ATO Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brad Boldt
My Name is Brad Boldt, Owner of Ameriguard Insurance Agency. My mission on this podcast is to help insurance agencies become bigger, better, stronger business owners. Most of us are insurance agents that evolve into owning a business. Becoming a business owner is often an after thought. By developing as a well rounded business owner earlier, we can avoid some costly mistakes. I'll be interviewing insurance agents, insurance companies and insurance professionals from across the country to help us grow together. We'll be discussing marketing, growth, hiring, acquisitions, challenges, mistakes and wins. Enjoy!!
What entertaining and fun conversation with Roberto Salinas of Lula and Elis Umana founder of Conexion Insurance and Agency Scriptsure. We discussed GAIL, the generative AI Tool by Lula. GAIL is a Voice Powered AI Tool to that can help your insurance agency in so many ways. It can help as an after hours call service, replace an annoying phone tree, route your calls to the correct department as well as create outgoing calls for cross sells, renewals, prospects, just about anything that you program it for. AND IT SOUNDS REAL!! Roberto is awesome. He has a great backstory on the problem their insurance agency was having and how this lead to creating a solution which became GAIL. Elis has become the go to specialist for building out GAIL. The demand for her consultations became so high, she created a side business for helping other agents build out this program. The name of the business is https://agencyscriptsure.com/. You'll enjoy this episode!!
Jessica Klatt, a human wiring specialist and founder of Be Industries to discuss all the benefits of using the unique Acumax personality assessment tool to help business owners hire, communicate and work more efficiently with their team of people. This was a really interesting discussion on how we are all programmed. Jessica is a business coach, consultant, mentor and speaker. I truly enjoyed this conversation and learned a lot.
https://wiredtobe.com/services
🏢 Creating a training and communications department for a growing company. 0:01
🚀 Entrepreneurship journey with ups and downs. 4:58
🧠 Personality assessments and their impact on leadership development. 9:59
👥 Using personality assessments for hiring and team alignment. 17:53
📋 Hiring and assessing candidates for roles based on their personality traits. 22:11
📈 Assessments for business growth with a focus on culture and fit. 26:22
Chris Langille, founder of Advisor Evolved, is well known within the Independent Insurance space as a premier website provider. Advisor Evolved is more than just a website provider. Chris is a SEO expert, a Digital Marketer and for some a consultant. Advisor Evolved delivers on their promise to provide the white glove service and an insurance specific website that helps you grow and win. And he's one good dude. Enjoy this episode!!
https://advisorevolved.com/
0:00 🕛 Vetting marketing agencies and vendors
8:38 🕣 Expanding insurance agency services to new verticals, including lenders, and analyzing competitors' websites for SEO insights
11:57 🕚 SEO strategies for insurance agencies in 2024
16:49 🕓 SEO and local search optimization for insurance agencies
22:21 🕕 SEO strategies for insurance agencies, including content creation and social media promotion
26:59 🕧 Using Google Ads for local traffic marketing
32:32 🕟 Best practices for closing internet leads in the insurance industry
38:35 🕣 Digital marketing strategies for local businesses
44:25 🕔 Wrap-up and final thoughts
Brett Young, President and CEO of Erb & Young does many things differently within the insurance business. With a vision from the beginning to scale their insurance business, the 3 partners of Erb & Young thought differently from the beginning. Not only were the focused on growing the insurance agency, they were focused on developing themselves. Personal development is at the core of what they do and it's a foundation through the now over 50 person company. At Erb & Young, Brett is focused on making people become the best version of themselves.
0:00 🕒 Scaling a successful insurance agency through strategic growth.
2:12 🧠 Business philosophy and decision-making.
6:29 📈 Prioritizing volume over quality in business growth.
9:42 🧑💼 Building a successful insurance agency through recruiting and developing talent.
15:21 🏢 Evaluating potential office openers for culture fit and competency.
17:52 🌱 Personal development in the insurance industry.
23:06 📚 Personal development and recruitment in a business environment.
28:48 💬 Scaling a business through centralized messaging and decentralized execution, with a focus on team building and leadership development.
31:44 🔥 Personal development and inspiring others.
37:25 🗺️ Scaling a business through strategic planning and financial management. 40:11 🚀 Entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal development with a successful insurance business owner.
An absolute pleasure to meet up with Erin & Mike Richardson, owners of Richardson Insurance located in Hanover, Mass. They do it differently at Richardson Insurance. They are all in with building relationships. Not just with their clients and partners. They are all in with building relationships with their team and their community. Erin & Mike make insurance fun. Most of us know that is not easy to do. They are creative with how they take care of their team and how they work and communicate with the community. They are everywhere in their community. A core value of the Richardsons is giving back. These aren't just words on a wall, they have active charitable initiatives to give back to the community. And they give back in a big way. In 2023, they collected 608 Backpacks for School on Wheels to help those kids in need with basic school supplies. This is just one of many charities that they work with. This is a great episode where we cover a lot of topics including their sales process, how they create a team culture, how they work together as a couple. Enjoy!!
0:00 ⏱️ Leadership transition in an insurance agency.
4:32 ❤️👫 Working with spouse in an insurance agency, challenges and benefits.
10:07 👥🤝 Building a customer-centric agency with personalized touches.
16:08 🏢🎯 Team-building activities and values alignment in a marketing agency.
22:10 🏆📈 Agency goals, service level, creative marketing strategies, and charitable involvement.
28:21 🎒📚 Charity work, backpack drive, and fundraising for Tommy's Place and School on Wheels.
32:37 🎤✨ Conclusion and final thoughts.
https://www.insurewithrichardson.com/
I had an absolute blast connecting and learning from CJ Hutsenpiller, owner of Hutsenpiller Insurance located in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. CJ always has been tech driven from automating processes, creating bots and now maximizing AI to improve efficiencies. In this episode, we dive deep into the very impressive, seamless lead process that his team uses, bots they use in the agency and how the help and all the ways Hutsenpiller uses AI to help automate tasks and improve efficiencies.
0:01 – Earning leadership role through hard work and tech adoption. 💼🔧
5:32 – Automated lead process and website optimization for insurance agencies. 🌐⚙️
10:46 – Optimizing website lead conversion through pop-ups and bots. 📈🤖
13:10 – Adapting to modern communication methods in insurance agencies. 📱💬
18:46 – Utilizing AI to streamline agency operations and improve efficiency. 🤖🚀
24:20 – Using AI to generate responses to Google reviews and improve social proof for a business. 🌟📝
27:49 – Using AI to generate insurance content. 📰🤖
32:46 – Creating a custom AI model for underwriting insurance risks. 📊💡
38:23 – Using AI to streamline insurance processes, including predicting customer behavior and automating tasks. 🔄🧠
41:12 – Using AI and automation to save time in business. ⏳🤖
45:28 – Transitioning from mother to owner in the insurance agency. 👩👧➡️👩💼
It was a pleasure to connect with Peter Covill, owner of Humphrey, Covill & Coleman. Peter, aka Peter Scotts, is the most recent owner of this family agency that started in 1926. This is anything but a dated agency. In this conversation we discuss how automation is used in the business, the modern culture that the business is run under and the variety of digital marketing processes that they use to grow the business. Enjoy this episode!
⏰ 0:01 - Leadership challenges & strategies for success
⏰ 6:47 - Navigating flood insurance market & Google ad strategy
⏰ 16:37 - Using Google Ads for homeowners insurance leads
⏰ 26:18 - Insurance lead generation, retention, & automation
⏰ 34:05 - Deep dive into Google Ads, automation, & lead generation
⏰ 40:47 - Conclusion & key takeaways
Always a pleasure to connect with Tamron Manning with Integrity Insurance out of Lexington, KY. Tam is a Business Owner in the Insurance Industry. He is intentional about growing a business and not just being an insurance agent. It's unique for an insurance agent to be this proactive early in their career to focus on growing the business and not just selling insurance. Tamron is a student of Business. We discussed the ways he is developing himself as a business owner, hiring and firing, branding the business. These investments in the business and himself will undoubtedly pay off. Enjoy this Episode!!
0:00 🎯 Intentional branding and consultative approach in insurance agency
6:04 👥 Hiring and team growth for a business
11:30 🔄 Hiring and onboarding processes, recognizing a bad fit, and taking responsibility
16:48 📈 Business ownership, hiring, and professional development
21:22 🛑 Firing employees and its impact on business owners
24:56 📊 Marketing strategies for insurance agents
29:21 🏅 Training new employees and delegating tasks
34:56 💸 Hiring and compensation for insurance agency
38:50 💑 Improving insurance business with a spouse's involvement
42:51 🤝 Running an insurance agency with a spouse
48:29 🎉 Wrap-up and key takeaways
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamron-manning-73b849181/
RPA's aka Robotic Process Automation or as Mike Fusco call is Repetitive Process Automation. In most businesses there are repetitive processes that our team must handle over and over and over again. RPA's help automate this redundancy. Mike Fusco has employed a few of these RPA's to handle the mundane tasks. It saves his team time, a lot of time and a lot of money. Mike can tell you how much time and how much money. In this episode we get in the weeds on RPA's, how they help, what his team thinks of them, how the help manage his processes and how much he has saved. We also cover the typical insurance agent topics. Mike is awesome! It was great to connect and get to know him better. Enjoy!
