Agency Intelligence

In this throwback episode of the Power Women In Insurance, Teresa discusses something she often hears people talking about: the struggle to "have it all"...balance family, career, kids, and public service. Teresa talks about her 18 years as an agency owner and how she has learned to have it all. Episode Highlights: Teresa mentions the insurance conference she attended recently. (2:20) Teresa shares her challenge for the listeners. (6:32) Teresa explains what “interrupting politely” means. (9:14) Teresa shares what she does after picking up her kids from school. (10:36) Teresa mentions what she’s trying to do more with her team. (11:52) Teresa shares why utilizing the knowledge of having all things is revolutionary. (13:07) Teresa explains the benefits of time blocking. (14:36) Teresa shares the ‘why’ in her life. (23:24) Key Quotes: “Having it all is kind of like multitasking. They say that there's no such thing as multitasking because really all you do is you switch your attention from on

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Stacey Giulianti, Chief Legal Officer at Florida Peninsula Insurance Company. Episode Highlights: Stacey shares that Florida has a severe insurance crisis, with 76% of lawsuits against insurance providers for homeowners claims filed in the state, causing a negative economic impact and 71% of the money going to attorneys instead of consumers. (3:46) Stacey explains that insurance companies are raising premiums to cover increasing costs of roofing materials and labor, and are working to change laws to reduce lawsuits and outlaw assignment of benefits by third-party contractors. (11:47) Stacey mentions that insurance companies should better explain that regular homeowners insurance policies don't cover flood damage to avoid Better Business Bureau complaints. (16:07) Stacey discusses the tort reform laws that Florida recently implemented which limit the ability of individuals to collect damages in liability cases if they are more than

Good news – the DIPP crew has done a bunch of legwork for you. Our M & A series covers some of the most important questions & brings you the answers, right from the source. In this episode, you’ll hear the answers straight from Shawn DeSantis, Navacord CEO. We asked Western Financial Group, Navacord, Rogers Insurance (CBN), AJ Gallagher, Westland, Brokerlink and HUB International the following questions: Where did your firm come from and where are you going? Why should a broker sell to you – what value do you bring? What’s your target broker? Does a broker with a strong digital presence get a valuation boost? Do you want former owners to stick around? Do you keep the original name? What’s in it for the acquired employees? What’s in it for carriers? Who wins & who loses? How do you value a brokerage? What can a broker do to make their business worth more? How do valuations compare between heavy CL brokers vs heavy PL brokers? Does a ROFR diminish the value of a brokerage? What is your firm’s end game?

In this episode, you get to listen in to a private shop talk conversation James had with a group of agency principal in Somewhere, USA. Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.com Connect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom Email us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe. Episode Highlights: A speaker on the call shares the importance of integrating core values into daily activities and operations, particularly in the context of trucking and sales. (5:16) James discusses the possibility of charging a fee in addition to the commission, the requirements for different licenses, and the potential profitability of running their own insurance program as both a wholesaler and retailer. (13:29) James discusses his struggle with holding people accountable and his growth as

Ready to master the art of remote leadership and build effective training programs? We discuss these and so much more in my first AMA (Ask Me Anything) episode of the podcast... Strap in as we embark on a journey through the complexities of maintaining unity and connection within a remote team environment. We'll get hands-on with the power of regular meetings, random check-ins, and the unifying force of company swag. I’ll share with you my own experiences and insights on how to celebrate team win in a remote setting and the importance of intentional connections within the team. Navigating the challenges of training and managing remote teams can be tricky, but fear not. We delve into the process of onboarding new employees remotely, customizing training approaches, and developing a modular program for company-specific training. From the benefits of digital training platforms to the importance of cultural understanding and process familiarity, we'll equip you with the tools you need to ensure your remote te

User experience is vital to any agency, especially in the independent space. But what happens when you're serving multiple users? Who takes priority? Peter Teresi, Co-Founder and CEO at Certificial, joins the show to walk through how Certificial is connecting the end client's experience to your agents and your service team. Enjoy the episode! Episode Links: Ellerbrock-Norris: https://www.ellerbrock-norris.com/ Ellerbrock-Norris Wealth Strategies: https://www.ellerbrock-norris-ws.com/ Certificial: https://www.certificial.com/ LAUNCH: https://getlaunch.io/ Elliot Bassett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-bassett-aip-cpcu-84499515/ Ryan Brott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-brott-cepa%C2%AE-77a278a/ Peter Teresi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete/ This episode is sponsored by LAUNCH. In the world of insurance, independent agencies fight to survive. Brokers are forced to compete by blocking markets and bid for the lowest price. Worse yet, the industry is fragmented. Agencies find it difficult to collabor

