Evolved Broker Podcast

There's no doubt that there's a need for crypto to be included in the world. Raymond Zenkich is the co-founder and president of the very first crypto asset insurance company, Evertas.Our guest is an experience technology executive and his 25+ year career experience includes McKinsey, Accenture, and running consulting, SaaS, and other insurance businesses. A day before recording this episode, Evertas received $14M in Series A funding.I was super interested to learn more about Evertas, especially with the recent bankruptcy of FTX which was the third largest crypto exchange. Be sure to listen to the full episode to learn more about Raymond and crypto insurance.Thanks for following along!Check out Evertas' website at evertas.com

Adrian Gostick is a global thought leader in the fields of corporate culture, leadership and engagement. He founded The Culture Works to provide workplace training for leaders around the world. He's also the author of the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers All In, The Carrot Principle, Leading with Gratitude, and Anxiety at Work. In 2021, Adrian was ranked as a top 10 Global Guru in Leadership and Organizational Culture. He has shared in expertise on the Today's Show, CNN and CNBC and is a leadership strategy writer for Forbes. Company culture and employee engagement in the insurance industry have undergone massive changes in the last couple years. I was really excited to chat with Adrian about how we can get our company culture and our employee engagement to the best it can possible be.Thanks for following along!Check out his website at bryangostick.com

Insurance professionals, like other industries are struggling to adapt in the face of technological advancements. Bryan Falchuk is a veteran of the insurance industry, best-selling author and motivational speaker. His work has been featured in several top publications like Inc. Magazine, The LA Times, Chicago Tribune and more. He ran claims at Hiscox before turning to the Insurtech world with a company called Mentor. Bryan is currently the founder and managing partner of Insurance Evolution Partners, a consulting and advisory firm for the insurance industry. With his books, Do a Day, The 50 75 100 Solution, and The Future of Insurance Series; he shares insights on how to navigate through today's changing landscape.I was most interested by what this experienced leader had say on how we can prepare for potential disruptions ahead—we're ripe for disruption right now but there will be more changes coming soon! Thanks for following along!Check out his website at bryanfalchuk.com

Josh Linkner's powerful, moving speeches connect with audiences around the world to help them find new ideas and inspiration. In a world where we're all searching for that one thing - whether it be creativity or impact- Josh is here not only as an entrepreneur but as a New York Times Bestselling Author and speaker, who brings his own story into every speech he delivers across America today He knows how important each audience member can make their lives by taking away what they need most: guidance on solving problems quickly through innovation.In this episode, we discussed how insurance firms can foster innovation and creativity through limited resources. If you're looking for ways to jumpstart your own creative process, be sure to listen to the full podcast episode. Thanks for following along!Check out his website at joshlinkner.com

On today's episode, we're welcoming Andy Crestodina to the show.Andy Crestodina is a digital marketing expert who has been in the game since 2000 and has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and more. He's helped thousands of people do a better job getting results online. Andy has put out some of the best digital marketing advice available in hundreds of practical articles with his team at Orbit Media. His articles cover topics like content strategy, search engine optimization, social media and analytics.In our conversation, we discuss the ins and outs of web development and how to best optimize an insurance website. if you haven't heard him speak yet, you should really check out this episode.Check out his Twitter at @crestodina or visit his website at orbitmedia.comFollow Pat on LinkedIn here.

On today's episode, we're welcoming back best selling author and public speaker, Carmine Gallo.Carmine Gallo is a Harvard instructor, CEO communication coach, and bestselling author. Talk Like TED, written by Gallo, has been translated into more than 40 languages. Gallo also writes for Forbes, Inc, and Harvard Business Review and have been endorsed by many business leaders across the country. In Gallo's new book, The Bezos Blueprint, he reveals the leadership and communication strategies Jeff Bezos pioneered to fuel Amazon's astonishing growth. Our conversation tackles Bezos' incredible story, his use of storytelling, and more. This is an episode you don't want to miss.Visit his website at carminegallo.com.

