are and how Risk Advisor helps you capture the data and seamlessly integrate it into your CRM or management system. Plus, we discuss David's involvement in 101 Weston Labs and how that is helping him and Risk Advisor provide a better product to more insurance agents and producers. Discover A RiskAdvisor Demo >>> Supercharged intake forms for your personal lines agency . Know exactly what and when to ask, close more deals and increase your revenue. Schedule a Discovery Call to discover how RiskAdvisor can optimize your agency’s sales process.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Joe Kampert is a member of 274 Facebook Groups and has scaled his agency by mastering these groups and how to leverage their power. If you are interested in getting more involved with social media, this episode is for you. Joe Kampert owns The Red Wood Agency in Austin, Texas, and has a ton of knowledge he acquired through being an Allstate Agent and now the owner of an independent agency. Join us as we dive into these important topics.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Ryan as he sits down with the Founder and CEO of Cake, Adam Bowe. Adam founded Cake which serves independent agents as a transactional marketplace to buy, sell, and value books of business. If you want to get in touch with Adam, you can find him at haveyourcake.com, or you can contact Adam at Adam@haveyourcake.com.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Ryan Reynolds as he dives deep into the insurance agency world with Mike Fusco and how he and his partners scaled their agency Fusco Orsini and Associates to almost $4M in revenue in 14 years. Plus, Mike shares how his team is broken up into his commercial/benefits agency and how they have scaled their agency over the last 14 years to now one of the best places to work in all of San Diego County (Award pending).
https://foagency.com/meet-michael-fusco/
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Yellowbird.com is a vendor that helps you deliver value to your commercial accounts. Join me as I visit with Michael Zalle, Founder and CEO of YellowBird. We discuss how partnering with YellowBird allows you to bring the best and brightest talent in the industry to help you facilitate Risk assessments, required and non-required safety services, emergency and environmental planning, OSHA assistance and other training. Partnering with Yellow Bird demonstrates you care about your client and helping them to not only be safe but to reduce their MOD and or their premiums. If you want to contact them you can do so at GoYellowBird.com.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
The IndieTech Showcase Experience 2023 Conference is coming quickly (August 29-31), and Jason Cass takes the opportunity to share why this conference is so important and why agency owners need to attend this conference. Take a listen and hear Jason talk about the difference between IndieTech and Insurtech and why that is so important. We also discuss why technology is a discipline and how it can, if appropriately leveraged, help an agency owner scale their business. If you want to attend the conference, be sure to use promo code Indie300 to save $300 off your ticket.
Save $300 On IndieTech Showcase Experience 2023 >>>
Click here and use PROMO CODE INDIE300 to save $300 OFF your IndieTech 2023 ticket >>>
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
On this knowledge packed episode with Chris Greene, we discuss how he left a $1M P&C book to build out the flood insurance niche. Chris has delivered over 1500 videos in an effort to provide and deliver value. We all want to build out referral partners, and Chris gives us insight into how he has built out a nationwide referral network of captive and independent agents that send him new business leads daily. This episode is about way more than flood insurance, it's about building a brand and a niche. Enjoy this wisdom-filled episode.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join me as we sit down with Dave Jackson and talk all things 2023 Innovation, which will be held in October 2023 in Chicago, IL. Dave talks about his 40+ years in the insurance industry as an Allstate Agent and a State Farm Agent, and now an independent agent in Nashville, TN. We also discuss the hard market we are in and how agency owners should be looking at this market. Enjoy the show!
Get Your Innovation 2023 Tickets Here >>>
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Hear what it takes to be Geico's #1 inside Sales Rep to becoming an independent agency owner. Join Jason and host Ryan Reynolds as they dive deep into what fuels him, what he learned as an inside sales rep, and how his business is evolving now.
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join us as Cyrus Jaffery tells his family's story of migrating to the United States after his family home was bombed. Hear how his Mothers relentlessness got him and his family to the United States after being denied 12 times. Cyrus owns four different insurance solutions, including Quotamation, a software helping agents make it easy to form embedded relationships. If you want to hear a story about someone who has had his fair share of adversity yet continues to fight and push to achieve new heights, then be sure to tune into this one.