1️⃣ 0:01 - 📊 Insurance Business and Automation.
2️⃣ 1:08 - 💡 Insurance Consulting and Audit Support Services.
3️⃣ 5:25 - 🤖 Automating Repetitive Tasks in an Insurance Agency Using RPA.
4️⃣ 11:58 - 🚀 Automating Repetitive Tasks in an Agency Using Bots.
5️⃣ 19:06 - 🔄 Automating Monotonous Tasks with RPA.
6️⃣ 23:54 - 🏘️ Automating Tasks for Real Estate Agencies.
7️⃣ 28:54 - 💰 Creating Bots for Automation and Return on Investment.
8️⃣ 32:54 - 🧠 AI Use in Insurance Industry, Content Creation, and Authenticity.
9️⃣ 40:07 - 🔍 Wrapping up with advanced strategies for the future.
Mergers and Acquisitions is one of the hottest topics in the insurance industry. So many agency owners want to acquire another business. In this episode with Colby Allen, we cover all things in the acquisition process. Financing, what to look for in the agency, what to look out for, what to look for in the P & L, things to consider for valuations, things to consider with staffing and so much more. Colby is a consultant with Agency Focus. Agency Focus is a Business Consulting agency specific to the the Independent Agency Industry. Agency Focus handles Agency Valuations, Fractional CFO, Merger & Acquisitions and agency consulting. This is a great episode to learn about the Acquisition process.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbytallen/
0:02 - 🏛️ Agency valuations and acquisitions.
4:35 - 📊 Evaluating insurance agencies for acquisition.
9:54 - 🔍 Agency valuation and due diligence.
15:44 - 👩💼 Vetting employees and prioritizing their well-being in business transactions.
22:19 - 💼 Agency compensation plans and their impact on valuation.
28:52 - 📜 Agency models, contracts, and exit strategies.
32:20 - 💰 Agency owner compensation and transition planning.
37:18 - 📈 Agency valuation, due diligence, and fractional CFO services.
43:32 - ⏳ Closing thoughts on agency valuation and financial consulting.
In this episode, I connect with Daniel Metcalf, co-founder of CyberFin. Cyberfin specializes in Cybersecurity for the insurance industry. This is a solution that many of us in the insurance industry needed. We discuss how the origin and the need for a cybersecurity solution, how CyberFin protects our data, common mistakes insurance agencies make, the cyber crime that Daniel has witnessed and some of the regulations for protecting our data. This is a very informational episode for the insurance industry.
- 0:00 🛡️ Introduction to Cybersecurity Services for Insurance Agencies
- 3:16 🚫 Cybersecurity Protection and Threat Prevention
- 7:45 📧 Email Threat Prevention and AI-Powered Cybercrime
- 12:24 ⚙️ Cybersecurity Practices and Incident Response Planning
- 17:27 📄 Cyber Liability Insurance Adoption in the Insurance Industry
- 24:04 📊 Cybersecurity Regulations for Insurance Agencies
- 27:25 💻 IT Services and Cybersecurity for Insurance Agencies
- 34:06 🏁 Wrap-Up
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmetcalf/
https://cyberfin.net/
Elis Umana started her insurance business less than two years ago. She is growing and thriving early in her career. Like all of us, she is figuring things out along the way. We discussed the tech and AI that she's using to help grow her agency. We also discuss her aggressive growth plans for both production growth and agency personnel growth. Tune in to hear about some of the latest AI Tools and processes to scale a young business!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elis-umana-a43832a8/
🕰️ 0:01 - 🌱 Insurance Industry Beginnings and Growth
🏢 2:28 - 🚀 Starting an Insurance Agency & Cultivating Unique Culture
📈 7:33 - 📊 Agency Growth, Marketing, & Client Service
🔧 12:23 - 👥 Agency Growth, Processes, & Delegation
💻 17:54 - 🛠️ Tech Stack for Insurance Agency: CRM & AMS Integration
🤖 23:33 - 🗣️ Incorporating ChatGPT in Insurance Agencies
🚀 28:53 - 🧠 Leveraging AI Tools for Sales & Marketing Efficiency
📚 34:39 - 📉 Challenges & Lessons Learned as an Independent Agency Owner
👔 39:09 - 🌟 Agency Growth, Leadership, & Team Management
🌐 44:20 - 💼 Using Online Hiring Platforms for Insurance Agency Staffing
This was a great episode with Maverick Pitchford founder of Bison Ridge Insurance out of Coweta, Ok. Maverick started this insurance agency under 2 years ago. With 3 young kids, Maverick has been intentional about a work life balance, making sure to be present in the family. This doesn't mean Maverick doesn't have lofty goals for Bison Ridge. He is putting the work in and seeing results. Maverick is a pillar of the community. He and his wife are heavily involved in the local schools and the church. Combining that with a strong social media presence and Maverick has actually been receiving too many leads. A problem most in insurance industry would love to have. Maverick is a great guy with a great story. Enjoy!!
0:00 - 🚪 Switching from captive to independent insurance agency.
1:54 - 🌱 Transitioning from farmers to independent insurance agent.
6:10 - 📈 Growing a digital marketing agency through networking and goal-setting.
10:22 - 🎯 Lead generation and intake process for an insurance agency.
14:59 - 👥 Adding virtual assistants for growth and learning.
18:15 - 🤖 Training and onboarding new virtual assistants.
23:30 - 📈 Agency growth, retention, and automation.
27:09 - ⚙️ Automation, follow-up, and work-life balance in insurance sales.
30:55 - ⚖️ Work-life balance and self-doubt in insurance agency ownership.
34:54 - ⏰ Business growth and time management for agency owners.
40:27 - 🌟 Lead generation and business growth in the insurance industry.
Always great to connect with Zack Gould. This was a very unique podcast because we were able to discuss the entire lifecycle of the G & N insurance business from beginning to the end. Sometimes we see someone or a business that has had success and assume they have it easy or that it was always like that. Seldom is that the case. Zack and Matt at G&N had a plan, a vision when they started their business. And they went for it. A lot of us don't go for it so to speak. We want to get to a certain level, but the actions don't match the dream. The truth is it was very hard for G&N. They sacrificed. Ultimately it all worked out. I appreciate ZG because he is willing to give back what he's learned, what he knows about not just the insurance business, but business in general. He'll share his experiences, candidly. This is a great podcast!!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zack-gould-8b93596/
0:01 - Scaling your business 📈 with coaching and organizational structure 🏢
4:05 - Transitioning agency roles 🔄 and enhancing processes 🛠️
8:28 - Generating leads 💼 through referral partners 🤝
12:37 - Fueling business growth 🌱 with leadership evolution 🌟 and referral partnerships 📊
16:01 - Navigating partnerships 🤝, conflicts 💥, and personal growth 🌱
23:38 - Motivating your team 💪 and aligning sales 📊 strategies
26:54 - Entrepreneurship 🚀, business development 📈, and mentorship 👥
29:12 - Learning from failure 💡 and leveraging referral partners 🤝 for business growth 📈
34:22 - Defining your niche 🎯 and understanding competition 💼
39:19 - Starting an insurance agency 🏢 and forging referral partnerships 🤝
41:45 - Creative marketing 🎨 strategies to engage with mortgage lenders 🏠 and realtors 🏡
47:02 - Hiring and growth strategies 🌱 for a thriving insurance agency 🚀
52:07 - Leadership 🌟, hiring 🤝, and insights into the insurance industry 📊
57:45 - Sustaining insurance agency growth 📈 and effective outsourcing 🔄
1:00:54 - Collaboration 🤝 and division within the insurance industry 📊
1:07:01 - Balancing entrepreneurship 🚀, parenting 👨👩👧👦, and personal significance 🌟
1:12:48 - Empowering your journey 🚀 through partnership 🤝 and networking 🌐
It was great to connect with Vonda in this episode. Vonda is an operations specialist Vonda has been working on, improving the Operations for over 20 years. In 2023 Vonda hired 17 people. We discussed at length the process of onboarding so many people in such a short period. We also discussed how she has transitioned the agency to a tech forward company. This is a great episode to hear about educating, training, improving your team. Enjoy!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vondacopeland/
🕒 0:01 - 🏢 Integrating acquired locations into a centralized accounting system.
🕒 2:49 - 🔄 Embracing change and improving efficiency in a real estate agency.
🕒 7:32 - 🤝 Hiring process and staffing challenges in a community-based agency.
