On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Peter Van Aartrijk, executive vice president with insurance branding firm Aartrijk, hosts a discussion with Ryan Towle, vice president of Davis & Towle Insurance Group in Concord, New Hampshire, and Keith J. Mangini, vice president and commercial team leader at InsurBanc in Farmington, Connecticut, on best practices when making an agency acquisition—whether it’s your first purchase or just your most recent acquisition. They discuss the first steps you should take when considering an agency acquisition opportunity and what to do as a buyer to prepare for financing from a lender. Further in the episode, they end with their final thoughts on what to keep in mind after closing on an acquisition. "We talk about multiples all the time. But if it's a multiple of revenue, or if it's a multiple of EBITDA, if it's 3 times revenue or 4 times revenue, what are you willing to pay for? And why might you be willing to pay up a little bit?" Mangini said, referring to intangible value of an acquisition, such as talent, carrier synergies and more. Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we meet Michelle O'Connor, president of O'Connor Insurance Associates in Charlotte, North Carolina. When O'Connor and her husband started their insurance agency 25 years ago, they knew from the very beginning that joining the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC) was a must. Michelle knew of other successful agents that belonged to the Big “I" and also knew of the association's industry advocacy efforts. While O'Connor's initial involvement with the association was with the state's young agent committee (YAC), she became more involved when she was asked by Kelley Erstine, IIANC's CEO at the time, to become part of a special committee charged with analyzing member benefits. Since then, she has served in numerous committees and is currently the national director for IIANC. “I've always been a super strong advocate of political action committees (PACs) on both the national and state association level,” she says. “Our insurance system in North Carolina is very unique and that's what started my interest. I realized that if you want change to happen, it has to come from the legislative level.” Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts. O'Connor was also featured in the April issue of Independent Agent. Check out her interview here or read the full issue online. https://www.iamagazine.com/magazine/issues/2025/april/declaration-of-independents-michelle-oconnor This podcast is sponsored by the Insurance Marketing & Communications Association (IMCA). IMCA Ignite 2025 is taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona, June 23-25. Don’t miss the only conference where the insurance marketing and communications community comes together to share content-rich, forward-thinking and relevant topics while also networking for lasting connections.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we explore technology and its real-world impact on independent agencies. Join host Bobbie Collies, chief insurance officer at Coterie Insurance, as she unpacks how technology is not just about tools and software—it’s about people. Collies is joined by two industry leaders: Chris Cline, executive director of the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT), and Todd Jackson, Big “I” Chairman and owner and partner at McGowan Insurance Group. Together, they discuss the challenges, opportunities and future of technology in the independent agency system. Cline discusses the evolution of ACT, including an overview of the “Letter to the Industry,” which highlights the pillars critical to technology success: data, connectivity, AI and people. As an agency owner, Jackson brings perspective to listeners who may want to see their agency use more technology, but aren’t sure the best path for leadership buy-in. “Understand that you may be working in an agency that’s owned by someone like me, and you may find resistance, you may find challenges and this may frustrate you at times,” says Jackson, “And this hopefully will be a perspective for you to see how to talk to these folks, who are intimidated and don’t understand what’s available to them and give them avenues and insights on ways to embrace that.” Whether you’re a tech-savvy agent or just starting to explore what technology can do for your agency, this episode is packed with valuable insights to help you thrive in today’s digital landscape. Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Kevin Brandt of Trusted Choice sits down with Eric Chemi of Team and Total Insurance Solutions to discuss Eric’s interesting background, why he decided to start a scratch agency, and the trials and tribulations of starting and running a small business in the insurance industry. They cover a lot of ground during this discussion including marketing via Tik Tok, agency technology and agency alliances – and much more.

During the pandemic, our guest is a star and millennial agent, Patience Noah, who saw the perfect opportunity to escape the captive insurance world and start her own independent agency. Host Heath Shearon asks Patience about her background in pageants and being crowned as Miss Liberia USA in 2013. She shares how pageants helped her to come out of her shell and helped her to improve her public speaking skills. It is an awesome story of how to be proactive in learning the skills for the goals you want to achieve!

