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Justin Smith-Lorenzetti, VP of Investments at Intact Private Capital, shares his journey from leading innovation initiatives within Intact Insurance to helping build a global investment platform managing more than $1.6 billion in assets. Drawing on lessons from investments across insurtech, mobility, AI, and financial services, he explains how Intact approaches startup and LP investing. Justin also offers practical advice for founders and investors, arguing that focus and conviction matter more than ever in today's AI-driven world. In this episode, you'll learn: [02:08] How Justin accidentally became a venture capitalist [06:55] How Intact Private Capital invests from idea to IPO [09:11] The evolution of insurtech over the last decade [11:26] Why Coterie and Shepherd stood out as investments [16:56] What Justin looks for in founders across every stage [20:23] Why founders choose investors—not the other way around [23:15] How Intact makes high-conviction investment decisions [25:17] What Justin looks for as an LP investing in venture funds [29:57] His advice for founders building in the AI era [32:17] What venture capital can do better The nonprofit organization Justin is passionate about: Lorenzetti Foundation About Justin Smith-Lorenzetti Justin Smith-Lorenzetti is VP of Investments at Intact Private Capital, where he oversees venture, growth, and fund investments across insurance, financial services, mobility, and emerging technology. Since helping launch Intact's venture investing activities more than a decade ago, he has backed companies ranging from Turo to leading insurtech startups. Justin is widely recognized as one of Canada's most active investors in the insurance technology ecosystem and serves on the boards of multiple venture-backed companies. About Intact Private Capital Intact Private Capital is the private investment arm of Intact Financial Corporation, one of North America's leading property and casualty insurance companies. The firm manages approximately $1.6 billion across venture capital, growth equity, and fund investment strategies. Leveraging Intact's deep industry expertise and global network, the team invests in companies across insurance, financial services, mobility, AI, and adjacent sectors, supporting founders from the earliest stages through IPO. Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society. In this episode, Justin interviews Marya Propis about her career in retail brokerage, wholesale distribution, and executive leadership. Marya speaks of leaders who influenced her, how her leadership skills have changed in 30 years, and how emotional intelligence guides her as she helps young insurance professionals at RT Specialty. She also shares the importance of physical fitness and self-care in showing up at her best each day. Marya discusses the wholesale Excess and Surplus Lines marketplace in the U.S. She talks about her involvement in industry associations and the enthusiasm she has for helping students and new risk professionals. She shares information about the Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future 2026 Gala, where she will be one of two honorees. She serves as a Director of Distinction, acting as an ambassador for the Spencer Educational Foundation. Listen for Marya's enthusiastic approach to persuasive leadership. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be rejoined by our friend Marya Propis, President of Retail Distribution at RT Specialty and honoree at this year's Spencer's Funding Their Future Gala in New York City on September 17th. There is a lot to catch up on. But first… [:47] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on June 16th and 17th. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held virtually on July 21st and 22nd. Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [:58] We have a summertime webinar. On July 16th, Zurich will present "Too Hot to Ignore: Heat-Related Injuries and Workers' Compensation." Register at RIMS.org/webinars and via the link in this episode's show notes. [1:13] You can enroll now in the RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management hosted by the famous James Lam. Beginning July 15th, workshops will be held bi-weekly from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The registration link is in the show notes. [1:34] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. We want to hear from you. Submit a session proposal by June 19th to reach engaged practitioners, innovators, and leaders looking for guidance they can utilize right away. [1:52] Help define what's next for Enterprise Risk Management. Submit a session proposal by Friday, June 19th. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026. [2:02] Folks, through the generosity of its industry partners, RIMS has launched The Foundation for Risk Management™, which provides scholarships for early-career professionals to attend RIMS events like RIMS Texas Regional Conference, RIMS Canada Conference, and RISKWORLD. [2:21] The Foundation also helps beneficiaries earn their RIMS-CRMP and fund research projects. To learn more or contribute to the Foundation, visit RIMS.org/FRM and visit the link in this episode's show notes. [2:36] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:56] On with the Show! Marya Propis is rejoining us on RIMScast. She is the President of Retail Distribution at RT Specialty, and she will be honored this year at the Spencer Funding their Future Gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on September 17th. [3:17] We'll learn about Marya's career, her risk management philosophy, how her physical wellness fuels her progress as a risk and insurance professional, and why she feels it is critical to continue her support for women in the profession. We're going to have fun. Let's get to it! [3:39] Interview! Marya Propis, Welcome Back to RIMScast! [3:49] Since the last time Justin and Marya spoke, Marya has joined RT Specialty. She is coming up on her 6th anniversary with RT Specialty. It has been the most enjoyable and successful career chapter she has been fortunate to enjoy. [4:04] Marya says there are so many great things to talk about in terms of what's going on in the marketplace and at RT Specialty and how that pertains to Spencer. [4:20] Marya is President of Retail Distribution. She was promoted to that role several months ago. A dedicated group under her leadership is keeping a finger on the pulse of what's going on in the ultra-dynamic U.S. retail landscape. [4:47] They are always thinking of ways to be more client-centric, partner more fully with their retail clients, and think of all the places that their clients need RT to be as the top wholesale partner in the U.S. [5:08] Marya has six people on her team for a wholesaler that placed $32 billion of premium last year. But, actually, her team is the entirety of all the brokers and underwriters that work for RT Specialty. That's 1,500 people. [5:28] Marya's job is to make the brokers and underwriters who work for the team more successful every day. Her stakeholders are the market-facing, talented brokers and underwriters. They are her team. [5:46] Marya sets best practices and standards around compensation, conferences, and the way they engage. Client-centricity is very important, so Marya extends direction for it. [6:00] Marya explains how leadership style has evolved. In the first half of her career, it was all about command and control, from the top down. Telling everyone what to do has evolved positively. [6:19] Marya prides herself on having very good influence and leadership skills. She says people want to follow her direction. She had to learn a lot to go from telling people what to do to creating a path people want to follow. Being a command-and-control leader doesn't feel good. [7:00] Marya says that when we started talking about emotional intelligence as an important part of leadership, she realized she had it. She just hadn't been using it in any of her management or leadership roles. [7:11] It became more acceptable to use emotional intelligence to get your team aligned and get people thinking around the direction you need to go as a team or a firm. That's been very positive for Marya, but she couldn't flip that switch overnight. [7:30] Marya had to learn a lot to change her leadership style so people want to follow and feel that she is creating the right direction, so they can be more successful, not leading them down a path to doom and demise. [7:52] Marya says that an emphasis on emotional intelligence came hand in hand with the industry starting to pay attention to women in insurance and the lack of representation of female leadership in insurance. [8:09] Marya says that a decade ago the insurance industry started to be deliberate about realizing they didn't have many women in leadership and that there were obstacles in the industry to women being promoted and compensated at the same rate as their male colleagues. [8:31] Emotional intelligence came along with the recognition that women have a distinct and unique skill set. Emotional intelligence is a prevalent part of a woman's skill set. Women bring real value as leaders. The traits that come with that include emotional intelligence. [9:07] Justin says we have such a great group of rising risk professionals, particularly females, in the profession and the RIMScast listenership, so this is a great way to kick off this dialog. [9:25] Marya says she has worked for a lot of great leaders. She was fortunate to work closely with many executives. You can watch a leader and learn a technique or a trait that you can add to the skill set you already have. Marya says she gets her best material from others. [10:14] Marya says Pat Ryan, who founded RT Specialty, is the absolute Superman of insurance. Any time she hears Pat Ryan talk, she leaves with a gem that she commits to do or think about, going forward. He uses an expression: "Do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do." [10:47] If you use that as a guiding principle for how you set your priorities and make decisions, based on what your retail clients need, then it's very obvious what you need to do. It has become a guiding principle for her in the way she makes decisions every day. [11:47] Marya says her scope of responsibility is just retail clients. Her colleague Leah Ohodnicki oversees carrier management. They talk all the time. There are so many of the same principles that they apply, just to different channels in the marketplace. [12:07] Marya has been a career salesperson. For her whole insurance career, she has sold stuff. She has sold capabilities and products. She sells and represents wholesale brokerage services. [12:27] Marya says no client is like another. You must see every client with fresh, objective eyes. Every client has something unique, or a competitive advantage, or something special about the way they've built their firm. Sometimes you have to look carefully to find it, but it's always there. [13:06] You have to be willing to put yourself in their shoes. How do they see the world? How is that retailer creating visibility and driving success? [13:26] Marya prides herself on being a student of who the retail client is and thinking about how to better frame partnership strategies to work with them as effectively as possible, rather than thinking about herself, RT Specialty, and all the stuff she can throw at any retail client. [13:48] In Marya's mind, the way to do it is to start by asking what they need. Where is the place that they will need RT Specialty to be more successful? Then she constructs an engagement approach around that. That's different from how she thought about it 20 years ago. [14:15] In any industry, Marya doesn't want to be a vendor. She wants to be a partner. There's a big difference in the way you have to think to be a trusted business partner. That's a very important part of Marya's personal and professional philosophy in creating partnerships. [15:13] Marya says she's very committed to the digital distribution model. It's been one of the more exciting and dynamic components of the retail channel. Marya doesn't use AI interchangeably with digital distribution. Digital distribution is where we sell things online. [15:41] Marya says AI is a technology enabler that helps us be more efficient in sales. RT Specialty has an online portal called RT Connector that has been trading E&S Specialty, Micro and Small Commercial P&C products for eight years on the digital distribution platform. [16:09] Marya says there's a newish type of retail agent in the U.S. marketplace called digital agencies. They want to trade as efficiently as possible. They want API connectivity. They're focused on a specific segment and industry, in terms of where they feel they can sell and trade. [16:31] Marya says even the way they acquire leads is very different than a traditional retail model. Marya says we're certainly not going to sell RT the same way to a digital agency as we do to a big Alpha house. They're very different. [16:51] Understand the model. Understand how that retail agent or broker is structured, and meet them where they are. With digital retail agents, it's a completely different type of retail partnership that they can build with them vs. other models they've worked successfully with. [17:18] Marya says our retail clients are always evolving and changing and buying lots of stuff, in mergers and acquisitions. They restructure. How they choose to go to market. How they're winning business. Marya loves all the