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Kathryn Arnold, Insurance Broker. Kathryn discusses how she came into the health/life industry and how much she loves the Medicare space in insurance. She also discusses her passion for helping others build their business and how she shares that passion through the Women In Insurance team. Episode Highlights: Kathryn shares that got into the insurance industry to prevent others from experiencing the financial burden she faced when her father passed away without a proper life insurance policy, and now finds fulfillment in helping people with Medicare, health insurance, retirements, and annuities. (1:23) Kathryn mentions that she found her tribe within Women of Insurance, which helped her transition from a toxic work environment to building her own successful business through natural connections, lazy prospecting, and community outreach. (6:38) Kathryn mentions that she receives a lot of gratitude and appreciation for organizing c

Innovation and Invention: Steve Anderson gets Jason's thoughts on the invention and innovation he sees in the industry today. Be prepared to hear how the old way of taking 90 minutes to quote 10 companies is over, Jason and his team can do it in less than five minutes. It's a game changer for efficiency. Episode Highlights: Jason discusses how they use a risk advisor tool and an AI language model to quickly enter and process information for insurance quotes, reducing the time it takes from an hour and a half to less than five minutes. (3:01) Jason explains that Robotic Processing Automation allows robots to perform routine tasks in agencies, such as checking claims reports, monitoring changes in notes, and handling cancellations. (8:00) Jason emphasizes the cost-saving benefits of using virtual employees and investing in technology for agencies, and the significant gap between those who adopt these practices and those who don't. (10:40) Jason mentions that he created IndieTech 2023 for independent ins

Do you lack the Motivation to prospect for new business? Most insurance agents say they have a difficult time maintaining Motivation. However, I think the real culprit is something different and that it's because producers lack Confidence that they, therefore, lack the Motivation to prospect. But -- if the truth is known -- In this throwback episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht feels that something else is the real reason you lack Confidence and therefore lack Motivation and therefore lack results. And, in this episode, he'll explain what it is and how you can get it! Episode Highlights: Charles asks the question of which comes first, is it the motivation or is it the confidence? (1:28) Charles shares that he wants people in the industry to have both motivation and confidence. (4:01) Charles shares that you need to have a lifetime goal and a destination so that plans can be made to make it to that destination. (8:29) Charles mentions that Confidence comes from the

Good news – the DIPP crew has done a bunch of legwork for you. Our M & A series covers some of the most important questions & brings you the answers, right from the source. In this episode, you’ll hear the answers straight from Kenny Nichols, Western Financial Group CEO. We asked Western Financial Group, Navacord, Rogers Insurance (CBN), AJ Gallagher, Westland, Brokerlink and HUB International the following questions: Where did your firm come from and where are you going? Why should a broker sell to you – what value do you bring? What’s your target broker? Does a broker with a strong digital presence get a valuation boost? Do you want former owners to stick around? Do you keep the original name? What’s in it for the acquired employees? What’s in it for carriers? Who wins & who loses? How do you value a brokerage? What can a broker do to make their business worth more? How do valuations compare between heavy CL brokers vs heavy PL brokers? Does a ROFR diminish the value of a brokerage? What is your firm’s e

In the final installment of our summer solo episode series, James talks about navigating the hard market. Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.com Connect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom Email us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.

Most insurance agents fail at selling insurance because they started on the wrong foot. They never achieved traction and so they failed. What I've found is that many agents lack traction because they don't know what they're selling or to whom they're selling. They are "generalists" and they achieve mediocrity every single day. If you want to become more successful at selling insurance, figure out who your ideal prospect is (with absolute clarity) and prospect with diligence. In this throwback episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht will teach you how to do exactly that. Episode Highlights: Charles shares that articulating or defining your ideal client is the foundation of prospecting. (1:59) Charles explains that if your message is that of the one you were focused on, it will tilt up towards the client you are messaging. (6:22) Charles defines every agent as being very unique in every way in your own agency. (10:19) Charles shares his experience with a shooting gun a

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Niki Henley, Owner of Extra Mile Insurance Solutions.  Niki started her agency in 2019 and was a guest in 2020. Today, we followed up with her progress and talked about what has helped her build her agency most successfully. Episode Highlights: Niki shares that she opened her own agency in 2019, and faced challenges in the first year, including the impact of COVID-19, but ultimately learned valuable lessons and adopted new technologies and strategies that put them ahead in the market. (2:04) Niki discusses the importance of seeking advice and guidance from trusted mentors and industry experts before making decisions or implementing new tools in order to avoid unnecessary expenses and ensure success. (7:43) Niki mentions that she is not a big gift person and has struggled with showing appreciation to her team, but has made efforts to improve by valuing their input and being transparent about goals and the bigger picture. (16:27)

