Agency Intelligence

In this episode of Cease & Desist podcast, Sean, Andy & Ryan are joined by Ryan Hanley. This week's episode deep dives into Rogue Risks acquisition. Grab a glass of whiskey and enjoy the show! 

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James shares the second part of a special on-location recording with members of the Killing Commercial mastermind. Episode Highlights: Alan Kinney shares that before entering the insurance industry, he attended engineering school and worked for IBM for seven years doing process management work. (4:53) Alan Kinney mentions that he has a strong process background, and Drew has a strong data background, both of which have helped them operate their agency. (5:57) Drew Kinney mentions that before entering the insurance industry, he worked for one of the top consulting firms. (6:58) Alan Kinney believes that there is some value in engaging in Big I or PIA. It is important to network with them and work with them since there are some things they are doing that have a direct influence on the bottom line that others are unaware of. (10:39) Jason Cass believes that no one can do what the Big I does in the legislative effort because they have relationships that no one

Please .... do not be one of those insurance agents who have no strategy or process when it comes to presenting renewal quotes/proposal to the prospect! If you do that, you're more likely to lose than win. Why? Because, if you do that you're wingin' it and throwing mud against the wall to see what sticks. In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht will give you some options to consider to put you in a stronger position to win the business at the time you present your proposal, even if you can't get the signed BOR. Episode Highlights: Charles explains that many consumers do not make the decision to switch to a big provider with a single signature on a piece of paper. (5:40) Charles discusses how to determine the best timing to offer a quote to the insured. (7:26) Charles discusses the benefits of presenting a quote proposal to a prospect a week or two before the renewal date. (10:29) Charles explains that submitting a renewal quote is a competitive bid situation,

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Mark McClure, CEO, and founder of CommercialInsurance.net joins the podcast to talk about how warm phone call transfer commercial insurance leads can be a game-changer for growing independent agencies. Episode Highlights: Mark discusses his background and how he got started in commercial insurance. (6:38) Mark mentions that having lead generations in their DNA made them unique, as well as running a Virtual Insurance Agency for eight years and realizing that not all leads are excellent leads for everyone. (15:44) Ryan believes that there is always a great opportunity in trucking; the industry attracts a lot of drivers because they see what folks do with Commercial Auto, but the industry lacks the in-house knowledge to be a trucking firm. (20:48) Mark discusses the difficulties they had trying to get their original appointments while they were still an insurance firm. (22:46) Mark mentions that what keeps him awake at night is dreaming about selling insurance o

Meet Teresa Kitchens, an insurance agency owner- The Sterling Insurance Group in Plano Texas. She has been running her business for the last 18 years. In this throwback episode of the Power Women in Insurance, Teresa shares her journey as a business owner, wife, and parent and the challenges she has had to face. She describes why she started this podcast as a way to encourage women to step up and be part of the insurance industry.  Listen in to discover Teresa’s plans to make an impact in the community as she grows her business and herself. Top Takeaways: Encouraging women in the insurance industry to step up and be better as their male counterparts. What to expect in the Power Women in Insurance Podcast moving forward. Learning the meaning of the word Shakubuku and its role in this podcast. Key Moments: [0:25] Teresa explains her reasons for starting this podcast as a way to encourage more women to be part of the insurance industry. [3:32] Who is Teresa Kitchens, how did she find herself in the insur

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Tolga Tezel, CEO and Founder of Canopy Connect. Tolga talks about how Canopy Connect is unlocking consumer data to empower consumers and help agency owners support their customers. Episode Highlights: Jason announces the launch of Brainshare 2023, which is going to be held in New Orleans. (1:30) Tolga shares that he is an iPhone user and the last app he downloaded was Signal.  Tolga explains that he hates to lose more than he loves to win. (5:25) Tolga shares that skill has been a bigger factor in his life, as he believes that people can make their luck. (6:32)  Tolga shares his background story and how he got to where he is today. (7:44) Tolga explains how he started exploring how to unlock new data to help people get the most value from services. (11:40) Tolga discusses the importance of convincing yourself that you are in it for the long haul when starting a start-up. (16:18) Tolga explains why he thinks that people tend

It's one thing to agree that targeting BOR's is a smart move but it's another thing altogether to develop a step-by-step process to winning signed Broker of Record Letters on a consistent basis.  In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht will "build you a house" by explaining what the foundation is, what the four walls are, and what the roof is to winning more signed Broker of Record letters from your prospects. Episode Highlights: Charles explains why winning in a standard quoting procedure is quite difficult. (3:24) Charles demonstrates how a Broker of Record letter is a better option than the quoting process. (7:05) Charles believes that one of the main strategies in regards to the Broker of Record letter is asking for it. (9:13) Charles explains that every single prospect meeting you have with an insured person needs to have a goal. (10:43) Charles explains the advantages of being aggressive in your requests in order to persuade others to do what you want

