Agency Intelligence

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James welcomes co-host, Ciara Gravier, to the show. Ciara is the co-owner of The Bunker in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Episode Highlights: James introduces the topic for this episode, Excess and Surplus insurance, and his episode co-host, Ciara Gravier. (0:11)  Ciara talks about the importance of efficiency in her two person agency. (6:38) Ciara shares that one of the things she did that helped her perform more profitably was to have an underwriter on her side. (10:23) Ciara mentions that a large portion of their referrals and leads come from their networking efforts. (14:42) Ciara explains that Wunderite has been very helpful in gathering their supplements. (18:38) Ciara shares going to conferences has provided her with valuable information that she has been able to apply to her agency. (23:59) Ciara mentions that they do turn away business if it is not the right fit. (34:04) Ciara explains that they utilize Think Direct for her other agency. (52:08) C

Most insurance agents don't know how to clearly articulate their value or adequately differentiate themselves in their prospect's minds. In this throwback episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht explains how to best differentiate yourself with a written, objective, and strategic 12-Month Timeline of Services. Episode Highlights: Charles explains what should happen when you’re trying to get a prospect to schedule an appointment with you. (2:18) Charles mentions what most insurance agents do when they're in a meeting with a prospect. (3:31) Charles recommends the book called, Building a StoryBrand, by Donald Miller. (5:50) Charles mentions one of the most fascinating things about the book. (6:12) Charles shares how the timeline of services could get you more business. (8:47) Charles explains why differentiating yourself from the competition could be the biggest problem. (12:01) Charles explains the timeline of services in detail. (13:10) Charles shares a story

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Zach Mefferd, co-founder of Coverage Direct and Zip Bonds, joins the podcast for a spirited discussion on what it means to transition from independent insurance agent to InsurTech technologist. Zach is an all-time thinker in the independent insurance industry, and it is a true pleasure to have him on the show. Episode Highlights: Zach explains how hard it is to build technology and his unique perspective on building the technology for Zip Bonds . (3:58) Zach shares how he also gets frustrated with technological solutions. (7:24) Zach elaborates on the program they call Zip Score, which focuses on small contractors. (10:38) Zach explains that the agencies that have the most success with their product, allow them to be an extension of their business. (15:40) Zach shares that they intentionally hire people with underwriting experience or those with an underwriter mindset. (20:15)  Zach talks about the building of the commercial side of the business as well as

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Debra Mathias, CEO of Connect to Clients. Debra is a LinkedIn expert who helps professionals build solid LinkedIn profiles. Episode Highlights: Debra shares how she fell in love with LinkedIn and how she became the "LinkedIn" Queen. (2:09) Debra explains that authenticity intrigues people, and the three questions she always asks about are about pets, family, and sports. (9:05) Debra shares that there are a lot of good changes that have happened in LinkedIn for people to build themselves. (12:35) Debra elaborates on the algorithm of LinkedIn and how to increase your connections. (17:10) Debra explains how important it is to have a photo on your LinkedIn accounts, and what third connections are. (21:54) Debra talks about the things to post on your LinkedIn accounts that could help you grow your connections. (26:48) Debra shares that if you do not have interaction on your post, it's going nowhere. (29:48) Debra explains t

In this episode of The MVP Podcast, Mitch Gibson is joined by THE Fabulous GloveBox Gurus (Danielle Driscoll, Nicole Mirich, Chelsea Stewart, and Natasha Hansen) to talk about their stories and the paths they took that led them to our amazing friends at GloveBox! After meeting the Gurus in Denver in January, I knew I had to get them on the show and learn more about them. These ladies are so passionate about this industry and truly believe in making a difference in our industry. Episode Highlights: Danielle, Nicole, Chelsea, and Natasha introduce themselves. (2:18) Danielle, Nicole, Chelsea, and Natasha share why they chose the insurance industry and why they chose to work at Glovebox. (8:03) Natasha shares that social media has become a necessary piece of the marketing toolkit that is also easy to use. (20:28) Danielle explains that they are creating their content and that each of them is unique in different ways. (23:33) Chelsea shares that GloveBox is a CXP, a Customer Experience Platform, and it'

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Stacey Guilianti, Chief Legal Officer at Florida Peninsula Insurance. Stacey offers a carrier’s perspective on the insurance industry. Episode Highlights: Stacey shares that he is an iPhone user and the last application he downloaded was the Calm app. (3:55) Stacey mentions that 80% of him loves to win and only 20% hates to lose. (4:37) Stacey explains that 50% of the factor that got him to where he is today is luck, and the other 50% is skill. (5:32) Stacey shares his background story, how he started, and where he is at today. (6:45) Stacey shares some of the things they do that make their company grow, that others are having a hard time doing. (9:53) Stacey explains that the receivership means that the state takes you over and helps you run off. (11:54) Stacey discusses why there are so many lawsuits in Florida compared to the rest of America. (12:51) Stacey explains the difference between a contractor and an accredited

