In this episode, James talks with Alex Toler, Director of Business Development at SimparaHR.To learn more about SimparaHR visit https://www.simparahr.com.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Alex shares his journey from being an aspiring baseball player to underwriting homes, navigating the insurance industry, and finding success in middle-market employee benefits. (4:06) Alex shares how his passion for health insurance was reignited after witnessing Adam's work and the level of care his clients received. (19:07) Alex explains that their goal at SimparaHR is to help employers and employees make smart healthcare cost decisions and lower costs through active risk management and prevention. (30:49) Alex discusses the lack of transparency in employer-broker relationships and the benefits of operating transparently in self-funded health plans. (35:30)  Alex emphasizes the importance of mentorship in navigating the challenges of the benefits industry, especially for young producers, and the need to seek guidance from experienced professionals to succeed. (40:57) Alex mentions that the key to success in making a career jump is to lean on mentorship, thoroughly assess your readiness, understand contract terms, and utilize the abundance of resources available today. (47:17) Key Quotes: “Our goal is to go in, operate on a fee-only basis to where we're not making commissions off of what we're selling where our goal is to drive your cost down.” - Alex Toler “Finding a mentor, and I think, really niching down or just having a real target market that you stay in. You might not see the fruits as early and as fast, but it's going to save you from so many headaches in the future.” - Alex Toler

Listen to the latest solo episode from host, James Jenkins.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.

In this episode, James talks with Nikki Ostrander, Owner of Vault Insurance & Risk Management.To learn more about Vault Insurance & Risk Management. visit https://www.vaultinsure.com/.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Nikki shares that her mom who was in the insurance industry inspired her to become an agent which led her to start her agency and bring on her best friend and husband to build their dream. (3:49) Nikki shares her experience of finding a unique commission structure that works for her and her agency, highlighting the importance of individualized approaches in the industry. (8:36) Nikki believes that treating people right, doing the right things, and showing a smile can lead to positive outcomes, especially in small towns. (13:30) Nikki emphasizes the importance of having the right team members and support system to maintain balance and handle the demands of a growing business. (18:44 ) Nikki discusses the importance of maintaining connections with other agents and brokers to stay informed about industry developments and potential opportunities. (26:26) Key Quotes: “If you treat people right, and you do the right things, and you show up with a smile on your face, people are going to know, people are gonna talk about it.” - Nikki Ostrander “It's about having the right pieces in place to make things flow and go. Because if you don't have the right pieces in the place to move forward, things get unbalanced and they get hectic.” - Nikki Ostrander “It's all about relationships and keeping the relationships good and the lines of communication open.” - Nikki Ostrander 

Please visit https://www.riskwell.com/cyber-insurance-for-insurance-agents/ to learn more about this critical exposure.We have multiple programs available to help you get the right coverage placed for your agency in 1-2 business days or less.If you want to talk further, please email commercial@riskwell.com.

In this episode, James talks with Colby Allen, Consultant and Financial Analyst at AgencyFocus.To learn more about AgencyFocus, visit https://agency-focus.com/.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Colby shares his background in the insurance industry, from a non-traditional path and working his way up through various positions in finance, operations, M&A, and analytics. (6:25) Colby discusses the importance of having conversations with carrier representatives and that aligning with their distribution strategies is often overlooked by independent agents in the insurance space. (13:11) Colby explains the concept of "managing up" and how taking the initiative and adding value to the team can lead to rewards. (22:36) Colby mentions the importance of paying attention to the increasing cost of benefits and considering team culture and alignment when evaluating agency opportunities. (28:22) Colby explains that the two factors determining an agency's value in mergers and acquisitions are profitability and risk profile. (34:00) Colby mentions that it is important to have an exit plan for your business to be prepared for future opportunities. (46:54) Colby shares that AgencyFocus offers services to assist agency owners in managing their finances, achieving growth goals, and providing consulting services. (50:48) Key Quotes: “Knowing the makeup of your book of business, your ideal client, your average client, how your staffing is put together, knowing your own agency will put you in a better position to make a more intentional decision for purchasing another book of business.” - Colby Allen “You need to kind of see your end goal and what you want your end goal to be so that you are taking steps. So that when that opportunity does come around, you're ready to kind of hit that checkbox.” - Colby Allen “If we can step in to help put the financial picture to accomplish your goals a little bit easier for you, that's our goal.” - Colby Allen

