Agency Intelligence

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Ryan Hanley interviews Cameron Tolman, MBA, Director of Business Development at Podium. Cameron joins the podcast to discuss exactly what Podium is and does, as well as how independent insurance agents can bridge the gap to digital transformation. This is an episode you don't want to miss... Episode Highlights: Cameron gives a short background on Podium. (7:31) Cameron shares their modern customer journey. (9:54) Cameron mentions why having brick and mortar is great for visibility. (14:12) Cameron shares the beauty of working from home. (18:31) Cameron mentions how Podium is trying to help businesses. (19:23) Cameron shares the ability to grow at scale. (26:18) Cameron gives a piece of advice to the listeners. (30:51) Cameron shares how many businesses are utilizing Podium. (41:30) Key Quotes: “We expect convenience. And, we expect to make well-informed quick decisions, and to be able to get what we want as quickly as possible. So, Podium’s vision a

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Erin Neill, Owner of Hanby Insurance. Erin goes in depth about how she acquired the agency and details her goals for the future. Episode Highlights: What has attributed to Erin’s success, skill or luck? (4:58) Erin shares her background. (6:37) Erin mentions how she was able to acquire Hanby Insurance. (10:24) Erin shares the first action she took after acquiring the agency. (12:10) What did Erin’s staff situation look like in the first three months? (16:33) What does Erin’s agency look like at present? (22:11) Erin shares her big focus for the agency. (27:19) Does Erin have plans to hire a COO? (29:26) Erin mentions why she’s grateful that she met Jason. (37:20) Key Quotes: “We're going to have a goal. I don't know what we're going to do to get to that goal, but we're going to get there and we're going to track it.” - Erin Neil “I've been trying the last two years to shift my focus from working in the agency to

In this episode of the Age of Indiependence podcast, host Katlyn Eggar interviews Brad Shorkend, co-CEO of Still Human. Brad unlocks how to activate and energize humans, and shows the role EQ will play in the insurance world as technology continues to advance. Episode Highlights: Has Brad lived in South Africa his whole life? (3:44) Brad shares how his travels have been part of his research on human behavior. (8:55) Brad explains what Still Human is all about. (11:19) Brad shares his studies on human consciousness. (19:33) Brad shares what’s missing when it comes to communication. (32:50) Brad mentions the significance of verbal communication. (34:35) What makes work suck for Brad? (39:44) Brad shares how changing our interaction with clients can make an impact. (52:18) Key Quotes: “I think what people don't understand is culture is always being created, either because of us or in spite of us. And, what people also don't understand with culture, you get culture in the context of the way pe

This is Cass...I was reminded lately of the big lies we tell ourselves in this business. So I went back and reviewed what I learned when this type of thing happened before. In this podcast, I share them with you. Loyal listeners already know them and always need to be reminded...as I was. 

In this episode, James unpacks the Operational component of your Agency Freedom Launch Plan. We go in to great detail on the key parts to consider as you are reviewing and setting up your operations from top to bottom. Visit https://www.riskwell.com/podcast to sign up for our Freedom Jumpers Email List and receive all of the links and downloads for resources useful stuff for your agency.

In this episode of Agency Intelligence, James Castell joins guest host Mike Crowley. James talks about how he successfully joined a family agency by opening a new product division in their agency and within 10 years is awarded one of Liberty Mutual's agent of the year awards. Episode Highlights: James shares how he got into the insurance industry. (2:43) James mentions how the give and take with his father went. (8:39) James shares how he was able to turn a Medicare supplement agency into an agency of the future in less than ten years. (17:38) James explains what they created for Medicare clients. (21:43) James gives a piece of advice to those who can’t make a change in their family agency. (35:00) James mentions their long-term vision. (39:56) Which does James prefer, audiobooks or podcasts? (42:07) Does James prefer remote work or office work? (43:12) Key Quotes: “I think as things digitize and move forward, and people go that route and want simplicity and want all the ease, there's stil

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Ellie Platt, Owner of Platt Insurance. Ellie talks about her expertise in the nonprofit and the growth of her agency. Episode Highlights: What has attributed to Ellie’s success, skill or luck? (9:17) Ellie shares her background. (10:16) Ellie mentions how Kate has helped her in the insurance industry. (11:44) Ellie mentions her main niche in this industry. (14:28) Ellie shares the biggest challenge she’s faced. (15:03) Has Ellie thought about growing in commercial lines? (17:04) Ellie mentions what she has done on the nonprofit side. (23:48) Does Ellie see her son being in the insurance industry? (26:56) Ellie gives a piece of advice to the loyal listeners. (32:32) Key Quotes: “My background is nonprofit, it's still where my heart is. I mean, if you look at our agency, so much of where we spend our time and our network, and our referrals come from that nonprofit world. So, it's definitely something I'm interested

