Don shares his experience as a producer, including his first day in the industry, his sales strategy, and his initial lack of knowledge about insurance. (3:45)

Don explains the importance of getting designations in the insurance industry, specifically the CIC and CRM designations. (16:15)

Don shares how he built processes to better understand the risks he was quoting and how he developed his own business survey to gain a greater understanding of risk. (20:17)

Don explains the importance of being involved in the legislative process of the insurance industry and how it can impact the success of independent agencies. (25:06)

Don shares his insights on how to deal with the hard market in the insurance industry, including exhibiting patience, building plans to address busy work, and focusing on growth opportunities. (41:08)

“Part of being good at our job is to shift when the industry shifts, and that's what we're dealing with right now is an industry shift. And we all have the capability of succeeding during this time period. It's just going to be our mindset, our mentality and the effort we put in while things get tough.” - Don Shampine

Don Shampine, CIC, CRM LinkedIn

Michigan Insurance Group

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Monica discusses her journey of self-discovery after an 8-year stint at Liberty Mutual, explaining how she explored different agencies before she joined forces with Troy Thompson to launch Savvital. (8:32)

Monica shares the story of how she and Troy Thompson put their heads together, saw the potential of their concept, and kicked off Savvital. (17:11)

Monica discusses her motivation to start her podcast, TranscendWithM with her intention to share narratives featuring the journeys and hurdles of successful women. (21:20)

Monica mentions the factors she considers when gauging her podcast statistics, such as the proportion of female, male, and non-binary listeners. (27:08)

Monica shares that she depends on her calendar app, especially Monday, for managing both her personal and professional obligations. (35:17)

Monica explains that she's preparing to discuss strategies for achieving operational success and expanding a business within the insurance sector at the forthcoming Innovation Conference in Chicago. (41:13)

Dave discusses the forthcoming IAOA Innovation 2023 Conference, exclusive to IAOA members, and gives a glimpse into Monica's presentation about bringing fresh ideas into independent agencies. (43:07)

“When you're doing whatever you're doing, pursuing your passion and actually with purpose, I think business ownership is not as difficult as people paint it to be” - Monica Adwani

“If you are not set up operationally, the way that you need to be in order to remove yourself from the agency, this is going to be very difficult for you to scale. So, we're going to talk about how to how to operationally succeed and scale your business and having the right pieces in place for you to achieve that.” - Monica Adwani

Monica Adwani LinkedIn

Savvital

BRZ Insurance

IAOA Innovation 2023 Conference

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Steve shares his interest in computers and technology, and his work with agency management systems in the early 1980s. (06:21)

Steve discusses his book, The Bezoz Letters, which explores the 14 principles of success that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos outlined in his annual letters to shareholders. (13:38)

Steve explains that he grouped the 14 principles into four cycles: test, build, accelerate, and scale. The first principle encourages successful failure, while the fourth principle encourages experimentation and risk-taking. (19:15)

Steve discusses his discontinued monthly newsletter, TAAR, and the challenges of justifying its expenses in the digital age. (29:30)

Dave mentions that IAOA plans to launch a digital magazine in July, targeting Millennials and Boomers, aiming to provide content for the younger generation. (32:00)

Steve shares how he became part of LinkedIn's Influencers program, the intentional and accidental aspects of it, and how it has helped him connect with the right people. (41:21)

Steve explains how he manages his LinkedIn connections by batching them and being ruthless in his acceptance process, checking titles, common connections, and comments. (47:20)

“You can't grow if you don't take risks. And, you know, so many people say entrepreneurs are natural risk-takers. I would say maybe, not necessarily. And what are they doing to protect the downside?” - Steve Anderson

“LinkedIn is the primary place that I spend my time on social platforms, partly because of that. And it just goes to show that in professional stuff, LinkedIn continues to be a really good platform, and they continue to develop services around helping you connect with the right people.” - Steve Anderson

Steve Anderson LinkedIn

Book: The Bezos Letters

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Doug shares the worst snowstorm he has ever seen in his life, which happened during Christmas, and how it affected their agency and the community. (4:51)

Doug discusses his career as a photographer, including his work for the New York Times and his experience with film and digital photography. (9:17)

Doug explains the mix of business in his agency, with a focus on commercial lines and some personal lines, and mentions their niches, which include contractors, schools, and professional liability. (19:23)

Doug discusses their agency's tech stack, including their AMS, CRM, and other tools like BombBomb for video proposals and Text Requests for texting. (35:29)

Doug mentions the challenges of the hard market, including carriers not providing rates and preferring not to take on new business. (40:04)

Doug shares his plans, including investing in new technologies and growing his agency but not necessarily selling it. (43:56)