Today we welcome Julian Treasure, an international speaker and author who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many more. Besides publishing his most recent award winning book, “How to be heard: Secrets of Powerful Speaking and Listening,” he's moved audiences globally. Treasure has been a featured TED Talks speaker 5 times with views surpassing 153 million. He challenges his listeners to pay attention to sound and reflect on the emotions that arise. What makes someone's speech the #7 most viewed TED Talk of all time? Well, your delivery must be able to capture the hearts and mind of the listener. His talks has been known to enhance business effectiveness and improve relationships at work and at home. It's safe to say that he's a pro. In this conversation, Treasure gives us tips on how to warm up our voice, stand on stage and more.Visit Julian Treasure's website here.Follow Pat on LinkedIn here.

On this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with the New York Times Best Selling Author of the Book: Performing Under Pressure - The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most. His name is Dr. Hank Weisinger. Dr. Hank a pioneer in the emerging science of pressure management. He has consulted and conducted workshops with dozens of Fortune 500 Companies, government agencies, professional organizations, and taught in numerous business school executive education programs and executive MBA programs. These organizations include Wharton, UCLA, Cornell, NYU, Penn State, and Columbia. He has also made over 500 television and radio appearances, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah, NPR and ESPN.In our conversation, we discussed the biggest takeaways from Performing Under Pressure. We talked about the science of pressure and specific actionable takeaways to help you in the next big presentation, sales call, conversation, game, match, or competition. This episode has valuable information for people in any profession.Order a copy of Dr. Hank's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Performing-Under-Pressure-Science-Matters/dp/0804136726

Our guest today is a New York Times Futurist. His name is Michael Rogers. He attended Stanford University and the Stanford Business School Executive Program. I decided to have him on because I'm extremely interested in his thoughts on the future of the Insurance Industry. Michael began his career as a writer for Rolling Stone and went on to co-found Outside magazine. He then launched Newsweek's technology column, winning numerous journalism awards, including a National Headliner Award for coverage of the Chernobyl meltdown. Michael is a regular guest on radio and television, including Good Morning America, the Today Show, PBS, CNN and the History Channel. He just completed 2 years as futurist in residence for the NY times and just released his new book “Email from the Future: Notes from 2084."

Our guest for this episode is the co-founder and CEO of the fastest growing insurance agency in the US. His name is Spike Lipkin.Spike grew up in Colorado, attended University of Pennsylvania and received his graduate degree from Stanford Business School.After working as an investor at Blackstone, he helped grow opendoor.com from a 5-person company into a $3B dollar business as their head of finance. He then went on to found a retail brokerage called Newfront Insurance. To date, they have raised over $300M dollars, completed a merger with ABD insurance, and their valuation is over $2B dollars. We discusses:• His story• His work school and work experience• His vision for the future of Newfront. Spike has a really interesting outlook on the future of the insurance industry, and he is an inspiration to young entrepreneurs trying to disrupt long-standing industries.

Our guest for this episode is known as America's Business Psychologist. He is the author of 17 best-selling books including “Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes with Their Money, Mastering the Game, and Willpower: The Secrets of Self-Discipline and Sales Magic.“ He travels across the world to give keynote speeches to help business owners achieve peak performance. Some of his clients include: American Express, Wells Fargo, Ford, Aetna, and Porsche. His name is Kerry Johnson.I spoke with him about his new book called “How to Recruit, Hire and Retain Great People.” On the episode, we covered:• The Great Resignation• How to Find Great People• Secrets to the Interview Process• How to Retain individualsThis topic could not be more relevant to the insurance world today.

Our guest for this episode is a hiring guru and best-selling author. His name is Lou Adler and he wrote a famous book on recruiting called “Hire with Your Head.” When it comes to recruiting, nobody has better strategies than Lou. His articles, quotes and research can now be found in Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg, SHRM and The Wall Street Journal. He is one of the top bloggers on LinkedIn's Influencer Program and has an amazing 1.3 million LinkedIn followers. In this episode, we discussed recruiting strategies that every insurance firm in the nation should be using.

