Insurance Sync

Insurance Sync co-hosts Bobbie Shrivastav and Laurel Jordan speak with Marc Glickman, an actuary and BuddyIns leader, about making long-term care coverage easier to understand, access, and use. Glickman explains how group-market enrollment, portability, caregiving support, and claims guidance can improve outcomes for families and broaden distribution.

Insurance Sync hosts Bobbie Shrivastav and Laurel Jordan speak with agency owners Manish and Mitu Sharma of M & M Financials about building an independent insurance agency around community education. Manish shares candid lessons on agency leadership, what carriers should change, practical roles for AI, and why independent distribution can thrive by combining technology with trusted local relationships.

Insurance Sync co-hosts Bobbie Shrivastav and Laurel Jordan speak with Antaun Barnett, founder and CEO of Barnett Advisory Group, about what drives sustainable growth in insurance distribution. Drawing on more than 22 years in the industry, Barnett argues for producer activation over recruiting volume, integrated technology that saves agents time, and AI that automates transactions without replacing trusted client relationships.

In this episode, hosts Bobbie Shrivastav and Laurel Jordan invite Robert Pavleszek, COO of Malibu Life, to share insights on how AI is transforming insurance distribution, the importance of innovation, and the cultural shifts needed for industry progress. Discover how new carriers are leveraging technology to challenge legacy systems and improve agent and customer experiences.

AI is no longer a side project in life and annuity distribution - it’s quickly becoming part of the infrastructure. In this episode of Insurance Sync, host Bobbie Shrivastav and co-host Laurel Jordan talk with Sky Opila of zinnia about the friction slowing distribution today and how AI could help create simpler, faster experiences for consumers, agents, and advisors.

From the independent distribution “swivel chair” problem to the low penetration of life and annuity products across captive channels, Sky shares what he’s seeing across the industry. The conversation explores how AI is already helping automate document processing and turn paper applications into digital transactions—and how plain-language, context-aware tools can make complex products easier to understand.

You’ll hear about:

The trends shaping life and annuity distribution across independent, captive, institutional, and direct channels

Where AI is delivering practical value today, from document processing to lead tracking

How chat-based quoting and plain-language explanations can help consumers feel more confident

Why APIs and headless technology could enable a new generation of AI-powered distribution

What an AI-native distribution model might look like in the next three to five years

Why distribution leaders should make AI part of their strategy now

A timely conversation for insurance leaders, advisors, and anyone working to make life insurance and annuities more accessible and easier to navigate.

Thanks to Protectors Vegas for sponsoring this speason

In this episode, industry veteran John Saad shares insights on the evolving distribution landscape in life and annuities, the role of AI, and how technology can enhance agent productivity and client understanding.

In this episode of Insurance Sync, Bobbie Shrivastav and Laurel Jordan speak with Jay Weintraub, CEO and Founder, about Protectors, a new conference focused on life and annuity distribution. They explore how better events can break industry echo chambers, bring the right people together, and create meaningful conversations that improve protection for policyholders and beneficiaries.

In this episode of Insurance Sync, sponsored by ManageMy, Sean shares insights from his 25+ years in insurance, discussing industry challenges, technological innovations, and the future of insurance. Discover how technology and customer-centric approaches can transform the industry for better access, affordability, and trust.

In this episode, Laurel and Bobbie invite Cameron Feiner to shares his extraordinary journey — from working as a producer to founding an insurance startup at just 19. You'll learn about his fresh perspective on the industry's biggest pain points, including legacy systems that hold back growth, regulatory challenges around AI, and the future of agent-client relationships. We break down his bold vision of combining direct-to-consumer strategies with sell-side channels, all powered by AI-driven automation and customer engagement tools.

In this episode of Insurance Sync, host Bobbie Shrivastav and co-host Laurel Jordan sit down with Leslie Sapienza of LKS Strategies for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of insurance, customer experience, and the operational realities shaping the industry.