“At the end of the day, it's a fun business because you get to help people, you know, you're working with people and you get to try and help them. ” - Doug Benz

“It's important to focus on culture, and make sure that your people are feeling good and happy about the place they're working, and how they're being treated, and that what's going on with them and their lives matter.” - Doug Benz

“My goal right now is to continue to grow this agency, invest and grow this agency. And you know, there's so much else going on that we're seeing people do… that it does seem exciting to be part of maybe investing in some of these technologies and new things that are exciting” - Doug Benz

Doug Benz LinkedIn

New Buffalo Insurance Agency

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Margeaux shares her journey from managing insurance agencies to concentrating on the technological aspects of the industry and developing processes and procedures. (6:13)

Margeaux discusses the significance of analytics and operations when directing an insurance agency, particularly at specific stages. (12:09)

Margeaux explains that Irys, an upcoming Agency Management System, is designed to assist agencies in forming stable ecosystems and maintaining client relationships. (23:35)

Margeaux discusses Irys's ideal target audience, which includes agencies that prioritize relationships and organic growth, and those committed to using technology to achieve their objectives. (32:04)

Margeaux mentions that firms unwilling to embrace technology are being acquired by those that do. (42:00)

Margeaux shares her experience writing about InsurTech for Forbes over the past year. (54:13)

“I love the way our system operates. I can't wait for people to see it.” - Margeaux Giles

“If you have that same mentality of how you want to grow your business, and how you want to maintain and then how you want to use technology, if that's your jam, we're like, number one. ” - Margeaux Giles

“You don't have to overhaul everything to embrace technology in your agency. The mentality is everything has to change right now, all at once if I want to embrace technology. And, we're saying that that's not the case, but it's a mentality, it's a mental block that needs to be overcome.” - Margeaux Giles

Margeaux Giles LinkedIn

Irys Insurtech

GoGiles

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Ariel explains the differences between the insurance market in Puerto Rico and the United States, specifically the personal touch required in Puerto Rico and the role of independent agencies as the back office of carriers. (5:16)

Ariel discusses the evolution of technology in the insurance industry and how it has changed the way they work in their agency. (16:35)

Ariel shares the meaning behind the name of his agency, Deer Insurance, and how it represents the core values of Dedication, Empathy, Excellence, and Respect. (27:05)

Ariel discusses the importance of carrier representatives who go the extra mile and give access to underwriters, and how it can make a difference in the success of an agency. (37:05)

Ariel shares how he got involved in teaching insurance courses, including the Certified Insurance Service Representative program and the Certified Professional Insurance Agent program. (41:28)

Ariel shares about his upcoming book, "How Insurance Broke My Heart," and gives a brief overview of what it will cover. (47:48)

“My goal in life is to help as many people as I can in many different ways. It could be by selling that person or advising that person towards the insurance program, or it could be by helping you and your agency establishing a life insurance and short deck that will help you guys grow. So, I don't see myself doing anything outside of the insurance industry.” - Ariel Rivera

Ariel Rivera LinkedIn

Deer Insurance

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Olivia shares about her family, her upbringing as the daughter of an immigrant, and her experiences as a parent. (5:03)

Olivia discusses her career path, which includes working in a family-owned business, Total CSR, B Atomic, Catalytic, and Vertafore. (23:24)

Olivia mentions that the most important thing that helps a business grow and stay healthy is the referral. (34:58)

Olivia discusses her current position at Vertafore, where she leads a team that assists customers in better utilizing their technology and resolving any issues that may arise. (36:46)

Olivia discusses how she began her video series "Monday Magic" and what inspired her to do so. (42:22)

Oliva describes her CIC designation as the proudest moment in her professional career. (52:36)

“We're certainly striving to be better and make sure that we're bringing meaningful solutions. And we want to work with our agencies to make sure that we continue to do that in a really effective way.” - Olivia Schmitt

Olivia Schmitt LinkedIn

Vertafore

Reach out to Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA

Dave discusses the origins of the Insurance Agency Owners Alliance (IAOA) and why he founded it. (3:42)

Steve explains how he went from working for a State Farm agent to starting his own agency. (10:15)

Steve discusses the difficulties of hiring employees for small businesses. (15:08)

Steve explains how Holley Insurance was able to transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. (23:13)

Steve mentions that his firm does not have a specific niche, but that they concentrate on preferred risks that value a consultative approach. (42:14)

Steve shares what is on his bucket list. (50:25)

“There are some that you'd call the RIP, “Retire In Place”. They build a certain size book, and then they're done and they just milk it and whatever…I'm not wired that way. If you're not growing, you're dying.” - Steve Holley

Connect with Steve Holley

Holley Insurance

Connect with Dave Jackson

Independent Agency Owners Alliance | IAOA