Advertise on podcast: Insurance, You Indemnify Me

This episode will shock you! Chris Mitchell of The Mitchell Insurance Group shares how he got his start in insurance, the tools he uses to make his agency a success, and the crazy story of his transition to independence.

Drumrollllll...... "Insurance, You Indemnify Me" Season 4 is back with Shannon Holtman, Co-Owner of JSH Insurance Solutions. If you don't know Shannon. He is a Colorado famous agent (I'd even say west of the Mississippi). When he walks into a room, everyone taps the person they are sitting next to and in hushed tones, says, "That's Shannon Holtman, he's the reason I am in insurance today." This episode is playful, Watch it! Watch it now. He just made the switch to IA in the last 2 years (Rough time to make the switch) Hear how it's going! Honorable Mentions: Jeff Holtman Agency VA Wessly J. Anderson Jason Storoschuck Canopy Connect SALT The Insurance Soup Farmers Insurance And a ton of others!

On this week's episode of Insurance, You Indemnify Me, we are honored to introduce Ray Huang. Ray is the Sr. Director of Marketing for Canopy Connect, which is becoming one of the most popular tools used by insurance agents today. Canopy is famous for easing the process of collecting client information and dec pages, but in this episode, we dive deep into everything that Canopy Connect can do for an agent. This is an episode you will not want to miss!  Sign up for Canopy Connect at https://usecanopy.com/agencies 14-day trial and $50 off your first month when you use discount code at checkout: indemnifyme (expires June 30, 2024) Time Stamps:  3:00 - Who are you, Ray?  8:27 - I love your creative marketing at Canopy Connect, Can you tell me about that?  12:00 - Canopy Connect collects declaration pages, but what is everything it can do?  16:30 - Many agents think of Canopy as a PL product,  but you're saying it is for all lines of insurance?  17:50 - What percent of clients actually use this link?/What do you say to an agent who says I don't struggle to get my client's information without Canopy? 29:52 - Once a client fills out the link does it automatically prefill their information in my comparative rater? 31:45 - Can I send client info to Carrier raters? 32:42 - What does the development roadmap look like?  34:35 - Can you describe the golden user of Canopy Connect and how they use it?  37:45 - Is anyone using APIs with Canopy?  41:20 - What makes Canopy better than the competition?  45:50 - It's very affordable, can you expand on the cost of Canopy?  52:30 - I constantly hear that Canopy is the bee's knees, thank you for your time!  Honorable mentions:  Guitar Center Casey Armstrong, Senior Account Executive Canopy Connect Canopy Connect Hawaiian shirts Hawksoft 2024 HUG National Conference San Diego BMW Chris Long, Longevity Insurance Hawksoft Salesforce Hertz Budget

This week's guest on the podcast is Tom Quintrell. Tom is the founder and owner of QIG (Quintrell Insurance Group) based in Oak Grove, Missouri. He is a lifelong insurance professional who has cultivated a rewarding multi-generational career in the industry. Tom understands the invaluable role agents play in their clients' lives and enhances the sense of security for his clients. Join us to glean insights from an experienced agent! Timestamps: 1:00 - You're from Kansas City? 4:30 - Who are you? 8:05 - I asked about the downsides of being an independent agency owner. 12:15 - Do your due diligence when picking a partner. 15:40 - Was Dad mad when you left Allstate? 24:40 - Is your son as gregarious as you are? 28:15 - Funnies story in insurance? 37:00 - This is Agent Smith with the FBI. 49:05 - What don't carriers understand about agents? 53:20 - Who are your mentors or personal board of directors? 56:22 - How do you manage your time? 59:25 - What mistakes have you made along the way? 1:04:35 - One of our superpowers is just being authentic. 1:09:05 - Favorite carrier? 1:10:12 What would you tell younger Tom? Honorable Mentions: QIG (Quintrell Insurance Group) Kansas City Cheifs Broncos Tayor Swift Patrick Mahomes  Robert Clinger Allstate Agent of the Year(Allstate) Farmers Met Life Merrill Agency FBI Montana  Travelers National General

Kaleigha Moore Cramer is the founder and owner of 212 Insurance Group in Arab, Alabama. Kaleigha discovered her talent for sales while in college, and in short order brought her skills to the insurance industry. Since then she has accumulated more than 11 years of experience and has opened an agency that has become an important staple within her community. Kaleigha understands how to take her personal experiences and turn them into selling opportunities. She connects with her community on a grassroots level and uses her knowledge and personal experience to connect with her clients and become more than just a salesperson to them. You will not want to miss this episode, it is chalked full of advice on how to organically find your clients and niches.  Time Stamps: 0:15 - Who is Kaleigha Cramer? 3:00 - We are here to help people. 5:10 - How do you go from cell phone sales to insurance? 12:45 - How long were you at Allstate? 13:00 - This is the Broadway episode! 15:00 - Career path to independence? 17:00 - I learned what I wanted to do as an agent, but also what I didn't want to do. 19:39 - So you found independence through Insurance Soup? 21:40 - What has been the most difficult part of starting your independent agency? 25:30 - Utilize your carrier reps to understand your carrier's appetite and vet your client for legacy policies. 27:40 - I am a field underwriter. 29:30 - Who is Ezra and what's the story behind the mullet?  33:15 - Mentors in the industry? 37:24 - What do you think carriers don't understand about agency owners? 41:50 - What is the funniest insurance story you have? 46:41 - How do you manage your time? 55:00 - What are your niches? 59:10 - What mistakes have you made? 1:05:50 - What is your favorite musical? 1:10:45 - What advice would you give to your younger self?  Honorable Mentions:  David Crothers Ron Wadley Amanda Minters Insurance Soup Matt Genova Charles McDade Jeffery Seidel  Safeco Taylor Dobbie Shake the Hate Galinda Baker Malia Rodgers Tarren Moore Jack Jamison Scott Howell Bradley Flowers Ron Wadley Michael McCormick Paul Daugherty Tara Varner Blake Norwood Maciel (PGI agent in CA)

In this week’s episode of “Insurance, You Indemnify Me,” we have super-agent John Flores! John is the owner of TBI Insurance. Before opening his agency, he held numerous positions with Farmers Insurance where he learned the industry on both the carrier and agency side and trained agents on his success. Before making his way to PGI he managed an independent insurance agency aggregator in Colorado. He has a unique perspective of the industry and shares a ton of valuable information in this episode. Time Stamps: 0:45 - Who is John Flores? 2:50 - When did insurance become a part of your life?  7:10 - What was your pitch as a recruiter?  11:50 - You can't discount anybody.  16:00 - How long were you with Farmers?  17:00 - Carriers don't understand the day-to-day of the agent.  20:15 - After Farmers where did you go?  21:55 - As a recruiter, did you buy into the pitch that captive was better than independent?  25:40 - Are insurance agents salespeople or are they field underwriters?  30:45 - Is a life insurance more of a sales pitch or an info session?  31:25 - Does your agency have a responsibility for profitability or is it on the carriers?  36:00 - Funniest story in insurance?  40:45 - What do you think carriers think about independent agents?  45:20 - What do carriers think about agents, but they are wrong?  50:00 - What is your tech stack?  56:00 - Who's your favorite carrier and why?  1:02:00 - How has your day-to-day changed in this hard market? 1:08:50 - Is the client always right?  1:13:38 - Coolest agent you know?  1:17:00 - Advice you'd give your younger self.  Honorable Mentions:  Mesa, Arizona Hawaii  Farmers Insurance Dave Gould Jameson Storoshuck We Bought a Zoo EzLynx Jack Jameson Little Ceasers Canopy Connect SafeCo Jeff Holtman

In this week's very special episode of Insurance, You Indemnify Me, we welcome, the recently promoted EVP of Liberty Mutual Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer, Tyler Asher.  Tyler's most recent role before his promotion was President of Independent Agent Distribution with oversight of Safeco, Liberty Mutual (Small Commercial), and State Auto Brands. Hang on for this fast 30-minute conversation as we get to know Tyler more personally, take a deep dive into the current state of the insurance market, explore its drivers, when it might end, and what winning agents are doing to adapt, with one of the brightest minds in our industry.  We say this all the time, BUT this episode is one that YOU CANNOT MISS!

The guest on this next episode has an incredible message! We first met Cristos Provistalis when he presented to a group of 50 agents and brought the house down with his messages of customer service, situational awareness, what we sell, and so many more messages. Christos worked for the world-class Walt Disney organization for years, learning the best class of customer service, and he brought back all he learned to help run his family's generational restaurant business. Now, he travels the nation speaking to companies in every industry, You can bet his message will relate to you no matter your profession!    I would encourage you to watch and see if this up-and-coming speaker in our industry has any relatable stories he learned working for a company that is possibly known for being the best at customer service. Timestamps:  2:00 - Who is Christos?  7:00 - I was lucky enough to meet Chris Paradiso.  9:30 - My wife gave me full support to create my class.  11:20 - "One person can really change your trajectory." 13:45 - "You're an average of the 5 people you hang out with the most." 15:45 - You have to know what you sell, and it's not the product!  22:00 - We had a Big Fat Greek Wedding Reception! 23:20 - What have you learned about the Insurance agency? 26:00 - It's an incredible time for opportunity.  30:00 - Give me a rundown of your class.  33:00 - "We are all in the customer perception business." 38:15 - Best customer experience you got from your most recent stay at Disney.  49:00 - How does one business differentiate itself from other businesses like it?  1:00:50 - How does Walt Disney make those magic moments.  1:08:15 - What would you tell 22-year-old Christos? 1:16:40 - Your message is so much more than just customer service.  Honorable Mentions:  Connecticut  Chris Paradiso  Chris Paradise Mastermind Class Walt Disney Greece Golden Girls Natalie Walker  Hartford, Connecticut. Merrill Insurance Agency Brett Merrill Soup Live Mike Stromsoe

Insurance, You Indemnify Me. SHORT: What do you sell?

Insurance, You Indemnify Me SHORT: What Is Your Superpower?

Insurance, You indemnify Me SHORT: Answering FAQs Like a Pro

Insurance, You Indemnify Me SHORT: What Improvements Can You Make?

Insurance, You Indemnify Me SHORT: How Much of Communication is Verbal?

Insurance, You Indemnify Me: SHORT Price vs. Customer Experience

In this week's episode of Insurance, You Indemnify Me, we have Chris Long as our guest. Chris is the owner of Longevity Insurance, one of PGI's biggest agencies to date. Like many independent agents, Chris was originally a captive agent. Come hear his story of why he made the switch ten years ago, and how in the past ten years he has made his agency one of the strongest at PGI! Time Stamps: 1:00 - I was the first agent you signed to PGI I believe. 2:45 - Who is Chris Long? 5:30 - I Just had a baby! 9:00 -  What was the catalyst that made you move from Farmers to Independent? 12:15 - What would you tell a captive agent debating making a switch? 16:00 - What happened when you went independent? 20:00 - If mortgage lender leads have been slow, how have you adapted? 22:15 - Who works at your agency? Processes? Everything? 30:00 - What's the funniest story in insurance? 33:40 - Whose the coolest guy you know in the insurance agency? 36:12 - What makes insurance foxy to you? 37:50 - Thoughts on this hard market? 44:00 - Canopy Connect? 50:00 - What other technology do you use? 51:30 - I want to go back to the hard market. 55:00 - What are you and other winning agents doing to win today? 1:00:15 - What is the magic sauce of Longevity? 1:05:15 - Favorite carrier and why? 1:09:15 - What do carriers need to know? 1:10:40 - What is the equation between rate and other factors? 1:15:10 - What would you tell young Chris?  Honorable Mentions: University of Arizona Farmers Josh Martin Paul Doherty We Work New England Patriots Denver Broncos Travelers Canopy connect EzLynx Insurance Commissioner Safeco