The Connected Insurance Podcast

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“I absolutely love the podcast. I listen to it just about every week. It’s a great way to help keep me informed on the industry and latest trends. I know I’m a better agency owner and leader for tuning in consistently.”

Nicholas Thalhammer

Owner, Cincinnatus Insurance

★ Michael’s Handpicked Top 3 Podcasts

I’ve interviewed over 220 of the top leaders, and learned a ton of new things from each. So much so, that it’s hard to pick ‘the three best,’ but these three offer a great breadth and depth of insight and success.

Special Podcast Guest: Bob Rusbuldt

Who could possibly have a better ‘bird’s eye’ view on the insurance industry than Bob Rusbuldt, President & CEO of the IIABA – the world’s largest agent trade association?

This Agency Grew From $1.5M-$100M

“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 shares key insights to Organic Growth.

The Independent Agent’s Future

Some thought leaders predict the future. Very few shape it. As CEO of one of the largest technology firms in insurance, Amy Zupon's work affects the business of countless independent insurance agents.

🎙 Latest Podcast Episodes

How Agents Can Sell More Virtually

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, international sales trainer, and Founder and CEO of The Authority Factor, Steve Brossman, shares his method for the mastery of online selling.

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Making Insurance Better for the Customer

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.

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Could This be the Future of the Insurance Agency?

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 that optimism. Listen to hear Aaron share insights on what to know about recruiting and retaining talent today.

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National PIA Survey Reveals Major Agency Trends

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-release 2022 Annual Independent Agent Survey. PIA and National Underwriter worked together to ask thousands of agents the questions we need to get our finger on the “state of the agency” today.

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What Agents Must Know About Cybersecurity Coverage

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 quickly becoming an agent’s job. Our guest, Kingsley Flynn, Head of Insurance at Sayata brings 46 years of insurance experience—from Marsh to Lloyd’s—to today’s cyber industry.

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7 Predictions for Insurance Marketing in 2022

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, Co-Founder, Agency Revolution, Principal, Michael Jans Advisory, dives into that very question and delivers 7 predictions for insurance marketing, including: what fast-growth agencies are doing differently than average agencies.

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The Insurance Agency 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 the year. Jim was declared one of the twelve best educators in the U.S.

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Simplifying Life For Agent And Customer Alike

Nobody is a fan of the insurance application process, especially not your busy customers. Peter MacDonald, Co-founder, 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 agents are doing now to simplify the application process, and understanding the key triggers that drive people to purchase insurance.

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How This Agency Grew From $1.5 Million To $100 Million

“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 super-high Organic Growth and the method he uses to keep his team focused on key growth indicators.

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How Tech Enhances The Human Touch

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 agency distribution and technology, explaining how to use new tech to enhance the agent’s role as a trusted advisor.

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How This Agency Grew Their Top Niche 30% YoY

How did Marc Petersen, President of American Advantage – Petersen Group, pull off such fantastic growth results? Most agencies do it by “hiring more producers,” but for this agency, the secret to success was a robust communication strategy.

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The Near Future Of Insurtech

Agents who are serious about the growth of their agency need to know what the future looks like. And if anyone has a crystal ball, it would be Susanne Chishti. Editor of The Insurtech Book, CEO of FINTECH Circle, and Investment Week’s “Social Media Influencer of the Year,” Susanne is a leading insurtech investor, and winner of too many awards to list here.

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Thought Leadership: 9 Steps To Stand Out

The internet gave everyone a megaphone. Every business is a communications business, and the airwaves are full of noise, clamor, and confusion. How can your agency stand out from the crowd? To be the one your market listens to, respects, and follows? Michael Jans shares his journey for finding the answer with thought leadership marketing.

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Vertafore CEO’s Vision of the Independent Agent’s Future

Some thought leaders predict the future. Some describe it. Very few shape it. As CEO of one of the largest technology firms in insurance, Amy Zupon has a reach and influence that affects the business and lives of tens of thousands of independent insurance agents.

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30+% Annual Growth… Year After Year After Year!

Mike Mathisen runs one of the premier – and fastest growing – insurance agencies in North America, exceeding top line growth of over 30% every year. Curious how he does it?

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Revolutionizing the Commercial Desk – The Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting For?

Commercial producers know the problem. The commercial desk can be chaos. Screens, paper, emails, applications, questions flying back and forth. It’s no wonder the commercial client rarely finds ‘delight’ when they want insurance. And, it’s no wonder the commercial producer is stressed out.

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Leading Insurance Tech Creator Declares, ‘This Is What Agents Should Know Now.’

Technology has been changing everything from consumer behavior to carrier strategy to agency operations. Lucas Jans, VP of Product at Agency Revolution, has been building tech solutions for insurance agencies for more than 20 years. With one of the industry’s largest tech teams, he oversees a constant stream of updates, product innovations, and new technologies, with the goal of making tech useful and easy for agents to use.

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Instant Insurance From Independent Agencies

Branch Insurance has convinced some of the top investors that it’s cracked the code on “instant insurance” for independent agencies—and it’s convincing more and more consumers of the same. How? By asking fewer underwriting questions. Name and address don’t just get you a quote, it gets you one click from binding insurance.

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COO Describes How Agency Skyrocketed Growth

Whitney Norcup, COO of Columbia Insurance & Wealth Management tells the “before and after” story of her company. How they went from a small, stagnant agency trying to figure out the modern insurance landscape to a fast-growth agency with deeper customer relationships and a bright new future.

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How To Never Sell On Price Again

You might think your customer only wants the lowest price—but that isn’t the case for independent insurance agencies. Selling on price kills profits and brings bad customers. But when today’s customer hears about saving money on insurance all day long, how do you avoid selling on price?

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