The Insura-Preneur Podcast

A different kind of podcast. This time, our host - and ‘marketing guru’ - Michael Jans joins in on the conversation. Michael is joined by commercial insurance sales expert and trainer, Randy Schwantz. This unique blend of expertise will reshape your insurance business. Get ready for talent acquisition secrets, revenue-boosting strategies, and content marketing mastery. Elevate your game, attract t...

Jeff Teschke was the founder & CEO of Forge3, the top website developer for independent agents - until it’s recent sale to Agency Revolution. In this podcast, Jeff reviews key lessons for agents, learned over his 18+ years serving the industry. He shares his insight on: The value of ‘niching down’ for agencies How the industry has changed (and what agents should do to keep up with that change) The...

Your insurance agency makes money two ways. Now, as income. And later, when you sell. Here’s the magic. The decisions you make now create the value you get later. Few people know that better than our podcast guest, Michael Mensch, CEO of Agency Brokerage Consultants. Michael has assisted in over 400 M&A transactions and over 1,700 valuations of insurance agencies and brokerages in the US for priva...

Chuck Blondino, Author, The Remarkable Insurance Agency    He was Safeco and Liberty Mutual’s Director of Agency Capabilities and Programs. He’s walked through the front door of thousands of agencies. He’s taught reliable methods of growth to agency principals from coast-to-coast.    Chuck Blondino is a rare three-time encore interviewee because he always brings the goods. This time, Chuck shares...

Michael Jans, Co-Founder, Agency Revolution, Principal, Michael Jans.  A message from our host, Michael Jans: “I’ve interviewed over 225 top leaders in the insurance industry. I want to share the most important things they’ve said to me. I’ve analyzed those conversations. And as I organized them, some critical themes and messages were very clear, and they were all connected to six areas the seriou...

Eric Ayala, Senior Vice President, U.S. Market General Manager, Novidea   Our guest today is a long-time venture capitalist, tech pioneer, and sales leader who sees the insurance industry as the ideal marketplace for entrepreneurs. Eric Ayala, SVP and GM for Novidea says “It’s big and it’s ripe for disruption.”   When the industry is constantly changing, understanding the forces driving new change...

Matheus Riolfi, Co-Founder, CEO, Tint   What does a modern insurance agency look like? It might not be what you’d think. Today’s podcast guest, Matheus Riolfi, is Co-Founder and CEO of Tint—one of these “modern agencies.” Like other agencies, Tint sits between consumers and carriers. Where things get interesting, though, is how Matheus’ company embeds insurance into its tech platform.    In this d...

Kabir Syed, Founder, CEO, Ennabl   When Kabir Syed was a Managing Director at Marsh, he was given a little data project that generated millions of dollars and opened his eyes to just how much money agencies leave on the table.    This seasoned insurance professional and entrepreneur said, “I’m not really that good at technology, but I LOVE data.” That’s why he built a team of engineers to handle t...

John Jackson, Insurance Copywriter, SME, Agency Revolution   Every agency is seeking growth, and many are turning to professional marketers to help. This jam-packed episode turns to a seasoned agency marketer for insight. John Jackson, formerly the marketer at Alliance Insurance Services in North Carolina is now a copywriter and content creator for Agency Revolution clients. John looks back at his...

Marty Ellingsworth, Executive Managing Director, P&C Insurance Intelligence, J.D. Power   Over his many years of observing and working in the insurance industry, Martin Ellingsworth has created innovation at almost every link in the P&C value chain. Now Marty holds a birds-eye view of the entire industry in his position as Executive Managing Director of P&C Insurance Intelligence at J.D. Power.   ...

Michael Jans, Co-Founder, Agency Revolution, Principal, Michael Jans Advisory   Our host, Michael Jans, takes the mic to answer the question “Can an insurance agency grow by itself?” The Co-Founder and former CEO of Agency Revolution serves as a growth advisor to many of the largest and fastest growing insurance agencies and insurtechs in North America.   In this podcast, Michael pulls back the cu...

Darci Darnell, Partner, Global Head of Customer Practice, Bain & Company   You know insurance is changing. So do consumers—and it shouldn’t surprise you that they want it to change. They don’t want it to be slow, frustrating, or confusing.    Few people know the insurance consumer better than our gest, Darci Darnell, Partner and Global Head of Customer Practice at Bain & Company. Bain’s insight on...

