Agency Intelligence

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with Steven Mohr, newly minted VP of Growth at Better Agency. After a three-year stop at Lightspeed Voice, Steven is already having an impact on the current and future customers of Better Agency. Episode Highlights: Steven shares what led him to the InsurTech industry. (6:17) Steven mentions that he had been an agent before meeting Brad Fuller and joining Lightspeed Voice. (09:27) Steven explains how he made the decision to jump back into AMS and CRM by joining Better Agency. (14:40)  Steven shares that Better Agency is always open to feedback and is focused on how they can make things better for their clients. (21:07) Steven mentions that the mission that they are currently focused on is automating agency operations while maintaining the agency's relevance. (25:32) Steven shares that there are a lot of innovations they are currently lining up, one of which is the Accord forms. (31:03) Steven discusses the challenge of being on the road and a

A weak mindset is often what most of your competitors possess. But what about you? Do you have a robust and competitive mindset when it comes to sales? Are you afraid to ask for the signed Broker of Record Letter? Are you nervous about telling the insured what you require from them in order to move forward?  In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht explains the seven things insurance producers need to have in order to possess a Millionaire Producer Mindset. Episode Highlights: Charles shares that he is developing his own producer school that will be launching very soon, which will go from A to Z on the entire sales process. (2:07) Charles explains that the first thing to having a Millionaire Producer Mindset is to understand that sales are both a sprint and a marathon. (3:58) Charles shares that prospecting is your primary daily function, and there really isn't a way in which to set appointments without prospecting. (8:27) Charles explains that insurance agen

In this episode of The MVP Podcast, Jeremy Powers, owner of Powers Insurance Experts, joins the show to share his story and the tips and tricks that have elevated his agency over the last 2 years.  This is an episode you do not want to miss if you are stuck in the middle of what you should be doing as a young producer. Jeremy has a passion that is unmatched, and the things he is doing for his community led to putting the business on the books. Be the Jeremy Powers of your community! The little things make a difference. Episode Highlights: Jeremy shares his background and how he got to where he is today in business. (4:16) Jeremy discusses the two things he does to encourage his team inside the agency as well as the producers and agents outside of his agency. (10:39) Jeremy shares that one way that he finds work-life balance is by being able to have his daughters interact in the fun stuff that they do for the company. (17:41) Jeremy shares that the biggest thing that helped him to get to where he is

At our August Mastermind meeting of Champions, we had the one and only Benjamin Dennehy, the UK’s Most Hated Sales Trainer on to talk about prospecting and sales. It was so good that we had to turn it into a podcast. We hope you enjoy!

Could you write $250k of new business commission in the next twelve months? I think you can ... And here's how! There are three main things you need to do in order to successfully write a quarter of a million dollars in commission this next year. In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht breaks down the step-by-step process of how you can do this and how you can get every agent at your agency to do the same thing as well. Episode Highlights: Charles explains that the reason why he loves prospecting is that this activity results in having money in his pocket. (3:47) Charles elaborates on how he fell into writing for subcontractors and other types of accounts. (5:02) Charles explains why he decided that the first policy to write for an account was going to be $20,000 of commission or more because he was only writing for small accounts. (9:35) Charles shares that the thing that is stopping you from writing $250,000 of the new commission is the blockage that you h

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with Marit Peters, Executive Director of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, otherwise known as the Big I of Texas. Episode Highlights: Marit explains that one of the reasons she works for the industry is because she thinks of independent agents as being so gracious in their communities. (4:54) Marit shares the fundamentals of running a successful agency, including the importance of identifying those on your team that are dragging it down, and getting your metrics right. (12:00) Marit explains why it is important to look back on historical trends in order to be able to determine the things that did not work out. (15:52) Marit shares about the leadership book that she and her employees read called "The Dichotomy of Leadership." (23:07) Marit mentions that their goal at the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is to make sure that the independent agency channel is healthy. (27:35) Marit explains how COVID has helped them become better at

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Nikki Ostrander. Nikki is the owner of a family agency with a deep understanding of what it takes to make the business a win/win proposition for everyone. Episode Highlights: Nikki discusses her background and what led her to start her agency with her mother. (3:03) Nikki shares that she honors her mother by continuing, building, and growing her mother's reputation and legacy. (7:26) Nikki discusses some of the challenges of being a business owner, mother, and wife. (12:22) Nikki shares that she hired her best friend and it was one of the best decisions that she made. (15:11) Nikki explains how she and her husband handle situations that may appear unfavorable when working together. (20:36) Nikki discusses a practice she's been using to handle emotions before speaking. (23:24) Nikki explains how she and her husband manage to balance family and business boundaries as a team. (30:32) Nikki mentions that with the support o