learning that comes as the market and her clients evolve. [17:45] Marya says they're a wholesaler. Their digital platform will reflect the appetite and eligibility of the technology-enabled carriers that are represented on the RT Specialty platform as trading partners. [18:10] Marya says they have 130 talented binding authority teams across their U.S. platform. They know what their appetite is; they have the binding authority. That's human interaction. [18:28] Marya says RT Specialty mimics that same process with some of the same carrier partners by putting their product-specific appetite on their digital platform. [18:38] The same agent can either go to the RT binding authority underwriter or go through RT Connector. If it fits the appetite of the products on RT Connector, in five minutes, the agent can rate quote, bind, issue, e-deliver policies, surplus lines taxes, and finance premium. [19:02] Marya says she can ask agents how they want to trade the E&S specialty marketplace. There are a lot of paths they can follow that get them to the same place where they win. RT Specialty can put the right resources around that. [19:35] Marya says if a retail client brings a franchise opportunity to RT Specialty, if it's a franchise operation that's insured, RT Specialty will write it. They write lots of them in the U.S. Marya participates in risks her retail clients bring to RT. [19:52] Marya doesn't sell directly to franchises, but RT has a lot of franchises and programs in chains in their book of business. RT has the largest sports and entertainment practice in the wholesale segment in the U.S. It's a tough segment of the marketplace. [20:20] RT Specialty has invested a lot in terms of talent. RT Specialty owns the largest MGU in the marketplace. The sports are professional, amateur, and everything in between. It's a very successful market segment for RT Specialty. [20:41] Marya explains that an MGU is a Managing General Underwriter, which is different from an MGA (a Managing General Agency), which is different from a Program. Marya says this has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the specialty market in the United States. [21:09] Marya says you create a homogeneous appetite for a certain bulk of business, find a carrier partner, set up a Program, and open your storefront and either distribute through retailers or wholesalers. Some are direct-to-insureds [21:30] Managing General Underwriter means that we would create the appetite and the guidelines. Managing General Agent means that the carrier has already defined that, and they're allowing us to put a storefront in front of that. [21:54] That's different from some of the traditional carriers that RT Specialty works with, like Lexington Insurance Company or Westchester Insurance Company. Those are carriers. That is a different solution than when RT Specialty approaches an MGU on behalf of their retail client. [22:18] Marya says anytime you have a lot of people in one place at an event, there are lots of risks associated with that: gun violence, political violence, and means of evacuation response. We have seen that time and again. [22:43] When you have a lot of people congregating for a sporting event, a demonstration, a commemoration, or other event, it's gotten much riskier when you put a lot of humans in one place. That has made that segment of the marketplace much more challenging than ever. [23:10] Marya mentions boxing matches in Vegas or the number of active shooter incidents in Vegas. Marya believes the Excess and Surplus Lines market segment is the permanent home for high-hazard risks in the U.S. It's not an escape valve. [23:42] Marya says that in her lifetime, those types of risks will never swing back to the direct admitted standard carrier side. As a wholesale broker, RT Specialty is looking to partner with carriers that have the right type of appetite to support those risks. [23:59] RT Specialty builds products, so they own MGUs, MGAs, and Programs. They invest and build products when segments of the marketplace become very tough, so they have solutions available through their brokers and underwriters to write any risk in any class of business. [24:19] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [24:37] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. [24:48] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [24:59] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [25:16] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are already open. Earlybird registration is open now. [25:31] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [25:45] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. The deadline for educational content submissions is Friday, June 19th. Get submissions in now. The link is in this episode's show notes. Registration opens in July. [26:08] Let's Return to Our Interview with Marya Propis! [26:32] Justin asks about Marya incorporating workouts into her life so she can perform better as a risk and insurance professional. Justin also feels that he has missed out if he has not exercised or worked out for a certain time each week. [27:03] Mary has 35 years in the business. She travels every week. She flies a lot. She is very focused on her wellness routine. She has been an athlete her whole life, so working out is important to her. So is self-care. [27:34] Having gone through menopause and figuring out what was going sideways, physically and mentally, Marya feels good about where she is today, in her commitment to herself, supplements she takes, and understanding healthy brain function and the effects of hormones. [28:09] Marya says we know hormones have a significant impact on our ability to function, both for men and women. Marya says her lifestyle is not perfect. She eats at restaurants 80% of the time, and entertaining clients involves alcohol. [28:40] Marya loves the relationship-building, social, and personal connection side of the business. She's not going to skip drinks or dinner with anyone. But it's a place where there can be a lot of pitfalls. She doesn't subscribe to an austerity lifestyle. But she has to pick her spots, now. [29:10] Marya says she can't be dragging on Thursday morning. She still has two big days ahead of her to deliver. Marya talks about sleep quality, not just how much you get, which gets tough when you're sleeping in different hotel rooms. [29:35] Marya says, This is the way it is with the career I have chosen, and I love. She has to be much more deliberate and mindful and remind herself that in June, she is traveling 18 days. On the days she's not traveling, she knows what to do for working out and for her wellness routine. [30:24] Marya says she is open and willing to learn. She is open to trying and learning new things. She believes in supplements and vitamins. She takes different ones now than she would have taken a decade ago. You have to be a student of that, like everything else in life. [30:43] Marya says The second you start to lose the desire to learn, what's next? It's not really fun when people's mindsets change. [30:54] Marya has been a Yoga practitioner for 30 years. She does Power Vinyasa in an infrared studio. Marya says the benefits of infrared are scientifically not debatable. She says infrared is great for joints, skin, and healthy brain functioning. It amped up her Yoga routine. [31:15] Marya does TRX bodyweight exercises. Most of the hotel gyms today have a TRX setup. She loves that, since she spends a lot of time in hotels and hotel gyms. Marya does circuit training. She works with heavy weights three times a week to maintain skeletal strength. [31:53] Marya says it sounds like a lot. As an athlete, when you have to perform and deliver, it's part of the way you have to think. It's how Marya thinks. She has to show up and be her best self when she's representing RT Specialty in the marketplace. [32:14] Marya has a lot of people relying on her to be crisp and present with a great level of energy. You can't do that if you're dragging all the time. [32:40] Marya grew up in Buffalo, New York, so she's a skier. It was the first sport for her family. She played tennis in high school and college. She ran track as a sprinter. Her favorite sport is Yoga. A couple of genres of Yoga have world competitions. Mary likes vigorous, athletic Yoga. [33:34] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [34:05] General Grant applications are open, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [34:16] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [34:24] Let's Conclude Our Interview with One of the Two Honorees of the Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future Gala 2026, Marya Propis! [34:48] Justin asks about associations Marya is plugged into that support empowering women in the risk and insurance industry, such as APIW and WISE. [35:01] Marya represents RT Specialty on two boards. One is CIAB (The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers), an international organization known for its regulatory and lobbying efforts. [35:25] Marya spent a week in London last month with CIAB. There is so much going on in the London marketplace. That has been a lot of fun and a place to continue to learn. [34:47] The second board is WSIA (Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association), representing the wholesale specialty segment. There are specialty markets around the world, but the E&S lines market segment only exists in the United States. WSIA is a wonderful organization. [36:14] Marya says that what's great about both CIAB and WSIA is what they do to support young and developing insurance and risk management professionals. It's consistent with and complementary to the work, scope, and mission of the Spencer Educational Foundation. [36:32] Marya loves the way all of that comes together. Marya has been in the space developing, recruiting, and supporting emerging leaders and talent in the insurance and risk management marketplace for a long time. It's a space she loves to be in. [35:56] It all comes together nicely with Marya's board service and her commitments to foundations and causes. [37:10] Justin says the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala will be on Thursday, September 17th, at the world-famous Waldorf Astoria. Marya is one of the two honorees this year. Justin asks what this honor means to Marya. [37:35] Marya can't remember a time when she looked forward to something so much. First, she was surprised, and she feels really humbled. Marya had been a Spencer Board member and Chair of the Board, thinking about whom they would honor, every year for a decade. [38:05] It's really humbling to be considered, let alone this year, going back to the Waldorf Astoria. Marya remembers the Spencer Gala there, at which she spoke as Chair of the Fundraising Committee. [38:22] Marya just about passed out before going on stage, as she had never talked before so many people. She was hyperventilating. She didn't fall off the stage. She enjoyed herself a little bit. The Waldorf Astoria is one of the most storied hotels in the history of New York City. [39:06] Marya says Sierra Signorelli is the other honoree for the Gala. Sierra and Marya worked together early in their careers at AIG. They got a significant start to their careers then. They've known each other for a long time. Marya praises Sierra and is so happy to be doing this with her. [39:32] Justin notes that Sierra is the Zurich U.S. CEO and the Zurich Commercial Insurance CEO. Those are not easy titles to achieve. Zurich is a global insurance carrier. Marya admires Sierra's career trajectory and the leadership influence she has had on so many. [39:51] This is the first time there have been two female honorees in the history of the Spencer Gala. Marya says sharing that honor with Sierra, someone she knows, trusts, and respects so highly, makes it even more special and a night to look forward to. She can't wait! [40:17] Marya is now a Director of Distinction on the Spencer Board. Her RT Specialty colleague, Michael VanAcker, is on the Spencer Board today. Marya mentions that Pat Ryan was honored by Spencer at one of the first Galas. Tim Turner, RT Specialty CEO, introduced Pat that year. [40:53] RT Specialty has had a seat on the Spencer Board for years. Marya is a Director of Distinction as she is a former Board Chair. They ask her to be an advocate where Megan Miller needs her, and to be conversant on where Spencer continues to support and drive results. [41:18] Marya stays in touch and makes sure she knows what is going on with the programs and schools they are partnering with. Her role is to be informed, be an ambassador, and jump in at any place that Megan and the Spencer team would need her to influence, help, and support. [41:41] Marya spoke at the E&S Insurer conference. At the end of the conference, she brought Megan Miller in and introduced her to the writers' folks and asked if they could get a five-minute spotlight on Spencer next year. That is an example of where Marya can try to help. [42:15] Marya says Spencer scholars are so excited about their insurance career. There is nothing more infectious than their enthusiasm for the career path they have chosen. To talk to a young person who has their whole life in front of them is super energizing for Marya. [42:57] Marya says that when a young person wants to talk to her and spend time with her, she thinks it is great. Enthusiasm is infectious. [43:05] At the end of the day, Marya wants to leave the insurance industry in a much better place than it was when she came into the business. Spending time with