Spot On Insurance

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Natalie Siston is an inspirational speaker, leadership coach, and author of Let Her Out, a book that introduces the story of her life, journey, and the moments that inspired her to become a coach. Natalie’s unique style of coaching stems from her experience growing up in a town of 600 people, where everyone knew each other by name and helped each other in life. When she’s not coaching, she also teaches and mentors at The Ohio State University, her two-time alma mater.

Natalie joins us to discuss her coaching experience and what sets her apart from other coaches in the industry. She describes the events that led her to insurance and what it was like quitting a stable job in the middle of a pandemic to focus on entrepreneurship. She explains what readers can expect from her book and its contents. Natalie also shares advice for those who want to test the deep waters of entrepreneurship in 2021.

"Who quits her job in the middle of a pandemic? Someone whose dreams are bigger than her fears." - Natalie Siston

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Natalie's childhood dreams and why she wanted to be in politics.
• What inspired Natalie to join the insurance industry?
• How Natalie decided to leave her 9-5 to become an entrepreneur in 2020.
• The classes aspiring entrepreneurs can take now to help propel their career in 2021.
• Defining your role in the company and the role for yourself.
• What red barns symbolize, her memories of them, and why she used them in her book.
• What she offers clients as a coach and what readers can learn from her book.
• How Natalie presented her own keynote and why she turned it into a book.

Key Takeaways:

• Coaches need coaches too.
• Even a small role in a company can have a big impact on its growth.

Connect with Natalie Siston:

• Small Town Leadership
• Let Her Out
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Adedamola “Damola” Oloko is the co-host of the InsurTech Business Series podcast, the leading insurance podcast in Nigeria where they have in-depth discussion and reviews about trends, opportunities, and industry challenges. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communications with over five years of sales experience in the insurance industry. Damola’s passion for tech and insurance has made him develop an innovative mindset that ultimately led to him starting the podcast following insurtech trends.

Damola joins us to discuss the potential market in Africa and how large companies can penetrate their economy. He describes what a typical Millennial African’s life is like and their mindset towards adaptability and technology. He shares where he discovered his passion to work in insurance and how Spot On Insurance inspired him to start his own podcast. He explains what audiences can expect from their upcoming InsurTech Business Series event. Damola also describes how he manages to see the silver linings despite all that happened this year.

“Insurance should be taught as a subject, not as a topic under another subject.” - Damola Oloko

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• How Damola learned about the Spot on Insurance podcast.
• What it's like being a Millennial in Africa.
• How Damola found himself working in the insurance industry.
• The insurtech trends in the African market.
• How companies can penetrate the African market better.
• How the typical African looks at retirement and insurance.
• Why Damola started his insurtech podcast and the knowledge gap he wants to fill.
• What to expect from the Insurtech Business Series conference.
• How Damola has been keeping himself optimistic in 2020.

Key Takeaways:

• Generally, the penetration of insurance in Africa is just 3%.
• Companies should engage in conversations with those who follow them.
• Succession planning is still too early for the African market.

Connect with Damola Oloko:

• InsurTech Business Series podcast
• LinkedIn

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Brian Ahearn is a coach, consultant, keynote speaker, and the Chief Influence Officer of InfluencePEOPLE, a company that teaches businesses and corporate executives how to boost sales through the art and science of persuasion. He is one of only 20 people all over the world who holds the prestigious Cialdini Method Certified Trainer (CMCT) designation. Brian is also the author of Influence PEOPLE: Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical, a book that helps readers understand how to ethically influence others. 

Brian joins us today to discuss the art and science of persuasion, his definition of ethical influence, and how to relate to your customers better. He shares his experience with traveling across the US during his childhood, his passion for fitness, and how he ultimately realized he fulfilled his youthful dreams of owning his own gym. He explains why many people view the concept of “influencing others’ as a negative connotation and describes the key differences between influencing and manipulating. Brian also explains how he has adjusted his business strategy and methods to be as virtual as possible, while also improving the learning experience for his audience.

