The fastest-growing agencies aren’t just built on strategy—they’re powered by accountability. In this episode, I sit down with Joel McKinley, our Director of Accountability at UPP and a 20-year U.S. Army Ranger veteran, to talk about how true ownership transforms teams from task-driven to results-driven. We dive deep into what it really takes to create a culture where accountability is embraced, not enforced—and where every team member takes responsibility for their own success.

Sharing how trust, clear expectations, and consistent follow-through can help agency owners shift from micromanaging to leading with confidence. Together, we break down practical ways to build accountability into your agency’s foundation—so your people don’t just show up for work, they show up for results.

Highlights:

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

True leadership isn’t about tasks—it’s about unlocking the greatness inside your people. In this episode, I talk with Natty Lewis, an entrepreneur who has built and sold seven companies and now leads Ascend EQ, helping agencies harness emotional intelligence to elevate culture, retention, and revenue.

Natty shares powerful insights into why so many agency teams get stuck in “task mode,” how identity and labeling impact performance, and what leaders can do to close the gap between expectations and reality. We also dive into the role of emotions in the workplace and why employees can’t deliver an experience for clients that they don’t feel themselves. This conversation is a roadmap for agency owners who want to build a team that is not only productive but inspired—one that creates lasting client loyalty and greater profitability.

Highlights:

About Natty Lewis:

Meet Natty, a true entrepreneur. She has started and sold 7 companies. She is currently the visionary behind Ascend EQ, a company that dives into human emotions and how to use them to your advantage. She has 25 years of experience in marketing and sales. Her expertise extends far beyond traditional business strategies; Natty has delved deeply into understanding human behavior, particularly what drives people to initiate projects but often prevents them from seeing them through to success.

Natty has not only founded companies but has also collaborated closely with diverse professionals ranging from athletes to business owners and influencers. Through these interactions, she uncovered a profound insight: the transformative power of emotional intelligence (EQ). Natty believes that elevating EQ levels doesn’t just enhance individual capabilities; it catalyzes a ripple effect across all aspects of life — from increased revenue and productivity to fostering purposeful relationships and living with greater intention.

In essence, Natty’s journey is a testament to her commitment to empowering individuals to achieve holistic success, where personal and professional growth converge to create a better life for all.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

The agencies that will win in the future are the ones embracing AI today—and Daniel Metcalf is laying out the roadmap. In this episode, I talk with Daniel about how generative AI and automation are transforming independent insurance agencies into faster, smarter, more profitable operations.

As we continue to break down AI and integrate it into real-world workflows, we explore how top agencies are combining quick wins with long-term strategy to achieve measurable ROI, free up staff time, and create capacity for growth. Daniel also shares how AI dashboards are giving leaders the visibility to track progress, hold teams accountable, and make smarter decisions. This conversation is about more than technology—it’s about overcoming fear, embracing innovation, and building a culture positioned for long-term freedom and success.

Highlights:

About Daniel Metcalf:

AI & Cyber Authority for Independent Insurance Agencies

Daniel Metcalf is the Co-Founder & President of CyberFin, Strategic Partner and team member for the Unstoppable Profit Producer Program and a nationally recognized speaker, strategist, and evangelist for AI and Cybersecurity in the Independent Insurance Agency industry. His mission is simple but urgent: to help independent agency owners harness the power of AI while staying protected from the growing wave of cybercrime and compliance risks.

With a unique blend of expertise in marketing, technology, and cybersecurity, Daniel translates complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies agency leaders can use today. He has spent his career building and scaling ventures in tech, e-commerce, and revenue operations, and now channels that experience into one clear purpose—empowering insurance agencies to grow safely and profitably in the digital age.

Through CyberFin, Daniel and his team deliver practical, agency-focused AI and cybersecurity solutions designed to protect clients, drive efficiency, and ensure compliance. He is widely recognized as a trusted voice in the industry, regularly speaking at insurance conferences, agency networks, and leadership events across the country.