young people who will be the leaders of our industry in the future, there's no better feeling. [43:30] Marya says that anything she can do to have influence, set an example, or help them think through something helps her to continue to feel wildly enthusiastic about her career. She loves when she gets to spend time with the young brokers and underwriters at RT Specialty. [43:52] Justin says that the scholarship recipients he has seen on stage at the Gala have been so impressive. They're in school, and they're so involved. They're a shining example of what we want the future of this profession to be. [44:10] Marya says that there was no way, when she was 22 years old, that she could have gotten up in front of a room of 800 people in her profession and spoken like that. She would never have been able to do that. Their ability to get up in front of that audience and talk is huge! [44:37] Marya is impressed by what they talk about, in terms of their careers, and what they've learned. [44:42] Marya is delighted that Spencer has basically kept the Gala format consistent. The focus is on the students and the benefits that Spencer funding drives for the industry. [44:56] It's a place where you can see real impact on real lives because of the fundraising dollars that the risk management and insurance industry has stepped up and invested. That's the focus. Then they have dinner. There are two honorees, and they wrap it up. [45:12] Marya loves that they have never complicated the program for Gala. It has kept the focus in the right place, which is what they are doing to fund the future leaders of the insurance and risk management industry. She's excited to meet the Spencer scholars who will speak at the Gala. [45:35] Marya says that lots of times the speakers bring their families. She says her Mom and Dad will be there. That will round out what's going to be a terrific and exciting evening. [45:47] Jason says, We look forward to seeing you there on September 17th at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Marya will be there with her old friend Sierra Signorelli. It's going to be a fantastic, tremendous time! The link to the Funding Their Future Gala is in this episode's notes. [46:08] Marya, we're very happy for you. Congratulations again! I can't wait to see you again in September. Marya looks forward to seeing Justin again and the team from RIMS, another long-standing, awesome, successful partnership between Spencer and RIMS. [46:27] Special thanks again to Marya Propis for rejoining us here on RIMScast! We congratulate her again in advance of her receiving the honor at the Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala, which will be held on September 17th at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC. [46:47] Visit SpencerEd.org for more information and to purchase your ticket and for sponsorship opportunities. Join us next week, as we will be joined by Spencer Board Chair Johnell Holley. We will learn all about his career journey and risk philosophies. [47:03] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [47:32] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [47:50] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [48:08] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [48:24] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [48:37] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [48:49] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support! Links: Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala | Sept. 17, 2026 RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Session Submission Deadline: Friday, June 19 RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Advance Registration Open | Sponsorship Opportunities Available RIMScast on YouTube! Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | July‒Sept. 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam | Register Now! 2026 Florida RIMS Educational Conference | July 28‒Aug. 1 | Register Now RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Register Now! ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today and Submit an Educational Session! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute | Look for the Awards Edition in "Digital Issues"! RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! RIMS, the Foundation for Risk Management The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA | July 21‒22, 2026 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars "Too Hot To Ignore: Heat-Related Injuries and Workers' Compensation" | July 16 | Presented by Zurich Related RIMScast Episodes: "Spencer Day 2026 | The Future of Strategic Risk Management" "Risk Management Momentum with Tim Ryan" (2025 Spencer Honoree) "The Strengths of DE&I Initiatives with Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray of Alliant Insurance Services" (2024 Spencer Honoree) "RIMS Honor Roll Inductee Emily Buckley" "RIMS Rising Risk Professional Award Winner Tyler Vaughan" Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "48 Hours From a Storm: What to Do Before A Hurricane Strikes" (New!) | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "AI-Scale, Risk Ready: Engineering Controls for the New Data Center Boom" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Facing Into Risk: Navigating the New Risk Landscape" (New!) | Sponsored by AXA XL "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Manny Padilla! RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information. Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org. Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. About our guest: Marya J. Propis, RT Specialty, President, Retail Distribution Production and engineering provided by Podfly.
This week, host Alex Bond sits down with Tanner Hackett, CEO of Counterpart, a management liability and professional liability MGA that has written 35,000 policies for small businesses and raised $106 million to take on the inefficiencies baked into traditional insurance.Tanner's background isn't in insurance — it's in technology. He built and sold companies in e-commerce and marketing tech before turning his attention to this industry. That outsider perspective shapes everything about how Counterpart operates.In this episode, they cover:→ Why the insurance industry now has collective awareness of AI's importance — but awareness and action are very different things→ How being built AI-first from inception gives Counterpart a different starting point to legacy carriers→ The case for flatter organisational structures and why giving people more information and autonomy leads to better outcomes than traditional hierarchy→ What's driving rising claims severity and frequency and how business pressures on small companies are feeding through into losses→ Counterpart's expansion into financial institutions coverage, and the product-launch infrastructure they've built to move fasterTanner also reflects on the unique challenge facing small businesses as AI becomes unavoidable and why he believes insurers should be doing more than just providing coverage.Well worth your time, wherever you sit in the industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 Artista na DEBOTONG KATOLIKO PALA! Punto por Punto ng pananampalataya mula sa Catholic Faith Defender ng Pilipinas.
RiskCellar is back with a packed episode that feels like the insurance industry itself, equal parts serious and unfiltered. Brandon Schuh and Nick Hartmann sit down to unpack a week that saw some of the biggest AI-driven headlines to hit the P&C space in recent memory. From a massive brokerage laying off 2,300 employees and blaming AI, to a CNN lawsuit targeting an AI search engine, to an InsurTech startup valued at $2.6 billion on just $40 million in revenue, nothing about this week is normal. And that's exactly the point.The episode digs into the Acrisure story, where roughly 2,300 jobs are being cut, the second round of layoffs in a single year, with AI cited as the primary driver. Brandon and Nick do the math. At $300,000 average revenue per employee, that's a $690 million bet on AI's ability to fill the gap. They zoom out to connect this to the broader PE pressure story, exits, soft markets, rising interest rates, and a potential IPO on the horizon. The conversation doesn't stop there. New York State's newly signed auto insurance tort reform law gets a thorough breakdown, including the new $100,000 cap on non-economic damages and tightened comparative negligence thresholds that could finally start moving the needle on affordability. And the CNN vs. Perplexity lawsuit opens a bigger conversation about AI as a derivative product, one that can't function without the journalism it may ultimately be destroying.Rounding out the news block is a closer look at Corgi, the AI-focused MGA that just raised at a $2.6 billion valuation despite generating only $40 million in revenue, a 65x multiple that leaves both hosts scratching their heads. Brandon draws a pointed parallel to boutique consulting firms now competing with McKinsey-sized players thanks to AI tools, a trend with direct implications for insurance brokerages of every size. The episode wraps with a "Three Truths and a Lie" segment on classic TV shows and a round of Simpsons trivia, staying true to the show's blend of sharp industry analysis and genuine conversation between two people who genuinely enjoy talking shop.Takeaways:Acrisure's 2,300-person layoff represents a (690M) bet that AI can replace human production capacity.PE-backed brokerages are under compounding pressure from soft markets, rising rates, and IPO timelines.New York's auto tort reform caps non-economic damages at (100,000) and tightens comparative negligence rules.AI is a derivative product, it depends on journalism and original content to function.CNN filed suit against Perplexity for alleged copyright infringement in New York federal court.Corgi's (2.6B) valuation at (65times) revenue raises serious questions about InsurTech market rationality.Boutique brokerages now have the firepower of Aon or Marsh thanks to accessible AI tools.Alleged class action litigation is brewing against a PE-backed brokerage over unpaid producer compensation.Chapters:00:00 Welcome to RiskCellar2:45 Big News Tease + What Are You Drinking?4:00 Memorial Day Weekend Recaps7:38 This Week's AI Theme Intro8:00 Acrisure Layoffs: The (690M) AI Bet17:30 Sponsor Break: IPFS + freeflow.ai17:4 CNN vs. Perplexity: AI and Journalism's Collision21:05 Corgi's (2.6B) Valuation and the InsurTech Bubble23:30 Boutique vs. McKinsey: AI Levels the Consulting Playing Field27:10 SpaceX IPO, Elon Musk, and Market Insanity29:00 Howden TROs and Industry Legal Wars30:38 Three Truths and a Lie: Classic TV Edition32:17 Simpsons Trivia: First 100 Episodes33:57 Upcoming Guests and Episode WrapConnect with RiskCellar:Website: https://www.riskcellar.com/Brandon Schuh:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552710523314LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-stephen-schuh/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schuhpapa/Nick Hartmann:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjhartmann/
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
WBS: More Exhausting than a Tour #364 -- The gang is at it again. Brimstone is joined by his wing-man Alex DaPonte and his wife Danielle as they chat about the new Stan Lee Presents legacy podcast that will be released starting on July 1st, who is involved, how utterly delicious catering was for the day, and how they will be doing a panel at San Diego Comic Con (SDCC). They chat about it being Pride Month, Pattie Gonia and Patagonia trademark debacle, and the guy who stole of $1m in car toys from MGA Entertainment. They discuss Trump having to remove his name from the Kennedy Center, and how Pee Wee Herman's iconic bike is now located at the Alamo. Brim explains what gets Within Brim's Skin.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na karanasan at kwentong katatakutan ng ating mga SOLID HTV+ LISTENERS. Send your stories to sindakstories2008@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode Topic: Native American Perspectives on Human Dignity Grasp the profound essence of human connection as indigenous leaders challenge existing paradigms. Shifting our focus to lived indigenous wisdom allows us to move past mere academic theory and into a space where knowledge is a living, relational force. When we listen to the voices of those whose dignity has been historically contested by the very institutions hosting the dialogue, the impact is not merely intellectual; it becomes a profound, restorative encounter that challenges our baseline assumptions about how we relate to one another and the earth. Featured Speakers:Ashlee Bird, University of Notre DameCharles W. Powell, KHS, University of Notre DameJefferson Ballew IV, Pokagon Band of PotawatomiAbigail Ginzburgh '22 MGA, National Immigrant Justice CenterMikaela Murphy '22Read this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/c84a00.This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Indigenous Voices.Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought to you by ThinkND, the University of Notre Dame's online learning community. We connect you with videos, podcasts, articles, courses, and other resources to inspire minds and spark conversations on topics that matter to you — everything from faith and politics, to science, technology, and your career.Learn more about ThinkND and register for upcoming live events at think.nd.edu.Join our LinkedIn community for updates, episode clips, and more.
