"Unlike a claim file, there's no rush. There's no duty to close it out quickly." — Precious Norman Walton

"Grief is a ball inside a box. At first, every time it hits the side, it hurts. As time goes by, the ball gets smaller... but it still hits the sides of the box." — Salty

This is not the episode we planned.

We had a full page of questions for Precious Norman Walton about leadership, advocacy, catastrophe claims, and one of the most unique careers in insurance.

We asked exactly one.

Because somewhere between that first question and the second, two claims professionals who had each recently buried one or both parents stopped talking about insurance and started talking about grief. About what it's like to become the policyholder instead of the adjuster. About caring for the people who once cared for you.

About the grocery store aisle that breaks you. The song that catches you off guard. The impossible task of settling an estate while your own heart is still trying to make sense of what's happened.

As Salty says during the conversation, "Grief is a ball inside of a box. At first every time it hits the side, it hurts. As time goes by, the ball gets smaller... but it still hits the sides of the box."

So no, this isn't the episode we planned. It's the one we needed.

And judging by the conversations we've had since recording it, we have a feeling some of you might need it too.

Connect with Precious on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/preciousnwalton/

Follow Project55 for mental health resources for insurance professionals: https://www.linkedin.com/company/project55

Dial 988 for support.

Check out Salty's favorite band Touché Amoré and their beautiful lyrics on grief on Spotify.

Email [email protected] to tell us your story... claims related or not. We're here for you, always.

"Behind any one of our successes... it's a group of people that are pushing. Sometimes I'm pushing, sometimes they're pushing me."

That simple idea sits at the heart of this conversation with Bobbie Shrivastav.

We talk about what it takes to build communities that matter, why the most fulfilling work is fueled by joy instead of ego, and how the people who make the biggest impact are often the quickest to share the spotlight.

From launching initiatives that challenge the status quo to creating opportunities for others to be seen and heard, Bobbie has spent her career proving that leadership isn't about standing in front of the crowd. It's about bringing people with you.

This episode explores entrepreneurship, growth, mentorship, EmpowerHER, and the power of surrounding yourself with people who challenge you, champion you, and occasionally give you the push you didn't know you needed.

Because none of us gets there alone.

If you're feeling isolated, we invite you to email [email protected], join us on Linkedin, or join our reddit community. We'll get you connected with mentors like Bobbie.

"When mom took her final breath, dad was sitting by her side, holding her hand. Eight months to the day, dad decided to join her. As an insurance professional, I think the hardest thing was getting into the mindset of 'I'm the insured. I'm the bereaved.' Their house burned down that July. I had to jump into that mode, going back and forth with adjusters." - Precious Norman Walton CPCU, SHRM-CP, AIC, AIS, AINS, ACS, TRIP

"I lost my mom last year. I came home from a CAT deployment and both my parents went into the hospital on the same day. My boss was texting me about a claim and I was like 'I'll call you back later, I just found out my mom is gonna die." - Salty

Note from The Salty Adjuster Team: This isn't the episode we anticipated it would be. We had a list of questions for Precious, one of the foremost leaders in our industry, about everything insurance-career-related. But Salty and Precious found common ground in recently losing one or both parents within the same year, an experience unlike any other experience. We let the mics keep rolling on a cathartic, heart-opening, real dialogue that everyone needed.

We're presenting this raw, unflinching trailer without edits and will also present the full episode this week without commercial interruption or production announcements. The song at the end of the trailer is by the band Touché Amoré, whose heartwrenching songs and lyrics about the death of his own mother are favorites of Salty.If you need support managing grief or loss, call 998, check out friends of the show Project55 (Brenden Corr and Justin Goodman), The SAFE Project (Cal Beyer, CWP, NAC) or visit The Salty Adjuster reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSaltyAdjusterPod) where you can interact directly with Salty and Producer Brett . We promise you're not alone.

THANK YOU Precious for the love, candor, and vulnerability for this upcoming episode of the show.NAAIA - National African American Insurance Association Insurance Nerds #SandwichGeneration #Grief #MentalHealth #loss

"What you're now doing is you're not teaching adjusters how to adjust. You're teaching them estimatics... when you remove the elements of being able to let adjuster adjust claims, you run the risk of that bad reputation: 'X carrier doesn't want to pay claims.' A lot of that spans from moving away from adjusting."