"Selling is the process of persuading a person." - Brian Ahearn

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Defining what ethical influence is and how to make it effective.
• Why "influencing others" has gathered a negative connotation.
• The difference between influencing and manipulating.
• The people who inspired Brian to drive his career forward.
• How seeing a simple sticky note can make you want to reciprocate quickly.
• How Brian adjusted his business to the pandemic.
• Brian's advice on how to get people to like you and say yes to you.
• What reciprocity is and how it changes depending on the positivity or negativity of the response.
• How Brian prepares for 2021 and what he learned in 2020.

Key Takeaways:

• Get a plan, work it consistently, and good things happen.
• Social media should be social and treated as a way to have a little bit of back and forth.
• Building rapport is still the best way to convince someone to say yes to your proposal.

Connect with Brian Ahearn:

• InfluencePEOPLE
• LinkedIn
• Influence PEOPLE: Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Wade Millward is the Founder of rikor, a next-generation digital insurtech company that integrates insurance requirements directly to their platform to offer real-time insurance policy monitoring services. His goal in founding the company was to simply reduce the risk for franchisors through instant insurance verification. He believes certificates of insurance are risky, can be easily manipulated, and offer zero security for the franchisor, and decided to design a system that helps bypass all of these problems. Wade also represents Millward Agency, an insurance company started by his grandfather and is currently led by his father.

Wade joins us today to share how rikor helps mitigate risks with the use of real-time technology and other innovations. He shares his experience with serving in an LDS mission, the lessons he learned from that experience, and the idea that led to founding his company. He discusses the security problems associated with certificates of insurance and why he believes these certificates are practically useless. He explains why he started the company amidst the pandemic and how you can be a good leader in a tumultuous time. Wade also describes his thoughts on technology in the industry, especially with how it manages risk.

"One of the most important things in leading a team is empowering people to make mistakes for the pursuit of innovation." - Wade Millward

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Wade’s time serving in an LDS mission and the culture and lessons he learned.
• Why we constantly compare ourselves to other people.
• How Wade found himself joining the insurance industry.
• Why Wade believes launching a business in the middle of a pandemic was the best decision he has made.
• How to focus on long term objectives over short term distractions.
• How rikor helps reassure procedural transparency.
• Why the certificate of insurance is a false sense of security.
• Wade's thoughts on technology and how it's changing the way we finance and manage risk.
• What it means to think beyond the box and how we can connect different boxes.
• How to lead a team going into 2021.

Key Takeaways:

• The hardest thing about starting a company is making a name.
• Don’t let a pandemic stop you from making your dreams a reality.
• When we put people in boxes, they stop thinking.

Connect with Wade Millward:

• rikor
• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected] 

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Alan Ringvald is the CEO of Relativity6, a machine learning platform that lets agencies predict customer behavior accurately. They are also an insurtech company that believes agencies can never be replaced by chatbots. Alan founded the company based on his and his co-founders' graduate thesis research at MIT. Their goal is to provide clients with a comprehensive AI-backed system that lets companies know what their customers need from them.

Alan joins us to share the idea that Relativity6 represents and what motivated him to pursue this type of business. He discusses the power of AI, the current applications of machine learning, and why some companies can’t fit AI learning systems into their business. He explains the reasons he named it Relativity6 and shares his entrepreneurial journey and how MIT helped him get a good start on his business. Alan also describes the technologies that can shake up the insurance industry and how augmented reality and VR can impact the podcasting industry.

"If you’re not really understanding a lot about your customer, you’ll never be able to grow that customer.." - Alan Ringvald

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Alan's connection with the New England Patriots.
• Being the son of immigrants and growing up not having English as the first language.
• The company Alan started in college and what inspired him.
• The name behind Relativity 6 and the services they offer.
• How having an MIT email helped him gather data for his company.
• Alan's transition from retail to insurance.
• Why machine learning doesn't work with every company.
• The kind of technology that can change the industry forever.
• How augmented reality and virtual reality can change how virtual conferences are set up.

Key Takeaways:

• Machine learning gets better over time. It calibrates from its mistakes, making it a self-improving system.
• AR and VR can let people do their virtual conferences anywhere in the world or outside of it.

Connect with Alan Ringvald:

• Relativity6
• Email: [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Eric Ummel is the General Manager of Mobilitas Insurance, a recently launched insurance company that aims to adapt to the emerging needs of the ridesharing economy. Their services include an app that allows users to manage their policies easily, an emergency help hotline, as well as other unique privileges for their partners. As General Manager, Eric’s responsible for overseeing mutually beneficial partnerships that will translate to better overall coverage and customer service.