At his core, Daniel is a tech enthusiast with an entrepreneurial spirit—a leader passionate about protecting and advancing the independent agency channel. His message is clear: the future of insurance belongs to those who embrace AI and protect against cyber risks, and he’s here to guide agencies every step of the way.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

The smartest agencies aren’t just selling insurance—they’re reimagining how every back-office process works. In this conversation with Chris Paradiso, I explore how he’s using AI and automation to transform his agency’s operations while giving his team the tools to work faster, smarter, and with greater accuracy. Chris shares how platforms like the Intelligent Agent are helping streamline communication, improve accuracy, and free up licensed agents to focus on what they do best: building relationships and earning client trust. This isn’t about replacing people—it’s about empowering them with the right tools to thrive in today’s marketplace.

Highlights:

About Chris Paradiso:

Chris Paradiso is the Founder & Agency Owner of Paradiso Insurance and the driving force behind Paradiso Presents, recognized as a marketing and branding powerhouse in the insurance industry.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

The fastest way to lose a prospect is friction, and Ray Huang is helping agents eliminate it for good. In this episode, I sit down with Ray, Head of Growth at Canopy Connect, to explore how their insurance data intake platform is helping over 12,000 agents collect complete, verified client information in seconds.

Ray and I discuss why reducing the number of follow-ups, form fields, and back-and-forth emails is the key to winning more business faster. We dive into how Canopy Connect lets clients share policy details, dec pages, driver info, and even claims history directly from their carrier, streamlining the quoting process while building trust and professionalism. If your agency is still chasing down missing documents or rekeying data, you’re leaving time, revenue, and client satisfaction on the table.

Highlights:

About Ray Huang: Ray Huang has helped dozens of startups and growth companies over his 20-year career develop strategies and implement tactics that yield high-impact business results. As the Head of Marketing for Canopy Connect, he’s grown the platform into the market-leading insurance intake platform for insurance agents and beyond.

https://www.usecanopy.com/

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

Diving into the crucial topic of why you MUST monitor your online presence. From branding essentials to cutting-edge tools, Mike shares invaluable tips to help you enhance your brand identity and consistency. He recommends Donald Miller’s book “Building A Story Brand” for mastering brand messaging and discusses the importance of social media engagement, content marketing, and robust email marketing strategies.

This episode also highlights the importance of maintaining a stellar e-commerce platform and leveraging analytics for informed business decisions. We’ll explore the vital role of customer support, adaptability, and innovation, all aimed at impacting lives personally and professionally.

Whether you’re looking to ramp up your recruiting efforts, improve your business success, or simply ensure your online presence is top-notch, this episode has you covered. So tune in and get ready to transform your online presence into a world-class operation.

Highlights:

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

The future isn’t coming—it’s already here, and it’s AI-first. In this powerful conversation with Erik Jensen, I uncover what it really takes to build an agency from the ground up with automation, bots, and agentic AI at the core. Erik, a seasoned executive leader and founder of InsureCor and Hatteras Insurance, brings over two decades of experience in operations, M&A, and technology strategy, making him one of the most forward-thinking voices in insurance tech today.

Diving into how he’s reimagined every aspect of his operations by starting with AI first, building workflows where bots do the heavy lifting and humans step in only where truly needed. From native AI and robotic process automation (RPA) to team leadership and scalable tech stacks, this conversation is a masterclass in building an optimized, future-proof agency. If you’re ready to multiply your team’s capacity, increase revenue per employee, and truly operate with a growth mindset, this is the blueprint.

Highlights:

About Erik P. Jensen:

Erik P. Jensen is a tech-forward insurance strategist with over 20 years of experience across sales, operations, and executive leadership. As founder of Holistic Business Consultants, he leads a suite of interconnected companies transforming how independent insurance agencies grow, compete, and scale through technology.

Erik is the creator of:

He and his team have developed one of the industry’s most comprehensive and intelligent ecosystems, including a proprietary AI-enhanced knowledgebase with thousands of carrier profiles, SOPs, training scripts, and service workflows—powering both agency staff and automated AI agents.

With voice-based learning tools and native AI support rolling out soon in ZoInsure, Erik continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the insurance space—helping independent agencies thrive without adding overhead.

Websites:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erikpjensen

[email protected]

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

When trust becomes your agency’s fastest growth lever, the game changes—and Ryan Hanley is here to prove it. In this episode, I talk with Ryan about his journey from agency owner to tech innovator and how his new venture, Linqura, is transforming the way commercial insurance agencies build trust more efficiently.