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Paul Baccaro, CEO & Founder of Social Jazz. Paul talks about how Social Jazz helps you create high-quality social media content for your agency. Episode Highlights: Paul shares that he is a solid iPhone user. He hates to lose, and he believes that passion got him to where he is today. (2:00) Paul discusses his background and how he got into product development. (3:29) Paul explains that Social Jazz was born out of the realization that content is one of the most common problems people are trying to solve. (5:39) According to Paul, a company's social media and website serve as its digital storefront. (9:02) Paul explains that most people are checking your digital storefront, and just because they are not hitting the like button does not mean they are not interacting. (10:52) Paul shares that the future of Social Jazz is all about maintaining high-quality content that engages consumers and answers their questions. (12:51) Paul

In this episode of the Digital Insurance Pint Podcast, the gang talks to Marilyn Horrick, Co-Chair of WICC Ontario, about her work with the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade, the benefits for brokers of getting involved in charitable ventures, and her love of grumpy people. Resources: Tom Reid Jeff Roy Steve Earle Adam Mitchell Digital Insurance Pint Podcast

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with Joshua Goodman, Director of Business Development for the Kansas Big I. Episode Highlights: Josh shares his background and what led him to his position at the Kansas Association of Insurance Agents (KAIA). (4:22) Josh explains that the reason he decided to leave State Farm was because he would not have been able to take over his father's book of business when that time came. (8:38) Josh shares how he started his own agency from scratch in 2010. (13:42) Josh shares how they explain to a client that your agency is no longer the best fit for their needs. (18:21) Josh explains that there is an art to communicating with your referral partners to get the types of referrals that you are looking for. (23:48) Josh shares the factors that led to his decision to sell the agency. (24:41)  Josh explains automation is one of the biggest differences in how things used to be done and how they are done now. (34:41) Josh shares that there is always this

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Erin Kaiser and discusses mental health and how to keep a positive attitude.  Episode Highlights: Erin explains what it was like for her and her business during the height of COVID. (2:06) Erin shares her experience as a captive agent working for State Farm who later started her own business. (8:44) Teresa shares about being in business for 20 years, and how her divorce impacted her kids. (14:50) Erin shares some of the common pitfalls of being an agency owner in terms of mental health and well being (21:05). Erin shares some of the things that happen to her when she goes into a depressive state. (31:57) Erin explains that even though her business is successful, she has made the decision to sell her business because it is the ultimate best choice for her. (38:42) Erin shares more about the personal reasons that led her to the decision to sell her business. (42:28) Erin explains why she does not believe in the word bala

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass chats with Kevin Ring, Lead Workers' Compensation Analyst at Institute of WorkComp Professionals. Kevin in a wealth of knowledge on all things Workers’ Comp.  Episode Highlights: Jason shares that Workers' Compensation is a very interesting line of business. (0:27) Kevin explains that there is no line of insurance where the insured has more control over what they pay without changing the check the insurance company is going to write when you suffer a disaster than Workers’ Compensation. (4:42) Kevin discusses that the fundamental concept of Workers’ Compensation was already passed in Wisconsin in 1911. (7:42) Kevin explains that the number one reason why audits wind up incorrect is that employers don't know how to keep the records the auditor needs. (13:59) Kevin shares that most of the time when clients get a return premium, agents don't see it as an opportunity. (17:05) Kevin explains what medical indemnities are, medical claims only,

Yes, indeed, your clients get solicited by other insurance agents all the time. During this policy renewal year, they are more likely to meet with those agents (your competitors!) to see if there are alternative options available to them to cut costs. Why? Because inflation, a lack of workers, and a hardening insurance market are forcing them to look at options in order to do nothing more than stay in business.  In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht explains the THREE things you can do to ensure your clients renew with you rather than one of your competitors. Episode Highlights: Charles shares that the reality is that clients have almost no plan to leave you and yet they still talk to other agents. (2:11) Charles explains that it is becoming difficult for insurance buyers and business owners to make a profit and stay in business. (4:41)  Charles elaborates on the industry's current situation and what people need to be careful of at this time. (7:31) Charle

In this episode of the Digital Insurance Pint Podcast, join Tom, Steve, Adam & Jeff as the crew hosts Sherif Gemayel, CEO of Trufla Technology. Between the recording of this episode and it's airing, Sherif has sold his brokerage companies to focus on Trufla Technology. Trufla is an insuretech focusing on agency tools such as truMobile, truLeads and digital marketing for agents. In this episode, we get into: Sherif’s fascinating rags to riches story & his journey in the insurance sector The differences in managing digital vs retail brokerages The genesis of the truMobile app How brokers are like Amazon, Google & Netflix How Trufla helps brokers monetize their data How brokers are going to win – when connectivity is solved If you’re an agent, watch this episode – you’ll walk away with some strategic gold! Resources: Tom Reid Jeff Roy Steve Earle Adam Mitchell Digital Insurance Pint Podcast