Our guest for this episode is John Sileo. John's identity was used to embezzle $300,000 from his clients. While the thief covered his crimes using Sileo's identity, John and his business were held legally and financially responsible for the felonies committed. The breach destroyed John's company and consumed two years of his life as he fought to stay out of jail. In response, John made it his mission to help organizations and individuals protect the data that underlies their wealth. Combining real-world experience with years of study, John became an award-winning author, trusted advisor and keynote speaker on identity theft, cyber security, online privacy and digital fraud. John's body of work includes engagements with the Pentagon, USA Today, VISA, Rachael Ray, the FDIC, Pfizer, 60 Minutes, Homeland Security, Blue Cross, Anderson Cooper, Allstate, The Washington Post, the Federal Reserve, Fox Business, and organizations of all sizes. In our conversation, we discussed his story and how people and businesses can better protect themselves from hacking attacks.

On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with a mindful leadership expert. In the 1980s, his family jewelry business in LA generated millions of dollars but they went completely broke after a fire at their manufacturing plant. While on a search for meaning and purpose in his life, he decided to become a monk. He spent 15 years living as a monk in one of the busiest parts of New York City. My guest is named Pandit Dasa. Pandit is now an author, speaker, and expert on mindful leadership, resilience, team building, and stress management. In a world filled with digital distraction and overstimulation, his strategies for mindfulness and focus are more important now than ever. They apply specifically to people in the working world. In our conversation, we discussed: · The daily routine of a monk…· The impact of strategic breathing…· How to increase daily mindfulness…· Achieving work-life balance…

On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with the CEO of one of the largest insurance agencies in the US. His name is Mike Ross, and he is the CEO of Insurica. Based out of Oklahoma City, the Insurance Journal lists Insurica at #24 on the list of largest insurance agencies in the country for 2021. They are a family-owned business with about 600 employees and 33 offices located throughout Oklahoma, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas. Insurica plans to achieve $225M in revenue by 2025. Mike graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University and has been the CEO of Insurica for 20 years. Since he took over, the business has grown from $6M in revenue to $125M in revenue. He was recently featured on the cover of Insurance Journal.In our conversation, we discussed: · Mike's personal background... · His journey to become the leader of Insurica…· His strategies for leadership, company culture, the future of Insurica…· Advice for new employees…

On this episode I had the pleasure of speaking to someone who has been repeatedly recognized by Forbes as one of the most influential CMO's in the world. He is a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and the former CMO of Aetna which is a Fortune 50 company. My guest today is David Edelman. David is one of the biggest names in the world of marketing. He has over 1.2M followers on LinkedIn. He is also an executive advisor that consults with companies of all sizes that are looking to optimize their digital and marketing transformation. I could not think of a better person to chat about marketing strategy with than David. In our conversation, we discussed: · David's personal background... · What got him interested in marketing…· His experience as the CMO of Aetna….· Specific marketing strategies for our listeners

On this episode, I spoke with the chairman and CEO of one of the largest insurance agencies in the United States. That agency is Holmes Murphy, which is headquartered in Iowa, and they have over $117M in P&C revenue, over 750 employees in 14 locations. They are led by Mr. Dan Keough. Dan attended University of Iowa and Loyola Chicago before starting a captive strategies company called ICS. He grew Holmes Murphy's Northern Division as their president before going on to become their Chairman and CEO. In our conversation, we discussed: · Dan's personal background... · How he was introduced to the insurance industry...· His road to becoming CEO... · Holmes Murphy today...

We are very excited to bring you all the fourth and final episode of our sales series! My guest, Colleen Francis, was named the #1 Sales Influencer to follow by LinkedIn. Colleen is an award-winning consultant, bestselling author, and speaking hall of fame inductee. She works with individuals and organizations (like Chevron, Experian, and Merck) to improve their sales performance. Our conversation centered around the strategies in her brand new book "Right on the Money." The content could not be more relevant for salespeople as we move out of the pandemic… In our conversation, we discussed:· How Salespeople Need to be Using Social Media· Using your Downtime Effectively…· Becoming a Scientist with Your Performance…· Sales Management PS - For all my insurance folks out there, I think you will like this one because Colleen started her sales career in the insurance industry!