Get To Know Cyrus >>>
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Check out this episode where Ryan sits down with Doug Blevins, an ALFA insurance agent out of Georgia, to discuss motivating your team to care as much about protecting your clients as you do. Doug has had incredible results, including being an MDRT agent in 2021 and 2022, and believes in relationships and leading by "walking the walk and talking the talk," which he does every day. Doug is an excellent example of leading by example.
Connect With Doug >>>
Tik Tok
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Michelle Barnes is new to the industry, but that has not stopped her from being short of amazing. Daniel and Ryan discuss with Michelle how she wrote over $100,000 in personal lines premiums in only her second month in the industry and has written over $100,000 monthly as a producer at Grimes Insurance Agency since then. Michelle has a knack for connecting with people, and she shares her tactics on how to communicate and connect with people and determine what kind of shoppers they are, which helps her speak their language.
**To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com**
From his family-owned Pizzeria to working at Disney, one thing Christos Provistalis knows is how to build deep and meaningful connections with clients. Christos spends some time with Daniel and Ryan talking about how to do just that, build emotional and meaningful relationships that not only keep clients but attract new ones. Join Ryan and Daniel as they uncover the secrets to building deeper relationships.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Daniel and Ryan as they discuss how Jessie scaled his massive tow truck company to where he is now investing in Insuretech companies. Jessie has a proven track record of acquiring hundreds of companies and understands business. He's no stranger to hard times, though. From starting out with a single broken-down truck to a career-ending accident, Jessie has continued to bounce back.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Daniel and Ryan have a conversation with Nancy Huff Nicklow the owner of Huff Insurance Agency where they discuss how Nancy and her team are using SEO and community events to drive new business to her family agency. Nancy discusses some of the niche markets that she goes after and how she is using unique ways of getting in front of thoes business owners. She also discusses her welcome kits and how she determines what clients get what type of welcome gift.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Ryan and Daniel sit down with Mike Sharp, agency owner of Sharp Insurance Agency, and discuss his incredible start in the insurance industry. Mike was a full-time police officer who transitioned to becoming an agency owner over time. His story of passion and pursuing his dreams and what he loves is inspiring. After two years in the business and only one year doing it full-time, he has two team members and is growing like crazy. Tune in to hear Mike's inspiring story of pursuing your dreams.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
On this episode, Daniel and Ryan discuss all sorts of topics with Wade Eyerly, from finding yourself in order to develop into a better leader, starting a private jet charter airline, working at the White House, and more. Wade is an incredible leader with vast experience as a CEO, investment banker, author, innovator, and leader. Learn More About Wade Eyerly >>>
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Ryan and Daniel sit down with Carson Saville of Saville Public Entity, a wholesaler of insurance that services the public sector. Carson discusses the complexity of working with the public sector and how Saville can help you win these accounts.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join us as we discuss Josh Gurley's path to ownership in a commercial insurance agency. Josh specializes in the middle commercial insurance market and drops some gold nuggets for all you producers or owners playing in the middle market.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Ryan, Daniel and Aaron Gordon as they discuss the tragic events surrounding the passing of Aaron's Father. His Father had built an agency and a legacy, all while he was building a giant rubber band ball. Aaron's Father's impact has been and will be felt in our industry for years to come.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Daniel and Ryan talk with Bradley Flowers of Portal Insurance and co-host of The Insurance Guys Podcast to discuss the start of this popular show with his co-host Scott Howell and the path they took to become the success they are now. Plus, we discuss some great time management hacks, the hidden career benefits of podcasting, Bradley's old car, and Ryan's new car. Enjoy the show!
