The Insurance Growth Lab

Sam McKenna is the CEO of #samsales Consulting. #samsales is a multi-million dollar sales consulting company serving over 165 clients and consistently hitting triple-digit revenue growth.  Sam is an award-winning sales leader, LinkedIn Sales [In]sider, angel investor, board member, and highly sought-after speaker.  She has broken 13 sales records, has over 70,000 LinkedIn followers, and she’s been...

Dr. Billy Williams is the CEO of the Williams Family Investment Group, a group of more than 160 partner insurance agencies that produce almost a billion dollars in insurance premiums.  He is also the Founder and President of Inspire a Nation Business Mentoring Services.  He’s authored 3 books and has been a staple on the public speaking circuit for years. Why? Because he gives actionable takeaways...

Lacey is the Founder & CEO of ZoCo Design, the UX and product design studio for customer-centric software companies.  ZoCo has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies and recently Inc. Magazine’s list of Best Places to Work in the US.  Lacey is an incredible Founder and CEO and has won the Visionary Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners, as wel...

Kevin Gaither (KG) is the Founder of Inside Sales Expert, where he helps early-stage tech companies avoid mistakes in all aspects of growing their sales team. Before Inside Sales Expert, he was the SVP of Sales at ZipRecruiter.  KG has the experience. He’s been at 8 startups, 3 of which have successfully exited. He’s built teams from 30-550 sales reps, and in his own words, he’s made lots and lots...

Katie is the Founder & CEO of UNLISTED. UNLISTED allows real estate agents & home buyers to express interest in off-market properties via their easy-to-use technology.  She is a 2-time Founder and has seen significant success in her career. Prior to founding UNLISTED, she founded CommuterAds, which has been very successful in its own right.  In this episode, you’ll learn: The importance of...

Shelly Stotzer is the CEO of Crosworks and has over 20 years of executive leadership and coaching experience across a variety of industries, from large companies to startups. Crosworks empowerers people with clarity and focus to perform their best. They work with organizations and individuals as they prepare to tackle the bigger, better things at work. She’s seen success at the highest levels and...

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Vikas Gupta, CEO of Azibo. Before Azibo, Vikas was the Founder & CEO of Nodabl. Join them as they discuss how Vikas went from consultant to CEO, how the relationships he built impacted his career, how he nurtured these relationships, and his decision to go to business school.  Links:  Find Vikas on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on LinkedIn Sign up with Azibo

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Amy Volas, Founder and CEO of Avenue Talent Partners. Before Avenue Talent Partners, Amy was the Executive Director, National Accounts at Zip Recruiter. Join them as they discuss how to hire the best candidate for your company, the importance of understanding what’s important when evaluating your next role, and believing in yourself to start a company.  Links:  F...

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Jason Walker, President of Agency Revolution. Before Agency Revolution, Jason was the Founder & CEO of Agency Insurtech and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Smart Harbor. Join them as they discuss how to build a repeatable process within an organization, the power of strong written and verbal communication skills, and how to become an expert in an industry....

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Jen Lyttle, VP of Sales at Aunt Flow. Before Aunt Flow, Jen was the Director of Sales at Ascend Innovations. Join them as they discuss how Jen bet on herself throughout her career, overcame multiple obstacles, and why she works for mission-driven companies.  Links:  Find Jen Lyttle on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on LinkedIn

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Brian Zuercher, CEO at Align. Before Align, Brian was CEO and Co-founder of Seen, which was acquired by ICX media in 2018. Join them as they discuss how Brian completely pivoted his business during the pandemic, the benefits of narrowing your focus, and why solving problems is the core of any business.  Links:  Find Brian on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on Linked...

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Jamie Ahern, CEO at CarmaCare. Before CarmaCare, Jamie was COO of Kin Insurance and VP of Growth at LiveWatch. Join them as they discuss the importance of feedback, the power of coachability, making an impact, and exiting three companies.  Links: Find Jamie on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on LinkedIn

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Rich Stamets, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Arch Insurance Group. Before Arch, Rich was SVP of Business Development at Thimble and Head of Underwriting at Attune Insurance. Join them as Rich gives a masterclass on insurance, the challenges and excitement of an insurance career, and why it’s so important to be a lifelong student. Links: Find Ric...