On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with the CEO one of the most highly regarded sales training companies in the world. Sandler Sales Training trains over 30,000 people every year in more than 30 countries with 250+ locations worldwide. They work with companies of all sizes and their clients include: Salesforce, AT&T, Oracle, Microsoft, and Bank of America. Dave Mattson is the leader of this global organization. Dave was born and raised in Connecticut and graduated from UConn. He worked for one of Sandler's clients and love the training so much that he joined their team in 1988. Two years later he was named COO. In 2007, he was named the CEO and was responsible for growing international revenue by 145%. He is the author of multiple best-selling sales books, including: Sandler Success Principles. Scaling Sales Success, and the Sandler Rules.In our conversation, we discussed:· How to Make an Elevator Pitch…· Sales 101: Don't Negotiate on Price…· What is the Sandler Sales Submarine?· What makes Sandler Sales Training different?

On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the world's leading experts in sales, service, and customer experience.He is the author of three Amazon and Wall Street Journal best-selling books: “The Challenger Sale”, “The Effortless Experience” and “The Challenger Customer”¬—and is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review."The Challenger Sale" is widely regarded as the greatest sales book of all time. In our conversation, he breaks down the major concepts in the book. He scientifically breaks down the ideal sales profile, strategy, and approach. We also discussed:· The 5 Sales Personality Types…· Who a Challenger IS…· 6 Steps to a Great Sales Pitch…· Sales Management Optimization… If you want to master the most effective sale that has been studied, this podcast is for you. PS - thought I should explain my black eye in this episode… wish I had a better story, but just happened to connect with an inadvertent knee during a Jiu Jitsu class

For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the most prominent sales experts in the world. He is the author of three amazon best sellers and was the #1 salesperson in three organizations. He's been called the #1 Sales Expert to follow on twitter. His books include New Sales Simplified, Sales Management Simplified, and Sales Truth. My guest's name is Mike Weinberg.I wanted to have Mike on because beyond having tremendous success as a sales trainer and author, his style is far more blunt and direct than any other sales trainer we've had on the podcast. He's spoken on five continents and has worked directly with companies and individuals in the insurance industry. Mike and I discussed: · What differentiates him from other sales experts· Why do most sales people fail?· Prospecting: Go after Dream Targets· The Most Important Sales Weapon· Sales 101: The Universal Objection Buster

My guest for this episode is the co-founder and CEO of one of the newest Insurtech Unicorns in the industry. Niji Sabharwol founded a company called AgentSync with his wife Jenn Knight in 2018. They met while working at LinkedIn together where he served as the Global Sales Strategy & Operations Manager based out of Ireland and then San Francisco. Niji moved on to become the Head of Sales Strategy and Operations at Zenefits. Zenefits was a hyper-growth HR startup that received a 4.5 billion Dollar valuation. Unfortunately, they grew too fast resulting in over hiring, reckless company culture, and disregard for insurance licensing regulation. Niji was the guy tasked with fixing the problem. The remediation plans he set up for Zenefits helped him come up with the idea for AgentSync. He and Jenn have come up with a way for the insurance industry to automate producer licensing and compliance in real-time with software.We covered:· Advice for Raising Capital· AgentSync's Ideal Client· How the Zenefits Compliance Issues Created AgentSync· Why AgentSync is Crucial for Compliance

In this episode, I spoke with one of the most renowned public speaking experts in the world. My guest is a three-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author, internationally popular keynote speaker, Harvard instructor, and leadership advisor for the world's most admired brands. My guest is named Carmine Gallo.Carmine's books have been endorsed by folks like Howard Schultz, Marc Benioff, Tony Hsieh, Tony Robbins and Adam Grant. In our conversation, he breaks down the science behind one of the most feared activities in human history: public speaking. We discuss the specific secrets and tactics for public speaking that he reveals in his book; Talk Like Ted. We covered:· The best way to CRUSH a presentation· Why most presentations suck· The best business presentation of all time· Warren Buffet's thoughts on the value of public speaking· The time Bill Gates unleashed mosquitos into a crowd

2022 is a new year for the Evolved Broker Podcast!In this episode Pat breaks down the first year of the Evolved Broker Podcast and looks forward to year two. 2021 was a huge success and we believe that with the experience and knowledge that we gained, 2022 will be even better!Pat covers:· Why we started the podcast...· 2021 Year in review· Advice for anyone starting a podcast· 2022 Preview· How the audience can get involved

On this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with the CEO of one of the largest and fastest growing insurance agencies in the United States. That man is Ricky Spiro, and he is the CEO of the Hilb Group.For 2021, Insurance Journal lists the Hilb Group at #13 on the list of largest insurance agencies in the US with more than $260M in P&C revenue. As of July, they've completed more than 100 acquisitions and they have more than 100 offices, with more than 1500 employees, in 21 states. Ricky and I discussed:· What is Hilb's company culture like?· What's an ideal agency for Hilb Group?· Advice for a brand new employee at Hilb· What's the future for the Hilb Group?· What could disrupt the insurance world?