In this episode of the Age of Indiependence podcast, host Katlyn Eggar interviews Emily Gerber Poe, Owner of Gerber Insurance & Financial Services, and Founder/Owner at Medical Claims Helper, Inc. Emily's visionary leadership style has led her multi-location agency to flourish in the independent world. Hear how she is successfully mastering agency acquisition, diversifying her portfolio, and recruiting from outside of the industry. Episode Highlights: Emily gives a short background of her agency. (3:02) Emily mentions the lesson she’s learned from her father. (7:41) What were some of the thoughts going through Emily’s mind when she purchased the agency? (9:40) Does Emily think that it's harder to be a captive agent or an independent agent? (17:10) Emily mentions how many locations she has. (26:33) Emily shares how she’s able to manage all three locations. (27:16) How can we have a better learning experience in the insurance industry? (32:14) Emily mentions what stood out to her about the agenc

In this episode of Agents Influence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Andy Mathisen, Co-Founder, and CMO of GloveBox. Andy talks about his approach in the insurance industry and what we should know about GloveBox. Episode Highlights: What has contributed to Andy’s success, skill or luck? (8:17) Andy mentions the last book he read. (8:32) Andy shares his background. (13:03) Andy shares how GloveBox was created. (17:52) Andy mentions how they work on the API. (22:00) Andy explains the main reasons why policyholders don't start an account with their carrier. (25:50) Andy shares what their web app does. (27:53) Andy explains what a “learned experience” is. (31:25) Key Quotes: “We're trying to bring everyone together, huddle everyone up... say, look, this is benefiting the distribution channel of the independent agent, and it's helping them service their book of business, and it's helping the policyholder have a better relationship with their insurance, which ultimately helps everybody: the a

We're thrilled to introduce a new series on the AI Podcast Network! Today, we bring you Agency Freedom Podcast, hosted by James Jenkins, Chief Risk Officer at Riskwell Insurance. In this pilot episode, James unpacks the mission for Agency Freedom Podcast. He addresses the question of why we're doing this whole thing and exactly what you can expect in the coming weeks and months. James shares his origin story in the insurance world and a brief recap of how he came to make his Freedom Jump to the Indy side. 

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Meg McKeen, Founder and Chief Confidence Officer at Adjunct Advisors, LLC, joins the podcast for a conversation on sales, the insurance industry, and the power of developing your authentic voice. Meg is a tremendous resource for our industry and I know you're going to love this episode... Episode Highlights: Meg mentions how she maintains her composure. (10:22) Meg mentions why the competition in their industry is confusing. (15:43) Meg shares why every scenario that people could need insurance for is coming from a place of negativity. (16:50) Meg shares the main factor that a successful agent of the future has. (20:46) How does an agency principal allow someone inside their agency to have a personal brand? (24:12) Meg mentions why she agrees that the majority of decision-makers in their industry have hit their number. (42:05) What keeps producers from moving to an agency that excites them? (43:19) Meg shares why selling insurance has been entrepreneu

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Zach Simmonds, Account Executive at Eber & Associates Insurance Services. Zach talks about his career as a new agent and his niche in the insurance industry. Episode Highlights: Zach shares his background. (5:14) What has attributed to Zach’s success, skill or luck? (10:03) Zach shares some of the strategies he uses to be successful. (13:52) Zach mentions his biggest learning curve. (18:28) Does Zach have any niches? (21:05) Zach shares the full package, plus work comp that they offer. (22:43) Zach shares his thoughts about having the right relationship. (35:12) Zach mentions what he’s currently doing in the agency. (39:26) Key Quotes: “I think in this industry, any sales position, you have to be willing to just kind of throw yourself in the fire.” - Zach Simmonds “I think people genuinely, for the most part, do want to help younger people in their career. hen youshow that you're willing to put the work in, I t

In this episode of Insurance In Your Words, an AI podcast series originally aired in 2016, host, Joey Giangola, talks to Troy Thompson about the importance of viewing your systems, processes and wow factor as a continued work in progress that are never fully complete.

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Bob Frady, CEO & Founder of HazardHub, joins the podcast to discuss the value of hazard risk data and why the secret to the future of insurance success is putting data to use for your business. This is an episode you don't want to miss… Episode Highlights: Bob mentions why January was an interesting month for them. (4:09) Bob shares why people think that they’re significantly larger. (7:50) Bob shares how HazardHub was created. (13:24) Bob mentions a couple of things they’ve figured out. (19:04) Bob mentions the focus of their business. (22:32) Bob shares why being an entrepreneur is not easy. (25:37) Bob explains why data is significant nowadays. (30:10) Bob Explains the risk of data being incorrect. (40:03) Bob shares the product they built called Agent Risk View. (50:21) Key Quotes: “Spending time on a spreadsheet, planning stuff out to me is not nearly as effective as going to some fundraiser that you think is a waste of time. Because