🕒 13:07 - 💻 Remote work's impact on team dynamics and learning.
🕒 17:14 - 🌐 Remote work processes and quality assurance.
🕒 20:13 - 🏆 Using a software platform to recognize and support employees.
🕒 26:32 - 🎓 Training and support for new insurance agents.
🕒 31:27 - 🔒 Retention strategies for insurance agents.
🕒 36:35 - 📱 Technology use in insurance agency.
🕒 40:42 - 📚 Improving employee training and communication within an insurance agency.
🕒 46:48 - 🔄(Repeat) Embracing change and improving efficiency in a real estate agency.
It was an honor to sit down with Lieutenant Colonel Oak McCulloch this week. LTC McCulloch had a distinguished Military career. When he retired from the Military he stayed very active in recruiting, teaching, leading in the community. In 2021 LTC McCulloch released a leadership book titled "Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant To Be" In the podcast we discussed his ascension in the Military ranks, leadership styles, what led up to authoring his first book, and how this books translates to leading in the business world. LTC McCulloch is a great guest and it was a pleasure to get to know him. This is a great listen for anyone with aspirations of becoming a better leader. Enjoy!
Buy LTC McCulloch's Book Here: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Leadership-Legacy-Becoming-Leader/dp/B0B78185L2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M8AAUL51R2KF&keywords=ltc+oakland+mcculloch&qid=1706793372&sprefix=ltc+oAK%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1
LTC McCulloch on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oakland-mcculloch-34293256/
0:01 - Discover the magic of Servant Leadership and how it can transform your organization! 🤝💼
3:16 - Uncover the secrets of Leadership Styles in the military and their role in personal growth. 🎖️🏋️♂️
9:47 - Get inspired to write your book with insights on self-discipline. 📝💪
14:05 - Learn the art of gaining team buy-in and fostering leadership development. 🙌🤝
20:03 - Building trust and community in your organization is key! 🤝🏢
24:51 - Explore the universal application of Leadership principles. 🌎🔄
29:32 - Find out how to strike the balance between people and the organization with effective communication. 🗣️⚖️
32:22 - Dive into the world of Leadership development and team building. 🛠️🤝
38:17 - Master the art of delegation in business for successful Leadership development. 💼🔀
43:25 - Don't miss the grand finale on Leadership and its transformational power in business! 🌟🚀
Mercy Komar is a treasure!! Mercy has held every position in the insurance industry. She loves it!! She's got all the stories. Mercy was in the industry when there were very few women and frankly during a time when women weren't treated so well. She endured and thrived. Today Mercy is a commercial lines agent with L. Calvin Jones & Co. https://www.lcalvinjones.com/ and an educator in her specialty of Cyber Insurance. Mercy helps educate the Ohio & Pennsylvania Insurance Association. This was a really fun conversation. We could have talked all day. Enjoy!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercyk/
🔒🌐📊 Insurance Index: The Evolution of Cyber Insurance in the Industry
0:00 - 💻🔒 Explore the world of Cybersecurity & Crime, including the issue of underreporting.
6:21 - 🎣📧 Dive into the realm of Phishing Scams and Email Security.
13:23 - 🤝💼 Learn about Cyber Insurance Sales Strategies and Personal Cyber Policies.
18:21 - ⚖️👩💼 Discover Cybersecurity Risks and Insurance for Insurance Agents and Law Firms.
25:39 - 🏢💼 Delve into the intersection of Cybersecurity and Insurance in the Business World.
29:39 - 👫🚺 Explore Gender Dynamics in Sales and the Insurance Industry.
36:03 - 💼🧑🏫 Gain Career Insights, Mentorship, and Industry Wisdom from a Successful Insurance Agent.
42:33 - 📈🤝 A comprehensive look at the evolving landscape of Cyber Insurance.
It was great to connect with Bob Klinger, founder of Klinger & Associates. He has built a great agency. We deep dive into their niche market of Dry Cleaners. How they started with this market, why they started with this market, how they target this market. We also cover Bob's leadership of his team and how he has trained others to be leaders. Bob shared his playbook of his perpetuation plan. A very detailed perpetuation plan. This is a must listen for business owners.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-klinger/
0:00 - 🌱 Exploring the Roots: Insurance industry growth & perpetuation plans unfold.
2:51 - 🎯 Niche Power: Unveiling the secrets of niche marketing & carrier representation.
7:15 - 🌐 Building Bridges: Nurturing a niche insurance agency through relationships & market analysis.
12:36 - 🌏 Global Collaboration: Outsourcing tasks to a dynamic team in the Philippines.
14:58 - 🏆 Leading the Way: Insights on leadership, team management, and personal development.
19:54 - 🔗 Perpetuating Success: Connecting leadership, team development, and perpetuation planning.
25:36 - 🔄 Continuous Flow: Diving into business continuity planning for insurance agents.
31:00 - 🚀 Experience Matters: Unraveling the journey of business continuity planning and deployment.
This episode was all about the Employee Stock Ownership Plan. How to create, what the cost may be, the endless benefits to the company and the employee. Extremely insightful. Brian Baughman is a strong advocate for the ESOP. He has seen the benefits of recruitment, employee retention, and the pride their employees take in their business. Tune in for this insightful episode and learn how ESOP can benefit your business.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-baughman-cpcu-arm/
- ⏰ 0:00 - Introduction
- ESOPs for insurance agencies 🏢
- Focus on valuation and employee inclusion 🤝
- ⏰ 5:12 - Understanding Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
- Exploring the benefits of ESOPs 📈
- ⏰ 11:39 - ESOP Plan Benefits and Costs for Small Businesses
- Breakdown of benefits and associated costs 💰
- ⏰ 16:19 - ESOPs and Employee Ownership in the Insurance Industry
- Examining the impact on the insurance sector 🤔
- ⏰ 22:42 - Employee Ownership and ESOP Plans in Insurance
- Deep dive into employee ownership dynamics 🔄
- ⏰ 29:29 - Agency Growth Strategies and Professional Coaching
- Insights into growth strategies and coaching 🚀
- ⏰ 35:55 - ESOPs and Personal Growth for Real Estate Agents
- Connecting ESOPs to personal development 🌱
- ⏰ 43:21 - Conclusion
- Wrapping up the discussion on ESOPs 🎙️
Great Episode with Jerry Conrey, Founder of Conrey Insurance Brokers and Risk Managers located in Orange, California. Jerry is a true Risk Manager. As an entrepreneur Jerry has trained and built his agency from a consultative risk management approach. If there was a PHD for Commercial Insurance, Jerry would have one. However, Jerry is anything but boring. He is passionate, entertaining and extremely gracious with his time. Jerry Conrey is someone that we need to hear more of in this industry. Enjoy this episode with the Professor!!
https://conreyinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-l-conrey-mba-35b6273/
0:00 - Explore the intricacies of career choices, residual income, and the art of insurance sales. 🏢💼💰
0:58 - Navigate the fascinating career progression within the insurance industry and the leadership challenges that come with it. 🚀👥
7:10 - Learn the secrets behind growing an insurance agency through consultative risk management strategies. 🌱📈
14:03 - Discover the keys to building a referral-based insurance agency by adopting a consultative approach that nurtures client relationships. 🤝🔗
19:26 - Dive into the realm of commercial insurance and unravel the complexities of effective risk management. 🏢🔍
21:53 - Master the art of communication and understand the importance of tailoring language for diverse audiences within the insurance industry. 🗣️🌐
27:46 - Gain insights into the critical role of risk management in shaping hiring practices within an insurance agency. 🤝💼
33:11 - Explore the intersection of leadership, vision, and risk management, particularly in the challenging landscape of the restaurant industry. 🍽️👩💼
39:30 - Uncover the evolution of insurance agencies, focusing on client engagement and effective leadership. 🔄🤝
42:09 - Delve into the strategies behind agency growth and its continual evolution in the ever-changing landscape of the insurance industry. 📈🔄
47:47 - Get inspired to evolve your insurance agency for success by adapting to the dynamic shifts in the industry. 🚀🔄
54:02 - Conclude this enriching episode with a deep dive into evolving insurance agencies, ensuring they stay ahead and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. 🌐🚀
Donald Shampine is an Insurance Agency Owner, Public Speaker, Business Coach, Business Consultant and has recently created his passion project of Want Better, Be Better. Don and I had a great conversation about leadership, coaching, creating a successful niche marketing program and how each of us approach our fitness regimen. Join us for this great discussion!!
https://michiganinsurancegroup.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldshampine/
0:00 - 🏢 Insurance Industry Background & Positivity with Dan Chapin
- Exploring the roots of the insurance industry and embracing a positive mindset.
1:12 - 🚀 Starting an Insurance Agency with Limited Experience
- Dan's journey from novice to entrepreneur in the insurance world.
6:09 - 🌱 Building an Insurance Agency from Scratch
- Insights into the challenges and triumphs of creating a thriving agency.