In this episode of Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with Andrew Correll, Director of Insurance Solutions with Security Scorecard. Episode Highlights: Andrew mentions that he began his career in the insurance market 10 years ago, mostly handling cyber insurance underwriting for technology and life sciences companies. (5:14) Andrew believes that it's up to all of us to learn the ins and outs of what we do, instead of just trying to sell a product to anyone who picks up the phone. (11:38) Andrew talks about where things are now with cyber insurance and data breach protection. (15:08) Andrew believes that the Security Scorecards platform was really made for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and vendor risk managers. (24:33) Andrew discusses how the level of connection they want to have with clients is one of the major value additions from a security scorecard standpoint. (29:20) James explains how he starts putting together his cyber submissions, whether for a new customer or a renewal. (

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Ryan Hanley breaks down how the best content creators in the world overcome their fear and dominate inbound lead generation. Don't miss it! Episode Highlights: Ryan discusses some of the key points of Ryan Holiday's book, The Obstacle Is the Way (5:15) Ryan explains how we can use fear as a signal to take action on the work that needs to be done. (8:54) Ryan discusses what would happen if he let fear prevent him from recording a solo episode. (11:51) Ryan believes we never know which content will be a hit, but we can generate more the next day, because it’s about releasing material and letting the market decide. (17:41) Ryan mentions he'll keep creating content, educating, and helping people with insurance problems because he doesn't know which videos are good and which are bad. (22:56) Ryan explains how he answers every question on their YouTube channel's comment section since he has no clue which response to which inquiry may lead to someone contacting hi

You don't have to be the "best" insurance agent out there. (Please, read that again!) There are literally tens of thousands of insurance agents out there who prospect in your very own geographic territory. You don't need to be the best out of all of them. In fact, all you have to be is the better CHOICE of whichever agent the prospect is using to get quotes on their behalf for that renewal. That's it.  In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host Charles Specht explains how you can get your prospect to perceive you as the best CHOICE out of three agents, and fire their current agent in order to hire you! Episode Highlights: Charles shares that in any line of business, you do not have to be the best, but remember that you are unique. (2:10) Charles explains that the main struggle that most agents have, regardless of whether they are new or experienced, is mindset. (4:30) Charles discusses that there are a lot of agents that are also contacting your clients and prospects, and you d

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Raution Jaiswal, CEO & Co-founder of InsuredMine. Raution discusses what fuels InsuredMine's growth and success, and explains why he believes they are the best all-in-one insurance CRM platform. Episode Highlights: Jason mentions that a lot of what the tech world in the insurance business is doing now is what Raution was doing since 2013. (4:02) Raution mentions that he has returned to using an iPhone after a long period of using Android. (4:37) Raution shares that he loves winning since he does not keep track of what he loses. (6:41) Raution explains that the idea for InsuredMine came to him when he was the Senior Director of M&A for CBRE in 2016-2017. (9:55) According to Raution, InsuredMine began by solving business problems and he did not originally envision creating a CRM. (17:05) Raution explains the two factors that set InsuredMine apart from other companies. (18:23) InsuredMine, according to Raution, is integrating A

In this episode of the Digital Insurance Pint Podcast, Tom, Jeff, Steve & Adam get down & dirty with Braden on what the future holds for the future of agent digitization and what Braden is doing to help agents achieve that goal. Braden’s been in insurance since he was 16 years old and an entrepreneur for most of his life. He’s owned & managed retail brokerages and now he’s growing a digital one (Nuera Insurance) while also developing the great Canadian BMS system under the cheeky (get it?) moniker of Nude Solutions. Braden talks about: How the customer experience at Nuera – powered by Nude solutions – can be significantly better than at traditional retail brokerages The lack of evolution in insurance and his frustration at the friction that exists in the industry The experience of younger staff who are used to operating digitally in their personal life The need for carrier APIs to enable a digital carrier experience The behavioral scoring & advanced front line underwriting tools available in Nude How cu

In this episode of the Agency Freedom Podcast, James talks with Jason Johnson and Katherine Jones from Coterie Insurance. Episode Highlights: Katherine discusses her role as Director of Communications for Coterie. (4:49) Katherine and Jason explain that Coterie is a managing general agency and that they do not want to be a direct to consumer company. (7:56) Jason explains his role as the Director of Agency Experience as well as his philosophy within the company. (10:50) Katherine and Jason share their experience of letting go of talented people in order to balance the financial stability of the company. (15:04) Jason shares about their new products and services that are about to come out, like the technology they call "Simply Bind". (21:42) Katherine shares how grateful they are to agents and brokers, and opens up about their company's podcast. (28:15) Jason explains that Coterie is helping agents by focusing on speed, simplicity, and finding new ways to make sure that agents are capitalizing on