The Scratch Agency Podcast

In Episode 169 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Tolga Tezel, Founder and CEO of Canopy Connect, to discuss how modern technology is transforming the insurance quoting process. Tolga shares the story behind Canopy Connect, how a conversation with an independent agent inspired the platform, and why eliminating manual data collection helps agencies cl...

In Episode 168 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald welcome back Charles Specht for Part 2 of their conversation on one of the biggest challenges facing scratch agents: consistently generating quality commercial opportunities. Charles shares practical strategies for building a sustainable commercial prospecting system, from identifying the right outreach methods for...

In Episode 167 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald pull back the curtain on one of the biggest milestones in agency ownership: reaching your first $1 million in premium. After a last-minute guest cancellation, Stephen and Shawn take the opportunity to have a candid conversation about the early days of building their agencies from scratch—what worked, what didn’t, a...

In Episode 166 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Michael Ley, Director of Networks at HawkSoft, to tackle a topic every agency owner needs to hear: your tech stack. From shiny-object syndrome and AI overload to duplicate subscriptions, underused software, and disconnected systems, Michael shares a practical framework for auditing your agency’s techn...

In Episode 165 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald break down one of the biggest insurance industry stories of the year — the reported State Farm compensation changes and what they could mean for agents across the industry. Stephen and Shawn share their perspectives on the reported commission reductions, benefit changes, and the broader implications for captive age...

In Episode 164 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald dive into one of the biggest hidden struggles agency owners face: constantly chasing the next thing instead of doubling down on what’s already working. From AI noise and niche FOMO to SOP rabbit holes, dashboards, and shiny-object syndrome, the guys share real stories from their mastermind group conversations and e...

In Episode 163 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down for a raw and honest solo conversation about entrepreneurship, burnout, work-life balance, and the challenge of truly unplugging as a business owner. Fresh off a vacation where Sean was unexpectedly forced to disconnect after the entire island’s Wi-Fi and cell service went down, the guys dive into the real...

In Episode 162 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Charles Specht, owner of Permission Network Insurance Agency, for a deep dive into commercial lines strategy, niche positioning, and how scratch agents can start winning bigger accounts—without overcomplicating it. Charles shares his journey from accidental entry into insurance to becoming a commercia...

In Episode 161 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald welcome back Kenny Jones of Remedy Insurance and Wealth Builders for a powerful conversation on growth, visibility, referral strategy, and what it really takes to scale a modern agency. Kenny shares how his business has exploded over the last year through intentional referral partner relationships, strong branding,...

In Episode 160 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald bring a special solo episode announcing the return of the Scratch Agency Mastermind Meetup—bigger, better, and more intentional than ever. After an incredible response from last year’s event, this episode walks you through everything you need to know about the 2026 mastermind happening in New York City. From the st...

In Episode 159 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Kevin Ring, Chief Experience Mod Officer at Emerge Apps and Lead Workers’ Compensation Analyst for the Institute of WorkComp Professionals, for a practical deep dive into one of the most overlooked opportunities in commercial insurance: workers’ comp. Kevin breaks down how agents can stop treating wor...

In Episode 158 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with the founders of LionSure Insurance Brokers—Anthony Intile, John Dellafiora, and Massimo Mancini—to break down what it really takes to build a scratch agency from the ground up as partners. From a cold call that turned into a partnership, to a nine-month “dating phase” before launching, this episode di...

In Episode 157 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Nicholas Sakha, founder of Saka Agency and creator of Insurance Creators, to break down how he built a $28M agency by leveraging content, consistency, and relentless execution. Nicholas shares his 9-year journey from cashing out his 401k to start a captive agency, scaling through internet leads and ou...

In Episode 156 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Rick J. Lindsey, founder of XINSURANCE and Prime Risk Partners, to explore one of the most unique and innovative models in the insurance industry. Rick J. Lindsey shares his 40+ year journey in insurance — from working in his father’s MGA to building one of the most recognizable specialty risk insuran...

In Episode 155 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with LUIS LEAL, founder of Leal Insurance Services, to talk about what it really means to start from scratch — twice. LUIS LEAL shares his journey from producing at a State Farm agency to launching his own independent agency in just 60 days, merging in 2020 to focus on commercial growth, and then relaunchi...

In Episode 154 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Rob Bowen, founder of Patriotic Insurance Group, to unpack one of the biggest moves an agency owner can make — selling the agency and stepping into a larger strategic role. Rob shares his 11-year journey from starting with Farmers, building an independent book, completing acquisitions, scaling quickly...

In Episode 153 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Hunter Nelson, owner of Nelson Insurance Agency in South Dakota, to unpack one of the most unique scratch stories we’ve heard yet. Hunter started his agency at just 18 years old—while still in high school. From door-knocking million-dollar homes to niching down into trucking insurance, he shares how h...

In Episode 152 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Jeff Roy, President and CEO of Excalibur Insurance Group, for a masterclass in vision, growth, culture, and scaling the right way. With over 36 years in the industry, Jeff shares his journey from walking into a typewriter-run agency to building a 30-person brokerage generating 1,000+ leads per month—a...

In Episode 151 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald are joined by agency financial consultant Colby Allen for a direct, numbers-first conversation on cash flow management, budgeting, and one of the most dangerous (and common) issues facing independent agencies: trust accounting violations. Colby shares what he consistently sees while working with agencies across the...

In Episode 150 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, we’re joined by Rushang Shah, Chief Marketing Officer at HawkSoft, for a deep-dive into what makes a modern agency management system work for the agent, not the other way around. In this honest and forward-thinking conversation, Rushang Shah breaks down how HawkSoft’s family-owned and privately held structure allows them to stay focused on what matters...

In Episode 149 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, co-hosts Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald go solo and get real about one of the biggest make-or-break factors in growing an independent agency: lead quality. They dive into their completely different lead sources—paid ads vs. inbound referrals—and break down how each has evolved their pre-qualification process to save time and close higher-value a...

In Episode 148 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, we’re joined once again by Tamron Manning of Integrity Insurance Group (KY) — this time for a raw, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to bring on your first producer. Tam breaks down how he wasn’t even looking to hire… until the right person walked into his network. From navigating onboarding without a full SOP to realizing the value of co...

In Episode 147 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, your hosts Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald kick off the new year with gratitude, big goals, and a brand-new partnership with HawkSoft — now the official sponsor of the Scratch Agency Podcast. They reflect on the unexpected journey from two agents "just chopping it up" to building a movement with thousands of listeners and a thriving age...

In Episode 146 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, your hosts Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald get real about the overwhelming buzz around AI in the insurance world — and how to decide what’s actually worth implementing inside your agency. They reflect on their own wins and missteps from the year, from chasing shiny tools to doubling down on what’s always worked: relationships, processes, and inte...

In Episode 145 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, your hosts Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down for a candid year-end recap of everything they learned (and survived) in 2025. From Google and Meta ads that actually worked to time-blocking around daycare pickups and scaling with producers — nothing is off the table in this behind-the-scenes breakdown of building two agencies and two families...