In this episode, Rich Varrato breaks down exactly how he used group captives as an entry point to build a $2M book of business, why most producers are underusing (or misrepresenting) captives, and what it really takes to make it in commercial insurance.

What we cover:

- How Rich discovered captives three years into his career with under $100K in revenue — and what changed

- The five-year look-back framework and how to use it to open conversations with contractors

- Why $200K in premium is the real minimum threshold (and why going below it gets risky)

- The defensive vs. offensive captive pitch — and why one kills deals

- Why big brokers don't lead with captives (it's not what you think)

- The activity gap between average producers and the top 1% — and what -Rich sees on his Top Gun calls

- How Rich's service team of four handles a captive-heavy book and still turns certs in under five minutes

Resources mentioned:captivekings.com — Rich's free five-year look-back tool for captive prospects