In this episode of the Digital Insurance Pint Podcast, Paul Macdonald EVP of personal insurance, former lawyer, Aon Employee, PWC consultant and Tragically Hip fan talks about the Vyne system being Economical’s moonshot that will allow them leapfrog the industry. Paul and the DIPP crew cover a lot of ground, including: Status update on Economical’s historic demutualization process. The strategy and implementation of Vynne and what’s coming next. Economical’s win over Intact on the Uber account. Rowan Saunders’ statement “I don’t want to be an alarmist on this one, but I think it is almost too late for some brokers that have not stepped up”. How Economical is applying the learning from Sonnet to their broker channel and taking new business from brokers with Sonnet. Economical’s Vyne implementation has taken them off the Corduroy road of digital connectivity that many insurers are still driving down. The term 100th meridian refers to attempts to make difficult roads more passable. Planks of wood or full

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James shares a special on-location episode with members of the Killing Commercial mastermind. Episode Highlights: David Carothers explains that the major purpose of Killing Commercial Mastermind is to create a community of individuals who can rely on each other, learn from each other's experiences, and help each other improve. (4:52) James Jenkins recommends Killing Commercial to anyone searching for a community of commercial lines focused rockstars who are killing it in incredibly spectacular ways. (6:10) David Carothers mentions that the community has a lot of great things going on that will transform the financial futures of many families. (7:55) Doug Benz believes that establishing his agency in Buffalo was the smartest decision he's ever made. (11:38) Doug Benz explains how fantastic it is to talk to other individuals and hear about what you're doing in your agency. (13:11) David Carothers highlights how everyone in the community is upfront and hones

In this throwback episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht explains how cold calling still works and it works very well for those who use the right script. Charles Specht will teach you what your script could be and how to effectively cold call in order to set more appointments with your prospects. Episode Highlights: Charles shares a poignant story from when he first got into the insurance business. (2:36) Charles mentions why being a debt collector on the telephone was one of the more difficult things he’s done in the business world. (3:48) Charles explains what a “C3” is. (8:39) Charles shares why leaving voice messages is necessary. (9:13) What’s one of the main reasons why insurance agents don’t get a lot of value out of the time they spend cold calling? (11:05) Charles explains how to create an impressive script when cold calling prospects. (14:25) What are the two things your script must contain to be successful? (19:10) Charles shares a strategy that c

Alan Ringvald is the CEO of Relativity6, a best in class insurtech company solving the very specific problem of business classification. In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Alan explains that Relativity6 uses a proprietary process to create a new datapoint for determining the NAICS code for a given business. Industry misclassification is a HUGE problem in the insurance industry. Don’t miss this episode… Episode Highlights: Alan explains that Relativity 6 focuses only on one kind of data point for determining the NAICS code for a business. (6:53) Alan shares the key differences that they have, which separate them from other InsurTech companies. (11:17) Alan shares his background story and how he ended up in this the InsurTech industry. (14:46) Alan shares something they are working on that will assess a building for the last 10 years called "address only". (19:37) Alan admits that their technology still has limitations, like not being able to find a holding company. (24:00) Alan explains the c

Meet Brooke Sarratt, an independent insurance agency owner in Fort Worth Texas. Her agency- White Slate helps families and small to medium businesses with insurance packages that fit their needs and wants. In this throwback episode of the Power Women in Insurance Podcast, Brooke shares her insurance journey with the host Teresa Kitchens. She shares how she started with cold calling large commercial insurance agencies and later fell in love with the industry.  Listen in to learn what it takes for a woman to start and run her own insurance agency. You will also learn what Brooke is doing to help women in the insurance industry, especially those who are just starting. Top Takeaways: Rising from a stay at home mom to an insurance agency owner. The importance of keeping a positive mind and right attitude when running a business. Helping others as a form of giving back.  The power of working with people you like as a way to keep your business’s value.  Key Moments: [0:25] Who is Brooke Sarratt?  [1:48] She

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Davie Holt, National Sales Practice Leader at Imperial PFS. Davie discusses the significance of Imperial PFS and premium finance in the industry and also explains that diversity in thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and positions in life and in the marketplace will weave a better fabric for the industry.  Episode Highlights: Davie explains that part of the reason he is where he is today is because of his mentors. (5:46) Davie shares that he is an iPhone user and recently downloaded a video editing app. (8:41) Davie mentions that he loves to lose because he knows that the next victory right after that is going to be greater than even what was at stake before. (10:07) Davie shares that it is luck that has been a bigger factor that has made him be where he is today. (11:44) Davie talks about how IPFS has begun to shift its thinking on marketing so that people understand that they are so much more than a premium finance company. (16:17)

In this episode of Digital Insurance Pint Podcast, Taylor Rhodes joins the show. Former US Marine, Arizona Rancher and Rush Fan, Taylor Rhodes, is getting the Applied System's troops ready for the next round of the Canadian Broker management systems business wars. Scratching your head on Applied? – not so fast. What is cool about Mr. Rhodes; he is new to the insurance industry and has no insurance “dirty laundry” to air. He sees the insurance industry as an underutilized digital playground that needs fresh blood to accelerate connectivity. In this episode, Taylor (while drinking a good La Fin Du Monde 9% Quebec beer) talks about 3 key areas that Applied is focusing on: 1. Velocity 2. User Experience (#ux) 3. Digital Connectivity In addition, we get an update on many of the Applied System’s newest products, including Policyworks, Indio, Applied mobile (CSR 24), salesforce integration, and Applied Automation. Taylor also talks about the 5 key trends shaping business today and we pull back the covers and talk