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this unique episode, Daniel and Ryan discuss all aspects of life insurance with Tom Hegna. We discuss how to start offering life insurance to your clients, recourses to use to help you and your life producers, and why engaging in life and annuity conversations with your clients is a must. Learn More About Tom Hegna >>>
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this special episode, Ryan and Daniel sit down with Grayson Carothers of Florida Risk Partners, who is the son of David Carothers. Grayson shares with us what his role as a content producer entails in the agency and his progress to becoming a producer. Grayson also provides his opinion on what most agency owners are missing content wise in their agency.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Daniel and Ryan as they visit with Miles Merwin about topics such as; going from employee to employer, A discussion on what an agency owners actual product is they provide, helping agents step out of full-time production to help build and develop your team, mentorship vs. coaching. This episode is packed full of great content to help you grow and scale your agency.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Daniel and Ryan visit with Chris Badger, owner of Creekside Insurance Agency. Chris shares his experience being a State Farm agent for eight years and how he became an indy agent. He shares insights into how he leads his agency and how he keeps his team engaged. Check out how Chris closed a $1.2M premium case over the Christmas holiday.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Daniel and Ryan dive into how Jack Hertvik, agency owner, took over his family agency and has stayed true to their roots, all while leveraging technology and growing massively. Jack discusses being a Master Agency for SIAA, why agents would want to join SIAA, and how he leads his team of 30 employees.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Daniel and Ryan discuss with agency owner, Jack Wingate how technology is creating processes for him to win. Jack discusses how he is using technology to train customers and his philosophy on how and when to implement technology in your operation.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Daniel and Ryan as they visit with Tim Gaspar of Gaspar Insurance. From childhood businesses to being bankrupt at 20 years old to scaling a massive agency and selling his agency, Tim Gaspar shares insights into giving producers the freedom to leave the agency and the importance of being part of a CEO coaching group.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Daniel and Ryan sit down with John Mason, the owner of Chenago Brokers to learn how they are filling a need the retail agency owner has in the commercial auto space. John shares some insights on how he manages his team remotely and how he leads team members he’s never met in person before. Check this episode out to learn how your agency could leverage the products and services that Chenago provides. To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join us as we discuss how Frank Sentner is working with technology start-ups to advance the industry as a whole. We discuss servant leadership, how the insurance industry is a victim of their own success, and why it is recession-proof.
To contact Daniel, email him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan, email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Join Daniel and Ryan as they talk openly about what is going on in their agencies. Ryan and Daniel talk about scaling their business to a point where they are not quoting and binding any longer and how agents can scale their business. Ryan shares how he is able to generate between $500K and $750K in premium per month at his agency.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Bill Butler discusses the leadership lessons he learned in his extensive military training and how he uses that in his agency today. Bill has become an authority in the Veterinarian insurance space and he shares how having a clear vision and taking time will help position you as an expert in your niche.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Daniel and Ryan debrief after the 2023 One City World Tour. Hear their highlights and personal takeaways from the Insurance Guy's conference and how they implement their insights and takeaways.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Patty shares the struggles she experienced being a female minority in the insurance industry and how she fought her way to where she is. From answering an add in the paper and becoming a CSR to now one of the strongest insurance agency owners in the industry, Patty is a leader. Patty discusses how a personal coach and mentors have helped her improve her personal leadership skills.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Aron Robertson shares how he got into the business and how he leads as an agency owner. Aron shares his position on leading in every category within his agency. Aron talks about how his military service prepared him in many ways for being an agency owner and shares the lessons he learned in the military and how they have made him the leader he is today.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, John Crawley tells his story of how he had to lead a district of Farmers agents at the age of 25 and the leadership lessons he has learned over his career when leading people older and more experienced than him.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode, Tom Larson, agency owner, discusses how he continues to grow his agency by staying involved in his community and leading and growing his agency. Tom discusses marketing strategies, using community networking, and how he starts groups to draw referrals and clients into his agency.
To contact Daniel >>> Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan >>> Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Austin Moorehead is the owner of Lava. His company provides Virtual Assistance and automation services to insurance agency owners. Austin talks about his background in the military and how that prepared him for being a State Farm agent and later an independent agency owner. Austin saw a void in the market and wanted to help agents implement automation to scale their agencies.
For More Information Check out lavaautomation.com
To contact Daniel email, him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
In this episode Aaron Gordon describes the ins and outs of working in a 50+ year old agency that his father started. Still to this day his father is working in the agency. Aaron speaks about how important leadership is and how he leads in his family insurance agency with other employees who have more experience and have worked in the agency since he was a little kid.
Aaron’s appreciation for what his father and mother have built is refreshing and engaging.
More About Daniel & Ryan To contact Daniel email, him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan email, him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com
Daniel Seong and Ryan Reynolds introduce themselves and this new leadership focused podcast.
The Insurance leaders podcast is all about helping insurance agency owners achieve new heights by developing their ability to lead. Join Daniel Seong and Ryan Reynolds each week for exciting interviews with people who are leading within their agency and or within in the industry.
To contact Daniel email, him at Daniel@GreatParkInsurance.com
To contact Ryan email him at Rreynolds@GrimesInsurance.com