Michael Ley on Agency Networks, Tech Stacks, and the HawkSoft Purple Cow | Connected Conversations in Insurance

In this episode of Connected Conversations in Insurance, Ray Huang sits down with Michael Ley, Director of Network Relations at HawkSoft, to talk about what agency networks and aggregators are doing to stand out and deliver real value beyond commission splits.

Michael shares his journey from a family-owned agency to HawkSoft and breaks down what agencies should look for before joining a network—from book ownership and carrier access to contract terms, transparency, and technology investments.

They also dive into the modern agency tech stack, why the AMS is at the center of it all, and the tools helping agencies work smarter, including CRM, texting and VoIP, e-signatures, and streamlined intake solutions.

Plus, Michael talks about HawkSoft’s customer-first “Purple Cow” philosophy and wraps things up with a fun travel-themed round of “Where Would Michael Sit?”

0:00 Networks Look Alike

00:46 Meet Michael Ley

01:37 What Network Relations Means

03:23 From Teacher to Agent

06:01 Networks vs Associations

06:33 Network Pain Points10:35 Agency Network Checklist

15:27 Tech Stack Talk

17:28 Open APIs and Data Ownership

21:35 Must Have Agency Tools

29:15 Purple Cow Branding

32:35 Culture and User Community

34:10 Travel Game Setup

34:54 Aisle vs Window Debate

35:47 Bathroom Row Stories

36:47 Family Travel Tradeoffs

37:10 Accidental Private Jet

38:02 Subway Seat Strategy

39:42 Rental Shuttle Tactics

41:19 Doctor Waiting Room Picks

41:53 Conference Room Power Seats

43:16 Movie Theater Sweet Spots

44:43 Best Seats in the Stadium

47:39 Airplane Selfie Side Eye

49:28 Season Wrap and Sponsor