In this episode, James talks with Scott Knowles, Co-Founder of Loss Scan.To learn more about Loss Scan, visit https://lossscan.com/.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Scott mentions that he has been in sales for a long time, starting with a food broker and then transitioning to insurance. (3:13) Scott shares his experience with a potential acquisition and the cautious approach he took in sharing information with a direct competitor. (9:57) Scott discusses his decision to start a new business venture in the insurance industry called Loss Scan, which aims to solve the problem of extracting data from loss runs accurately using an algorithm. (15:56) Scott explains that the advantage of running a SaaS company for 12 years before being acquired is the deep understanding of building a solid foundation and implementing necessary security measures, allowing for quick growth and success in launching a new product. (18:36) Scott discusses the primary core of Loss Scan which is to extract data from loss runs of any company and present it in a format that can be downloaded as a CSV file or viewed visually in a dashboard, making it easier for producers to review and analyze loss runs with clients. (22:11) Scott encourages listeners in the insurance industry to embrace technology, make investments, and utilize products that can save time, and money, and provide accuracy, specifically mentioning Loss Scan as a potential solution. (36:29) Key Quotes: “Listening to your customers, no matter what company, know what business you're doing, whether you're a broker, or InsureTech, SaaS company, use your ears and listen. Listen to what your customers are saying, listen to what their needs are, if you want to grow your platform in the right ways and be able to, you know, pinpoint and provide a product that's going to solve a problem.” - Scott Knowles “If you're out there producing on a day-to-day basis, or you're an underwriter or whoever you may be, embrace the technology that's out there, you know? Don't close your mind to what type of technology can help you. Don't be afraid to make the investment.” - Scott Knowles

In this episode, James talks with Georgi Nenov.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Georgi shares his journey of coming to America, starting with a student visa and working various jobs, eventually finding love, pursuing education, and becoming a proud American citizen. (5:12) Georgi discusses the importance of focusing on the positive and providing excellent service in the hospitality industry, including getting to know customers and personalizing their experience. (15:09) Georgi mentions that the key to successful sales is to focus on creating a great experience for the customer, rather than simply selling them a product or service. (23:41) Georgi discusses the importance of educating and consulting people about services they may not realize they need and the need for insurance even if people don't think about it until they need it. (33:52) Georgi mentions that Boston is a city with a strong market share in the tech and pharmaceutical industries. (42:00) Georgie expresses interest in software development, noting that he might engage in some projects on the side for additional income. (48:54) Key Quotes: “You should not take yourself too seriously. There's absolutely no point because you can learn your whole life.” - Georgi Nenov “You really need to know your audience. You know, we live in different times markets are I don't want to say difficult because there's no such way, they're a little more challenging. But if it's easy, who's going to like it?” - Georgi Nenov

In this episode, James talks with Mike Fusco, CEO of Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services.To learn more about Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services, visit https://foagency.com/.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Mike mentions that he learned valuable lessons in efficiency and multitasking in the general business world from working in a call center to managing a team of agents and starting his agency. (6:57) Mike shares his experience working at an independent agency with no structure, where they had to create their opportunities and eventually manage a challenging sales team. (14:54) Mike believes in constantly pushing for improvement and not settling for comfort, as competition and the desire to be the best motivate him to always strive for growth and success. (24:54) Mike discusses the mistakes made in his business journey, and the success of hiring and developing a dedicated team, bringing in effective management, and providing value-added services to clients beyond insurance. (28:31) Mike mentions that the key to successful policy renewals is effective communication with clients throughout the process, whether it's manual or automatic, to show that you value and prioritize their needs. (37:24) Mike discusses how breaking down into smaller teams has helped his agency maintain a personal touch with clients and ensure accountability for each team's book of business. (44:56) Key Quotes: “When I start to think back to our challenges and what we've been through, it's actually incredible that we're at the point where we are because we've had so many of them.” - Mike Fusco “At the end of the day, I want to have the best reputation. I want our clients to like us the most. And of course, you're not always gonna have clients that like you the most, but I want our employees to enjoy working here. I want them to get the ultimate level of growth from their career, and satisfaction and pride in what they do.” - Mike Fusco “We have to be more advisory, more consultants to our client, and really understand business, not just insurance.” - Mike Fusco