My guest for this episode is a former NFL coach and current CEO of North Risk Partners named Chris Meidt. Chris is known as the Ted Lasso of Insurance.The reason he's called Ted Lasso is because he started his career as a football coach, and while Ted went from football to soccer, Chris transitioned from football to insurance.In his 7 years in the insurance industry, he's been incredibly successful. After joining North Risk in 2014, he quickly took over as CEO. Since that time, the firm has more than tripled its revenue, going from $20M in revenue to about $75M in revenue.Chris and I discussed:· Why he is the Ted Lasso of Insurance· How he became a Redskins QB Coach…· How Walmart Prepared him to become a CEO· 3 Ways to Be Successful in a New Venture· How to deal with insecurity about a new job· Why the Insurance Industry is better than the NFL ;)· The biggest Lessons from Football that apply to Insurance· Jimmy G or Trey Lance?

My guest today is a former professor and an author named Allan Cohen. He attended Harvard Business School and has consulted with companies like IBM, GE, and Chubb to improve their leadership, culture, and conflict resolution. He wrote the book “Entrepreneurship in Every Generation: How Family Businesses Develop Their Next Leaders.” Finally, he served as a Distinguished Professor of Global Leadership at Babson College.Allan and I discussed: · The recipe for success in family business· Creating a shared family vision for success· How to deal with disagreements· How to deal with an underperforming family member· Passing the business onto the next generation effectively

In work and in life, we have to have difficult conversations that require negotiation. Difficult conversations with our co-workers, partners, vendors, employees, and even spouses. To be more effective in these conversations, we thought who would be better to learn from than the former commander of the hostage negotiation team in Washington, DC. My guest today is a guy named Derek Gaunt. Derek spent 29 years in law enforcement and is considered a hostage negotiation and incident command subject-matter expert. He is an author and regularly speaks at Hostage Negotiations and SWAT conferences across the country. He now specializes in instructing companies on how to apply hostage negotiation practices and principles to the business world. Derek and I discussed: · His Police Negotiation Career· Negotiation Strategies & Tactics· The Ideal Difficult Conversation Outline· The best way to say “no ”· And how to get people to truly make a commitment Learn more about Derek here.Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostellohttps://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

Roger Sitkins is the CEO of Sitkins Group, Inc. and developer of The Sitkins Network and The Better Way Agency program. Roger is recognized as the nation's top insurance agency results coach.Brent Kelly is the president of Sitkins Group and was named one of the top 12 young agents in the country in 2012. He is also the host of the popular Agent Leader podcast. Together, Roger and Brent have trained and mentored thousands of insurance professionals.In our conversation, we discussed:· Roger's background, Brent's background and how each of them got into sales consulting and agency optimization.· Agency success stories.· Specific Sales Tactics & Strategies· And how your agency can get access to the experts at SitkinsLearn more about Sitkins here: https://www.sitkins.com/

My guest today is Joel Peterson, one of the best business teachers in the world. He attended Harvard Business School and served as CEO of the Trammell Crow when it was the largest private commercial real estate development firm in the world. He then went on to serve as the chairman of JetBlue Airways for 12 years.Joel has launched or backed over 250 companies. Many of these companies are household names like Bonobos, Trunk Club, Asurion, & Vivint.He is recently authored a book called Entrepreneurial Leadership. As he says, it is about the art of launching new ventures, inspiring others, and running stuff!Finally, He is a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, teaching classes in leadership, entrepreneurship, and real estate. If you want to be a better leader, build a better business, or be more effective on a daily basis, you will really enjoy this conversation.Joel and I discussed his experience with:· Trammel Crow· Bonobos· JetBlue· How to fire someone you care about· Small vs. Large Business· His new book· And so much moreFollow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostellohttps://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