We're counting down the end of Season One and Beginning of Season Two (September 2026!) by revisiting some of our favorite moments from Season One so far. This was a big one for us.

Back in the beginning of June, we sat down with the one and only Andrew Norton, CPCU, ARe, SCLA Gold, for a conversation we wish could've gone on another full hour or two. We'll be bringing him back for more wisdom in Season 2, but ICYMI/if you're new to the show, head back to episode 9 this weekend and treat yourself. And while you're at it, treat the hardworking Salty Team by rating and reviewing the show, please and thanks!

Available on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gMQb5qGbInsurance Nerds #insnerds #insurancenerd CoVerse The Salty Adjuster

"Now it's our canvas to paint. What are we going to do differently?"

We love a leader in this industry who takes the time to kick the door open for others to follow. A trailblazer who takes a dirt road and paves it so that it's easier to bring people along. In our upcoming episode next week, we sit down with someone who embodies that spirit: the accomplished, collaborative, inclusive and brilliant Bobbie Shrivastav ☀️

Despite founding multiple insurtechs including Solvrays, building EmpowerHER - Leading the Future with Lucy Graham and Stacey Brown, co-authoring the Momentum Series books with Renu Joseph, cohosting the Insurance Sync podcast with Laurel Jordan, AND mentoring and sponsoring dozens (if not hundreds) of insurance professionals, Bobbie doesn't think she's the story.

For her, the story is the joy of creating something with people you believe in. Building communities that didn't exist before. Watching others step into the spotlight. Having so much fun doing the work that the accomplishments almost become secondary.

You can hear the smile in her voice when she talks about her work. We hope this trailer for Tuesday's episode brings a smile to your face. #TheSaltyAdjuster InsurTech America InsurTech Carolinas The Salty Adjuster CoVerse Communications

Every once in a while, someone comes along who completely shatters your assumptions about what an insurance professional looks like.

Austin Lewis is one of those people.

Austin is an economist-turned-life insurance broker, Army National Guard member, husband, dad, and conservationist who has built an audience of more than 120,000 people by doing something you don't see every day. Before he starts talking about insurance, he's usually knee-deep in the Chesapeake Bay pulling out shopping carts, tires, fishing line, and whatever else doesn't belong there.

That's how we found him.

What started as a Facebook rabbit hole turned into one of the most unique conversations we've had on The Salty Adjuster.

We talk about why someone told Austin he'd never make it because he showed up on camera dirty, sweaty, and wearing chest waders instead of a Rolex. We talk about building a business around purpose, why authenticity attracts the right clients, and how social media can be about something bigger than selling.

If you've ever wondered whether you have to fit the industry's mold to succeed, this bonus episode might change your mind.

Grab some Old Bay chips and maybe a pair of waders and enjoy this refreshing conversation with The Bay Life Broker himself.

Check Austin's work and brokerage out here: https://www.baylifebrokerage.com/

🦀 SUPER. SPECIAL. BONUS. EPISODE. INCOMING. 🦀 We've found a guest unlike anyone you've ever met in insurance for a conversation unlike any we've heard on this (or, candidly, any) insurance show.

Be honest... When you hear the words "life insurance broker," what comes to mind? 🕴‍ A tailored suit? ⌚ Fancy watch? 🚗 Nice car? 🏌‍♀️ Golf on Fridays? 📸 Filtered LinkedIn posts from a sleek office?

What if we told you to instead picture a guy in the water just outside Baltimore city, in fishing waders and a cut-off tee-shirt, hauling trash and handling wildlife every morning before clocking in at the office? Austin Lewis, owner of Bay Life Brokerage, is an economist-turned-life insurance broker who starts most mornings knee-deep in the Chesapeake Bay pulling shopping carts, tires, and fishing line of the world's third-largest estuary. While he works, he talks via reels to his 67,800 followers on Facebook and his 58,400 on Instagram about insurance, conservation, and leaving the world a little better than he found it. In fact, that's his entire value proposition for Bay Life Brokerage (https://lnkd.in/gjUPg8ag).

