Insurance Agents Talk Shop

SIAA entered into a definitive agreement with private equity firm Odyssey Investment Partners on March 26 for a majority stake in the company. Listen to our internally focused discussion with Matt Masiello, CEO of SIAA, to learn what comes next for the largest independent insurance agency network in the country – including its member agencies.

Applied Systems and EZLynx entered into a definitive agreement on January 14, 2021.  What does this deal mean in the long run? Hear what Taylor Rhodes, CEO of Applied Systems and Nag Rao, Founder and CEO of EZLynx have to say about the merger of these two significant players in the Insurance Rater and Management Systems space. What does it mean to those already using either of these company's offerings?

Grouping an insurance agency with related lines of business under one roof makes some sense in terms of rounding out relationships. Hear how this approach is working for Performance Group in Pendleton, IN. Agent Sean Kirby also gives us some insights into his own agency podcast – the logistics and benefits.

Some agents shy away from commercial lines for a number of reasons – not John Roark and Michael Sutton of Roark | Sutton in Springfield, MO. These agency owners have succeeded by making commercial lines “what they do”. Their success is something to behold. Please join us and hear about their journey to success.

Gain some insights from Miles Merwin of Greenville, South Carolina - a successful agency owner who started with very little, and built “nothing” into a successful $2MM agency in 8 years. What does it take to make that happen, and how does one sustain it? People and technology are important, but there's more to it. 

Join us as we check-in with the four co-owners of Firehouse Insurance in Mariemont, Ohio. Following-up on our last episode, these agents were previously captive agents and came together to form their own independent agency. Less than a year into operations, we talk about the motivation, the challenges, and the successes.

Join us for a discussion with two independent agents who were previously captive agents. Why did they make the move and what did it take? At two different stages of independence (in terms of duration), did they take the same approach? Are their paths to independence typical? There are some commonalities and differences you'll want to hear.

A mobile app isn't necessary just because of the current pandemic. It's a technology and branding tool that insurance agents should be implementing as a means for serving clients better in general. Join us as Tanner West, Application Developer at Code & Color, discusses the process of building and using a mobile app for your agency. 

Two insurance agency owners, one in the east, one out west – experiencing success despite the events of 2020. Join us as Kelly Gonyo of Blue Line Insurance and Katie Auberlin of Suburban Family Insurance discuss the factors contributing to their ongoing success. A lively discussion that touches on a number of topics regarding the insurance marketplace today.

A discussion with Joel Cavaness, President of Risk Placement Services (RPS), demonstrates how a wholesaler or brokerage firm has a definite place in the operations of an insurance agency. Not all premium can or should be placed with conventional carriers. Learn something about Joel and RPS along the way.

It seems that video is everywhere these days. It appears to be the way most people consume much of their content. How do you get started down the path of using video for your insurance agency? What resources are available? Do analytics come into play? Join us and hear what two experienced users of video in the insurance business have to say about using video.

It may be the best kept secret among Property & Casualty insurance agencies. Why is that? Why aren't more insurance agents selling life insurance? Learn how life insurance sales add income and increase retention rates. Guest Jack Calabrese, SVP at SIAA reveals how his organization is making it easier for insurance agents to sell more.

So how do you turn an Insurance Agency into full-fledged community brand? Meet the Baileys. Christine and Mark are a husband and wife team and co-owners of Bailey Family Insurance in Springfield, Illinois. Hear how they are turning a start-up independent insurance agency into a successful business one technology at a time. No, that's not true, they're using a bunch! 

What is this podcast about and what do we hope to accomplish? Inform, share, comment. Some time is spent discussing general marketing concepts – including making the case that direct mail is NOT dead.