Linda shares with us how she entered the insurance industry, family involved in her agency, her niche's of High Net Worth individuals and construction, and how she surrounds herself with community as it soothes her heart.

Episode Topics:

• Linda Fisher's transition from answering phones to becoming a sales producer and eventually starting her insurance agency

• The significance of education and earning designations in the insurance industry

• Strategies for managing client expectations and insurance renewals in a hard market

• The importance of community involvement and volunteering for personal growth and business development

• Insights into balancing technological advancements with traditional customer service values in the insurance business

• The impact of generational differences on business practices and client interactions.

• Future aspirations and the concept of finding a work-life balance through travel and personal interests

  
  

Connect:

• Linda Fisher LinkedIn

• Dave Jackson LinkedIn

  
  

Visit:

• Cardinal Insurance Group

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

Bob shares with us how he and his staff are approaching the current hard market. He also explains how he manages his passions with community and his multiple businesses.

Episode Topics:

• Bob Klinger’s background, including his military service and transition into the insurance industry.

• The impact of the current hard insurance market on agencies and strategies to navigate it.

• Bob Klinger's approach to community involvement and charity work.

• Expansion and adaptation of Bob Klinger's business in response to market changes.

• Insights into the importance of technology and efficient systems in insurance agencies.

• Bob Klinger's advice for fellow insurance professionals in facing industry challenges.

  
  

Connect with:

• Bob Klinger LinkedIn

• Dave Jackson LinkedIn

  
  

Visit:

• Klinger Insurance Group

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

Pete Covill joins us from Humphrey, Covill & Coleman Insurance Agency in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  He is a third-generation agency owner shared with his sister Lisa Covill Gibson.  Pete shares with us the transition from his agency to a digital one, the implementation of technology and how they have advanced in the flood insurance market in 6 New England states.

Episode Highlights:

• Pete mentions that HCC Insurance specializes in personal and commercial flood insurance, with a focus on educating clients and providing personalized service. (11:33)

• Pete shares that during the late 80s and early 90s, Massachusetts faced challenges with auto insurance, but one company managed to align itself strategically and emerged as the dominant player with a significant market share. (20:37)

• Pete discusses the transition from physical file cabinets to digital storage, highlighting the efficiency and convenience of scanning and organizing documents electronically. (25:31)

• Pete discusses his experience with various technology solutions in the insurance agency industry, including Applied Epic, Agency Revolution, and ePayPolicy. (34:43)

• Pete mentions that he is open to learning from industry leaders and tries to emulate their success while also sharing their own knowledge with others, particularly young entrepreneurs. (40:00)

• Pete discusses the success of using Google ads and automation to efficiently handle insurance inquiries and provide personalized service to clients. (45:23)

  
  

Key Quotes:

• “We had to get rid of those file cabinets. Today, everything is digital. Everything is sent PDF through Formstack for a signature and paid online and we're in the middle of a course with agency performance partners.” - Pete Covill

• “There are several people in our industry that I look up to and just try and emulate what they do and try and take in as much as I can. And at the same time, I try and share my knowledge and for the over the 40 years to other people. ” - Pete Covill

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Pete Covill LinkedIn

• Humphrey, Covill & Coleman Insurance Agency

• Reach out to Dave Jackson

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

Ryan Hanley joins us to share how he made his path to being an agency owner, industry speaker, baseball parent, and Yankees fan. Hanley Media may be his next big thing!

Episode Highlights:

• Ryan shares that he chose to go to college as a means of escaping his hometown and received offers from multiple schools based on his athletic abilities and academic achievements, ultimately choosing the University of Rochester. (13:12)

• Ryan mentions that his first job out of college was as an analyst for a company that purchased lottery annuities, where he learned about the financial implications of taking lump sum payments versus annuity payments. (20:16)

• Ryan discusses his journey of facing opposition, getting fired from various professional roles, and experiencing unexpected setbacks in their career. (26:11 )

• Ryan shares how he started his own agency, using technology to highlight humans in the insurance industry, and the success of their self-fulfilling inbound process. (33:56)

• Ryan reflects on the importance of being present for his children and teaching them resilience and hard work through his own actions and experiences. (41:35)

• Ryan expresses gratitude for the opportunities and relationships he has gained in the industry and emphasizes his commitment to giving back and being accessible to others. (50:44)

  
  

Key Quotes:

• “We're still growing. You know, we figured out a process that works. Our inbound process is essentially a self-fulfilling machine at this point.” - Ryan Hanley

• “As much as I love what I do, and I love speaking, that will always be there. These golden years with my kids will not always be here. So, I'm going to always prioritize that time with them over a speaking gig.” - Ryan Hanley

• “I try to give back to the industry to the people in it as much as I possibly can. I try to pick up as many calls I can answer as many DM’s. People DM me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook all the time and I try to answer and respond to every single one of those as best I can. Because, I just appreciate what this industry gave me and I want to give back to it even more.” - Ryan Hanley

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Ryan Hanley LinkedIn

• Rouge Risk

• Reach out to Dave Jackson

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

Brandon shares how he entered the insurance agency with his family agency, his Dave Ramsey marketing strategy, local podcast in Missoula, online course for producers, and his speaking engagements.

Episode Highlights:

• Brandon discusses his basketball career, including playing at Southwestern University in Texas and suffering a knee injury that ended his playing days. (1:49)

• Brandon shares that he started in insurance in 2004 and became a managing partner in his family business in 2013, expanding into new lines of business and finding success through differentiation and team growth. (13:14)

• Brandon mentions that Glidewell experienced a positive shift in lead generation and success after implementing Dave Ramsey's program, but has since shifted focus to internal lead generation and branding for sustained success. (21:36)

• Brandon shares about his experience in the insurance industry, from public speaking to course creation, over 20 years. (24:35)

• Brandon mentions that the top three tech tools Glidewell uses are a CRM for data and automation, text messaging for quick and efficient communication, and The Missoula Podcast, for relationship building and lead generation. (29:15)

• Brandon discusses Glidewell’s recent executive team retreat and their focus on differentiating themselves in the current economic climate by providing value and resources to businesses. (34:58)

• Brandon explains that Glidewell’s current focus is on growth, with goals of 20% growth and 20% profitability, while maintaining the company culture. (39:12)

• Brandon believes that carrier relationships are shifting from partnerships to investments or vendors due to mistrust and lack of communication. (44:35)

  
  

Key Quotes:

• “We’re a full-service financial firm, we're helping with financial coaching, counseling, helping people with their budgets and debt elimination plan. And our mission really isn't about selling more insurance, it's really helping our clients be on track to retire with dignity.” - Brandon Smith

• “One of the things I learned to really love and enjoy in the industry is the public speaking and sharing ideas with others in the industry. ” - Brandon Smith

• “Our goals are 20% growth and 20% profitability while trying to maintain the culture and company atmosphere that we have. But the big focus through this market for us is on growth, and just finding those opportunities, and then using our value proposition or barriers to entry to help propel that growth.” - Brandon Smith

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Brandon Smith LinkedIn

• Glidewell

• The Missoula Podcast

• Reach out to Dave Jackson

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

John Mason, a native New Yorker, shares with Captain Dave about his illustrious career as an independent insurance agency retail broker and later in his career how he acquired Chenango Brokers, a wholesale broker.  He tells us about the exciting new rating platform that Chenango Brokers has released and how it can help agency brokers place more business.

Episode Highlights:

• John shares his journey from operating a small diner to buying an insurance agency. (3:20)

• John discusses the challenges faced by smaller agents in selling commercial lines and offers a solution to help them access a network of carriers and obtain real-time quotes. (10:53) 

• John mentions that agents can capitalize on the Commercial Auto market by using an online portal for real-time quotes and to access low-cost options for additional companies and commercial insurance products. (16:37)

• John explains that Florida's insurance market presents challenges in auto insurance, but agents can capitalize on selling personal and small commercial policies in niche markets and prioritize insurance coverage retention. (22:05) 

• John emphasizes the importance of embracing technology and seeking innovative solutions, such as using robots and technology to replace virtual assistants, in order to improve processes and stay ahead. (28:12)

• John discusses the importance of AI being able to differentiate content to avoid redundancy and competition, particularly in digital formats. (38:06)

• John mentions that Chenango Brokers is focused on making it easier for agencies to do business with them by expanding their presence across the country and developing tools for instant quotes and access to carriers. (40:45)

  
  

Key Quotes:

• “My number one customer is the independent insurance agent. I can't tell you the number of times when I get a prospect. I'll call another IAOA member who does business with us and say, you know, you want to take this, I'd be more than happy to refer it to you and they place it with us. So, we are both retail and wholesale. That's pretty much the focus, I want to do what's right for the customer.” - John Mason