In this solo episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks about key points from the first year of the podcast, what the future looks like, and addresses some lessons learned about social media and digital communication. Episode Highlights: James shares how he was invited by Jason Cass to join the AI Podcast Network and start his podcast. (3:49) James talks about how he has improved as a podcast host over the year. (6:27) James explains some of the topics that have not been discussed on his podcast yet but are soon to be. (8:57) James shares the reason why he will be changing the tagline for the podcast. (10:58) James explains that Agency Freedom is a place where agents and he have aligned values and visions. (17:24) James shares how he gets the ideas and context for his episodes. (20:20) James explains that he is sharing his story because he still has to deal with the negative effects of having a strong type of personality. (23:52) James expresses his unconditional apology to his listeners w

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Raghav Tanna, Co-Founder, and CEO of Tarmika joins the podcast for an all-time discussion on building technology, the independent insurance industry, and world domination. Raghav is always the most interesting guy in the room, so don't miss this tremendous episode... Episode Highlights: Raghav talks about the impact of embedded insurance on independent insurance agencies. (5:50) Raghav explains how Tarmika can help create the ideal digital insurance workflow. (10:06) Raghav mentions the need to embed oneself in areas where consumers already trust the brand. (15:15) Raghav explains why retention is where agencies need to focus their customer experience in a digital world. (16:09) Raghav mentions that the best way to find out what a customer wants is to ask them. (20:25) Raghav discusses whether he would sell his company. (36:23) Raghav congratulates Ryan on creating a scalable platform that others wanted to utilize in the future. (39:34) Key Quotes: “

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Amber Inclan, Vice President of Inclan Insurance Services. Amber talks about how she has built a virtual commercial insurance agency on her terms and is building the career she wants. Episode Highlights: Amber shares her background story and how she was able to be where she is today in business. (2:52) Amber shares that she had to fight for, trust, respect, and what she wanted when she first started in the insurance industry. (8:17) Amber explains that one of her advantages in the insurance industry is that she educates her clients. (10:46) Amber mentions that one of her biggest struggles in building her agency was starting from scratch. (14:02) Amber explains that people, especially clients, have adapted to the new setup of business that is remote. (17:30) Amber shares that they set up their company to be as upfront and transparent to their clients as possible. (23:11) Amber shares that their mission is to provide as mu

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Sarah Muniz, author of, Undiscovered Voices: Unlocking the Potential of Women in Insurance. Sarah talks about the challenges that she has overcome in life, and the results of perseverance and believing in one's self. Episode Highlights: Sarah shares that she is an iPhone user and recently downloaded Spotify and Audible. (2:25) Sarah explains that the reason why she loves to win is that, for her, winning is a way to stop losing. (7:31) Sarah shares that she has not had a lot of luck and has had to push obstacles through, and this has been done with skill. (8:38) Sarah talks about her life and the background of how she was able to be where she is today. (9:12) Sarah shares that she witnessed an accident that changed her perspective and made her want to help people as part of her career. (18:02) Sarah discusses her current career as a personal lines producer in a large insurance agency. (20:07) Sarah discusses the points, the i

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with two insurance podcasting legends, Zack Gould and Matt Naimoli. Episode Highlights: Matt and Zack talk about their experiences and how they founded G&N Insurance. (8:54) Matt and Zack talk about what made them realize the value they could contribute to a channel they assumed was much smaller than it really was. (13:13) Zack shares that the BobbleOn experience was motivated by necessity. (14:24) Matt explains that BobbleOn began as a catchphrase, not as a company or brand. (14:47) Zack believes that many of the most successful enterprises are founded to serve and help our past selves. (19:26) According to Matt, nothing surpasses seeing other agency owners succeed and knowing that they have an impact and a positive influence on their performance. (25:32) Matt believes that starting with the end goal in mind is always a wise decision and is important in any project or journey. (28:34) Zack explains that if you don't believe you're on the

In this tremendous episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, We're joined by the one-and-only Bobbie Collies, Vice President of Distribution at Coterie Insurance. Bobbie is the perfect blend of a carrier professional the industry needs to cultivate; traditionally trained but insurtech-minded. We're honored to have Bobbie on the show… Resources Mentioned: Bobbie Collies LinkedIn Coterie Insurance Reach out to Ryan Hanley

LeTesha Wheeler is the senior territory manager at Liberty Mutual where she helps insurance agencies across the country to build their book and be more impactful with their clients. She is also an influencer, speaker, and author who is passionate about motivating others to walk in the fullness of their lives. In this throwback episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens speaks with LeTesha as she shares about her insurance journey that started with an internship when she failed to get into law school. She describes her journey as a mother, wife, and career woman who wanted to climb the corporate ladder. Listen in to learn the importance of exercising love and unity in the society while embracing our differences respectfully. You will also how to build relationships in the insurance industry without biases. “You have to listen to people’s life experiences to understand how to help them live a better life.” LeTesha [38:03] Top Takeaways:  How the insurance industry has changed over the years to becom