Tune in to this episode of the Agency Nation Radio with guest host Mitch Gibson. Today, Mitch welcomes on Jason Walker, founder, and CEO of Agency Insurtech. Jason is in the industry to change the industry and he says we are all in it together. This interview gets into the topics surrounding the modernization of data and analytics. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Ask any independent agent if they have heard of IVANS and they will undoubtedly say yes. In fact, most will tell you they have an IVANS account. But if you ask them how IVANS connectivity solutions with carriers, agency management systems, and agencies are headed in the next 12 months and you will often get a blank stare. In this interview between two insurance industry powerhouses, Reid Holzworth, CEO of IVANS, and Dr. Billy R. Williams take a deep dive into how IVANS is opening the customer data pipeline that many agents have craved for years.

 

This is a must listen to podcast interview whether you are on the carrier, agency management, or agency side of the industry.

Agency Nation Radio guest hosts Arleen and Ted Taveras sit down with Matt Bruno, COO of ReSource Pro, to discuss handling crisis management in your business. ReSource Pro was one of the first companies to deal with the coronavirus crisis in China...and has helped insurance firms around the globe improve their business operations and management. What can you learn to help your agency?

Guests Katlyn Eggar and Ron Berg outline the free resources you can use to build a better strategy for how to deal with cyber attacks. You spend most of your time protecting everyone else, so today's episode is about how to protect yourself and the agency you've worked so hard to build.

In this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Heath "the Mayor" Shearon interviews Mitch Gibson of HRM Insurance and they discuss developing lead sources, referral partners, Building your brand, and so much more.

Host Landon McCarter of Secure Agent Marketing welcomes James Whitley of Senior Life Services who runs a 200-seat call center that sells millions of dollars of insurance premium over the phone! Find out how. They will discuss Whitley's talk time strategy success and ways to make it work for you.

Customer Experience: What We’ve Learned.

Talk about enthusiasm! This recording with Trevor Bunker will leave you energized about examining your agency’s workflows – to benefit not only the customer but your associates too. Trevor is new to insurance and to Applied Systems as chief customer officer, which is a good thing because he offers some refreshing advice for smart work and service.

Join Agency Nation OG Marty Agather and Columbus Insurance Mafia member Kat Ternes of Agency Zoom as they explore the lessons and possibilities of the parable of David and Goliath.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we meet Andrew Ryan, vice president of Hertvik Insurance Group in Medina, Ohio. Despite being unimpressed by the software on offer when he first joined the independent agency channel, Ryan has relished the opportunity to constantly innovate and improve agency technology and processes. Currently, Ryan is embarking on a new project—Engineered Insurance Services (EIS)—which is a joint venture between Hertvik Insurance and Engineered Tax Services, a premier specialty tax firm based in West Palm Beach, Florida, and a product of decades of commitment to driving change. “In our new agency, just as with picking technology, we’re assembling a team with diverse skills and focusing on our strengths,” Ryan says. “This fresh start is thrilling and gives us the opportunity to create something innovative and efficient.” Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts. ------------ Andrew Ryan https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewryanins/

In this episode, Bradley Flowers from Portal Insurance sits down with Steve Mohr from Lightspeed voice to talk about all things insurance technology, things agents need to look for, and where Steve sees the agency channel heading. You don't want to miss this one.

Nationwide recently completed its transition to a fully independent agent model. Listen as Peter McMurtrie, President, Property & Casualty Commercial Lines at Nationwide, shares what went into that decision and what independent agents can expect to see from Nationwide in 2021. Hosted by our guest podcaster, Jared Bellmund of ALLCHOICE Insurance.

Doug Mohr, Vice President of Industry Relations and Partnerships at Vertafore, shares what their most successful agent customers are doing to keep up with the new normal and what top technology solutions are critical to their success. Hosted by our guest podcaster, Kelly Donahue-Piro of Agency Performance Partners.

Guest podcaster, Scott Howell, talks with SEO & marketing experts, Nyssa Lieder and Viviana Buzo of TrustedChoice.com. They share the insurance consumer shopping trends they are seeing as a result of coronavirus and how agents can shift to boost their presence online.

Guest podcaster, Marty Agather, talks with Jeff Hannon, Business Leader National Distribution of Progressive. Jeff shares the latest programs available to stabilize, incentivize and help agents begin to grow their business again.