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with "Broker Brett" Fulmer, Ambassador for Finaeo, Evangelist for Smart Choice, and startup consultant. Episode Highlights: Brett shares his background story and how he got started in the industry. (7:45) Brett talks about his team of six agents that he has recruited for SmartChoice. (12:26) Brett explains that he has been a P&C guy but he is enjoying learning about life insurance. (16:21) Brett explains the difference between the life cycle of life insurance compared to P&C. (20:20) Brett talks about the different digital life broker wholesalers and their advantages, as well as his personal choice, Finaeo. (26:26) Brett shares how fortunate he is to be a part of things that he has equity in and be able to build with his friends. (36:02) Brett advises the listeners to lever up their technology and reach further with their core competencies. (41:01) Brett shares the topics he is exploring writing a book on. (47:55) Brett asks James his th

Referrals, referrals, referrals! You've probably heard that referrals are great to get and have the highest win percentage when compared to other forms of prospecting. And, you'd be right to think that because it's true. However, most insurance agents and agencies do either a very poor job at systematically asking for (and receiving) referrals from their client base or COIs, or they have no process for referrals at all. In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht will give you a step-by-step process you can use to get more profitable referrals from your clients and COIs. Episode Highlights: Charles reveals that while he was a producer for almost 10 years, he wasn't very good at getting references. And it was partly because the kind of company he was pursuing was not one that relied heavily on referrals. (2:01) Charles explains that when it comes to requesting referrals, you must be careful what you ask. (5:56) Charles discusses the reasons why it is critical to hav

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Ryan Hanley, interviews Chris Greene, the Flood Insurance Guru. Chris joins the podcast for a master's level conversation on content marketing and how properly using your CRM can create an undeniable competitive advantage in your business. Don’t miss this episode… Episode Highlights: Chris discusses how insurance is not the problem but the risk is, and how he is working on this data to solve the issue. (4:13) Chris explains how their flood risk analysis provides a huge value to their referral partners to grow their business. (8:29) Chris mentions that videos used for education and advice are still considered streamlining. (14:31) Chris shares how he uses automation to follow up with his clients. (22:32) Ryan explains that this is the moment where HubSpot tools, like video cards, give you a true competitive advantage. (25:35) Chris explains that conversations like why they weren't closing more business can be seen at HubSpot as one of its features. (36:34)

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Debby Kallinikos. Debby and Teresa talk about how she has built her career around being curious and serving others. Episode Highlights: Debby shares her insurance journey and how she got to where she is today. (1:26) Debby mentions how important it was for her to be around someone that knew what they were doing when she was training and how she sought that ought. (5:31) Debby explains that the better you are at asking what you want to know, the more you will be able to learn. (9:10) Teresa asks Debby what qualities she is looking for in a person or mentor to ask questions to. (14:36) Debby explains that she helps her clients see their coverage by asking them what it covers. (17:08) Debby shares that she prefers in person classes and finds online classes challenging. (22:20) Debby explains why it is important to take ownership of your own knowledge and education. (24:59) Debby shares that people need to take responsibil

In this throwback episode of the Agency Intelligence podcast, guest host Mitch Gibson interviews Brian Blakely, the director of property & casualty insurance at Stonebridge Insurance and Wealth Management and host of The Good Life Small Business Podcast. Brian talks about what he learned from Bradley Flowers and how he started a podcast. Episode Highlights: Brian shares the best things to do in Kearney, Nebraska. (2:40) What has attributed to Brian’s career, skill or luck? (9:38) Brian shares his background. (13:32) Brian mentions what he’s currently working on with his podcast. (24:08) Has Brian seen any success that’s helped him grow as an agent and with his podcast? (31:19) Brian shares why podcasting is something that he’s passionate about. (38:51) Brian mentions what he’s trying to accomplish this year. (40:06) Brian shares a story about his first conversation with Bradley Flowers. (47:34)  Key Quotes: “I trust everybody in here and I don't need to look over my shoulder. We've all got

in this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Ryan Keating, Vice President of Keating Agency Insurance. Ryan shares his experience as the Season 2 Coach of The Protege, an insurance reality show, and discusses how the ways in which agents create value and connections is rapidly changing.  Episode Highlights: Ryan shares that he is an Android user and the last app he downloaded is called MyMind, for meditation. (2:43) Ryan explains that he loves to win because winning is a celebration, and losing gives you a negative feeling. (4:20) Ryan shares that luck has been a bigger factor than skill in where he is today. (4:42) Ryan shares his background story, and how he got into the insurance business. (5:28) Ryan shares that his experience on The Protege helped him to build his network on a larger scale. (7:01) Ryan talks about what it is like to work in a family business, and how generational differences can bring up issues. (14:30) Ryan explains that every agency is run di