11:23 - 🤝 Leadership Growth, Communication, and Team Management
- Nurturing leadership skills, effective communication, and managing a successful team.
17:08 - 🚶 Creating a Flexible Work Environment with Team Walks
- The importance of fostering flexibility and team bonding through walks.
22:36 - 💼 Agency Operations and Leadership
- Diving into the intricacies of managing day-to-day operations and leadership responsibilities.
26:57 - 🤔 Business Coaching and Insurance Agency Challenges
- Overcoming hurdles with the help of business coaching and addressing industry challenges.
31:14 - 💼🌱 Agency Ownership, Business Growth, and Personal Development
- Dan's insights on ownership, business expansion, and the continuous journey of personal growth.
36:17 - 💪 Fitness Motivation and Discipline
- Balancing work life with fitness, staying motivated, and maintaining discipline.
41:38 - 🎯 Setting Goals, Utilizing Technology, and Overcoming Obstacles
- Strategies for goal-setting, leveraging technology, and navigating obstacles in the insurance business.
I am always impressed with Meredith Messenger. This conversation was no different. We had a great discussion about a variety of topics, primarily the benefit of having an operations specialist in your insurance agency. Meredith and her team at InsureGood focus on Company Growth, Culture, & helping your business win. Tune in to hear how a COO can benefit your business!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmessenger/
https://insuregood.org/
🚀 0:01 - Teaching to the boardroom: Meredith's incredible career evolution.
💼 4:09 - Navigating consulting and staff augmentation services.
🤝 8:17 - The strategic move: Hiring a part-time COO for an existing business.
👥 12:19 - Insights into CEO support and the delicate dance of team dynamics.
🏢 17:56 - Unveiling the challenges of business ownership, HR hurdles, and the quest for a modernized office culture.
🌐 24:43 - Company growth strategies, fostering culture, and driving mission-driven initiatives.
🔄 31:13 - Mastering the art of managing multiple businesses and roles.
💻 36:19 - Embracing the future: Hybrid workforce management and the power of inclusivity.
⏱️ 40:33 - Join us for a deep dive into the dynamic world of career transitions and business leadership!
Taylor Garcia was living the life of a musician before he was persuaded to join the family insurance business. Just a few years later he was being groomed to take over Jackson & Jackson Insurance Agents & Brokers. This a great story of earning the trust and respect of the existing employees. When you are younger, this is no small feat. Taylor did this by being the hardest worker in the room. The insurance ownership profession is a journey for most of us. Entering into the family business is very common in this business and very challenging. Join us for this conversation to hear what it's been like for someone that is right in the middle of this transition. Thanks for listening! Enjoy!!
https://jjinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorjgarcia/
- 0:00 🎵 Introduction: Taylor's Transition 🎤
- 3:35 🏢 Embracing Leadership & Innovation in Insurance 🚀
- 9:51 👥 Evolving Roles and Leadership Dynamics 🔄
- 15:07 🌐 Modernizing Insurance: Tech Trends 💻
- 19:52 🤝 Overcoming Resistance: New Management System 🛠️
- 24:44 📄 Going Green: Reducing Paper Waste ♻️
- 27:37 💰 Cutting Costs & Boosting Efficiency 💼
- 33:50 🌱 Cultivating Leadership & Effective Meetings 📊
- 36:24 🚀 Team Building & Communication in Sales 📞
- 41:12 👨👩👧 Navigating Family Dynamics in Business 🏢
- 46:10 🎯 Targeting Niche Markets: Content Creation 📢
- 51:56 🚗 Garage Insurance Marketing Strategies 📈
- 55:36 🌱 Growth & Process Improvement in Insurance 🔄📈
Mariah Gates has a great business owner story. After a very successful career as an insurance agent, Mariah developed a passion for using technology to enhance the agencies customer experience, help prospect new business and improve efficiencies. Soon she found herself helping other these processes. With her passion to help others and expand the automated process she started consulting agencies to starting a side hustle of helping agents with their tech and automation to a very fast growing business of Agency Automation. Mariah created Accelerated Automation. She is in such high demand that she cannot hire fast enough to support the demand. Accelerated Automation has grown so quickly that she decided to sell her insurance agency so she can focus full time on the new business venture. It was a pleasure to have a conversation with Mariah! Enjoy!!
https://acceleratedautomation.net/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariah-gates-39901019a/
0:00 - 🌟 Journey from advisor to business owner: Mariah's entrepreneurial evolution!
5:30 - ⚙️ Unlock the power of automation: Transforming insurance agency processes.
8:40 - 🔄 Revamp lead follow-up: Mariah spills secrets on automating for success.
14:29 - 🚀 Boost growth and satisfaction: Discover the magic of service center leverage.
17:04 - 🤹 Mastering customer service: Mariah's insights on accountability in team dynamics.
21:53 - 🎯 Marketing maneuvers: Unveiling insurance strategies for superior customer experience.
24:57 - 🤖 Tech-powered quotes: Explore how technology streamlines insurance processes.
31:11 - ⚡ Automation impact: Unraveling the revolution in the insurance industry.
33:22 - 📈 Scale smartly: Mariah's tips for growing with limited resources.
39:04 - 🛠️ Tools of the trade: Unpacking automation and software for savvy insurance agents.
41:50 - 🌐 Tune in for insights on automation's role in reshaping the insurance landscape! 🚀 #ATOPodcast #InsurTech #EntrepreneurshipJourney
This week we connect with the owner & President of T Blackwell Insurance, Tracey Blackwell. Tracey has grown a large insurance agency and team over the course of her insurance career. She's grown each of these by building and fostering relationships. Tracey is a great leader. A natural at it. A natural at taking care of people. Tracey doesn't just talk about Servant Leadership, she lives it. I have not seen someone that is more involved in community. In this episode, we hear about Tracey's leadership philosophy, her intentional networking process and the mindset of leading her team.
0:00 🚀 Tracey's journey from the insurance industry background to an inspiring career transition.
2:08 🏡 Starting and cultivating success: Insights into building a thriving insurance agency.
7:55 🌐 Navigating growth: How Tracey expanded her agency through referrals and internet leads.
10:40 🤝 Networking, branding, and strategic business growth strategies in the insurance world.
18:05 💼 Team morale matters! Tracey shares her expertise on retention strategies in an insurance agency.
20:41 🏀 From the playing field to the boardroom: Tracey explores leadership, teamwork, and motivation in athletics and business.
26:46 📈 Business growth insights: Learn from Tracey's experiences, including hiring mistakes and career counseling.
29:55 🤹♂️ Juggling team dynamics: Tracey discusses hiring strategies and the intricacies of building a successful team.
35:56 🌐 Community involvement and leadership synergy: Tracey's approach to creating impact beyond the business realm.
39:32 🌟 Finding joy in service: Tracey reflects on serving others and the key to fulfillment in the workplace.
45:15 💰 Navigating the numbers: Tracey shares financial management and growth strategies in the insurance business.
48:33 🎉 The episode wraps up with valuable insights from Tracey, leaving listeners inspired and informed!
https://www.tblackwellinsurancegroup.com/index.html
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracey-blackwell-719399b/
Great to have the good Dr. Billy Williams back on the show. Dr. Williams has just released Sales Objection Pocket Guide. In this episode, we discuss at length the how this can help sales professionals. This is not just a guide for insurance, but can help all professionals. We dissect the variety of common objections that we face, what our response can be for these different objections, how to turn the conversation and stay in the game. This guide provides you with the tools to close more business. In addition to the sales, we of course discuss some process with Dr. Williams. How we can use our 4 types of staff to improve our day to day operation. Dr. Williams is always energetic, keeps it simple and delivers a lot of value. Enjoy this one!!
Link For the Book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Responses-Overcome-Sales-Objections-Pocket
https://www.inspireanation.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyrwilliams/
Many within the Independent Insurance Agency channel either know or are aware of Ciara Gravier, founder of The Bunker Insurance and Risk Management. She has been on many podcasts, attended and been a speaker at a number of industry conferences. Ciara is a worker, just like her parents are. She shows up Everyday driven by personal and professional growth. She is humble, sincere, fiery, intelligent and a joy to spend time with. We cover a lot of ground in this podcast from Scaling a Business, Leadership, Processes of Successful Business and an Initiative that benefits the entire Independent Insurance Agency Channel. Enjoy!!
https://www.bunkeryourrisk.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciaragravier/
0:01 - 🏢🔓 Transition to independence, starting a 3rd agency.
2:39 - 📈💥 Leveraging Killing Commercial for agency growth.
6:41 - 🔄🔍 Growth strategies & tech in insurance.
12:39 - 🛒💪 Sales tactics & confidence boosting.
15:52 - 📅🔝 Enhancing confidence in appointments.
19:32 - 🌱🔄 Personal growth in insurance field.