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The App Era Is Over: Wallet-Native Insurance & the Agentic Frontier — Marc Lampe × Ernesto Suarez In this episode of Scouting for Growth, Sabine VanderLinden sits down with Ernesto Suarez and Marc Lampe to explore why the future of insurance is moving beyond apps and into wallet-native, AI-ready experiences. The conversation begins with a powerful reminder of why customer experience matters: a traveler stranded abroad, unable to prove they had insurance in an emergency. From there, the discussion unpacks the hidden friction embedded across the insurance journey — especially in claims, servicing, and customer engagement. Ernesto shares how Gigasure was designed as a digital-native travel MGA focused on mobile-first engagement, instant gratification, and removing the traditional “handoffs” that frustrate policyholders. Marc explains how Wallet Studio, developed by Miss Moneypenny Technologies after nearly a decade of experimentation, enables insurers to create dynamic wallet-based insurance experiences that sit directly alongside boarding passes, payments, and loyalty cards. Together, they reveal how the partnership rapidly launched over 50,000 digital wallet cards in just a few months, achieving remarkable customer engagement and demonstrating that insurance can become proactive, contextual, and genuinely useful. The episode also dives into parametric claims, embedded insurance, MGA innovation, AI-enabled customer journeys, and why ecosystem collaboration — not disruption alone — is shaping the next era of InsurTech. KEY TAKEAWAYS What struck me most in this conversation is how both Ernesto and Marc are solving an issue the industry has talked about for years but rarely fixed: making insurance truly accessible and useful at the exact moment customers need it most. We often talk about “customer experience” in insurance, yet too many journeys still rely on PDFs buried in inboxes, disconnected claims processes, and handoffs between providers. This discussion showed what happens when founders design around real human behavior instead of legacy systems. I was particularly fascinated by the simplicity and power of wallet-native insurance. Consumers already use wallet technology every day for boarding passes, payments, loyalty cards, and transport tickets. Integrating insurance directly into that ecosystem feels obvious once you see it in action. The results speak volumes: more than 50,000 wallet cards issued within months and exceptionally high customer engagement rates. That tells us customers are ready for insurance experiences that are frictionless, visible, and mobile-first. Another important insight is how the MGA model is evolving. Ernesto highlighted how modern MGAs are increasingly powered by specialist InsurTech enablers rather than trying to build every capability themselves. The future is less about disruption in isolation and more about intelligent collaboration, integration, and speed to market. This partnership demonstrates how insurers, MGAs, and technology providers can create far more value together than separately. Finally, I loved the honesty around AI and the “agentic frontier.” Both guests acknowledged that technology alone is not enough. The real challenge is guiding customers through increasingly complex ecosystems in ways that remain trustworthy, intuitive, and human-centered. The winners in this next phase of insurance innovation will be the companies that combine intelligent automation with seamless customer trust. BEST MOMENTS “The era of the app, as we have known it, is over.” — Marc Lampe “88% said they have trouble finding their documents.” — Ernesto Suarez “Insurance has never been tangible. And I feel like this is a little piece that we can give customers for what they've purchased.” — Ernesto Suarez “The solution is not to build the perfect AI-driven functionality, but to deliver that actually to the customer.” — Marc Lampe “We're all very good at selling, but it's the post-sale service element that I feel is a big lie.” — Ernesto Suarez “The customer should only have the experience and not struggle.” — Marc Lampe “We are trying to eat away at the friction.” — Ernesto Suarez “Customer experience in insurance can actually be good.” — Sabine VanderLinden ABOUT THE GUESTS Ernesto Suarez Ernesto Suarez is the Founder and CEO of Gigasure, a digital-native MGA redefining travel insurance through mobile-first engagement and wallet-native customer experiences. With more than 25 years in the insurance industry, Ernesto previously founded and exited a successful niche insurance venture focused on car hire excess protection. Through Gigasure, he is building a new generation of insurance products designed specifically for millennials and Gen Z consumers, combining embedded services, parametric claims, instant payouts, and app-driven customer servicing. Marc Lampe Marc Lampe is the Co-founder of Miss Moneypenny Technologies, the company behind Wallet Studio, a wallet-native platform enabling insurers to create dynamic digital insurance cards and customer engagement experiences. An entrepreneur since the age of 17, Marc has spent more than a decade developing wallet technology solutions across industries before focusing on insurance. Today, Wallet Studio powers wallet-native experiences for more than 20 insurers and MGAs, helping carriers modernize customer engagement, claims interaction, and embedded insurance journeys. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet. If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights. And if you're interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures
What's next for Convex following its rapid expansion and $7bn deal with Onex and AIG last year?In his first major interview since the transaction, CEO Paul Brand tells Behind the Headlines how Convex's lean operating model is built to withstand the pressures of the soft market.Brand also details the rationale for the carrier's play in the MGA market, and reflects on his longtime executive partnership with Stephen Catlin.And in this episode's news discussion, Fiona Robertson explains the emerging tensions in the fast follow market.
Introduction What if the real bottleneck in commercial insurance isn't distribution or pricing—it's the workflow itself? Nearly $100 billion of SME P&C insurance is placed every year using manual processes, disconnected systems, and data that lives in spreadsheets and email threads. Hamesh Chawla has spent the last four years building the infrastructure to change that. Before founding Mulberri in 2021, Chawla led product and technology at Edelman Financial Engines and Asurion. He came to insurance not as a lifer but as a technologist who saw an industry still running on 20th-century tooling. Mulberri is his answer: an AI operations platform connecting PEOs, brokers, SMEs, and carriers—from smart submission and risk scoring to quote-and-bind and certificate of insurance. In this conversation, Josh Hollander and Chawla dig into why the MGA market was the right pivot, what AI governance looks like when binding decisions carry real capital risk, and why the SME segment is the most underserved frontier in commercial insurance. Guest Bio Hamesh Chawla is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mulberri, an AI operations platform for MGAs, PEOs, brokers, and carriers serving the SME market. Before Mulberri, he was EVP and Chief Product & Technology Officer at Edelman Financial Engines, with prior roles at Asurion and Zephyr (acquired by SmartBear). He holds an MS in Computer Science from Texas A&M University. Mulberri has raised $10.8M from Eos Venture Partners, Altamont Capital Partners, MS&AD Ventures, and Hanover Technology Management. Key Topics • The $100B manual workflow problem — Nearly $100B of SME P&C is placed annually using ACORD forms emailed back and forth, loss runs parsed by hand, and decisions made without the data that exists in the market. Mulberri automates this stack. • From embedded insurance to AI operating system — Chawla explains why he pivoted from embedded distribution to building the workflow layer MGAs actually run on—ingesting unstructured data, structuring it through a GenAI OS, and routing decisions with full context. • AI governance when capital is at stake — When AI is binding real policies, black-box models get rejected. Mulberri surfaces claim propensity, frequency, severity, and loss ratio so underwriters can interrogate and trust the output. • The PEO channel as data and distribution — PEOs sit on firmographic and workforce data directly predictive of workers' comp risk. Embedding into that channel is both a data strategy and a go-to-market strategy. • Building for carriers, brokers, and SMEs simultaneously — Carriers need loss ratio visibility, brokers need submission efficiency, SMEs need straightforward access. Aligning all three is the hardest product problem in the space. Notable Quotes "Our mission since day one has been to leverage technology to complement underwriters' expertise—simplifying and streamlining the business insurance process while ensuring transparency." "The Risk Engine puts the information underwriters need at their fingertips to make fast, accurate decisions—not replacing them, but making them dramatically more effective." Resources Guest: • Mulberri: https://www.mulberri.io • Hamesh Chawla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hameshchawla/ Host & Organization: • Joshua R. Hollander on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuarhollander/ • Horton International (USA): https://www.horton-usa.com/ • Insurtech Leadership Podcast (LinkedIn Showcase): https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/insurtech-leadership-show Subscribe & Review If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe on your favorite platform and leave a review. The Insurtech Leadership Podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
In the latest episode, host Alex Bond sits down with Chris Luiz, the founder behind one of Insurtech's most community-driven conferences: the Scout InsurTech event in Columbus, Ohio, which has grown to over 80 startups and nearly 500 attendees this year.What makes the Scout InsurTech conference different:
The Friday Five for May 15, 2026: Field Notes: Camp Ritter The “Spotify 20: Your Party of the Year(s)” TRICARE Transition from DS Logon to myAuth Scammers Using Meta to Target Seniors Introducing the Integrity Health Plan Get Connected:
I first met today's guest just under 34 years ago on my first day at work in the London Market. Back then Alfonso Valera and I worked in the London-based Lloyd's subsidiary of the biggest broker in Spain. Alfonso was my senior and had already been in post for a year and patiently helped show me the ropes. He spoke perfect English, was a confident, skilful and forceful negotiator who was incredibly passionate about the insurance business and was always fun, direct and easy to deal with. He was mature beyond his years and was a natural leader. It seemed obvious to anyone who knew him back then that he was destined for great things. That broking business was taken over by Aon in the late nineties. Alfonso stayed on and over 25 years later he is now CEO of International at Aon Reinsurance Solutions. International covers the whole of the Rest of the World other than the Americas, and Aon is the largest reinsurance broker by revenues, so however you measure it Alfonso has one of the biggest jobs in global reinsurance. His job titles and seniority might have changed since we first met, but I can guarantee that he is exactly the same person I knew when I was fresh out of University. He is still disarmingly direct and straightforward and he is still passionate about the business, but now he is speaking from a vantage point that few in the global insurance market can reach. Alfonso is still great fun to talk to and this conversation took on a life of its own. Whether it's the state of the market and changes in buyer and seller appetites, facilitisation in reinsurance, the prospects for M&A, the MGA phenomenon, enhanced competition between reinsurance intermediaries or the changes that AI is likely to bring, Alfonso gives me a straight answer every time and we barely pause for breath. Catching up with Alfonso was a joy from start to finish. Listen on and you'll be bound to agree. LINKS: We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo, now part of Sapiens: https://www.advantagego.com
In Episode 305 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and Lee Boyd welcome Andrew Yeoman, Co-founder and CEO of Concirrus, joining from the UK. Andrew shares how his company is transforming specialty insurance underwriting through AI powered automation, domain specific intelligence, and a relentless focus on real business outcomes. Andrew explains how Concirrus helps insurers dramatically reduce manual work, accelerate quoting, and unlock underwriting capacity without increasing headcount. Drawing on years of experience across insurance and technology, he offers a unique perspective on why AI alone is not the differentiator and why the real opportunity lies in rethinking business models around it. The conversation goes beyond today's use cases, exploring the concept of "but for" companies which are businesses that only exist because of AI and what that means for the future of insurance, underwriting, and entrepreneurship. Key Highlights [03:45] Andrew Yeoman Joins from the UK A multinational episode kicks off with Andrew introducing his background and proximity to the heart of the insurance market near Lloyd's of London. [05:00] Award Winning AI in Action How Concirrus helped a customer grow from 25M to 100M in premium without increasing headcount, earning top industry AI awards. [07:30] What Concirrus Actually Does An overview of the platform automating the entire underwriting lifecycle from submission ingestion to quote, bind, and policy administration. [09:30] Automating the Work Underwriters Don't Want to Do Why eliminating administrative tasks roughly 40 percent of an underwriter's time unlocks productivity and improves job satisfaction. [11:15] From 48 Hours to 90 Seconds How AI driven workflows reduced time to quote by over 90 percent, transforming responsiveness and competitiveness. [12:45] Why One Size AI Doesn't Work in Underwriting The importance of domain specific AI models tailored to different specialty lines like aviation, marine, and crisis risk. [16:30] The Evolution Toward Specialty Insurance How early lessons in data overload and usability led to a focus on simplifying underwriting in complex, underserved specialty markets. [20:30] Reinventing the Company Around AI Andrew shares how Concirrus reset in 2023, leveraging AI at the right moment to rebuild with strong domain expertise. [22:00] Why "AI Native" Is Becoming Meaningless A candid take on how AI is quickly becoming table stakes not a true differentiator. [23:30] The Rise of "But For" Companies A powerful framework businesses that only exist because of AI and why they represent the next wave of innovation. [27:15] The Idea of the One Person Insurance Company Exploring the possibility of a billion dollar MGA run by a single person supported by AI agents. [29:30] New Insurance Products Enabled by AI How dynamic, adaptive policies could optimize coverage in real time based on customer behavior and context. [33:10] A Golden Age for Insurance Innovation Why Andrew believes we are entering an unprecedented era of opportunity driven by AI and technological advancement. [34:45] Can the Industry Keep Up? Why MGAs may lead innovation while carriers provide the balance sheet and how the ecosystem evolves together. [36:00] The Role of Vendors in an AI World Why success comes from clearing the path for customers not pushing technology for its own sake. [39:30] Global Risk, War, and Real Time Data How geopolitical events create cascading impacts across specialty insurance lines and why real time insight is critical. [43:00] Final Thoughts The Future Is Already Changing A reflection on AI agents, automation, and how entrepreneurship itself is being redefined.
Introduction What if the most dangerous thing about a commercial fleet route could be identified before the truck ever left the yard? The insurance industry has spent decades pricing commercial auto risk using historical loss data and, more recently, real-time telematics. But neither tells you what's waiting around the next bend. The forward-looking layer has never existed. Goetz Weber is a theoretical physicist turned mapping executive turned insurtech founder. After a decade at TomTom and HERE Technologies optimizing routes for time and distance, he asked a different question: why isn't anyone optimizing for risk? RouteRisk.ai is his answer. The company scores every commercial route across sixty-plus variables before dispatch, producing what Weber calls "a FICO score for fleet routes." In this conversation, Josh Hollander and Weber dig into the science behind segment-level route scoring, the insurance market's fourteen-year losing streak on commercial auto, and why giving the technology away for free might be the smartest distribution strategy in fleet insurtech. Guest Bio Goetz Weber holds a PhD in quantum field theory and spent over a decade in the navigation and mapping industry, serving as VP of Innovation at TomTom and previously at HERE Technologies. In those roles, he worked directly with fleet operators, fleet management companies, and logistics platforms. He founded RouteRisk.ai to address a gap he identified firsthand: routing companies optimize for cost, time, and distance, but nobody scores risk. RouteRisk is now Series A funded, integrating with platforms like Samsara, and building its go-to-market for insurance distribution. Key Topics • The missing layer in fleet risk assessment - Historical data looks backward, telematics looks at the present, but nobody scores what's about to happen. RouteRisk fills the forward-looking gap with pre-dispatch route scoring. • Sixty-plus variables in a single route score - Static road geometry, forward weather, traffic predictions, vehicle physics, cargo sensitivity, theft corridors, and incident history, all scored at the segment level and aggregated with interaction effects. • The FICO analogy for fleet routes - A composite risk score that tells dispatchers, fleet operators, and insurers the risk profile of a specific route, at a specific time, for a specific vehicle carrying specific cargo. • Risk appetite as underwriting data - When a fleet operator chooses a route scored at 80 over one scored at 40, that decision is captured. Over time, this builds a behavioral profile of risk appetite that insurers have never had access to. • Free-to-fleet, monetize-through-insurance - RouteRisk gives the scoring tool to fleet operators at no cost (reducing their accidents and insurance leverage) and sells the risk decision data to carriers and reinsurers. • Three paths to insurance market entry - Form a proprietary MGA, partner with existing fleet insurers on incentive-based pricing, or go directly to reinsurers who bear nuclear verdict risk. • Why this isn't the telematics adoption problem - Telematics monitors drivers (creating resistance). RouteRisk scores roads and empowers dispatchers. No cameras, no surveillance, no cost barrier. Notable Quotes "I think of vehicles moving through space as moving through risk fields, dynamic risk fields that come and go, whether it's weather, traffic, road conditions, theft hotspots." "If I show you two routes and one has a risk score of forty and one has a risk score of eighty, and you choose the eighty, I've captured your risk appetite. And that data is gold for an insurer." "If you and I both go to a ski resort, but you do extreme downhill and I do cross-country, technically we should have different insurance programs. Our data reveals which fleet operators are the extreme downhillers and which are the cross-country skiers." "Risk should be visible and manageable before it materializes, not just measured after it has." Resources Guest: • RouteRisk.ai: https://www.routerisk.ai • Goetz Weber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/goetzweber/ Host: • Joshua R. Hollander on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuarhollander/ • Horton International (USA): https://www.horton-usa.com/ • Insurtech Leadership Podcast (LinkedIn Showcase): https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/insurtech-leadership-show Subscribe & Review If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe on your favorite platform and leave a review. The Insurtech Leadership Podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
What does it take to make AI work in insurance, not just in a pilot, but in production?In the latest episode of the Leadership in Insurance Podcast, host Alex Bonds sits down with Kyle, founder of Clearcover and the newly launched Dearborn Labs, for a candid conversation about the realities of AI adoption in the insurance industry.Kyle brings a rare perspective: a decade of building one of insurance's most tech-forward carriers, and now a mission to bring those hard-won lessons to mid-market insurers everywhere. He shares how Clearcover achieved over 90% of claims intake through AI agents and 93% of policies found digitally - and why getting there was far harder than it looked.In this episode, Kyle and Alex explore:
Tony chats with Jared Kaplan, Co-Founder & CEO at indigo, they are dedicated to MedMal and they are building an incredibly innovative MGA platform that blends the best new tech to disrupt an old school-industry. An incredible episode!Jared Kaplan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-kaplan-683412/indigo: https://www.getindigo.com/Video Version: https://youtu.be/PO_rTvMsThE