This episode of "Talkin' Tech" with Danny Lawrence on the MVP Podcast! Co-Host Danny Lawrence sits down with Caden Braly, VP of Business Development at AgentsTech.  Using Caden's expertise as an agent and insurtech specialist, he advocates for AgentsTech, by empowering agents to embrace insurtech solutions, revolutionizing both their front and back offices. This transformation is essential for their growth and success in the digital era. Episode Highlights: Caden explains that AgentsTech is a technology consulting firm that helps independent insurance brokers modernize their agencies by connecting them with the right InsurTech companies through personalized consultations. (2:11) Caden mentions that not every InsureTech or IndieTech company is a good fit for your agency and its goals, so it's important to be unbiased and consider the specific needs and market of your agency before jumping on the latest buzzword or trend. (4:57) Caden discusses his role as the VP of Business Development which includes be

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass is joined by Kelly Donahue-Piro, President of Agency Performance Partners to discuss the solutions to the problems that the majority of agencies are experiencing. Kelly also talks about their courses and training, which can help agents and agencies improve. Episode Highlights: What’s Kelly’s opinion about the role of Jason Cass with his partner Travis? (10:32) Kelly advises Jason on whether he should hire someone to manage his company. (12:05) Kelly recommends that agency owners establish a vision of where they want to go in 10 years. (15:38) Kelly believes that there is a lack of execution rather than a shortage of solutions to the hiring problem. (16:37) What are the benefits of the great resignation for insurance agents? (17:16) Kelly thinks that every agency must fight for what it needs and also be intentional and strategic. (19:59) Kelly discusses their online school and the process pack that can be purchased on their website.

You may or may not be an agent looking to shift your career away from slinging policies and throwing mud against the walls to see what sticks. And, I get that. Or, you may not be an agency owner looking to add "Consulting" to your list of services provided. And, again, I get that. But .... it might just be the absolute PERFECT CHOICE for you going forward, and that's what this episode is also about.  Host Charles Specht explains and breaks down the two primary business models you can choose from, to help you earn $100k - $350k annually. And, Charles begins to unpack "Phase 2" which will be released later in Q4 of this year that will be specific to insurance agencies who want to take over the policies (via BOR) of mine and the other consultant's client's policies. Get ready, because we're getting ready to disrupt the entire insurance industry! Episode Highlights: Charles mentions that his first approach to prospecting as an independent consultant in the insurance industry is to offer unbiased advice and gui

We first hit up Taylor soon after he started his role with Applied. He gave us a lot of insight into his background, his approach to the business and future plans for Applied. Now that Taylor has had a chance to settle into the role, he’s starting to see some of the fruits of his efforts take shape. Taylor then shares an update on the Epic transformation – making it more open, efficient & leveraging API connectivity. We also get insight into the Epic data lake and how Applied plans to use this for the benefit of their broker clients. In the first podcast with Taylor, he introduced us to his “say/do” ratio. While he admits he’s not perfect, it sure sounds like there’s a lot of doing that corresponds to what he was saying.

In this episode, James talks about 4 reasons why you should NOT launch an insurance-related podcast in 2023. He ends the episode with a much better idea for generating real impact and profitable opportunities for your office. Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.com Connect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom Email us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.

Some of the toughest decisions in my life involved hiring and firing employees. I was confronted with the emotional toll it took on both ends of the spectrum. That's why our guest, Joey Coleman, renowned author of 'Never Lose a Customer Again' and 'Never Lose an Employee Again', is here to shed some light on this intricate process. With his own experiences as a leader and the challenging decisions he made as a CEO, Joey offers a unique perspective on the employer-employee dynamic. The episode further highlights the intertwined connection between customer experience and employee experience, shedding light on the employer's responsibility to create a remarkable environment for their team members. We also dissect the balance of hierarchy and dialogue in decision-making, the dangers of confirmation bias, and the importance of rest and recovery after big projects. So, grab your headphones and tune in to this enlightening episode packed with valuable insights for leaders and managers alike. This is not just a

What is robotic process automation and how can you use RPA to eliminate repetitive tasks at your agency? Bharath Bangalore, founder at Blue Ocean Strategic Partners, is focused on helping the insurance industry save time, money and unnecessary headaches. Enjoy the episode! Episode Links: Ellerbrock-Norris: https://www.ellerbrock-norris.com/ Ellerbrock-Norris Wealth Strategies: https://www.ellerbrock-norris-ws.com/ Blue Ocean Strategic Partners: https://blueoceansp.ai/ LAUNCH: https://getlaunch.io/ Elliot Bassett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-bassett-aip-cpcu-84499515/ Ryan Brott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-brott-cepa%C2%AE-77a278a/ Bharath Bangalore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bharathrbangalore/ This episode is sponsored by LAUNCH. In the world of insurance, independent agencies fight to survive. Brokers are forced to compete by blocking markets and bid for the lowest price. Worse yet, the industry is fragmented. Agencies find it difficult to collaborate across division on the same client. M