In this episode of The MVP Podcast, Mitch Gibson sits down with Co-Founder and CEO of Wunderwrite, Peter MacDonald to discuss the things he learned as a young agent 7 years ago which gave him the tools and ability to build an amazing product like Wunderwrite. Peter also talks about the importance of building relationships and why it should be a common denominator in everyone's success strategy. If you haven't had a chance to talk to Peter or Dillon over at Wunderwrite, then you need to book a call with them now and just have a conversation.  Episode Highlights: Peter discusses how they came up with the concept for Wunderwrite. (8:32) Peter believes that the reason the industry has so many independent agents is that they are more efficient than larger corporations. (16:18) Peter discusses his experiences as a young producer as well as the skills he has learned over time. (19:05) Peter discusses the four habits of referability, which include arriving on time, doing what you say you're going to do, compl

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass chats with Ryan Hanley, Founder & President of Rogue Risk. Jason & Ryan look back at their time in the insurance industry and Ryan discusses what is ahead for Rogue Risk.  Resources Mentioned: Ryan Hanley Rogue Risk Reach out to Jason Cass Agency Intelligence

In this throwback episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht discusses how the Jack-of-all-Trades is dead. The "generalist" producer is a thing of the past. Insurance agents who become experts in a specific area (Micro-Niche) get more clients more quickly and win significantly more signed Broker of Record Letters. Episode Highlights: Charles shares a story about a man named Jack. (2:07) Charles explains what a micro-niche is. (2:55) Charles mentions the problem with being a generalist. (4:07) What would Charles recommend to insurance producers? (5:04) Charles shares the story of when he first understood the power of micro-niches. (5:16) Why are the riches in the micro-niches? (11:21) What’s something Charles often hears from the employee health benefits producers? (13:21) Is micro-niching about more than just types of accounts? (14:04) Charles mentions some of the factors that you need to consider when you first start exploring micro-niches. (24:54) Key Quo

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with Peter MacDonald, Co-Founder, and CEO of Wunderite. Episode Highlights: Peter shares his background story and what led him to the insurance industry. (5:31) Peter shares that he met Wunderwrite’s Co-Founder, Joe Schnare, on his first day of business school. (11:11) Peter explains that one of the challenges the industry is facing is not having enough technology to capture underwriting data. (17:51) Peter mentions that the more interesting aspect for him and his company is being able to understand who their customers are. (21:21) Peter shares a concept he learned from Roger Sitkins and Larry Linne called the Trusted Advisor Team. (26:58) Peter explains that most people don't understand their insurance, but if they do, they will buy more. (31:22) Peter explains data input and output as well as digital signatures and their significance. (35:47) Peter shares that agents are doing interesting things with connectivity between software platfor

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, take a look inside the acquisition of Rogue Risk by SIAA with Matt Masiello, CEO of SIAA, and Ryan Hanley, Founder and President of Rogue Risk. This is an episode you don't want to miss...

In this throwback episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht breaks down what those seven steps are and how you can do it, too! Episode Highlights: Charles mentions his book called, The Millionaire Producer. (1:49) Charles shares the first step: collect signatures and serve happiness. (3:00) What’s one of the most important and most expensive pieces of paper in the insurance business? (4:44) Charles walks us through the second step. (7:28) Charles details the third step: think bigger. (12:38) Charles shares the crucial fourth step in building your book of business. (15:17) Charles explains the fifth step: riches are in the micro-niches. (17:16) Charles mentions the sixth step. (21:17) Charles shares the final step, which is accountability. (26:40) Key Quotes: “Our clients need to be happy. They want to be joyful, they want to be satisfied, they would like to stay loyal, they want to be happy that they chose you. And so, we have to provide services that pro

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Crystal Fox, the Director of the Beauty Queen Insurance Program at The Smith Sawyer Smith agency. Crystal entered the industry during COVID as a pivot from the beauty industry and tapped into her passion for beauty to create a National beauty insurance brand that is taking over the nation.  Episode Highlights: Crystal discusses her background in the beauty industry prior to entering the insurance industry. (2:36) Crystal discusses how she became interested in the insurance industry. (6:07) Crystal mentions that she began with claims, which she considered was an excellent way to learn about insurance. (12:50) Crystal explains how she came up with the concept of naming her insurance company after a beauty queen. (20:09) Crystal discusses how she manages branding and the business environment, which may be challenging at times. (22:05) Crystal describes how she works in the insurance industry as a woman. (22:22) Crystal menti