26:20 - 📝🔄 Documenting processes in small biz.
29:56 - 🎙️📈 Podcasting for business growth.
33:16 - 🎙️🤝 Community-focused podcasting.
39:29 - 📚🔍 Educating on indie insurance agents.
42:09 - 📈🔄 Sales growth & delegation for scaling.
45:49 - 🚀📈 Scaling small biz effectively.
It got real with Carrie Reynolds!! I love it! So much relatable material in this discussion from transitioning into ownership of a family agency, rebranding, learning leadership on the job, managing your teams mental health, while also managing our own self care and mental health. This was a real conversation. I have all the respect in the world for Carrie to be willing to get the conversation started on the difficulties that many business owners face in a difficult market place. Lots of value in this conversation. Enjoy!!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrieareynolds/
https://www.galvezinsurance.com/
0:00 - 🏢🔄 Insurance background & career shift.
1:09 - 🤝👨👧 Agency transition: father to daughter.
7:02 - 🎨🏢 Rebranding & cultural shift.
10:13 - 🌐💼 Tech & leadership in agency.
15:37 - 🔁💻 Tech upgrades & ownership shift.
22:19 - ⚖️💼 Balancing ownership & sales.
25:16 - 🤝💬 Team management & mental health.
31:40 - 🧠🏢 Mental health awareness.
38:40 - 🧘♀️💼 Self-care in the workplace.
42:29 - 💰📈 Business valuation & growth.
48:07 - 🔄👩💼 Continuous improvement focus.
The man, the myth, the legend, but more importantly a better human Billy Wagner. Great conversation with Billy as we cover a variety of topics. Sometimes we see a Giant in an Industry and think it was easy or didn't go through the struggle. We don't get to see how the donuts were made. Our discussion started with what it took to built this agency. It didn't happen over night. It took a lot of hard work, thought, planning intentionality, people, failing, learning, sacrifice, more people, learning, building a winning process, more people, leadership & drive. We discussed the hiring process, Billy's personal development, what winning looks like both personally and professionally. What I am really impressed with is the emphasis he puts on his charitable work. It's more than just giving back financially. It's more than just volunteering time. Like Billy does, he finds away to make Charitable organizations better with implementing processes to improve the entire organization. This is a must listen!!
Did you know that Billy is sharing all his Processes?
Find it here on https://www.billy-wagner.com/ -- Hiring to Org Chart, Business Plan, Compensation Structures, Templates, its all there. All proceeds going to charity.
Podcast Highlights:
0:01 Entrepreneurship, discipline, and continuous improvement in the insurance industry. 💼📈
1:16 Overcoming self-doubt and mastering the hiring process. 💪🔍
7:02 Training new agents and creating a supportive onboarding process in insurance. 🤝📚
10:27 Balancing business growth, employee well-being, and personal values. 🌱💼❤️
16:17 Goal setting and personal growth strategies in team meetings. 🎯🌟
22:16 The intersection of personal growth, charity, and business success. 🌍💼✨
25:46 Exploring charitable foundations and innovative waste management systems. 🌱🤝
31:43 Scaling an insurance agency: a people-centric approach and the power of referrals. 🔄👥🔗
34:12 Elevating an insurance agency through a remarkable customer experience. 🌟🛍️
39:36 Unlock more insights on scaling and business development!
Great Episode here with Tom Larsen of Larsen Insurance Agency from Buffalo, NY. We discuss starting over as a Scratch Agency after building an agency with a "friend". Tom is a great marketer. His specialty is commercial real estate. Hear how he has become the go to guy in his community with investors. Hear how he's created Facebook groups to keep likeminded people connected and developed an online community that has continued to feed his prospect funnel for years. Enjoy!!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/insurance716/
http://www.larseninsurance.com/
http://www.nypropertyinsurance.com/
http://www.nyrestaurantinsurance.com/
🕒 0:00 - Real estate investing and insurance agency management.
🏠💼 Tom discusses his experiences in real estate investing and managing an insurance agency.
🕒 5:06 - Starting and running a successful insurance agency.
🚀 Tom shares insights into the process of starting and successfully running an insurance agency.
🕒 9:35 - Business succession planning and generational differences.
🤝👨👩👧 Tom delves into the topic of business succession planning and how generational differences play a role.
🕒 16:11 - Social media marketing and personal branding.
📱💼 Tom talks about the significance of social media marketing and personal branding in the insurance industry.
🕒 21:00 - Insurance claims and YouTube videos.
🎥🚗 Discussion about handling insurance claims and the use of YouTube videos in the process.
🕒 25:53 - Improving insurance sales through partnerships and high-net-worth focus.
🤝💰 Tom explains strategies for enhancing insurance sales through partnerships and a focus on high-net-worth clients.
🕒 33:32 - Hiring challenges and finding the right culture fit in the insurance industry.
🧩🏢 Tom discusses the challenges of hiring in the insurance industry and the importance of finding the right culture fit.
🕒 38:14 - Concluding remarks.
🎤 The podcast wraps up with concluding remarks from Tom Larsen and Brad Boldt.
SALT provides a solution to the problem that many insurance agencies face of manual data collection. Often times the tedious and time consuming process of gathering their data and sharing it with the insurance professional is a road block from those wanting to shop their insurance. SALT is an Insuretech platform to streamline this process. Casey Hege is Director of Sales and Marketing for SALT. Casey was previously President of Box Insurance where Casey and her team created the SALT program to streamline their quote intake process. Casey & I shared a great conversation about a tech startup, difficulties of meeting the market demand, what the next digital solution is for SALT and methods SALT can make the insurance agent and insurance consumer operation much, much easier.
https://saltinsure.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-hege/
🕒 0:01 - Insurance industry background and leadership transition.
🔍 Casey discusses his experience in the insurance industry and leadership transitions.
🕒 3:22 - Improving insurance industry with technology.
🛠️ Casey talks about the role of technology in enhancing the insurance industry.
🕒 9:16 - The origin and growth of a digital insurance agency.
📈 Casey shares insights into the beginnings and growth of a digital insurance agency.
🕒 12:45 - Streamlining insurance quote process for busy professionals.
🏎️ Casey discusses how Salt is simplifying the insurance quote process, catering to busy professionals.
🕒 19:10 - Integrating Salt with other tools for efficiency.
🔌 Casey talks about the integration of Salt with other tools to enhance efficiency in insurance processes.
🕒 22:52 - Streamlining data collection for insurance agencies.
📊 Discussion about how Salt streamlines data collection for insurance agencies.
🕒 28:44 - Gathering information for insurance quotes.
📋 Casey explains the process of gathering information for insurance quotes.
🕒 32:09 - Agency technology and process improvement.
🏢 The podcast delves into the use of technology in improving insurance agency processes.
🕒 39:36 - Marketing a product for independent insurance agencies.
📣 Casey discusses marketing strategies for products aimed at independent insurance agencies.
🕒 43:14 - Software development for insurance agents.
💻 Conversation about software development tailored to insurance agents' needs.
🕒 50:22 - Using Salt to streamline insurance sales and cross-selling.
🌐 Casey shares insights on how Salt is used to streamline insurance sales and cross-selling within the industry.
Jennifer Standish is the Founder and President of Prospecting Works to give professionals the power to cold call with confidence. Jennifer brings a very unique methodology and mindset to this very necessary communication the producers in all industries can benefit from. Jennifer also provides motivational coaching and speaking for events, conferences, podcasts, groups, etc. Jennifer and I discussed her special talent of developing confidence in cold calling with women, introverts, "wall-flowers", and those that are afraid to speak up. Her message aligns very well with the insurance industry, specifically with commercial lines prospecting. If you can learn to effectively telemarket, you will never be unemployed. Enjoy!
Jennifer@Jennifer-Standish.com
linkedin.com/in/jenniferstandish
Adam has a great perspective on the insurance industry and running an agency. This is a great discussion. After a career practicing law, Adam was looking to itch the entrepreneurial spirit. He chose the insurance industry. He saw an opportunity and a problem he planned to solve. It is never easy to make this transition so we discussed Adams process, how he choose a Network to join and what agents should be looking at when joining a network, how he grew the agency, markets that he pursued. This is great podcast for both those thinking of entering the insurance agent space and for those working on the company side of the fence. Adam is one that we need to hear more of in this industry. Enjoy!