When The Salty Adjuster stumbled across one of Austin's videos on Facebook he asked Producer Brett if she thought there might be a chance he'd do the show. And when she crossed her fingers and hoped that someone with more than 100K followers on social would even bother to reply to her DM, Austin responded to Brett within minutes (and waaay after business hours), more than willing to jump on the pod. It isn't like he has a ton of free time. A member of the Army National Guard, volunteer with the BACK RIVER RESTORATION COMMITTEE INC, husband, dad, and yes... #insurancebroker... Austin is living proof that sometimes the best way to make a difference is to stop trying to look like everyone else.

"I'll never forget, I had one friend...," Austin told us, "he's an investment advisor, and he told me that he did not think that it was going to work well for me because I was showing up on video dirty, sweaty, in waders, cut-off tee. I mean, looking like I was a bricklayer or something... And the point he was making was, in this industry, people want to do business with people who appear to be successful financially."

Watch the trailer, then get ready for this BONUS EPISODE DROP (coming Thursday!) for one of the most unexpected conversations we've had on The Salty Adjuster.

Have questions for Austin? Pop them in the comments or email [email protected].

"Silence is the worst. Silence is a trust killer."

Hey friends.

If you've been listening this season, you've probably noticed a theme.

We've talked with Michael Balarezo and Arvind Sontha about restoring trust through technology. Heather Blevins reminded us that claims is the promise. Bryan Falchuk challenged us to rethink how we use AI without losing our humanity. Curtis Goldsborough showed us what trusting across claims and underwriting silos could look like.

This conversation ties a bow around all of it.

Leslie Sapienza has spent her career helping some of the largest organizations in insurance rethink how they communicate with customers. And after this conversation, you'll probably never look at a claims letter, text message, or status update the same way again.

We talk about why silence is often more damaging than bad news, why policyholders don't need perfection as much as they need clarity, and why communication has earned a seat at the executive table instead of being treated like a "soft skill."

We also dig into the role AI should play in claims, the difference between informing someone and reassuring them, and why every interaction either builds trust... or quietly chips away at it.

Whether you're an adjuster, a claims leader, or anyone who has ever wondered why one claim leaves a customer singing your praises while another ends with an angry LinkedIn post, this episode is worth your time.

Learn all about Leslie here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lks-strategies

Bad communication. No communication. Slow communication. Confusing communication. On a claim, which might be the worst day of a policyholder's life, the way carriers communicate can make or break trust. In our upcoming new episode on Tuesday 7/21, we have strategic communications expert Leslie Sapienza for a frank and timely conversation about how insurance stops failing claimants through comms.

Get a taste of the episode in this fresh teaser trailer and please subscribe and follow on Apple and Spotify so you don't miss a single episode drop!

CoVerse Communications The Salty Adjuster Brett McKenzie LKS Strategies

Bryan Falchuk has spent decades challenging insurance to think differently. As President & CEO of PLRB, a best-selling author, celebrated speaker, and one of the industry's most prolific voices and educators, Bryan joins The Salty Adjuster for a conversation that covers just about every corner of claims. Leadership, burnout, AI, fraud, recruiting, and the future of the industry are all on the table.

What makes the difference between an Insurtech that changes the industry and one that flames out? Bryan says it starts with humility, not hubris.

Can AI actually support empathy in claims? Bryan thinks it can, if we deploy it for the right reasons.

What happens when we treat every claim like fraud? Longer claim cycles, higher costs, and less trust.

Why are so many adjusters burning out? And why supporting claims professionals takes more than another wellness initiative.

Who are the "dinosaur hunters"? Bryan explains what separates the InsurTech companies that last from the ones that don't, and why curiosity will always beat certainty.

Which state has more tornados in 2026 than any other and how is that changing the market? The answer is gonna surprise you.

Salty has benefited immensely from the resources that PLRB offers adjusters striving to continue learning through their career. Nearly two-thirds of the insurance industry's carriers are PLRB members. If you're an adjuster, there's a good chance you've benefited from PLRB's conferences, educational resources, or technical expertise. If you're not sure whether your organization is a member, you can check using your work email here: https://members.plrb.org/login

Follow Bryan on LinkedIn, and be sure to check out The Future of Insurance podcast.