In this episode, James talks with Cyrus Jaffery, Founder of Quotamation.To learn more about Quotamation, visit https://quotamation.com/.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Cyrus shares his experiences growing up as a refugee from Afghanistan and finding his place in America. (3:03) Cyrus mentions that to succeed in the independent world, people must learn to sell value because this will lead to success in the independent channel. (12:32) Cyrus discusses his decision to leave State Farm and build a legacy as an independent agent. (21:25) Cyrus discusses the four verticals of Quotamation which include Jafri Insurance, CJ Insurance Group, Real Estate Joint Ventures, and Coordination Technology. (25:09) Cyrus emphasizes the importance of having a RESPA attorney, avoiding one-sided agents, and promoting a formal relationship between insurance agents and clients. (36:55) Cyrus shares how he and his wife made a promise not to work weekends, and how they made time for important matters, including a golf tournament for charity. (43:16) Key Quotes: “To all my captive friends, independent friends, if you haven't done the captive world, then do the captive world. If you want to stick in the personal lines, or even commercial, man, like, it's so, so awesome to learn how to sell value, man. If you know how to sell value, then you come on this side on the independent channel, you're going to take off.” - Cyrus Jaffery “The four buckets that I was telling you about, that third bucket, which is the business piece of it, I'm super competitive, all that stuff is good, but I just didn't wake up excited about it. And I don't know what it was man, it was just God's way of telling me, "Hey, man, I think you need a change and it's going to be the best thing that's ever happened to you.” - Cyrus Jaffery “Every real estate broker, every mortgage company, every financial advisor, accounting firm, they are having talks, or they have already started an insurance thing. So, why not have the independent agents go to them and do a joint venture with them potentially, because we know we can give the right education to the clients instead of these tech companies.” - Cyrus Jaffery

In this episode, James talks with Hank Watkins, Regional Director & President of Lloyd's.To learn more about Lloyd's, visit https://www.lloyds.com/.Visit our website to join our email list, get the scoop on our LIVE coaching calls and never miss an episode: https://www.agencyfreedom.comConnect with Agency Freedom Podcast on Facebook at the Agency Freedom Podcast group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedomEmail us at podcast@agencyfreedom.com with ideas, questions, complaints or your favorite grilling recipe.Episode Highlights: Hank explains what Lloyd's is and how it functions as a marketplace for insurance. (5:53) Hank shares why Lloyd's is relevant today, including its role in insuring new risks like the sharing economy and providing capacity for property insurance. (15:09) Hank discusses the importance of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) in the insurance industry, particularly in relation to the energy sector and the transition to renewable energy. (24:50) Hank discusses Lloyd's Lab, an accelerator program for InsurTech startups. (31:39) Hank acknowledges the philanthropic efforts of the insurance industry and promotes the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, which raises money for people in need in various communities. (41:08) Hank shares the history of Bermuda and how it became a marketplace for complex claims. (45:13) Key Quotes: “I would say anybody who is in the insurance industry and is currently partnering with the traditional extraction, refining and delivery segments of our economies, which clearly drive our economies and should not be disrupted overnight has a role to play in ensuring the transition.” - Hank Watkins “I just like to acknowledge the insurance industry in general, you know, for all the work we do in our communities. We don't toot on our own horns enough.” - Hank Watkins