Industry Insights

Betsy Nealon

Studies show that the kind of multitasking most of us do is highly ineffective. Why? Because flip-flopping from one task to another reduces our productivity by approximately half, costs billions of dollars and even inhibits creativity, studies show.

Social media and email are among the worst culprits. For example, answering emails as...

Casey Maughan

Like many in the financial services industry, I never planned on ending up here. Early in my career, I discovered my love for sales, but didn’t love the environment or product I was selling. Eventually, I found myself working for a multiline agent, focusing on growing the agency’s sales. I loved having control over my time, engaging ...

Nick Lamparelli

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with firms serving affluent clients and to interview high-net-worth individuals and investors. One consistent observation stood out: not a single person referred to their insurance agent or broker as a “trusted advisor.”

When asked why, the answer was strikingly consis...

Kellie Lail

What if I told you that the secret to building and maintaining your dream team isn’t just about identifying the right skills—it’s about personality?

You might be thinking, “Personality profiles? Isn’t that a bit touchy-feely?” or “Aren’t they just a waste of time?” But I’m here to set the record straight. Sure, experience and expertis...

Sam Geraci

Bad weather events are on the rise, leading to an unusual amount of opportunity for agents looking to build their businesses and support their communities. More storms have caused higher rates and product changes, leaving customers with a more complex array of choices—and a greater need for expert advice than ever before.

If it seems t...

For culture advisor Jay Doran, success is founded on trusted leadership and timeless principles

Jay Doran is known to many in the insurance and financial services industry for his five-star-rated The Culture Matters Podcast, in which he talks with business leaders across different sectors about how to build a strong and healthy organization. In mo...

Tony DeSantis

In business, big or small, it all comes down to the bottom line. Does the client want to buy your products or services? Does the boss approve your budget? Does the investor believe in your dream? Have you sold them?

Success or failure depends on how well you present your case. After more than 40 years in business, involved in presen...

Doug Blevins

If your business is built on offering the best prices, you’re on a shaky foundation because there’s always someone out there who can undercut you. That’s why our approach is based on being an agency that is viewed as priceless, not cheap.

With this in mind, client relationships are everything to us. In fact, we don’t present quotes t...

Monica Barton

When I joined Steve Pirch’s agency (in Lee’s Summit, Missouri), I could not have imagined that one day I’d play a pivotal role in developing our team and building our agency’s success. My journey began over a decade ago in an unexpected encounter during my time working at a bank. It was Halloween, and I was dressed as Candy Land char...

Brian Stolper

I’ve been in the insurance industry as an agency owner for 20 years, and like most people, I’ve tried a lot of different approaches to building my business. Early in my career, I came across Troy Korsgaden’s system, which played a big part in shaping how I started running my agency. Recently, I have revisited those principles through...