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:13-35 NRSVUE Sermon Part 2: Christ in Our Conversations So for this part two, our theme of our preaching is “Christ in our conversations.” Sabi nga sa Matthew chapter 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” But of course, we also honor and value ‘yung mga intimate at personal conversations natin with God through prayer. While it is true na mas yumayabong at nabibigyan ng buhay ang ating mga conversations with each other and the community. After all nga ‘di ba, bilang isang Metropolitan Community Church, community is our middle name. Tama ba?. I also believe na mahalagang pagtuunan din natin ng pansin and a good practice ‘yung pagiging self-aware. Ang matutong makinig sa pansariling pangangailangan, to listen to our bodies, to affirm ourselves first na hindi kasalanan ang pagiging bakla, so that we can also affirm others. We need to resolve our own struggles before we can do that for other people. The famous line: you cannot pour from an empty cup. And we have clarity in our personal lives to inspire that capacity to others. Shit ba? Paborito na ni Joseph?. Mga kasita, we miss you, Chang. So we know that God, through Jesus, has always been with us in our journey. At napakinggan din natin ang isa sa mga pinaka-life-changing na holy conversation moment doon sa ating gospel reading , kung saan, after nilang mag-sharing about scripture ng breaking of bread ay bigla na lang naglaho ‘yung stranger na kasalubong nila patungong Emmaus. At sa punto ring ‘yon, na-realize nila na it was Jesus, that it was him all along. Christ is present in our conversations. Hindi lamang tuwing linggo sa ating praise and worship, kundi sa mga ordinary moments in our lives. Hindi lamang sa mga masasaya, lalo’t higit sa mga masasalimuot at difficult conversations that we have to deal with. Naalala ko ‘yung chika ko, paniniwala ako nung bago ako dumating sa MCC sa Open Table. Pansin niyo ba na sa mga moments na when we have personal conversations with God, may mga times na tayo lang ‘yung nagsasalita, where we cry out to Jesus. We give thanks, we ask forgiveness, and may mga moments naman na tayo ay tahimik lang and letting our hearts speak the prayers that our mouths couldn’t utter. Parang ‘yung mga moments na ‘yon na siya naman ‘yung nangungusap sa atin. Man through words, pero alam mo at ramdam mo ‘yung healing, ‘yung kagaanan ng loob, at sa mga ganitong moments natin tila mas nararamdaman ang kanyang presence sa ating buhay. So last week ay na-mention ko ‘yung tungkol sa mga naging struggle ko sa work recently at kung paano ko binaka ‘yung feeling of being overwhelmed. I mean, I am glad that I was able to get through it, but I am also aware that it’s not the same for everyone. Some people may still be in that situation or perhaps find themselves in the loop na paulit-ulit lang or paikot-ikot lang. Sa dami ng aking iniisip—trabaho, travels, at iba pang ganap as an extrovert at natural people person. At the same time, ‘yung mga gampanin sa ating simbahan as pastor in discernment, in that journey, I stumbled upon ‘yung podcast of Coach Pia Acevedo. Kilala niyo ba si Coach Pia? So si Coach Pia is a life coach, author, and a leadership trainer with over two decades of experience in coaching and counseling. She helps people cut through confusion and live with clarity, purpose, and intention so that they can focus on what truly matters. Isa sa mga magandang napulot ko from her ay connected sa pagiging present. Hindi man lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat na marami sa ating mga akla ay mga breadwinner. Imagine as a queer person who is already struggling to fight discrimination on top of the fight for the same rights as our straight allies. Isa pa sa mga dagdag na challenge ang pagiging breadwinner. Hindi ko na alam kung ilang beses ko nang na-tackle ang topic na ito. I think deserve na nito ng isang preaching series at malalang holy conversation moments at kasama na sa mga listahan ng mga personal advocacies na malapit sa aking puso. Pero habang wala pa tayo doon, I suggest you can grab muna ‘yung copy nung books from Coach Pia. Nag-promote pa, not sponsored. So I’m yet to finish ‘yung first book and ito ‘yun. Ito ‘yung unang “Focus on What Matters”. I’m yet to finish this and plan to start ‘yung isa pa, ‘yung “Moment to Moment”, right after. I hope na makatulong ito upang magkaroon tayo ng clarity sa dami ng ating mga iniisip. So anyway, I’m sure nag-aantay na kayo kung ang haba na ng sinabi ko at wala pa ako doon sa main point. Ito na nga, bilang isang breadwinner na bakla, at another example is sa ating mga straight allies na as a parent, sa mga kapatid nating OFWs na nagtatrabaho at kumakayod , ginagawang araw ang gabi para lang makapagpadala ng pera sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. ‘Di ba nga sila ‘yung mga sagot natin sa tanong na, “Para kanino ka bumabangon?”. “Para sa pamilya, para sa future ng mga anak ko.” ‘Di bale nang magkalayo kami kaysa naman sama-sama kaming mamatay na dilat at gutom. At dahil sa dami na nating iniisip, siyempre wala na tayong capacity para sa maliliit na bagay. Tama ba?. No more time to play with the kids after work dahil madalas pagod na lang sa trabaho kung ‘di pa rin sa commute. Buti kung ganun lang, pero minsan mas malala. At personally, ganito ‘yung eksena ko nung mga unang taon ko sa BPO industry bilang isang breadwinner. Napansin ko na sobrang mainitin ang ulo ko at ang dali kong ma-trigger, ‘yung angil sa mga tao kahit na wala pa naman silang ginagawang masama or kahit sa mga maliliit na bagay. Kayo rin ba may ganitong eksena? Let’s pause for a moment at balikan ‘yung mga sandali ng ating mga buhay na tayo ay napasabi ng, “Ang dami ko nang iniisip, dumagdag pa ‘to.”. Ito ang isang manifestation ng kawalan ng clarity. Akala ko ba para sa kanila ka bumabangon, pero sila rin ‘yung unang nakakaramdam ng mga angil at frustrations mo sa buhay. And si Coach Pia reminds us that when we don’t do our inner work, we don’t just suffer alone. The people we love encounter a compromised version of us. ‘Yun ‘yon. Meet the compromised version of you. Imagine that you’re in front of the mirror ng mahiwagang salamin, boy, for a few moments. Look at that compromised version of you. Do you like what you see?. And imagine kung ano na kaya ang extent ng damage that it had cost you and your loved ones. So paano natin matutulungan ‘yung ating compromised version? What does it take to achieve clarity and focus sa ating mga buhay?. So sa book na “Focus on What Matters,” Coach Pia talks about the need for inner work, which is a journey that starts by laying the groundwork for clarity through practices like self-mastery, self-development, and self-commitment. She talked about habits that we can commit to in order to achieve personal clarity. And for today, I’d like to share to you about M.I.C.K. abbreviation siya. That stands for motivating, inspiring, cheering, and being kind to ourselves. It is both a habit that we can commit to and a muscle we exercise because, again, we can’t pour from an empty cup. And these intentional habits will help us fill our cup. So number one is ‘yung letter M, Motivation. Motivation habit is any regimen or routine that you know works well for you. It involves committing to routines, no matter how trivial, that bring out the best in you. Through these personalized activities, we nurture ourselves and anchor on the stability they provide. An example could be making your bed in the morning, listening to music, and preparing breakfast. One more example could be dedicating a time to exercise, let’s say three times a week. So how do we know if a habit or activity is worth committing to?. We know when we feel something is missing if we skip it, and when we distinctly feel recharged by integrating it into our schedule regularly. Motivation habit serves as a fuel to our tank. By committing to these habits, we experience a steady rhythm that keeps us grounded, whether these are daily, weekly, or monthly habits. Next is your Inspiration, your I. If motivation muscle provides the structure for self-care, inspiration muscle naman brings a wave of joy that refreshes us. Unlike motivation habits which follow rhythm, inspiration habits are done less frequently but offer a full recharge. It enables us to stay connected to what makes us feel alive, providing a surge of deep joy in moments when it is needed. Tapping our sources of inspiration which ignite our natural creativity can foster positive energy and overall well-being. And sabi ni Coach Pia, among doon sa mga clients niya, travel is the most common source of inspiration. We can only take trips every so often, but when we do, there’s infusion of new energy. Traveling reconnects us to the natural enthusiasm and joy reminiscent of childhood. And to activate inspiration muscle is to take ownership of your need for mga picker-upper choices and activities that infuse you with the surge of energy. Other than travel, this can also range from planning a trip or to simple pleasures like enjoying a YouTube video or tuning into a podcast. Mga ka-eme. May mga ka-eme ba dito? Yes. Or listening to music that swiftly recharges you to become your best self. Learning something new or engaging in hobbies that awaken your creativity can also serve this purpose. Even revisiting ‘yung mga old hobbies that once sparked joy can once again ignite your enthusiasm for life and tap into the best version of yourself. As clarity is a personal journey, only you yourself are capable of choosing the inspiration that you need. An inspired person feels alive. Whatever brings you inspiration is a non-negotiable in your life. Next naman is ‘yung C which stands for Cheer. Picture yourself as your own personal cheerleader. The cheer muscle involves encouraging ourselves to push past our limits, especially in our adversity. Cheer is a non-negotiable habit we put in place to help us manage stress. We can proactively anticipate stressful times and plan ahead by intentionally plotting activities and inserting habits into our schedule. This will help us manage the demand of our hectic schedule. Sensitivity toward ourselves is crucial in strengthening our cheer muscle. Start exercising sensitivity and observation skills. Look at your calendar and anticipate which specific meetings, social events, projects, or deliverables you know will trigger your stress, anxiety, or heaviness. Kumbaga paghahandaan mo na siya. Pag alam mo mas-stress ako sa week na ‘to , kailangan gumawa na ako ng mga habits na magre-recharge sa akin. This approach provides you with the support needed to manage potential heaviness or disengagement. Since we know ourselves best, let’s prepare ourselves for anticipated stress and activities. Just like a cheerleader motivates the team during the final seconds of a game, we cheer for ourselves to stay resilient and persevere towards our goals. Even when the going gets tough, our cheer muscle enables us to face life’s challenges well-prepared as they often come relentlessly unexpected. A strong cheer muscle enhances our resilience, enabling us to bounce back more quickly from stressful situations. Last naman is ‘yung Kindness. Kindness is your capacity to be nurturing, kind, patient, and compassionate towards yourself just as you would a loved one or a best friend. The strength of our kindness muscle should allow you to be intentional in your caring for others as you would care for yourself. One strong measure of the strength of your kindness muscle is our capacity to forgive ourselves, forgive others, or ask for forgiveness for when we feel we may have hurt. And kindness is the most difficult muscle to strengthen. As often than not, we did not grow up with strong models of people around us living a life of kindness, nurturing patience and love for ourselves. Nabanggit ko rin ‘to doon sa ano natin, parang hirap para sa atin na maging forgiving of ourselves. From a young age, we are also