Eric joins us to share what Mobilitas Insurance represents, their products and services, and what sets them apart from traditional auto insurance companies. He describes how he joined the insurance industry and his role as General Manager. He explains how insurance is an industry that allows innovation to foster in any country. Eric also discusses what he expects to see in the industry in the near future.

"Insurance allows innovation in a broader economy." - Eric Ummel

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Eric's thoughts on sports and the physical aspect of it.
• How Eric found his way in insurance and why he stayed.
• The problem their company solves and how they are different from their competition.
• How their company applies creativity and innovation in the insurance industry.
• What the true consumer expectation is with every insurance company.
• The business growth opportunities in the industry that Eric expects to see.
• How the driver insurance rates are determined.

Key Takeaways:

• Insurance promotes tech and service innovations.
• At the end of the day, consumers just want their claims as fast as possible.
• Insurance education can lead to safer driving habits.

Connect with Eric Ummel:

• Mobilitas Insurance
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

David Wald is the CEO and Co-Founder of Aclaimant, an InsurTech company that provides risk management services. They cater to commercial construction, industrial staffing, real estate, and hospitality industries. As CEO, his responsibilities include spearheading the company’s focus on emerging risks, especially those that came to light with the pandemic of 2020. David strives to fully digitize any company’s entire risk management processes, citing how many new businesses are tackling AI, machine learning, drones, and IOT. 

David joins us to discuss how Aclaimant can help clients visualize their company’s risk management data into a single platform. He shares his journey to realizing he wanted to be his own boss and how he stumbled onto the world of insurance. He explains the risks that have revealed themselves in light of COVID-19 and how businesses are all trying to make their workplaces safe for their employees. David also describes what he thinks the future of risk management will be and what newcomers to the industry should do to find success.

"The more different ways you can help people think about the things they can do to get better without being overwhelming, the better off they’ll be." - David Wald

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• How David discovered he wanted to become an entrepreneur.
• How David stumbled into the insurance industry?
• The inspiration behind their company and the services they offer.
• What it means for a company to have a risk-intelligent culture.
• How David's business supports organizations in creating a risk-intelligent culture.
• The measures businesses can implement to gain their employees' trust to come back to work again.
• What the Covid-19 pandemic has taught businesses and employees.
• The future of risk management and how insurtech can innovate towards it.

Key Takeaways:

• Tools should be used to help make good things better instead of preventing bad things from getting worse.
• Data, as it relays more input and predictability, is the future of risk management.

Connect with David Wald:

• Aclaimant
• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Kate Erickson is a Creator, Engager, and implementer at Entrepreneurs on Fire, an award-winning podcast that interviews inspiring entrepreneurs with a purpose of helping listeners along their entrepreneurial journey. Their company also offers podcasting services and provides online training courses as well as a few freebies to help new members get started. Kate also hosts the DItch Busy podcast, dedicated to helping listeners with their time management skills.

Kate joins us to discuss how exciting the podcast industry is and what newcomers should consider before getting started. She describes how she discovered a career as a podcast host and what it was like after she left the corporate world. She explains what her podcast setup looks like and why she barely changed it over the years in this industry. Kate also explains how their group, Podcasters Paradise, can help both seasoned and new podcasters grow their shows and shares with actionable tips for those who want to start their own podcast today.

"Starting a podcast does not have to be difficult." - Kate Erickson

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• The fears Kate had when leaving the corporate world to dive into entrepreneurship.
• Why podcasting is growing at such a rapid rate.
• Debunking the myths regarding starting a podcast.
• Why being consistent can translate to more clicks and listening time.
• Investing on a podcast and how you can generate revenue.
• What we enjoy about hosting a podcast.
• What people should expect if they want to start a podcast.
• Examples of unique podcasters.
• Podcasters Paradise and the support their company provides.
• Types of podcasts that may get a lot of attention today.

Key Takeaways:

• Starting your own podcast doesn’t have to involve spending money on high-end equipment.
• Being a niche show in this industry will separate you from those that try to be everything.
• Podcasting will introduce you to so many people which you can learn from beyond hosting podcasts.