Mark McLaughlin, General Manager - Insurance, IBM Market forces continue to shift and agents who want to thrive in the future must be ready for change as the market demands it. Our guest, Mark McLaughlin, IBM’s General Manager of Insurance, reveals the direction their research shows the wind is blowing—and the response agency principals must have today. Listen to this discussion for Mark’s powerfu...

James Benham, CEO, Co-Founder, JBKnowledge   Savvy agents know they need to make critical decisions now to thrive in the future of this fast-changing industry. James Benham, CEO, and Co-Founder of the leading insurtech, JBKnowledge , freely shares insight and surprises he’s found from over 20 years of creating and distributing insurtech that’s used every day throughout the insurance industry.   In...

There’s a looming cybersecurity threat over small and medium business clients. Jack Kudale, Founder & CEO of Cowbell—a leader in cyber insurance for SMBs—has the bird’s-eye view on the critical trends in cyber risks.   His company monitors 23 million US based businesses for cyber threats (for perspective, that means nearly 3 out of every 4 of your commercial lines clients). And Jack doesn’t like w...

For the insurance producer, COVID claimed a reliable marketing tool—in-person meetings. Agents were forced to communicate online; some figured it out, some hated it, and many were in-between.    Now, a series of best practices can make online selling a high-leverage (and easy-to-use) avenue that saves time and boosts conversion rates.    In this workshop-style episode, Amazon best-selling author,...

Jeff Harris, Co-Founder, CEO, Appulate   Years ago, this tech entrepreneur groaned at the sight of the insurance application process. So he decided to do something about it. 250,000 users later, Jeff Harris, Co-Founder, and CEO of Appulate can claim some progress. Founded 17 years ago, Appulate is one of the industry’s earliest insurtechs and one of the most widely distributed today.    In this im...

Aaron Gordon, Vice President, Gordon Companies Insurance Services   Our guest Aaron Gordon is a second-generation insurance agent with 11 years in his family’s agency in Manhattan—and is rapidly becoming a leading voice for millennials in the insurance industry. Aaron has something to say to boomers as well as younger generations: “The future is bright.” However, there’s a big “but” attached to th...

Mike Becker, CEO, National Association of Professional Insurance Agents   The Industry is changing, consumer behavior is changing, and so are agencies. But how well are today’s agents keeping up with market trends? What about your agency?    Our guest, Mike Becker, CEO of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents will help answer this question and share the results from the just-re...

Kingsley Flynn, Head of Insurance, Sayata   A client shows up at their office at 8 am, turns on their computer… and sees a ransom demand. After breaking out in a cold sweat, they call you. What do you say?   This scenario doesn’t “only happen in movies” anymore, it could happen to any agency, as it already has for others. And protecting, advising, and guiding a client’s cyber decision-making is qu...

Michael Jans, Co-Founder, Agency Revolution, Principal, Michael Jans Advisory   In recent years we’ve seen a dizzying pace of change, a steady stream of new tech, and constant changes in consumer behavior. Against a backdrop like this, how should an agency grow in 2022?   Our podcast host, Michael Jans, dives into that very question and delivers 7 predictions for insurance marketing, including:   ...

Jim Kouzes, WSJ Best-Selling Author, The Leadership Challenge Whether you’re recruiting talent or guiding your agency to new strategies, your business demands the clarity, vision, and direction of a strong leader. In this conversation, Jim Kouzes delivers straight talk to agency principals. Jim is the author of The Leadership Challenge, a WSJ Best-Seller and Fast Company’s Best Business Book of th...

Nobody is a fan of the insurance application process, especially not your busy customers. Peter MacDonald, Cofounder, and CEO of Wunderite sees a better way to do things—where technology handles the heavy lifting to make life simpler for agents and customers alike.    In this robust discussion, Peter and Michael discuss:   How agencies can recruit and retain talent in a competitive job market What...

Mike Mathisen, CEO, Owner, Colorado Insurance "I bought a small, $1.5 million premium book. We had an 85% retention rate. Now, we're pushing $100 million in premium with a 93% retention." Mike Mathisen, President, Colorado Insurance, made a few key, strategic decisions in the year 2000. 21 years and almost $99 million in new premium later, Mike looks back and shares key insights to the secrets of...

Luis Pino, CEO, Founder, Agentero Many insurance agents push back on new technologies in fear of losing the human touch. Luis Pino, CEO & Founder of Agentero and former Analyst at McKinsey & Co., believes the right use of tech will do just the opposite, freeing you up for more human touches and supporting you where expertise is most needed.    Luis shares insights on the fast-moving world of agenc...