We dive into the rising importance of data privacy in AI tools, why most agents are still overwhelmed by fragmented tech stacks, and how Linqura is creating a secure, AI-powered solution that makes every agent a commercial expert, without needing to reinvent the wheel. Ryan shares how agency teams can reduce 15 tabs down to 3, win more business by identifying policy gaps, and finally give CSRs the time and space to upsell, cross-sell, and serve at a higher level. If you’re serious about operational excellence and lasting client relationships, this conversation is packed with insight.

Highlights:

About Ryan Hanley:

Ryan Hanley is the Chief Growth Officer of Linqura, the only agentic AI growth engine for commercial insurance profitability, and the founder of Finding Peak, a leadership coaching company. Ryan previously founded Rogue Risk, a first-of-its-kind digital commercial insurance agency, and held executive leadership positions across the technology, fitness, and insurance industries. In addition, Ryan is a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, growth, and technology, bestselling author of Content Warfare, and producer of the Apple Top 20 podcast, The Ryan Hanley Show.

https://ryanhanley.com/hanley/

https://lnk.to/ryanhanleyshow

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

When a speaker leaves an entire room buzzing, you know they’re onto something powerful—and that’s exactly what happened when Daniel Metcalf shared his insights at our Grand Mastermind. In this episode, I finally got him behind the mic to break down what’s really happening at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and independent insurance agency growth.

Daniel, co-founder of CyberFin and a seasoned expert in both AI and security, shares how agencies can stop drowning in AI “features” and start extracting real business benefits. We explore how to build a protected, efficient agency tech stack with AI and automation at the core—freeing up your people, reducing risk, and ultimately driving profitability. Daniel also walks us through how to identify repetitive tasks ripe for automation, the right way to adopt AI tools without compromising data, and why building a custom AI “co-CEO” might be your smartest next move.

Highlights:

About Daniel Metcalf:

Daniel Metcalf, Co-founder & President of CyberFin. Daniel’s a Speaker & Cybersecurity Evangelist for the Insurance Industry on a mission to simplify cybersecurity for SMBs, and especially for Financial and Insurance Agencies.

His mission and my passion is to protect entrepreneurs and agency owners from cyber-crimes & compliance fines.

But my journey doesn’t stop there.

With a rich background in marketing, tech, and e-commerce, Daniel’s worn multiple hats – from a visionary entrepreneur to a results-driven Chief Revenue Officer. His expertise in revenue operations for tech and e-commerce companies has consistently driven growth and innovation to all my endeavors.

At his core, he’s a tech enthusiast with an entrepreneurial spirit, a Marketing Maverick with a Tech Twist, always eager to connect, collaborate, and create.

Whether it’s pioneering cybersecurity solutions at CyberFin or strategizing revenue growth for tech ventures, Daniel thrives on challenges and the thrill of innovation.

If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or just someone passionate about tech and innovation, let’s connect and explore synergies!

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Virtual Events: http://www.uppfaststart.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

When quoting time drops from ten minutes to two, you don’t just save time—you transform how your agency operates. In this episode, I sit down with Carl Ziade, co-founder of Gaya.ai, to explore how his lightweight AI solution is helping independent insurance agencies reclaim up to 70% of their team’s time.

Carl breaks down how Gaya’s “super-copy, super-paste” technology eliminates redundant data entry across AMS, raters, and carrier portals. We discuss how agencies of all sizes are using this simple but powerful tool to reduce friction, increase quoting capacity, and ultimately boost profitability without increasing headcount. More than just automation, it’s a people-first approach to technology that empowers CSRs, processors, and producers to focus on what really matters—serving clients and growing the business.

Highlights:

About Carl Ziade:

Carl Ziade is the co-founder and CEO of Gaya.ai, an AI startup putting an end to repetitive data entry in the insurance world. Gaya’s browser extension lets agents supercopy data from anywhere and superpaste it directly into carrier portals — cutting quoting time in half across both Personal and Commercial Lines. Carl holds an MBA from Stanford, where he met his co-founder Jean-Pierre. He’s also a computer engineer who’s been deep in AI for over a decade. Carl didn’t stumble into insurance — he earned it, after spending over a thousand hours shadowing agents and CSRs as they quoted and serviced policies. As of May 2025, Gaya is being used by more than 150 agencies including top 5 brokers.

https://gaya.ai/

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Virtual Events: http://www.uppfaststart.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!