There are so many shiny tech objects in the insurance industry. It can be hard to determine which tools to select, which tools are actually a good investment and which ones are an unused expense. This episode is a discussion between two regular guys that are just willing to try new tech products to enhance and improve our agency process. We discuss Agency Zoom, Donna, Neon, Leo, Weston Labs, SALT, Risk Advisor, Canopy Connect. Tune In to hear a little about what these tech platforms are and how they are being used in our agencies.
https://www.agencyzoom.com/
https://www.aureusanalytics.com/donna
https://www.batomic.com/
https://saltinsure.com/
https://riskadvisor.insure/
https://www.101westonlabs.com/
https://www.meetleo.com/
Margaret has a great story that is relatable to so many in the insurance industry. Specifically to those that started or worked in a family agency. It can be so difficult for the parents or other family members to let go to the next generation. Margaret also shared a great story of the 2011 Joplin Tornado. To date it was the costliest tornado in US History. With an office on main street in Joplin, Margaret's response to this disaster was inspiring. We also discuss growing and running a multi location agency. It was great to get to know Margaret. You will enjoy her story!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretrutherford/
https://www.4stateinsurance.com/
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
Meg McKeen is founder of Adjunct Advisors LLC. Meg advises Producers, Leaders, Teams, Organizations within the Insurance Industry. Meg is a very talented writer, speaker, podcaster, listener. She is really a part time therapist in the insurance industry. We covered a wide variety of topics in our conversation from the journey in her business, to her consultative approach to the struggle that she is seeing and hearing within the insurance space. This episode will keep you interested! Enjoy!
Great conversation here with Kelly Donahue-Piro. Kelly is the owner of Agency Performance Partners. As described, they are truly the best friend to the Independent Agency. Kelly and her team are on top of the trends within the ever changing insurance market. They provide support to Executives, Producers, Service staff. We discussed the challenges of the insurance market and the challenges and growth of her own consulting business. Kelly is a tremendous resource to the insurance community. It was a pleasure to spend some time with her. Enjoy!!
I learned of Kenny Hendricks from my first Hawksoft National Convention a few years ago. Many of the questions related to adding this feature or integrating with another tech company. The answer was the same, ask Kenny. Kenny Hendricks is the Director of Partner Integrations. I had no idea how the doughnuts were made at a management system company. As I paid attention more, I learned that there are many, many moving parts to a management system. Features and systems need to be plugged in for consumers to be able to operate as efficiently as we can. Kenny Hendricks is the person responsible for vetting these products to protect the company (Hawksoft) and the customer (Independent Agents). As I learned from that first HUG convention, Kenny is a person in high demand. He has to say No and Maybe to many needy insurance agencies and potential vendor partners. I learned it's complicated. More complicated that most of us operators understand. When presented with the chance to interview Kenny, I jumped on it. I learned A Lot. I enjoyed this conversation a lot. Kenny is a great guy, wicked smart, with a great sense of humor. Hawksoft if lucky to have him. Enjoy!!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethhendricks/
hawksoft.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
This is a great small business story, specifically to the insurance industry. From starting a scratch agency with no income and 2 employees to pay, to operating the business that cater to the standards of 2023, to growing relatively quickly, to developing as a leader and balancing family life. I am so happy to have met Patrick and spent some time with him both on the podcast and off. Patrick is a great guy, runs a great business and is someone the insurance industry will be hearing a lot more of in the years to come. Enjoy!!
Don't forget to like and share the show!!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-j-mcbride/
https://www.themcbrideagency.com/
This is a great discussion with Michael Cruz about scaling his Foresight Insurance Agency, developing as leader, learning from mistakes and much more. Michael has a great back story on where he came from, why he chose the insurance business and how he's decided to run his business. In addition to the insurance business conversation, it was fascinating to learn of his new Virtual Assistant venture in Columbia. There is a huge learning curve starting any business. To start a business in another country brings and entirely new set of challenges. Thank you for listening!! Enjoy the episode.
If you are liking this podcast, please like and share the show!! Thanks!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcruzforesightins/
https://www.foresighti.com/
https://onhandvas.com/
Great conversation this week with Christos Provistalis. Christos is a public speaker focusing on the Customer Experience. He is a dynamic, emotional speaker. Christos has been trained by the best on customer service and has used this training and experience to share this powerful message through his speaking engagements and workshops We also discuss his journey as a public speaker. Like any other business, it takes some time to develop your brand and fine tune your process. Christos speaking career is in the early stages, but is growing quickly. I learned a lot talking to Christos. You will too!!
Great discussion here with Greg Hogan from Curabba Insurance Agency out of Middleton, NY. Greg is a major contributor to our insurance industry. He is very active in helping agents on the the IAOA Facebook page. We discussed the current state of the insurance industry and did a deep dive into his acquisitions. Greg leads with education. He is a true insurance professional. Enjoy the episode!!
https://www.curabba.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryhogan/
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
An absolute pleasure to connect with Rushang Shaw and Sean Hawkins to discuss all things Hawksoft. Hawksoft is truly the American Dream story that started with a passion for programming software to using this passion to find needed solutions to the dated insurance industry. Paul & Sean Hawkins founded their company by putting people first. Hawksofts Core Values are not just words on a wall, they live and operate by their core values. This was a great conversation about helping the insurance agency force get better, challenges of a tech company in 2023, getting better and delivering the best possible customer experience they can. Enjoy!
@hawksoftinc
https://www.hawksoft.com/
linkedin.com/in/rushang
linkedin.com/in/sean-hawkins-7aa227b
Great to have Stephen Turnbull back on the ATO Podcast. Stephen recently celebrated T5 Insurance One Year Anniversary. I wanted to circle back with Stephen to discuss what the first year in business was like, lessons learned, victories made and what's in store for Year 2. Stephen has some exciting plans for growth in Year #2, which included hiring a training the first employee and growing by Acquisition. There's no growth in your comfort zone as Stephen points out. Enjoy!
For anyone that is considering using a VA service, this is a must listen episode. It was a pleasure to meet with two of Savvital Assistants finest employees Uswa Zainab and Musab Shabaz. These are two talented, personable, intelligent young professionals. We discussed how they are supporting and benefiting the companies they work with. How they each have become valuable members of their organizations and provide a wide range abilities to not only support their companies, but improve their efficiency and operation. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. Enjoy!
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
businessowner #businesspodcast #virutalassistants #insurancepodcast #Savvital
This is an episode for all small businesses. We talk in depth about best practices for hiring, the importance of an assessment for applicants and best methods to find the most qualified job candidates. Kevin is co-owner of IdealTraits. A hiring platform specifically for the Insurance Industry. Kevin started and grew 4 insurance agency locations before selling a few years back. In addition to Ideal Traits, Kevin is involved in multiple businesses. He is a true entrepreneur. Every Insurance Agency should tune into this one to learn about hiring practices. I would also recommend reaching out to Kevin for his Ideal Traits service when the time is right. Enjoy!!
Landry Fields started his agency from scratch 4 years ago. We had a great conversation about the landscape of the insurance industry, hiring good people, his real estate niche, plans for growth. marketing. This was an easy conversation with someone I had never met before this podcast. Enjoy!
Great conversation here with Brad Kaplan of Kaplan Insurance Agency. We covered so many topics relating to the Independent Insurance Agency Channel. We discuss hiring staff, managing staff, Agency Management Systems, specifically Hawksoft and why Brad says they have such a great company, how Kaplan Insurance continues to grow, the overall agency operation and much more. There are a lot of key takeaways from this conversation. Enjoy!
https://www.kaplaninsuranceagency.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradkaplan1/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
hawksoft.com
Jessica Holder & Keenan Rice left their well paying jobs in the Captive Insurance world to start their own Independent Insurance Agency. With little money, a lot of uncertainty and a baby on the way they were determined to find their own way. There were struggles, but 4 1/2 years later, they've made it. And add 2 more babies. As owners of Eclipse Insurance, they have formed a great partnership. Keenan focuses on Producing and Jessica focuses on running the operation. This was a really fun, real conversation. These are great, hardworking, honest people. You will enjoy this episode!
It was great to talk to Kim Beach, CEO & Founder of InsureWomen. Also owner of Village Insurance based out of Village of Mariemont, OH. Kim's passion is working with and helping women in many areas but namely the insurance buying process. Kim founded InsureWomen in 2021 in the state of Ohio and quickly recognized the need for the organization to expand nationally. Kim's insurance business is very relationship driven. Where there wasn't networking opportunities, she created them. Where there wasn't a chamber of commerce, she created one. That's how you get things done! Thank You Kim for sharing with us!!
https://www.insurewomen.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbeach/
kim@insurewomen.com
Christian Kopp & Nick Smith partnered to create BluePrintRisk in 2020. Two great guys with an exciting plan for the agency. This is a great BluePrint for a successful agency. With Christian focusing on Commercial Insurance and Nick the Personal they are growing working through the challenges that most face as an independent scratch agency. This a great conversation on partnerships. They have identified the Visionary and Integrator within their relationship as well as who will handle what task going forward. Any young agency can learn from the BluePrintRisk plan. Enjoy!!
https://blueprint-risk.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-smith-62058115/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiankopp1/
Great conversation with Niki Henley from Extra Mile Insurance. Niki has a great insurance backstory. She started Extra Mile Insurance as a scratch agency in 2018. She is a true grinder in this insurance game. Like many of us her expertise is sales. As you grow in this business, you run into a cross roads that you can't just sell yourself out of. You need a team to continue that growth. This is where it gets challenging. Niki's journey is no different. When staffing is a real issue, the rest of the business becomes a challenge. She's tough and will persevere. This was a fun discussion. It was great to get to know Niki Henley. Find her on TikTok & Facebook Reels.
https://www.extramileins.com/
linkedin.com/in/agenthenley
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
Virtual Professionals are one of the hottest topics in the insurance industry. In this episode I have the pleasure to sit down with Troy Thompson, Owner of Savvital Virtual Assistants and David Carothers, with Florida Risk Partners and Partner in Savvital Virtual Assistants. We cover most every question a business owner can have for hiring a Virtual Professional including the common question of security concerns. If you are thinking of one day hiring a VA or have a VA this episode is for you. We discuss training, range of operations handled, benefit, support you should be receiving, overall best practices and security that should be in place for any VA company.