taught to prioritize the needs of others. Yet, our ability to care for others hinges on how well we take care of ourselves. Showing kindness to ourselves is important, especially when we face setbacks or disappointments. It’s about offering ourselves the same support and encouragement that we readily give others. Strengthening our kindness muscle means taking the time to pause, relax, and rest. Doing anything that nurtures you, like eating well, enjoying your favorite food, and getting plenty of sleep is essential. We must accept that we cannot always meet our own expectations and let go of attachments to specific outcomes. By forgiving ourselves when we falter, honoring the progress we’ve made, and staying open to learning from failures, we create a space for us to grow into the best versions of ourselves. Being kind to yourself is also a non-negotiable in your life. So ano siya, pwedeng magkakahalo siya, ‘yung mga what motivates you can also inspire you. Pwedeng-pwede siyang pumasok doon sa alin sa mga iyon. So our internal guide has a big say in how we make decisions. It’s all about progress, learning, and embracing our imperfections along the way. This journey of growth allows us to center ourselves and focus on what truly counts in life. The more we nurture this process, the better we become at self-care and connecting with our genuine selves. So I hope that you also learned something as much as I did nung sa book na ‘to at marami pa. Ipapa-hiram ko kasi hindi pa ako tapos. At ‘yun sa part na nai-share ko sa inyo about sa “Focus on What Matters” by Coach Pia, ito ‘yung mga simpleng bagay na pwede nating gawin para sa ating mga sarili to move from a compromised version to the best version of ourselves. Pero hindi natatapos doon ang lahat. As we strive to become the best version of ourselves, mahalaga ring pag-usapan ang pagse-set ng boundaries. Beep beep. Baka may matamaan sa pagse-set ng boundaries. Minsan parang profound pakinggan kasi nung boundaries at hindi siya ganoon ka-common sa kultura nating mga Pilipino. Pero just because it’s not common doesn’t mean hindi na natin ito dapat pagtuunan ng pansin. Halimbawa sa pagiging breadwinner, dahil ikaw na ‘yung naghahanap-buhay, mahalagang mag-set ka ng boundaries through shared responsibility sa inyong mga bahay, mga tahanan. I-delegate mo ang mga simpleng gawain upang kahit papaano ay mabawasan ang iyong iniisip. Some might say na madaling sabihin pero mahirap gawin , lalo na para sa ilan na bukod sa pagiging breadwinner ay magulang din, or to be specific, nanay. Mahirap talagang iwalay ang pagiging nanay sa pagiging provider as a mother. Pero mahalaga na naiintindihan ito ng mga tao sa paligid mo. Oo, nanay ka , maghahanda ka ng pagkain, mag-aasikaso ka ng gamit ng mga anak mo, but it’s also important to set boundaries. Tandaan mo na kailangan mo rin ng sapat na pahinga para makapag-focus ka sa trabaho na siyang nagbibigay ng kakayahan mong mag-provide para sa iyong pamilya. Kailangan itong ma-communicate. Kailangan ng maayos na usapan kung paano mas mapapagaan ang inyong sitwasyon. At isa lang ito sa marami pang mga halimbawa. Iba’t iba ‘yung dynamics ng bawat isa. Pero ang punto ay ito: Huwag mong piliting saluhin ang lahat. Matutong manghingi ng tulong kapag kailangan. Alam ko hindi ‘to madali, but I hope you are able to do so and have these conversations. After all, wala namang hindi nadadaan sa maayos na usapan. So now let’s go back to the journey ni Cleopas at isa pang disciple. Let us be reminded of their enthusiasm when they realized that they had been in conversation with Jesus all along. This story reminds us that God is always with us sa ating paglalakbay, that we can be that other disciple na unnamed. Hindi man tayo ever makapaglalakad kasama ang historical Jesus, ‘di ba, o baka sa panaginip, pero ano ba ‘yung pangako? That we have each other. We experience Christ in our many conversations with our families, with our loved ones, with our chosen families like here sa ating simbahan, at lalo na when we are intentional sa ating pakikinig at pagiging in solidarity sa iba’t iba pang community lalo na sa mga maralita. As I close this part two, keyword “close,” napaisip rin ako baka lumalayo na ako sa theme na “Christ in our conversations.”. Pero I had a Holy Spirit activate moment. I feel that this is a perfect opportunity to also talk about self-love —ang matutunang makinig sa kung anong sinasabi ng ating mga katawan at isip. After all, magkaugnay ang pagkakaroon ng personal clarity sa ating buhay at ang pagkakaroon ng meaningful conversations sa ating kapwa. By building these small habits for ourselves ay mas mapapayabong natin ang ating mga conversation at ang pag-unawa sa journey ng bawat isa, dahil hindi naman tayo pare-pareho ng kwento, and that’s the beauty of our diversity. Maaaring hindi tayo pare-pareho ng ating pinagdadaanang struggle pero pareho lang naman ang ating pinaglalaban. At sa bawat pakikipag-usap natin sa iba, we find Christ in their stories and hope that they find Christ in us and through us. Napapalalim ang ating pakikipagbahagi at pakikisangkot sa pakikinig ng kanilang kwento. We hold the power to carry these stories and share them with others. And being with Open Table MCC for almost 10 years now, marami na akong nakasama, nakasalamuha, nakadaupang-palad, nakausap at narinig ng mga kwento—ang mga Lumad, ang mga persons deprived of liberty sa QC Women’s Penitentiary , ang mga magsasaka sa Lupang Ramos, ang mga batang PLHIV na nasa pangangalaga ng Duyan Foundation at Project Red Ribbon, at ang ilan sa mga communities na naabutan ng tulong ng Pride Cares, mga nasalanta ng bagyo sa Rodriguez, Rizal at iba pang naabutan ng tulong through our partnership sa iba’t iba pang LGBTQIA+ organizations. Ang kanilang mga kwento ay patuloy kong dadalhin at subukang maibahagi sa marami pang pakikipag-usap, lalo na sa panibagong responsibility as pastor in discernment. Ganito rin ang sinasabi ko sa mga students who come and be in immersion with us. Iilan lang sa kanila ang bakla at may katulad na kwento sa atin, pero ibinabahagi natin ang ating mga kwento in the hope na dalhin nila ito as they go on in their lives hanggang makarating na sila sa kanilang adulting journey, sharing the good news sa mga kapwa nila estudyante who still struggle to resolve their sexuality with their spirituality, to tell them about the small church where you can come as you are in your most authentic self, where you can express your love of God in the most fantabulous and flamboyant way. Amen ba? At bilang Easter people, dahil hindi lang natapos ang kwento sa muling pagkabuhay ni Kristo, let us be reminded that we are the continuation of the story. Galing kay RD ‘yan at lagi kong panghahawakan ‘yang narinig ko sa preaching niya. Ayan, nawala na ako. And with that comes the power na magpatuloy at bilang Open Table MCC to have meaningful conversations, even difficult ones, to take part in the call for ceasefire and to put an end to meaningless war. Conversations that continue to create safe spaces, and our participation in the wider work of justice and peace through Jesus who proclaimed a radically inclusive love for all people, at ‘pag kinakailangan ay harapin ang mga usapang mahirap lalo na sa mga kakilala or kapamilya natin na patuloy nagbubulag-bulagan at pumipili at naghahalal ng mga leader na corrupt at sangkot sa katiwalian. Hindi man ito madali, I hope that we’re always reminded na parte rin sila ng pinaglalaban, that there’s more that unites us than separates us. Let us also be intentional sa pangangamusta sa mga mahal natin sa buhay knowing always that Jesus is present in our conversations to speak with love and compassion. At kung ikaw naman ‘yung may kinikimkim sa loob mo kung ano man ‘yan, I hope that the Holy Spirit touches your heart so you can find the courage to have that conversation, one that could inspire, heal, and transform you and others, knowing that God, Jesus, will be there with you. Amen. The post Easter: The Walk To Emmaus Part 2 appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.
Question? Comment? Send us a Message!Sean and Dane are back!! Fresh off their first MGA event of the year, the fellas recap their rounds and review their weeks!! It's a full circle moment…the ACL Signature is coming back to Cleveland!!! The boys preview singles, doubles and take a deep dive into Teams!! Dramatic readings and random thoughts round out the episode!BIG ASP Cornhole Patreon page:4 Tiers to choose from!! Come join our growing community and get insider info, become an active participant in show content, be eligible for bag giveaway's, find our VIDEO of the interviews and more!!https://www.patreon.com/bigaspcornholeDraggin Bags!!-The “Power Draggin” might be the best bag we've ever thrown!! And we suck…imagine how good they could be in your hands….https://dragginbagz.com/Big Asp Merch!!!! Polos, Tees, Jerseys, shorts and more!!https://jamapparel.net/collections/new-the-big-asp-cornhole-podcast-collection-by-jamSupport the show
Cattle on Feed, Production and Slaughter Heifer Breeding Management Protocol Option Faces in Agriculture: Cally Miller 00:01:05 – Cattle on Feed, Production and Slaughter: A cattle market update from Tyler Cozzens, director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center, begins today's show as he notes key points regarding cattle on feed, global production and trade as well as cow slaughter. LMIC.info 00:12:05 – Heifer Breeding Management Protocol Option: Jason Warner, K-State Extension cow-calf specialist, continues the show as he chats about the use of MGA for preparing heifers for breeding. He comments on the importance of planning ahead. KSUBeef.org BeefRepro.org 00:23:05 – Faces in Agriculture: Cally Miller: Ending the show is a segment of Faces in Agriculture with Cally Miller, K-State student originally from Butler County, as she discusses her involvement and growth in agriculture and what she would share with others wanting to be a part of the industry. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. Agriculture Today is a daily program featuring Kansas State University agricultural specialists and other experts examining ag issues facing Kansas and the nation. It is hosted by Shelby Varner and distributed to radio stations throughout Kansas and as a daily podcast. K‑State Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit Extension.ksu.edu. K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with Joe Zuk, an operating partner with Altamont Capital Partners, to discuss the future of insurance through the lens of private equity, underwriting, MGA strategy, and AI. Joe shares insights from his career across reinsurance, underwriting, corporate development, and insurance investing, while offering a behind-the-scenes look at how AI is reshaping underwriting, claims, workflow, and service across the industry. They also discuss the current M&A landscape in insurance, what investors are looking for in MGAs, wholesalers, and retail platforms, and why data, underwriting discipline, strong distribution, and human expertise continue to matter in a changing market. This episode is a great listen for agency owners, wholesalers, MGAs, carriers, and insurtech leaders looking to stay ahead of what's next in commercial insurance.
