As we ready for the new year, tune into this special episode of the "Level Up Claims Podcast" with host Galen Hair, featuring powerful insights from industry experts. Whether it's embracing technology, enhancing personal growth, or championing justice, find out what it truly means to "level up." Perfect for anyone in the storm restoration industry ready to embrace new challenges!

Highlights

• Continuous learning.

• Building potential.

• Keep moving forward.

• The importance of self-discovery.

• Tackle daily challenges.

• Holistic problem solving.

• Maintaining personal goals.

• Take community action.

• Growing business value.

• Taking a step back.

• Staying curious and intentional.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair

• https://insuranceclaimhq.com

• [email protected]

• https://levelupclaim.com/

In a world flooded with AI-generated content, standing out has never been harder; or more important.

This week on the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with Kelly Schuknecht, founder of Two Mile High Marketing, author of Unlocking Your Authority X-Factor, and a leading expert in thought leadership, personal branding, and visibility strategy.

Highlights:

· Why expertise alone isn't enough to build influence

· The difference between personal branding and thought leadership

· How to identify your "Authority X-Factor"

· Why authenticity matters more than ever in the age of AI

· The right way to use AI when writing a book

· Lessons learned from rapidly scaling a business

· How to create sustainable visibility through speaking, podcasting, and content creation

· Building systems that support long-term growth

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Kelly Schuknecht

· https://kellyschuknecht.com/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

Most businesses obsess over getting the next client… but completely neglect what happens after the sale.

In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hare sits down with Bradley Rausch, founder of Level Up Influence, to break down why onboarding, client success, referrals, and retention are the real profit multipliers most companies ignore.

Highlights:

· Why your onboarding process determines long-term profitability

· The "first 72 hours" framework every business should build

· How to engineer referrals instead of hoping for them

· Why most companies ask for referrals at the wrong time

· The difference between clients becoming assets vs liabilities

· How AI can improve client success without adding headcount

· The emotional mistakes businesses make after the sale

· Building low-friction systems that scale

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Bradley Rausch

· https://www.bradleyrausch.com/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

The 2026 Level Up Claims Summit is almost here — and in this special episode, Parker Logan flips the script by putting Galen Hair in the guest seat.

From AI and tech stacks to appraisals, legislation, documentation standards, and industry consolidation, Galen breaks down the pressures contractors, public adjusters, restoration professionals, attorneys, and claims leaders are facing right now — and why getting the right people in the same room matters more than ever.

The Level Up Claims Summit takes place Friday, June 12th, 2026 in Metairie, Louisiana, with intentionally limited seating and a focus on actionable insight, meaningful networking, and real conversations.

Highlights:

• · Why the summit was originally created
• · The "50/50 model" balancing claims education and business strategy
• · Why there's no exhibit hall or pay-to-play speaking
• · The biggest threats facing the property claims industry
• · How AI is changing workflows and operations
• · Why most companies are underestimating what's coming
• · What serious operators are doing differently
• · Why the summit is intentionally small and exclusive
• · The live AI assistant demonstration happening at the event
• · What attendees should expect to leave with

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· Claim your tickets now!

· https://levelupclaim.com/

This week on the Level Up Claims Podcast, Parker sits down with leadership strategist, speaker, and HR expert Traci Austin to talk about one of the biggest hidden problems in the trades and claims industry: leadership.

Why do good employees really leave? Is turnover actually a labor problem… or a leadership problem? Traci breaks down the hard truths about accountability, toxic work environments, retention, and why avoiding difficult conversations slowly destroys teams.

Highlights:

· Why turnover is usually a leadership issue

· The real reason employees quit

· Accountability starts with clarity

· How poor communication creates resentment

· The difference between "hard" and "honest" conversations

· The 5 drivers of employee engagement

· How great leaders retain top talent

· Practical leadership advice for contractors, adjusters, and business owners

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Traci Austin

· https://elevatedtalentconsulting.com/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

Most companies don't fail because of bad technology—they fail because they're using the wrong technology, the wrong way.