Mark Flockhart opened Valor Insurance Group as scratch agency just over a year ago. Mark has a great backstory in insurance. We had a great conversation about starting the independent agency and the strategic plan to grow a super agency. I first noticed Mark on YouTube under @Thinkinsurance. The Think Insurance YouTube page has over 19,000 subscribers. The Think YT page focuses on educating the public. By educating the public, he generates more car insurance leads from around the country. He also runs YT channels specifically for Insurance agents under @markwflockhart and a 3rd Channel for Valor Insurance Group under @valorinsure. In an industry where we have been talking about Video Content, Mark has become an expert on Video Marketing. It was a pleasure discussing Mark's history and story. Great information in this episode.
@valorinsure @ThinkInsurance @markwflockhart
https://valorinsure.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markflockhart/
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
digitalmarketing #insuranceagent #businessowner #businesspodcast #youtubemarketing #insuranceowner #carinsurance
In this episode of the Agents To Owners Podcast, I meet with Robert Bowen Jr. from Patriot Insurance Group. Bowen has a special niche in Real Estate Investment Insurance. We discuss why he choose this market, how he has developed relationships in this market and how, by developing relationships he has become a member of investors team of people. We also discuss challenges growing a team, managing team members and learning to let go and delegate. Rob also has the interesting/special dynamic of having a daughter join his team. This was a fun, casual conversation. I am very thankful to have met Rob and become a friend. If you haven't connected with Rob Bowen, I would recommend it! Enjoy this episode!!
https://patrioticinsurancegroup.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbowen/
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
Dr. Billy Williams, President of Inspire A Nation Business Mentoring never disappoints. In this episode, we get into the weeds on developing processes for Sales, Onboarding, Servicing and Renewals. Dr. Williams gives you a roadmap build a solid foundation for your business. These processes are not exclusive to the insurance business, they are interchangeable with any business. I love Dr. Williams passion for business and mentoring. He is very gracious with his time and constantly giving.
https://inspireanation.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyrwilliams/
billy@inspireanation.org
ameriguardinsurance.com
This week I connect with Dawn Janes-Bartley. Dawn has worked for and earned everything she has. I consider her pioneer. If there isn't a path to where she wants to go, she'll make one. Dawn shared a lot about all aspects of her most recent acquisition. This was a deep dive into the entire acquisition process. From managing a new team to due diligence of an agency purchase to the financing. Dawn offered so many great takeaways to running, growing, managing an agency.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnjanesbartley/
https://insurancegroupmn.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
This is a great episode with Daniela. We covered a lot of insurance ground in this conversation. Daniela has gone through two acquisitions and plans on more. We discussed working remote and the challenges of staying active with the team. We discussed growing a production team, her growth plan and how she utilizes her virtual professional. Not to mention, Daniela is a lot of fun.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielitaaf/
https://www.insuranceagencyfl.com/
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
In the Independent Insurance World, Captain Dave Jackson needs no introduction. As Founder to IAOA, he is the Godfather of Collaboration. He will never take credit for all the greatness that has come from this network of people.
During our conversation we discussed the what's being added to the IAOA platform, including the Market Access connection, which is helping independent agents connect to one of the top Network/Aggregators within the insurance space, the IAOA Foundation which supports young Independent Agents and his newest business scratch agency adventure of Risk Cannibas.
As most of us in the Independent Agency Space are aware of, Dave is great to talk to and this episode was no different. Enjoy!!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IAOAlliance
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davejackson6?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3Bqz4H2Zi6SjaT6NmZxNnNuA%3D%3D
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
Daniel Summers started his scratch agency Charles String Inc . 2 1/2 years ago. Daniel started with the Trucking niche. By providing value to the Trucking community, Charles String has exploded. Daniel created instructional and education videos on his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TruckInsurance. The response was overwhelming. Because the demand was so high, Daniel has expanded their operation Nationwide. In addition to the Insurance operation, Daniel has been able to monetize the YouTube operation to earn a very nice supplemental income stream
It was great to connect with Daniel Summers. So many good tips in this episode for growth, niche marketing, hiring, being selective with your customer base and much more.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsummersagent/
https://charlesstring.com/
Great conversation this week with Jeremy Goodrich. Jeremy started Shine Insurance Agency with his wife nearly 10 years ago. They focus on Commercial Real Estate Investors. In this episode, we discuss his niche, culture of their insurance agency, what its like to work with your spouse and his program to supporting and advising independent insurance agents to help boost to the next level.
Jeremy Goodrich Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reiinsuranceguy/
https://www.shineinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
Great to connect with Luis Leal! Without a doubt one of the coolest insurance agents in the country. I learned a lot about Luis and his agency Leal Insurance Services. It's clear Luis is a value based insurance agency that does what's best for his clients. His marketing by Memes are creative, engaging and grab attention. Which is what marketing should be. Luis & I discuss his marketing program, core market, some challenges with hiring and his plans to improve in 2023.
https://www.lealinsurance.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lealinsurance/
Instagram: lealinsurance
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
In my opinion, Indium nailed their hire of the new CEO. This was a fun episode discussing the challenges ahead for not only Indium the company but the challenges of the independent agency force. We discuss challenges of leadership, developing a team, meeting the very high expectations of peers, friends, board members, a network of agents. Kat may not be the owner, but she is the leader this company which she is taken over in less than ideal circumstances. So many parallels to many of us a business owners. It was blast spending some time with Kat. Enjoy!
Carey Wallace, founder of Agency Focus adds so much value to the Independent Agency Channel. She solves a that so many of us desperately need. The growth of her business is proof of that. Agency Focus provides Agency Valuation, Financial Consulting, expert advice on Mergers & Acquisitions and CFO Services. In our podcast, we discuss what Insurance Agencies should be focusing on, what is an investment vs. an expense, common financial mistakes that insurance professionals make and so much more. I can speak from experience that Carey is wonderful to work with. She truly wants us to win and cares about our business.
https://agency-focus.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carey-wallace-393a8620/
ameriguardinsurance.com
insuranceagency #insuranceagent #businessowner #smallbusiness #businessdevelopment #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #scratchagent #businesspodca
It's hard not to be a huge fan of Teresa Kitchens. She is one of the easiest people to talk to. In this episode on the ATO Podcast we talk about what Teresa learned from her most recent acquisition. There is always something to learn about an acquisition. Her plans for future acquisitions. We discuss building a strong insurance team, being a leader, struggles and making progress. I always have a great conversation with Teresa. This was a fun episode. Enjoy!
Great Episode with Jason Rodriguez of Prominent Insurance Services out of Philadelphia, PA. Jason is changing the Game!! After fine tuning Prominent Insurance Services, Jason has created franchise opportunities for people across the country. Jason is specifically targeting minorities to expose this underrepresented group to the amazing world of Insurance Agency Ownership. Jason Rodriguez has designed a playbook for new agency owners to succeed in this business. In this podcast, we discuss how Jason grew his agency, what his biggest challenges have been as a business owner and this franchise venture in which his goal is to double the minority ownership in the insurance business. It was a great to connect with Jason Rodriguez. You will enjoy it!!
https://www.prominentagency.com/
jason@prominentagency.com
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
agencyzoom.com
hawksoft.com
Dawnyel Smink is an inspiration! Leader of Canyon Lands Insurance, Leader of CLI Select Agencies, Leader of Women In Insurance Sharing Empowerment, member of a number of Advisory Councils, Advocate for Women, Mother and an avid Golfer. In this episode Dawnyel shares her path to growing to 200 Partner Agencies, some challenges as a young business owner, what it was like to be a woman in male dominated field and much more! This is a must listen for everyone in the insurance business!!