Connect with Kate Erickson:

• Entrepreneurs on Fire
• Podcasters on Fire
• Ditch Busy podcast
• The Podcast Journal
• Free Podcast Course
• LinkedIn

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

JoAnn Del Gatto is the Vice President of Education and Compliance at The Surplus Lines Association of California, and Joyce King is ILSA’s Special Project Administrator. Joyce King has worked with ILSA since 2005, specializing in surplus lines tax filing requirements. JoAnn also serves as a Regulatory Risk and Compliance Consultant with Custom Compliance Solutions, a company based in the Greater New York City region, helping businesses with everything from reporting and filing services and identifying automation opportunities to developing best practices and mergers and acquisitions.

Joyce and JoAnn join us again today to share how you can properly vet your staff to determine if they are a good fit to be part of your organization. They discuss the questions you should ask during the interview, some of the notable traits to watch for on their first day, and how you can help them with the onboarding process. Joyce explains how ILSA handles the onboarding process and JoAnn discusses the importance of knowing the money expected by the applicant. They also share advice for professionals on what they can do to have an edge this year.

"Make sure you are on the same page with salary. If you're not, it's probably not going to be a good fit." - JoAnn Del Gatto

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Why they incorporated a culture of fitness into their work setting.
• The projects ILSA has been busy with this year.
• Their qualifications and how they interview for staff and management positions.
• What JoAnn believes interviewers should have prepared before interviewing applicants.
• The onboarding process at ILSA and the ILSA Bootcamp.
• JoAnn's formula for bringing in a new member who may be familiar with how the company runs.
• Why note-taking can determine if a newcomer will last in the company.
• The growth programs companies can offer employees to retain them.
• Companies that are bolstering their focus on having a diverse organization.
• JoAnn’s and Joyce's advice for professionals who want to improve their skills before the year ends.

Key Takeaways:

• Networking will be the best thing you can do before the year ends.
• For the beginning of the year in surplus lines, get ready. Because that's when all those reports are due.
• For new hires, note-taking can be the difference between becoming a regular and being sent home.

Connect with Joyce King:

• ILSA
• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]
• (254) 729-6127

Connect with Jo Ann Del Gatto:

• The Surplus Line Association of California
• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!

Apple Podcasts Rate and Review for SpotOn

Joyce King is ILSA’s Special Project Administrator, and Jo Ann Del Gatto is the Vice President of Education and Compliance at The Surplus Lines Association of California. Joyce has been with ILSA since 2005 and specializes in surplus lines tax filing requirements. Jo Ann is described as someone who is solutions-focused, an expert in strategic planning, and comes with plenty of experience in regulatory risks and compliance standards in both financial and insurance industries. 

Joyce and Jo Ann join us today to discuss the guidelines businesses and agencies need to know before they consider an acquisition. They discuss the compliance and regulations that govern acquisitions as well as how penalties differ by state. They explain the importance of performing a compliance review before buying another agency, and why buyers will also inherit the administrative actions. Joyce and Jo Ann also share some of the more uplifting news they realized for the industry despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Every acquisition is a little bit different than the one before." - Jo Ann Del Gatto

Today on Spot On Insurance:

• Jo Ann's childhood and how we met her.
• Why Jo Ann believes the insurance industry is much more stable than other industries.
• What an affiliation is and how it relates to insurance producers.
• The complexities of acquisitions, licenses, and what you should consider as a business entity.
• Administrative actions and what the acquiring company should be watching for.
• How the compliance review program began for ILSA.
• What you can expect from our compliance courses.
• The most uplifting things to note in the industry in light of 2020.

Key Takeaways:

• It's imperative to have an acquisition checklist.
• Always perform a compliance review prior to putting your agency on the market and before buying another agency.

Connect with Joyce King:

• ILSA
• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]
• (254) 729-8002

Connect with Jo Ann Del Gatto:

• The Surplus Line Association of California
• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by…..

Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA), America’s Premier Insurance Compliance and Licensing experts. To learn more about ILSA and their services, visit ILSAinc.com.

Connect, Learn, Share

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of Spot On Insurance. For more resources and episodes, visit SpotOnInsurance.com. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Love what you’re learning, Spot Light your review on Apple Podcasts Rate and Review For SpotOn and share your favorite episodes with friends and colleagues!