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Michelle Mosher, Founder, CEO of Southshore Insurance Professionals, and Michele Horwitz, Agency Owner of Bay Area Insurance Shop, Inc. Michelle and Michele talk about their approach to business and niche in the insurance industry. Episode Highlights: What has attributed to Michele and Michelle’s success, skill or luck? (7:28) Michelle and Michele share their career background. (10:31) Michelle mentions one of her goals when she opened her agency. (16:50) What’s the main niche of Michele’s agency? (20:37) Do Michele and Michelle agree that the amount of competition is based on the number of prospects? (24:40) Michelle mentions her biggest challenge, at present. (30:22) What’s something that’s been significantly helpful to Michelle when doing business? (33:26) Michelle and Michele give a piece of advice to the loyal listeners. (40:45) Key Quotes: “I think that insurance is still such a relationship business, that the

In this episode of the Age of Indiependence podcast, host Katlyn Eggar interviews three-time TedX speaker, best-selling author, and leadership guru Dr. Todd Dewett, PhD. Dr. Dewett shares with us how to lead authentically, inspire a creative work environment, and why we shouldn't be afraid to show our ink. Episode Highlights: Dr. Todd Dewett shares some of the books he authored. (4:47) Where does Dr. Todd Dewett get his stories? (5:48) Dr. Todd Dewett shares how he takes note of his ideas. (7:47) Dr. Todd Dewett mentions his TedX experience and his upcoming TedX talk. (8:25) Dr. Todd Dewett explains how he gets people to reframe their thoughts and learn. (11:33) Dr. Todd Dewett explains what business owners do to make sure that the culture they've created encourages innovation. (18:29) Dr. Todd Dewett explains the variables he’s seen in team cultures. . (22:50) Dr. Todd Dewett shares what the status bubble is all about. (27:25) Dr. Todd Dewett shares how a leader should address risks. (32:13

Back by popular demand, we dug deep into the archives and found an old podcast series from 2016 called, Insurance in Your Words. This podcast was hosted by the one and only, Joey Giangola, and is very unique in how it's recorded and delivered. In this episode, Joey shares how knowing the margins, (commission – time = profit) on each policy you sell and market will make sure you’re always preparing a healthy dish for your agency. If you have listened before or are listening for the first time, we're sure you'll enjoy!

In this episode of The Ryan Hanley Show, Ryan is joined by Clint Pulver, Emmy Award winning keynote speaker, professional drummer, and author of I Love It Here. A former private pilot turned generational workforce expert, Clint has dedicated his professional career as the undercover millennial, uncovering the secrets to what leaders are doing right. Clint shows us how to be mentor-managers and why this particular management style is the key to future organizational growth. Episode Highlights: Clint shares his background. (9:04) Clint shares what being undercover is all about. (19:09) Clint mentions the magic of the research. (23:33) Has Clint worked in the insurance industry? (24:23) Clint mentions the four types of managers and management. (26:36) Clint shares the significance of mentorship. (29:35) Clint mentions the research he did during the pandemic. (34:12) Clint explains the five C’s of mentorship. (36:30) Key Quotes: “Sometimes we have no idea. You're in the right place, the right

In this episode of Agency Intelligence podcast, host Jason Cass interviews Quincy Branch, President, and CEO of Branch Benefits Consultants. Quincy shares how he built a successful career in the insurance industry, the importance of mentorship and what he’s learned from his acquisitions. Episode Highlights: What has attributed to Quincy’s success, skill or luck? (7:43) Quincy shares his background. (9:27) Quincy mentions one of his first ventures. (11:23) What does Quincy’s agency look like now? (16:37) Quincy shares what he worked on when he started in their agency. (18:42) Quincy shares his memories at the final four. (26:42) Quincy mentions the significance of constant grounding. (34:21) Quincy shares what he’s learned from the acquisitions. (40:41) Key Quotes: “There's no aspect of an agency that I haven't seen run. So you know, I may not be the best at it. But, at least I've seen it in some way, shape, or form.” - Quincy Branch “If I say, I found a niche and knowledge... benefits are

In this episode of the Age of Indiependence podcast, host Katlyn Eggar interviews Teresa Kitchens, agency owner of Sterling Insurance Group and podcast host. Teresa shares how she's upping her game with CRM skills, new recruits, and celebrating her competition. Episode Highlights: Teresa shares why she started the Power Women in Insurance podcast. (1:44) Teresa gives a short background about the company. (3:04) Teresa shares her experience at the Innovation Conference. (4:52) Teresa mentions the impact of social media on the insurance industry. (13:16) Teresa mentions the significance of being genuine. (17:02) Teresa shares the first Better Agency webinar she attended. (17:42) What was Teresa’s favorite part from the conference? (23:35) Teresa mentions some of the guests from her podcast. (32:32) Teresa shares how her life in the insurance industry has been. (36:17) Teresa shares the culture they have in the agency. (42:47) Key Quotes: “I love being a part of that voice in the industry