Dawnyel Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnyel-smink-95988548/
https://www.canyonlandsinsurance.com/
Brad Boldt Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
ameriguardinsurance.com
Great Talk this week with Elisha Cavanaugh, President of Sound Pacific Insurance in Tacoma, Washington. Elisha started Sound Pacific in 2012. A self described insurance nerd, Elisha is always investing in her growth and development. She has recently taken on a leadership position on Safeco Advisory Council. It is always a joy to speak with my friend about the insurance space and this podcast was no different. We talked about trying to level up our agencies, adding staff to our team, battling our tech to become more efficient and many other of the ongoing challenges of growing agency owners.
Elisha@soundpacificins.com
https://www.soundpacificins.com/
Brad's Email: bboldt@ameri-guard.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt-00318278/
Advisor Evolved: https://advisorevolved.com/
Hawksoft: https://www.hawksoft.com/
Agency Zoom: https://www.agencyzoom.com/
Melissa Stallings is one of the most fun agency owners that you will encounter. Melissa runs an all women agency in Douglasville, GA. Melissa has grown Stallings Insurance Agency into a team of Rock Stars. They work hard and play hard. I first noticed Stallings from their entertaining social media videos and their consistent charitable contributions to the community. Melissa and I had a great conversation covering a variety of topics from how she started, how she gained market access very early, how she grew Stallings Insurance, to mental health of both herself and her team, and much more.
https://www.stallingsia.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-stallings-7ab7854a/
melissa@stallingsia.com
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
Beth and I cover a lot of ground from her insurance career. Beth's professional development is impressive. This growth does not happen overnight. It's a process. Beth posted recently on social media about Failing Forward. Some decisions or investments don't work out. You learn and move on. Beth has made great progress because she has taken action and moved forward. She has grown a large team and developed as a leader on her terms. We discuss a recent her recent acquisition and the challenges of this entire process.
Anyone in the insurance agent/agency space can learn a lot from this episode.
Jessica Fukuchi has held most every position in the insurance industry retail space. From Captive Agent, Sales Rep to Agency Owner. Jessica has built her agency with a very intentional niche. Along the way she has built and trained her team to work in this high value customer arena. She's made it look easy, but like all of us, there are challenges along the way with the growth of a business. We had a honest, candid conversation with our mistakes, technology and HR issues. We were also able to share a lot of laughs along the way. Jessica is definitely someone you should have in your network. If you are looking to connect and develop referral partners with Financial Advisors, than Jessica is your go to contact.
@Glovebox
@Agencyzoom
@Hawksoft
Linda Fisher describes herself as a passionate CEO. I can confirm that she most definitely is. Linda is President of Cardinal Insurance Group, which she started in 2004. In this conversation, we discuss why Cardinal Insurance Group has such a high retention, her keys to growth, insurance marketing and writing new business. Linda stays involved in a number of organizations and groups and has been recognized many times for her leadership and selflessness. It was a pleasure spending some time with Linda Fisher.
AdvisorEvolved
Hawksoft
Insurancepodcast
Mike Crowley has been leading is Family Insurance Agency for a number of years. Now he is a few months away from officially taking over as President of the Agency. We discuss the challenges of being a part of a family agency, his extensive marketing program, creating a sales driven team culture and his ever changing role within the agency. This was a great discussion. If you are not following Mike Crowley, you should be. Enjoy this conversation.
Tamron Manning of started Integrity Insurance Group as a Scratch Agency just over a year ago. We discussed some lessons learned, challenges with finding markets to work with and his vision for his future success. Tamron is a winner and is driven and understands this is a process. It's so exciting to me to see a young business owner grow both professionally and personally. This process doesn't happen over night. It happens by showing up everyday, putting the work in, and being a student of the game. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Tamron and am excited to witness the growth of this man and his business. Listen, learn and enjoy!
J.C. Wogomon of Catalyst Insurance Group started his agency from Scratch just a few years ago. J.C. doesn't just talk about giving back to his community, he has made it a part of the fabric of his business. Catalyst reinvests into his community with a percentage of the profits. We discuss the growth strategy of his business, the process to grow the right way, leveraging technology to enhance the process and customer experience and much more. If you are in the insurance business, you will want to connect with J.C. Wogomon.
https://www.catalystinsgrp.com/
info@catalystinsgrp.com
agencyzoom.com
hawksoft.com
https://usecanopy.com/
bboldt@ameri-guard.com
Mike Sharp with Sharp Insurance Agency is just fun. It was a pleasure to sit down with Mike to discuss the progress of his scratch agency. Mike has seen huge growth from a written insurance business standpoint and an agency growth standpoint. We discussed some of the challenges of starting a scratch agency, the wins that he has had, the difficulties in the beginning and why he wanted to start an independent insurance agency.
agencyzoom.com
hawksoft.com
advisorevolved.com
Brad Boldt, bboldt@ameri-guard.com
insurance #insurancepodcast #smallbusiness #businessowner
This episode it I had a great conversation with this thriving scratch agent Shawn Fitzgerald with LAF Advisors. We discuss his first 3 years in business, what led to his decision to start his own business after producing in another agency after a number of years, his marketing efforts, target market, working on his personal and professional development and the challenges of being a new agency owner. This is a great episode for insurance agents of all generations. Enjoy!!
I love this story! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Raution Jaiswal. Raution is the Co-Founder, CEO of InsuredMine. InsuredMine is a CRM designed for Insurance Agencies to connect and improve the insurance customer journey. Raution recognized a problem with the Insurance Industry with the way that information and documentation we delivered. He created a solution where he saw a problem. The best part is Raution had no experience with the Insurance Business. Impressive!
https://www.insuredmine.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raution
Email: raution@insuredmine.com
Bboldt@ameri-guard.com
This week I meet with Stephen Turnbull. Stephens story is similar to so many within the insurance space. He is the 5th generation of insurance agents in his family. Stephen worked in his family insurance agency since 2016 and in May of 2022 decided to start his own agency. This is exactly what we are targeting on the Agents to Owners Podcast. We discuss the challenges of being a scratch agent; growing, networking, obtaining contracts, getting by financially, working on the agency before you need to, insurance tech, all the things. Stephen is doing so many things right, I can't wait to see him evolve. So much value in this podcast.
insuranceagent
scratchagency
insuranceagency
smallbusiness
https://www.insuredmine.com/
https://www.hawksoft.com/
https://advisorevolved.com/
https://t5insurance.com/
Stephen Turnbull Email: stephen@T5insurance.com
Brad Boldt: bboldt@ameri-guard.com
https://www.ameriguardinsurance.com/
This week I sit down with longtime colleague and friend Troy Thompson. Troy runs two businesses; Pinnacle Insurance of MN and Savvital Virtual Professionals. Combine that with being a parent to two active children and life can be overwhelming.
We discuss the beginning stages, the challenges of growing as an insurance agent owner and managing expectations of those around you. We also discuss what we would do differently if we were to start over.
https://www.pinnacleinsuranceofmn.com/
https://savvital.us
troy@pin-mn.com
ameriguardinsurance.com
LinkedIn: Brad Boldt
Part 2 with Monica Adwani. We discuss delegating, resources you can access, leadership, creating time as a business owner.
Monicaadwani.com
Linkedin: Monica Adwani
agencyzoom.com
insuredmine.com
savittal.com
Email: bboldt@ameri-guard.com
Linkedin: Brad Boldt
businessowner
entrepreneur
operations
insurance
This week I connect with Monica Adwani. Monica is a leader in the insurance business in so many areas. She is a consultant, podcaster, business owner, operations expert to name a few. This week we focus on her operations expertise to help our agencies with their growth and process.
insurance
businessowner
processes
insuranceagency
insuranceagent
growth
scratchagent
If you are thinking of starting with a Virtual Assistant, this is the episode for you. Virtual Assistants are a very hot topic within the insurance space. Is it worth it? How do I use? Who has the best VA's? In this episode, I'll discuss 3 ways that you can succeed with your VA. I will also discuss how having a VA helps the rest of your team be more productive, efficient and happy. Let's GO!!
Contact me at: bboldt@ameri-guard.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-boldt
https://savvital.us/
You need technology in your new insurance agency. Where do you start? In this episode, I touch on the Tech products that you must have. I touch on the products and cost that we use in our agency. You start with what you can afford and add on when you can.
I can be reached by email at: bboldt@ameri-guard.com
Message me on LinkeIn
In this episode, I discuss what the pro's & con's of starting out as a new insurance producer. Offer some tips to grow your insurance business. What tools you will need to be successful.
My goal is to help insurance agents that aspire to become agency owners. There is no playbook when you take over as agency owner. It looks easy. It is not. There is a large training gap in this industry for those hoping to become an owner someday. My mission is to help bridge that gap. Enjoy!
Welcome! This is Podcast #1 of the Ameriguard Insurance Agency Podcast. In this episode, I discuss my journey from starting in the insurance business in 1999 to the present. This is the cliff notes version. I covered my short time with Farmers Insurance. Why I left. How long it took to get back up to my previous income level. When I bought out my insurance agency, how much our agency has grown in 11 years and what I am doing now. I hope you enjoy!