In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, host Parker Logan sits down with technology strategist and RB Consulting founder Rob Broadhead to break down what's really holding businesses back. With over 30 years of experience, Rob has seen firsthand how "simple" tech projects spiral into expensive bottlenecks—and how the right systems can unlock serious growth.

Highlights:

Why most tech projects fail (and how to avoid becoming one)

The hidden danger of "scaling chaos" in growing claims businesses

Build vs. buy: how to make the right call on software solutions

The real reason your systems feel disconnected—and how to fix it

Why faster isn't always better when it comes to automation

How AI can improve claims accuracy (and where it can get you in trouble)

The importance of fallback systems when tech inevitably breaks

Red flags that signal your business needs a tech overhaul

How small teams can compete with big tech using smarter systems

Why great vendors should challenge your decisions—not just sell to you

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Rob Broadhead

· https://rb-sns.com/

· https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbroadhead/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

Most business owners think they know what their company is worth.

They don't.

In this episode, Galen sits down with Dave Bookbinder—business valuation expert, author, and corporate finance executive—to break down what drives value… and why most owners are looking at the wrong metrics.

Highlights:

· Why valuation is about the future—not the past

· The shift from tangible assets to intangible value

· Why your people are your biggest asset (but rarely counted)

· The concept of "Return on Individuals"

· How toxic employees can destroy value faster than you think

· Where AI helps—and where it completely falls short

· Why execution risk matters more than your projections

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Dave Bookbinder

· https://newroi.com/

· https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebookbinder/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

Most businesses don't have a marketing problem — they have a workflow problem.

In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Sam Ryan, CEO and co-founder of Flocksy, breaks down how companies can scale high-quality creative work without the headaches of hiring, freelancers, or bloated agencies.

Highlights:

· Why most businesses fail to scale creative work

· The shift from freelancers to subscription-based creative teams

· How to structure workflows so creative actually gets done

· The right way to use AI (without losing quality)

· Why soft skills matter more than technical skills in today's market

· How to reduce friction and get more output with less effort

· The power of recurring tasks and "set-it-and-forget-it" workflows

· Why connection and human creativity still win in an AI world

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Sam Ryan

· https://flocksy.com/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with Drew Thompson, founder of Signal & Scale, to unpack what it really takes to perform at a high level in today's AI-driven world—without burning out.

Drew shares how he scaled and sold his agency, how AI is completely reshaping operations, and why most entrepreneurs are thinking about "hustle" all wrong.

Highlights:

• How Drew scaled a service-based business by becoming a "problem seeker"
• Why overcommunication and client experience drive organic growth
• Practical ways to use AI tools to save time and increase output (even for free)
• The real difference between motion vs. momentum in hustle culture
• How AI can act as a second brain for decision-making and clarity
• The "Four Burners Theory" and how AI is changing the game
• Why being present—not just productive—is the ultimate competitive advantage
• Drew's philosophy behind Permission to Laugh and using humor to build resilience

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Drew Thompson

· https://www.signalandscale.ai/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/

Hiring isn't an HR task — it's a revenue driver.

In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen sits down with Molly McGrath, founder of Hiring & Empowering Solutions and author of Fix My Boss, to break down why most companies are still stuck in outdated hiring models — and how it's quietly costing them talent, time, and money.

Highlights:

· Why "hope-based hiring" leads to bad hires (and how to fix it)

· The real reason job positions stay open for months

· Why top candidates aren't applying — and how to attract them anyway

· How to interview for behavior, not just resumes

· The costly mistake of putting your lowest performer in your most important role

· Why employees today are interviewing YOU just as much as you're interviewing them

· How to turn employees into "intrapreneurs" who take ownership

· The #1 reason great employees disengage and leave

· Why consistent communication beats perks, culture events, and bonuses

· How better hiring directly impacts revenue, retention, and client experience

Episode Resources:

· Connect with Molly McGrath

· https://hiringandempowering.com/

· Connect with Galen M. Hair

· https://insuranceclaimhq.com

· [email protected]

· https://levelupclaim.com/