In this episode, Callan's guest is Will Fuentes. Founder at Maestro Group. Before Maestro Group, Will was the Director of Solutions Marketing at Revionics and founded Lemur Retail. Join them as they discuss the importance of taking a step back in your career to propel yourself forward, having confidence in the value you deliver, and when to ask for referrals. Links: Find Will on LinkedIn Connect w...

In this episode, Callan's guest is Chris Ritchie, Managing Partner at Integrity Power Search. Before Integrity Power Seach, Chris was the COO of Finite State and Head of Sales at Olive. Join them as they discuss the challenges and rewards of transitioning from a large company to a startup, hitting aggressive growth goals, and how he benefited from narrowing in on his ideal customer profile. Links:...

In this episode, Callan's guest is Zack Yurch, Head of Revenue at Semsee. Before Semsee, Zack was the Director of New Business at Forge3. Join them as they discuss transitioning from a bootstrapped company to a venture-backed company, the importance of leading by example, and how to decrease the ramp time of your sales reps using a script.  Links: Find Zack on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on Linke...

In this episode, Callan's guest is Jeremy Ruch, Founder and CEO of Bandalier. Before Bandalier, Jeremy was the Head of Sales at Bond Street. Join them as they discuss starting a company from scratch, the importance of spending as much time as possible with your customers, and why it's so important to narrow your customer focus. 

In this episode, Callan's guest is Dan Caldwell, VP & Head of Insurance at Cinch Home Services. Before Cinch Home Services, Dan founded Adfiki and worked for multiple high-growth startups and large companies. Join them as they discuss the importance of creating a rubric to evaluate your next career move, trying out your dream job before committing to it, and using a business case to make bette...

In this episode, Callan's guest is Sam Shepler, CEO at Testimonial Hero. Before Testimonial Hero, Sam founded and sold Skyscope. Join them as they discuss the importance of core values and how to start working “on” the business.  

In this episode, Callan's guest is Margeaux Giles, CEO at GoGiles. Before GoGiles, Margeaux sold two companies, OIG Insurance and Zingo. Join them as they discuss leadership and how to maximize the data you have in your company. 

In this episode, Callan's guest is Matt Veryser, VP of Startup Studio at Ascend Innovations. Before Ascend, Matt founded a company, spent time in venture capital, and was the Head of Product at SafeChain. Join them as they discuss how to stand out when applying for a competitive position and what he learned from founding a company at a young age. 

In this episode, Callan's guest is Ido Deutsch, VP of Growth at Agentero. Before Agentero, Ido started multiple tech companies in the US and Israel. Join them as they discuss how to evaluate a major career change and the decision to go to business school. Links: Find Ido on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on LinkedIn

In this episode, Callan's guest is Mark Fleming Jr., Founder of Signature Closers. In addition to founding Signature Closers, Mark is the Managing Partner at MEMM Capital and Co-founder at TalentShare. Join them as they discuss Mark's experience finding the right business partner and the breakdown of what makes a good partner. Additionally, the impact your first enterprise customer can have on you...

In this episode, Callan's guest is Suresh Rachuri, CEO at Maven. Before founding Maven, Suresh was a top recruiter and business owner. Join them as they discuss what Suresh looks for in a candidate, how he pairs candidates with companies, and how being forced into an unstable situation was the best thing that happened to his career.  Links: Find Suresh on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on LinkedIn

In this episode, Callan’s guest is Ed Porter, Fractional CRO at Blue Chip CRO. In addition to founding Blue Chip CRO, Ed is an avid investor and former Chief Revenue Officer of Smart Harbor. Join them as they discuss what worked for Ed leading teams of over 1000 people and what actionable steps you can use to make better team decisions. Links: Find Ed on LinkedIn Connect with Callan on LinkedIn