My guest today is the CEO of ResourcePro. When he joined they had about 25 employees, 125k in revenue, and 4 clients. They have more than 6,000 employees, over $100M in revenue, and they provide outsourcing solutions to hundreds of insurance firms across the country.Dan Epstein may be one of my most interesting guests to date. He grew up in England, served in the Israeli army, got his MBA from Columbia, became a stand-up comedian, and eventually found ResourcePro and grew it to become the premier operations provider in the industry.We discussed: · Growing up in the UK· Some wild military stories· Moving to the US· ResourcePro· And his Advice for Scaling a Massive Company

My guest today runs the #1 Sales & Marketing conference in the insurance industry. He is a sales trainer, speaker, entrepreneur, and has one of the largest social media followings for anyone in our industry. At 30 years old, he owns five insurance-based companies grossing over $8M in annual sales. His name is Cody Askins and if you haven't heard of him already, I guarantee you will soon.Cody's sole mission is to help every insurance agent in the world by providing applicable, hands-on skills and training to insurance agents and agencies worldwide. He accomplishes this through free weekly videos, training classes, and private coaching. If you are ready to get hyped on sales and strategies to build wealth, you will love this conversation.Cody and I discussed:· The 8% Nation Conference· Sales Tactics· Digital marketing · Keys to growing your online presence

Rick Lindsey is CEO of one of the most unique insurance companies in the industry. They specialize in writing some of the riskiest things you can think of… from exotic animals, to avalanche control, to acrobatic yoga and entertainer liability, they are not afraid to provide insurance. You might think that by writing these wild classes of business that they are not profitable, and this could not be farther from the truth. Their combined ratio is 72% which is about 30 points better than the industry average.He grew Prime from seven employees to over 200 and now writes about $300 million in premium/year. Beyond insurance, Rick was a hockey star that trained with the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” USA Hockey Team. Rick has an incredibly unique view on the industry – so I think this will be an entertaining episode for everybody in the insurance business.Rick and I discussed:· His personal background & hockey career· His experience as an entrepreneur· Prime Insurance· Rick's thoughts on the future of the industry

Sean Brady Jr. is an incredible example of perseverance, dedication, and grit both IN the insurance world and OUTSIDE the insurance world. He played on the Duke Lacrosse team the year after three players were falsely accused of rape. While experiencing the residual stigma associated with the criminal accusations, Sean and Duke won an NCAA Lacrosse Championship in 2010. Another scandal rocked Duke athletics that same year when a viral PowerPoint was released by a Duke student that revealed intimate details of her sexual interactions with multiple Duke student-athletes. Sean was included in the PowerPoint, but instead of dwelling on a blemished reputation, he doubled down on lacrosse – signing with a major league lacrosse team and winning a championship in 2015. After reaching the pinnacle of pro lacrosse, Sean retired from the sport to enter the world of business with his dad at Brady Risk in Long Island, NY. Sean developed a strong niche in the hospitality space, then COVID-19 hit his clients, his income, and his value proposition extremely hard. Sean fought hard to pivot, develop new niches, and establish new revenue streams, coming out of the pandemic in a better position than he was in before.Sean and I discussed:· The Duke Lacrosse scandal and his experience dealing with the fallout· His resolve to persevere through the release of the viral PowerPoint· Winning NCAA & professional lacrosse championships· Growing Brady Risk Management· Successfully fighting through COVID-19 by developing new niches

My guest today is Tony Quartaro, and he is the Executive Advisor at a firm called the Culture Index. Now, you may not have heard of Tony or the Culture Index but his team has helped me take gigantic strides with my own business that I never even dreamed were possible.If you are growing a team or looking to hire great people for your business, you know that finding the right people for specific roles within your company is SUPER hard. • You have to consistently maintain a pipeline of quality candidates • You have to waste A TON of time on really bad interviews • Even if someone interviews great, they could be a bad fitWe discuss: • Why normal hiring processes fail • How to build a team full of superstars • The ideal sales personality • Personality testing & datingAnd so much more. As always, thank you for listening, and keep evolving!

Dame Inga Beale was the first female CEO of Lloyd's of London in its 335-year history. She is a Dame, which is the female equivalent of a Knight, and received that honor for her services to the UK economy during her time as CEO. Lloyd's of London, for those that don't know, is the oldest insurance market in the world and has around $40 billion in GWP. Inga was instrumental in modernizing Lloyd's by moving it from a paper-based environment to an electronic trading environment. She is also openly bi-sexual and is a powerful advocate for diversity and inclusion. As you can imagine, she has an incredible story, and she serves as a shining role model for progress and achievement in the industry. We discussed: • Her path to becoming CEO • Being named a Dame • Opening up about sexuality at work • Improving diversity and inclusion in the insurance industry • Advice for aspiring CEOS • And much more.

On this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the most dynamic individuals in the insurance industry. At 35 years old, Trevor Baldwin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baldwin Risk Partners. Baldwin Risk Partners is the first agency in over 15 years to take a piece of their firm public. At the time of their IPO, insurance journal noted their valuation at $908 million dollars. They now have more than 800 employees nationwide, over 500,000 clients, and they are on a mission to be one of the top 10 largest insurance agencies in the country.We discuss:-What it's like taking a company public-What you do with $230,000,000-Being the CEO of a unicorn at 35-years-old-Philosophies on growing a small agency-How BRP defines company cultureCheck out BRP online: https://baldwinriskpartners.com/Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

My guests today teach the most famous and popular course offered in the Stanford MBA program. This course is called Interpersonal Dynamics and my guests today are Carole Robin and David Bradford. Their class teaches students HOW TO BUILD EXCEPTIONAL relationships. They are releasing a book called Connect in February that breaks down the classes' major lessons. In my opinion there isn't a more important book for the insurance industry because as I have said before, WE ARE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS. I am honored because I was able to read the book and speak with them prior to its release. We go through the major takeaways that you can apply to relationships with your prospects, your clients, your co-workers, your family, and even your significant other.This book is recommended by some of the most influential people in the world. It has received endorsements from Reid Hoffman, the Co-Founder of LinkedIn, Arianna Huffington, co-founder of the Huffington Post and the CEO of Thrive Global, and Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates and author of the book Principles - to name a few!In life, there are few things more rewarding than having a relationship with someone that you can truly call exceptional. It's one of the primary keys to happiness and I promise that you will be able to take what you hear today and apply it in your personal and professional life immediately.We discuss:-How building relationships can be similar to climbing a mountain-The 15% Rule-Why shyness holds us back-The power of sharing feelings rather than experiences-Why saying “I feel like…” can be unproductive-Vulnerable leadership-Sympathy vs. Empathy-And finally, helping others without giving unsolicited adviceFollow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

My guest today is the leader and owner of the one of the oldest publications in the United States. His company's newsletters were originally delivered on horseback and they were the innovator behind many of the tools the insurance industry uses today. You may have seen their magazine covers hanging in the entry way of agencies across the country. My guest today is Walt Gdowski the CEO and owner of Rough Notes Magazine. Rough Notes celebrated their 143-year anniversary on November 10th. Walt has incredible insight into the impact of Insurtech on the industry and the secrets of the most successful insurance agencies.He was the driving force behind quadrupling Roughnotes revenue in under 5 years. Walt and I discussed:• The incredible history of Rough Notes• Walt's personal background including his love for flying WW2 planes• And finally, his thoughts on the future of the industryLearn more about Walt and Rough Notes: http://roughnotes.com/Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

My guest today is Chris Paradiso. Chris is one of the most passionate and dynamic agency owners in the insurance industry today. Within his 22 years as a licensed Insurance agent, Chris's unwavering dedication to exemplary customer service has led him to build and grow his own agency to the 25+ employees that it is today. Established in 2006, Paradiso Insurance recently won Safeco and Liberty Mutual's National Agent for the Future Award in 2019 and is currently licensed in 37 states with plans to be licensed in all 50 within the near future. Paradiso Insurance's Parcel Delivery Division is currently the second largest in the country for insuring FedEx Independent Contractors and has recently grown to include Amazon DSPs and LSPs as well. Chris's clear vision has helped direct other insurance agencies to push the envelope and find their own success as well through his coaching work with Paradiso Presents. Chris can always be found researching the next best thing in the insurance world and is seen as a digital pioneer in an industry that is behind the times as far as digital technology and automation. Through his work with Aureus Analytics, Chris is paving the way for insurance agencies everywhere to be able to provide better, more accurate data on their customer base which will lead to better customer service as well as a better bottom line. A family man at heart, Chris Paradiso leads his team with these fundamental principles: family is everything and if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.We discuss:• The importance of a strong digital content calendar• Using current events to boost your digital footprint• Why you should have a videographer at all of your company events • Winning industry awards and using that publicity to maximize engagement• How to become a #1 agency on GoogleLearn more about Paradiso Insurance: https://www.paradisoinsurance.com/Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing one of the most powerful individuals in the insurance brokerage world. My guest today is the President and CEO of HUB International, Marc Cohen. Hub is the largest PRIVATELY owned brokerage in the world, in general they are the fifth largest brokerage in the world, and they have 14,000 employees. They are a leading full-service global insurance broker providing property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services from offices located throughout North America.Marc started his career at Walter Kaye Associates in 1988. In 2004, Marc was featured in Business Insurance Magazine's “40 Under 40” segment. He is a self-described work horse and is a prime example of starting at the bottom of an organization, becoming undeniably successful at each rank he was promoted to, and leading the organization by example. Marc and I discussed:• His early life growing up in NY• His introduction to the insurance industry • Continuously climbing the ranks of a company experiencing massive growth• Advice for new HUB employees and ideal acquisition targets• And his vision for HUBLearn more about Randy and Wedge: https://thewedge.net/Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

Today's guest is Randy Schwantz, author of “The Wedge” and one of the premier sales experts in the Insurance Industry. Randy is also President of The Wedge® Group, a business performance and sales consulting firm. A former salesperson himself, Schwantz has spent more than 10,000 hours talking with people who sell for a living. His unique sales strategy has been embraced by hundreds of companies and thousands of individual sales professionals throughout the United States and Canada.We discuss:• Optimizing your home office for Zoom & GoToMeeting calls• The difference between selling and winning in insurance• Most common new producer mistakes• What keeps producers from closing • Conscious vs subconscious rapportLearn more about Randy and Wedge: https://thewedge.net/Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/

My guest today is John Hahn, the Co-Founder and CEO of EPIC Brokers. EPIC is the 15th largest retail insurance broker in the United States. They have nearly $900MM in revenue and more than 3,000 associates across the country. John is from New York and played baseball in college as a pitcher throwing in the low 90s. He has an incredibly inspiring entrepreneurial spirit and a really enjoyed speaking with him. Before founding EPIC, John helped start and sold Tri-City Brokerage which was one of the nation's largest and most successful wholesale agencies. Anybody that is interested in entrepreneurship, overcoming adversity, the benefits of the insurance industry, running an enormous company, and the future of EPIC will really love this conversation. John and I discussed: • His college baseball career which included overcoming a huge injury • His introduction to the insurance industry • How he helped found and name EPIC Brokers • How he hired 52 people in 4 days • Why people need to consider joining EPIC • How failure was by far his biggest teacher • AND How the clothes you wear can supercharge your dayLearn more about John and EPIC at https://epicbrokers.com/.Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostellohttps://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com

My guest today is the CEO of one of the fastest growing wealth management/401k firms in the US. His name is Jon Porter. Forbes and RIA Channel recently recognized his firm, Three Bell Capital as the #1 Emerging Wealth Management Firm in the Country. Jon is a graduate of Santa Clara Law School and worked closely with Steve Jobs on Apple's legal team. Three Bell Capital has served as an enormous referral source for personal lines agents, commercial lines agents, and can help your agency dramatically expand the value proposition for your clients. We discuss: • What it was like to work with Steve Jobs • Philosophies for Growing Three Bell Capital • The story of Three Bell almost getting hacked + dealing with the SEC • What our audience should know about their 401k plan • Intersection with the Insurance Industry • Cash Balance Plans for Insurance Agencies Learn more about Jon and Three Bell: https://www.three-bell.com/ Follow Pat on Instagram: @patbcostello https://www.evolvedbrokerpodcast.com/