 

Correction: In this podcast, we mistakenly note that Progressive’s personal auto premium relief program was applied to customers' premium for the months of March and April; in fact, the relief was applied to the months of April and May.

Jeff Rommel, Senior Vice President - Property and Casualty Sales at Nationwide Insurance, announces this brand new tool available to agents when he talks with our guest podcaster, Marty Agather.

Customer service isn't a differentiator, it's expected. Now more than ever it's about ease of doing business and meeting the customer wherever they are in their journey. That's what we learn when Philip Charles-Pierre, Co-Founder & CEO at Semsee, talks with our guest podcaster, David Carothers.

Loree Toedman, Vice President of Field Sales at Travelers Insurance, shares the support programs Travelers has created for their consumers and agents in response of COVID-19 when she talks with our guest podcaster, Marty Agather.

Rick Fox, former agency owner and and current vice president of agency associations and networks at Vertafore, shares the key to an agent's survival during this time where agents are being forced to adopt technology faster than they anticipated. Hosted by our guest podcaster, Joey Giangola of RPS.

Our guest podcaster, Joey Giangola of RPS, learns how this agency management system's move to the US market was actually inspired by Elevate attendees in 2019.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, AnneMarie McPherson Spears, news editor, Independent Agent magazine, interviews Kristina Witzling, executive vice president and property & casualty practice lead at Zeldis about the findings from the 2024 Agency Universe Study. The Agency Universe Study by Future One, a collaboration of the Big “I" and leading independent agency companies, is hailed as the most comprehensive look at the independent agency system. First conducted in 1983 and completed biennially since 2002, the study is facilitated by Zeldis Research and surveys property & casualty independent agents and brokers. The 2024 study was released at the end of September and sheds light on the state of the independent agency channel as it moves past the coronavirus pandemic and through the hard market. Witzling discusses a range of findings from the latest study, including the total number of independent insurance agencies, how mergers & acquisitions are impacting the distribution channel, the biggest factors behind agency success in the hard market and more. Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

Our guest podcaster, Debbie DeChambeau, talks with Kevin Brandt and Kasey Connors of Trusted Choice about all the resources available to agents through the Big "I", including agency marketing programs and COVID-19 resources.

Former marine turned tech company CEO, Taylor Rhodes, joins our guest podcaster, Olivia Schmitt of Total CSR. They talk about his philosophy of staying curious, making original mistakes and maintaining change in order to drive innovation.

Our guest podcaster, Joe Hollier of the Insurance Scramble Live, uncovers the surprising history behind Hawksoft and what agencies might be overlooking when they are looking at agency management systems when he talks with Sean Hawkins & Rushang Shah.

Our guest podcaster, Olivia Schmitt of Total CSR, talks with IVAN's vice president of product management about safer-at-home life and the exciting evolution of the IVANS platform during this extreme virtual period in our history.

Meet Kristy Dowell of Xpress-pay (not to be confused with her identical twin, Kathy, who is also in the insurance biz!) Our guest podcasters, Ted & Arleen Taveras of Spot On Insurance, uncover the features and surprising affordability behind this online payment solution.

Our guest podcaster, Joey Giangola of RPS, dives into the fascinating world of call automation with AJ Underwood, Manager of Sales at software incubator, Double A Solutions.

Our guest podcaster, Joe Hollier of the Insurance Scramble Live, talks with ITC's chief marketing officer, Becky Schroeder, about their recent acquisition of Agency Matrix and the future of their broad array of products and services for agents and brokers.

Our guest podcaster, Ben Baker of Your Brand Marketing, discovers why insurance payments no longer need to be a pain point in the agent-customer relationship when he talks with Calvin Churchill of Simply Easier Payments. 

Meet Steven Mohr of Lightspeed Voice. This isn't just another VOIP solution. Our guest podcasters, Ted & Arleen Taveras of Spot On Insurance, find out what makes their technology a great fit for the insurance industry -- and Steven shares some life lessons along the way.

Mike Crowley of Crowley Insurance shares his 2020 tips on how agents can market their agency using video.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we meet Haley Andrews, vice president of Gaines Insurance Agency in El Dorado Hills, California. Growing up in a family where insurance was a topic of conversation at the dinner table, Andrews' future in insurance was written in the stars. After earning a degree in business with a concentration in insurance and risk management from Sacramento State University, Andrews accepted an internship from Nationwide. However, a few years later, she answered the call from her father, Ted Gaines, to join the family agency. Since then, Andrews has become involved in local associations, serving as president of Independent Insurance Agents of Sacramento (IIAB Sacramento) in 2023. This year, she is serving as the Northern California director on the board of the Independent Insurance Agents of California (IIAB Cal). However, operating in California has its challenges. “It’s not so sunny and beautiful here in California when it comes to insurance,” Gaines says. “Nevertheless, our agency works well as a team by constantly communicating how we can be dynamic to meet our client’s needs,” she says. “The key for us is to always work together and just focus on what we can control: our attitude and how we work with our clients.” Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts. Gaines was also featured in the October issue of Independent Agent. Read the full issue online. https://www.iamagazine.com/magazine/issues/2024/october/declaration-of-independents-haley-andrews

We have coffee with Carey and talk about using data to manage your agency.

Meet Michael Furlong, founder and CEO of Indio Technologies. Our guest podcasters, Ted & Arleen Taveras of Spot On Insurance, find out what's on the horizon for this client experience platform after their merger with Applied Systems and Michael gives advice about how to get started in the insurance industry.

What makes people want to listen to an insurance podcast? What are the "Big Three (plus 1)" things that successful agencies focus on? These are just a few of the things we learn when we talk with Chris Cline, National Agency Distribution Leader (and national cycling champ!) of Westfield Insurance.

It's the ONE and only Billy Williams, digging in to everything you need to know when prepping for success in 2020.

What's better than working at a gas station or lifting heavy objects in the middle of July? Making it faster and more convenient for consumers to work with independent agents. Todd Sorrel, co-founder of ePayPolicy, tells us how they do it.

Data isn't about spreadsheets, it's about a story. That's what we learn when we talk with Raution Jaiswal of InsuredMine.

Want to become a ridiculously amazing insurance agent? Kelly is here to tell us how!

Greg McGuffin, Director of Recruiting and Agency Development, takes a minute out of his crazy busy schedule to talk to Joey Giangola about transforming from a captive to an independent agent and ways to keep filling your sales funnel.

Join us as we unpack Tracy Cotton’s career, her 50 for 50 journey, and all other things insurance. What the heck is Farm to Fork anyway?! Push play and let's find out.

Join Jack Wingate and Jared Bellmund of ALLCHOICE Insurance as they discuss using technology within the sales process.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Joseph Cox, director of marketing at Trusted Choice®, hosts a conversation with Jamie O'Hearn, president of O'Hearn insurance in Lowell, Massachusetts, and Philip Schmitz, chief client protection officer at Schmitz Insurance in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, about the role of social media in a modern insurance agency. The guests share how they’ve boosted client engagement through social platforms and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Tune in for practical tips to elevate your independent insurance agency's social media game. "The biggest lesson is just to do it and be consistent with it,” says O’Hearn. “Put a procedure in place to make sure that you're doing these things." O’Hearn and Schmitz also share their insights on building a strong online presence to attract clients, the benefits of tools like Social Jazz for consistent posting and why it’s critical to stay active on social media platforms. They also discuss how leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots might shape the future of client engagement. To watch this episode click the link below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMVFpzPViqY Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts. Guests: Host: Joseph Cox, Marketing Director, Trusted Choice https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmcox/ James O’Hearn, President, O’Hearn Insurance https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesohearn/ Philip Schmitz, Chief Client Protection Officer, Schmitz Insurance https://www.linkedin.com/in/philschmitz/

Going Live with Aubie Knight of IIANC! Talking all things tech inside a traditional agency in 2020 and beyond...

Brent Kelly, Vice President of Sitkins Group, shares his unique viewpoint on what makes a high achieving producer during this Agency Nation Facebook Live interview.

It just means you have more time to make sure you eventually do.

It's also possible your job could get a lot easier if you delegate that initial ownership to someone else.

Of course, that's likely a risky proposition you might be unwilling to take.

If you are, then it might be time to get serious about helping your employees get better at what they're doing.

That's what I talk to Sean Mooney, of Mooney Insurance Brokers, about how he wants to start segmenting his staff.