• “Talk to your customers, be in their face, use social media, proactively show them how you can better protect them, help them save money, etc., and be their advocate.” - John Mason

• “We are trying to develop tools to just make it easier and easier and easier to do business with Chenango Brokers.” - John Mason

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• John Mason LinkedIn

• Chenango Brokers

• Reach out to Dave Jackson

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

Julie shares with us how she began in her family agency in Florida.  She explains why getting involved in her local state associations is important to her agency. Her husband Jason and her have built a sizeable agency in a difficult Florida market.

Episode Highlights:

• Julie shares her journey in the insurance world and how they have built their successful agency in the Florida market.  (8:17)

• Julie mentions that their insurance agency is aiming for a 50/50 split between personal and commercial lines, but personal lines have been growing faster. (15:21)

• Julie explains how customer relationships and understanding cultural differences are crucial in providing excellent service (23:54)

• Julie discusses the importance of staying educated in the insurance industry, networking with peers, advocating for the industry with elected representatives, and the value of being involved in professional associations. (27:43)

• Julie discusses the roofing fraud scheme where homeowners unknowingly sign away their insurance claim rights to fraudulent roofers, resulting in inflated repair costs and liens on their homes, while lawyers exploit the system by charging exorbitant fees. (39:24)

• Julie emphasizes the importance of strong relationships with carriers and conducting thorough financial due diligence to avoid insolvencies and ensure agency success. (44:53)

  
  

Key Quotes:

• “We do remote for the three H's: Hardship, Holiday and Hurricanes. So we really believe in having people in the office and learning from each other.” - Julie Levine

• “We are very cautious about who we get appointed with. We don't want to have every market out there, we have very strong relationships with the carriers that we do have, which I think has put us in the trajectory of the success that we've had, is because of those relationships.” - Julie Levine

• “We really want to develop and invest in our team members. And then it has that trickle-down effect of where we are able to properly educate our customers so they know what's going on. So, they know when we say that this is the only option for you, they know that they can trust us because we've explained things really, really well. ” - Julie Levine

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Julie Levine LinkedIn

• Harry Levine Insurance

• Reach out to Dave Jackson

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA
  

Grant shares how he started Stewardship with the mortgage division, followed closely by the insurance division. He then added the financial services and real estate divisions later when the timing was best. Grant also talks about his course and books that he has authored.

Episode Highlights:

• Grant discusses his experience with golf, initially dismissing it but later realizing its value for community and personal growth. (8:01)

• Grant shares that he started his career in the mortgage industry before branching out into other lines of business, but his passion for business and finance started early on.  (17:24)

• Grant discusses his transition from the mortgage and insurance industry to the real estate industry to address issues with real estate agent compensation and drive industry reforms. (24:09)

• Grant mentions that he developed an internal system to increase efficiency and lower costs for consumers using their financial products and services, which eventually led to the creation and sale of the software to another company. (28:41)

• Grant shares his journey from struggling with reading to becoming the author of his upcoming book. (36:05)

• Grant discusses the importance of looking at challenges as opportunities and asking "What does this make possible?" to find potential solutions and opportunities for growth. (38:07)

• Grant emphasizes the importance for insurance agencies to identify their ideal client and market specifically to them, including clients with frequent claims and those sensitive to rate increases, to create an exclusive and sought-after agency. (46:00)

  
  

Key Quotes:

• “Change the mindset, change the goal, the goal is in balance, you're not going to be able to stay balanced forever. The goal is harmony. And the way to do that is to bring all areas of your life closer together and unified more. And that prevents you from having to run back and forth between them.” - Grant Botma

• “You have to find needs and fill them first. And it's okay to have multiple niches. For me and my company, our niche is we love people well through finances. Our niche is to put other people first. And if we're going to do that, we have to put ourselves in their shoes in every market and find a way to serve them no matter the market.” - Grant Botma

• “There's a gigantic, not only opportunity, but huge need for every single insurance agency to get crystal clear about who their ideal client is, and start marketing to that ideal client. And that includes the types of clients that have lots of claims and the types of clients that freak out about increases or not.” - Grant Botma

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Grant Botma LinkedIn

• Stewardship

• Reach out to Dave Jackson

• Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA