The independent insurance distribution model is suffering from a serious lack of connectivity. We've tried to band-aid with portals. But in a world where the customer demands something in minutes, not hours or days....portals just aren't fast enough. Carriers need to deliver the right information to the right agent at the right time. Listen as Clint Houck explains how we're building a connected ecosystem right now.

Before you move your entire team from one piece of technology to another, give this nugget a listen. A bad transition can cost you: a loss of team morale, unhappy customers and, ultimately, your bottom line. Robby Burton from Burton & Co. explains how his recent navigation of these treacherous waters ended with a motivated team, happier customers and even doubled annual sales goals.

Internally, data collection is often perceived as a roadblock as opposed to an opportunity. Shifting that perception starts with understanding the domino effect of bad data entry. How does it affect the customer experience, automations, reporting and ultimately power dynamics in the insurance industry? Olivia Schmitt lays it down for us!

You don't bring on a new CEO unless you're looking to set a new strategic vision. What is that vision? How will they actualize it? And most importantly...why? All questions Reid Holzworth and I wrestle with. This is the next generation of IVANS.

The #1 issue most insurance marketers face today: a disconnected marketing system. They spend so much time being data janitors, their creative time is crushed. But the holy grail of insurance marketing...a fully integrated system...isn't without its challenges too. Listen as Kari Colman, a neon marketer, explains why.

Spike Lipkin built a $500MM insurance agency...that is not a lifestyle business. He walked into insurance just a few years ago looking to solve the tech, data and connectivity issues that could, honestly, kill us as an industry. If you're building for the future, this is one you don't want to miss.

"We're running our agencies wrong," explains David Carothers. "Technology should be seen as a 24/7 cross-functional player in your agency that makes each and every one of you more capable every day. But most just see it as an expense." Honestly, he said it better than I could. 

Data doesn't mean anything unless it changes behaviors. But doing so must be done with care and intention. Too much pressure and you'll create a culture of fear. Too little and you're back in an ecosystem of invisibility. Steve Holley, an indie agency owner in Virginia, explains how he walks that line and finds the right conversation at the right time.

Do you give up the relationship to scale? Or do you give up scale for the relationship? The question that faces so many indie agents today. A tough one considering that relationships have been the key to our success for so long. So, maybe we should ask ourselves this instead: how do you do both?

If your "IT guy" is only focused on managing your office hardware, you'll want to listen to this podcast. Nate Manns, b atomic Salesforce architect, spits some truth on how that role has evolved. For the "IT guys" out there......your value just went through the roof.