Could a private insurance market play a significant role in compensating for AI-related harms and incentivizing companies to engage in more effective AI governance? Phil Dawson of Armillla AI explains why AI insurance is emerging as a distinct product category, why traditional policies aren't effective at addressing AI risks, and what AI insurance actually covers. Dawson details Armilla's journey from AI testing platform assurance provider to, managing general agent for AI insurance policies, arguing that the company's AI audit experience gave it the risk data and evaluation capabilities needed to underwrite AI systems. A key turning point, he says, was realizing that as companies received reports showing how their models performed or underperformed, they became more concerned about risk, and insurance emerged as the next logical step to build trust. Dawson identifies the absence of claims data as the central challenge for AI underwriting, which forces insurers to rely on proxy signals. He argues that policymakers can help by incentivizing transparency, disclosure, and third-party assessment. Drawing on lessons from cyber insurance, Dawson contends that risk-based pricing must be grounded in system-level governance evaluation. He also describes Armilla's partnership program, which connects insured companies with AI governance platforms, auditing firms, and certification bodies, ultimately driving improved AI governance maturity across the sector. Philip Dawson is Head of AI Policy and Partnerships at Armilla AI, an MGA and Lloyd's cover holder that provides dedicated AI insurance products. A lawyer and public policy adviser, he has spent nearly a decade working on AI governance, including early involvement in the drafting of the OECD AI Principles and roles at Element AI, the United Nations, and the Harvard Kennedy School's Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. Transcript Ready or Not: The Impact of Artifician Intelligence on Insurance Risks (Armilla AI and Lockton, February 2026) Armilla AI Raises Lloyd's-Backed Coverage to $25M as Traditional Insurers Retreat from AI Risk (Fintech Finance News, January 22, 2026) Gen AI Risks for Businesses: Exploring the Role for Insurance (Geneva Association, October 2, 2025)
May mga panalangin ka bang parang hindi na mangyayare? Mga sitwasyong pakiramdam mo ay imposible ng maganap? Sa Diyos, walang imposible. Siya ang gumagawa ng paraan kahit sa mga bagay na wala na tayong nakikitang pag-asa.Support CBN Asia today!https://www.cbnasia.com/giveSupport the show
Mga tunay na kwentong ipinadala sa sindakstories2008@gmail.com.True Ghost Stories of Podcast Listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga kakaibang possession experience, sleep paralysis, at mga multong nanonood. Yan ang mga madidinig natin sa episode ngayong gabi. Padme, thank you uli sa pag share nito. Kakaiba talaga experience ng Mama mo. Di ko makakalimutan ang Hen Lin Siomai
Send us Fan MailWe're joined by Charlotte Vowden, Motoring journalist, automotive adventurer and presenter. Her story with cars hasn't always been a passion. It starts with her Grandads Mk3 Escort, and how he would pick her up from school and 'save her' from the bullies who would throw footballs at her head as she made her way to the gate. The car was nothing special, except it really was special. Her Dad was a mobile mechanic, so was busy working a lot of the time, but his skills have really come into their own in more recent years as Charlotte inherited an MGA roadster from her other Grandfather, and she's been on a number of life affirming roadtrips since taking over the ownership. From driving the length of the UK on sustainable fuel, to mimic the 1000 mile test from days gone by, to driving to Nordcapp, the furthest accessible point north, in Norway.Please do follow what Charlotte gets up to on Instagram, where you'll also find photos from her car based adventures.Charlie V (@charlottevowden) • Instagram photos and videosWe're pleased to say the guys from Viking Covers are staying on as Sponsor for My Dad's Car. If you are looking to keep the dust, dirt and weather off your cherished car go check them out at www.vikingcovers.co.ukSupport the showWe'd love you to hear and share your stories, please tag and follow us on social media. www.instagram.com/mydadscar_podcastwww.Facebook.com/mydadscar podcastwww.buymeacoffee.com/mydadscarIf you'd like to support the podcast and are able to, you can ‘buy us a coffee' which will help towards costs of hosting and purchasing equipment to allow us to record guests in person, rather than just on zoom. Get in touch with us direct - MyDadsCarPodcast@gmail.com
Tony chats with Hamesh Chawla, Co-Founder & CEO at Mulberri. He is a returning guest from episode 397. Mulberri has evolved a lot and is now very focused on enabling MGAs. If you're in the MGA space you owe it to yourself to watch this space!Hamesh Chawla: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamesh-chawla-9354042/Mulberri: https://www.mulberri.io/Prior Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIgC4cXQNVIVideo Version: https://youtu.be/mCSs9u8IkTQ
Mga tunay na kwentong ipinadala sa sindakstories2008@gmail.com.True Ghost Stories of Podcast Listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na kwentong ipinadala sa sindakstories2008@gmail.com.True Ghost Stories of Podcast Listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga booker ng artista, nabubudol din ba ng mga artista?Gigi de Lana, peke nga ba ang pagkahimatay?Mark Herras,mukhang madedemanda! Alamin!
Mga tunay na kwentong ipinadala sa sindakstories2008@gmail.com.True Ghost Stories of Podcast Listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mga tunay na kwentong ipinadala sa sindakstories2008@gmail.com.True Ghost Stories of Podcast Listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As regular listeners will know, the Voice of Insurance usually interviews people from the global wholesale, speciality insurance and reinsurance end of the market, insuring the type of risks that tend to have to cross borders to find the right type of coverage. Today's podcast is a slight departure from the norm because I am talking to someone who is working in the general insurance space in the UK. But they are doing so from a wholly original wholesale and tech-enabled angle that also incorporates one of the hot trends of the past few years – embedded insurance. Mark Christer is CEO of Wakam UK, a firm that uses the business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) and MGA models to go to market in niche lines of business where it can stay under the radar of the volume and scale players in the UK's hyper-competitive market. Wakam UK is the UK subsidiary of the rebranded French insurance group which can boast an illustrious 200-year history as France's oldest private insurer, La Parisienne. Mark came into insurance because of his work in IT and has enormous experience in the UK market He is the former managing director of personal lines for RSA in the UK, where he looked after the high-profile digital brand More Than. Given Mark's background it is perhaps unsurprising that Wakam UK is aiming to bring technology, including AI, to speed up the insurance process and go live with new prospects within weeks rather than months. Wakam UK already had reasonable scale in its legacy form, but in its new tech-first guise seems likely to achieve substantial growth. I think regular listeners will learn a lot from Mark and find a lot in common with him. In a world of hype, here is someone with all the experience and knowledge to make the promise become reality. His enthusiasm and positive energy is infectious, so I can highly recommend a listen. LINKS We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo: https://www.advantagego.com
A retired couple learned the hard way in the 2000s about sequence of return risks. (1:00) - What Can We Apply From The Dot-com Stock Bust To Create A Winning Portfolio Today (18:30) - Where Should You Be Looking For Strong Value Investments? (38:00) - Episode Roundup: MGA, ALL, COLM, DECK Podcast@Zacks.com
We kickstart our 300+ episodes era with Bobby Touran, Co-Founder and CEO of Rainbow, as Rob Beller and Lee Boyd sit down with him to unpack how he built Rainbow, a technology-enabled MGA laser-focused on modernizing coverage for restaurants and other specialty commercial risks. Bobby walks through Rainbow's "inch-wide, mile-deep" philosophy, explaining why going all-in on a single vertical and owning the underwriting systems, technology, and distribution that support it creates a durable competitive advantage that generalist carriers simply can't replicate. Key Highlights (07:35) How an accidental path through a fintech incubator led Bobby to co-found Path Point and eventually Rainbow (10:42) What Rainbow builds and why the agent channel is central to their loss ratio strategy (17:04) How Rainbow combines experienced underwriters with technology for a balanced approach to risk evaluation (19:44) Continuous underwriting explained and how Rainbow re-evaluates policies every single day (24:28) The core coverages most restaurants need and why some are harder to place than others (27:22) The real risk drivers in restaurant insurance including liquor liability and fire (30:11) How data pipelines continuously monitor operational changes to keep underwriting current (40:11) Expanding beyond restaurants into beauty and wellness using the same platform
Tony chats with Craig Caryl, Founder & CEO at InsureMep, they are a tech enabled MGA that created software that tracks electrical, mechanical and plumbing of large electrical facilities to track risk and prevent losses. This was a fantastic conversation you should not miss!Craig Caryl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-caryl/InsureMEP: https://www.insuremep.com/Video Version: https://youtu.be/Ljxf9KrJaNk
Isa na siguro sa pinakaseryosong episode na narecord natin sa kasaysayan ng Bara-Bara series. Purong bars at lyrizizim lang. Mga ka-Linya, mga ka-Bara– battle emcee, music artist, content creator, at isa sa mga pinaka-respetadong hurado sa balat ng battle rap– also known as the Milkyman, laging handang manggatas– mula Bulihan, Cavite pa para sa inyo, mag-ingay para kay JONAS! Binalikan natin ang kanyang background at kinalakhan, binreakdown ang battle rap character at persona, tinalakay ang usaping self-awareness at ego, ang panggagatas sa mundo ng content at social media, pati na syempre ang wasto at maayos na paghuhurado. Binaybay natin ang pasikot-sikot na utak ng nag-iisang Milky Man. One word: Makasaysayan. Listen up, yo!
Joel Comstock, the Minnesota Golf Association's Strategic Partnerships and Community Relations Director, joined the Break80 Podcast on stage at the Minnesota Golf Show. Joel goes through many things that are happening with the Minnesota Golf Association, including discussion on some the amateur championships in Minnesota, Youth on Course, the 125th anniversary of the MGA and other trends happening in golf at a state and national level. Subscribe to the Break80 Podcast on Apple, Spotify & YouTube for weekly golf content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices