Finding a Balance Between Work, Family and the Big 'I' With Dallas Ross
Episode 493
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 18:29
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we chat with Dallas Ross, agent at Timmco Insurance.
Like many others, Ross was born into the insurance industry and always knew the industry was where she belonged. Right out of college, she landed a job in insurance sales, but after two years, she discovered her true passion wasn’t selling—it was serving clients, supporting them, and fostering long-term relationships.
That realization led her to transition into an account manager role, where she continued to grow her expertise before joining Timmco Insurance in 2021.
Meanwhile, Ross’ involvement with Big I Oregon began when her father took her to Big “I” events. Years later, she was elected to the Big I Oregon board of directors in March 2018 and was elected president in January 2025. She also chaired the organization’s Next Gen group from 2018 to 2019.
Despite her busy schedule, she still manages to maintain a healthy work-life balance that suits her and her family.
“I schedule things that I look forward to, which can help me get through those busy periods—whether it’s a dinner with friends or maybe a vacation,” Ross says. “Making time for things I look forward to helps me avoid burnout.”
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.
Ross was also featured in the November issue of Independent Agent. Check out her interview or read the full issue online.
https://www.iamagazine.com/2025/11/01/declaration-of-independents-dallas-ross/
GEICO Talks Independent Agents and Highlights from Applied Net 2025
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 • Duration 44:14
Recorded live from Applied Net 2025 in Las Vegas, this special edition of Agency Nation Radio features insights from the industry’s biggest event.
On this episode, Will Jones, editor-in-chief of Independent Agent magazine, talks with Carrie Poindexter, senior director of agency operations and Jonathan Somich, director of communications at GEICO, about attending Applied Net for the very first time.
Also, Peter van Aartrijk, executive vice president at Aartrijk, talks with Richard Hartley, co-founder and CEO of Cytora, about Applied Systems’ acquisition of the company and how AI can help the industry reclaim time to reinvest in both work and life.
Then, Kasey Connors, executive director of the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT), sits down with Brenna Johnson, vice president of product management at EZLynx, to discuss innovations that make life easier for users.
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.
Embracing Change With Marianne Policastro-Wik
Episode 490
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 • Duration 18:30
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we chat with Marianne Policastro-Wik, owner of Insurance Associates of Central CT in Wethersfield, Connecticut.
Raised in Hartford, Connecticut—once known as the insurance capital of the world—Policastro-Wik found the industry to be a natural fit. But it was her passion for helping others that truly defined her path. With a foundation in social work and a trajectory into senior leadership, she has built a career grounded in relationships and strategic insight.
Today, she leads her agency—recognized as a 2025 Best Practices Agency—through a thoughtful modernization effort, embracing technology while preserving the personal connections that define their success.
“Technology should strengthen our relationships, not replace them,” she says. “That’s the balance.”
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.
Policastro-Wik was also featured in the October issue of Independent Agent. Check out her interview or read the full issue online.
https://www.iamagazine.com/2025/10/01/declaration-of-independents-marianne-policastro-wik/
From One Generation to the Next: Navigating Agency Succession Planning
Episode 488
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 • Duration 52:29
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Peter van Aartrijk, executive vice president at Aartrijk is joined by Lee Gaudette, president of Gaudette Insurance, and his son, Peter Gaudette, commercial insurance advisor at Gaudette Insurance, and Keith Mangini, Vice President and Commercial Team Leader at InsurBanc.
They explore father-son work dynamics, succession planning in family agencies, and the aspirations that drive the next generation forward. The conversation also offers practical tips for family-owned agencies preparing to change ownership.
“Succession isn’t just about passing down a business,” Mangini says. “It’s setting up that next generation for success. As a lender, I can help build that financial bridge, but the real success comes from the family being aligned on the vision and how they're going to move forward in the future.”
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.
Finding the Win With Jill Roth
Episode 486
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 • Duration 12:51
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we chat with Jill Roth, executive vice president at Ahart, Frinzi & Smith in Alexandria, Virginia.
Roth started her career on Capitol Hill, working in legislative affairs for a New Jersey congressional representative, where one of the issues she focused on was the insurance industry. Her congressional experience carried over when she joined the family agency—Ahart, Frinzi & Smith—and repurposed her passion for politics into serving Big “I” members on the state and national level.
“I still have a passion in [legislative] affairs,” Roth says. “And so I now take that knowledge that I had in that industry, whether it be working on the congressional side or in the lobbying world, and I'll use that in my insurance world.”
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.
Roth was also featured in the September issue of Independent Agent. Check out her interview or read the full issue online.
https://www.iamagazine.com/2025/09/01/declaration-of-independents-jill-roth/
Workplace Communication: From Leadership to Email Etiquette
Episode 484
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 • Duration 20:04
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Will Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Independent Agent Magazine at the Big “I” hosts a conversation with workplace communication expert, Jenna Rogers, Founder & CEO of Career Civility, a professional development firm that helps organizations build stronger cultures through better communication. Throughout the episode, Jones picks Rogers’ brain about what it takes to be a great leader, bridging generational gaps and even mastering the art of a clear, effective email.
"Listening is a really big skill set that you need to have as a leader," she says. "I always encourage people to listen not to respond, but listen to be challenged."
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.
Renters, Pet Insurance and a Pawsitive Impact With John Bradford
Episode 483
Wednesday, August 6, 2025 • Duration 17:45
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we meet John Bradford, founder & CEO of PetScreening in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Bradford is on a mission to make life better for pets. After starting out in the property management world—first managing his own rental units, then expanding to investor portfolios—he saw firsthand how pet ownership impacted housing. That insight led him to launch PetScreening, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that helps streamline offering pet and renters insurance.
At the heart of it is the proprietary FIDO Score™, a data-driven tool to assess pets more fairly than outdated breed restrictions. Today, the platform is used by about 1 in 7 rental units in the U.S.
“Our goal is to help change hearts and open eyes when it comes to breed restrictions,” Bradford says. “We can’t force anyone to accept every dog, but we can give them the data to make better decisions.”
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/category/podcasts.
Bradford was also featured in the August issue of Independent Agent. Check out his interview here or read the full issue online.
Breaking Into Commercial Lines and Smart Tips for New Insurance Agents
Episode 482
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 • Duration 25:41
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Cash McMillen, partner and executive vice president of operations at The Cashion Company Insurance in Little Rock, Arkansas, and chairman of the Big “I” national Young Agents Committee, hosts a discussion with two young agents about getting started as a commercial lines independent insurance agent.
Deuel Romero, commercial lines agent at Tedford Insurance in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Kate Adams, commercial lines marketing manager at Flood & Peterson in Denver, Colorado, explore why and how to choose a commercial lines niche, how to get up to speed in a new industry segment, and tips for building a strong network. Romero discusses his work with Hispanic business owners and Adams shares insights from her business marketing role and how her commercial lines background helps her connect with clients.
"I think people are too afraid of making mistakes," Adams says. "The lessons that we have learned the best, and that have stuck with us, have been from the mistakes that we've made along the way."
Romero and Adams were also featured alongside eight other young agents in Independent Agent magazine's June issue.
https://www.iamagazine.com/2025/06/01/license-to-lead-meet-10-young-agents-35-and-under/
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/category/podcasts.
Flood Coverage, Community and Doing Insurance Right With Courtney Jacobs
Episode 480
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 • Duration 24:01
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, we meet Courtney Jacobs, owner of Insurance Done Right (IDR) in Biloxi, Mississippi. Since launching her agency seven years ago, Jacobs has navigated the complexities of growing a business along the Gulf Coast—where the unique challenges of flood insurance and storm exposure are a constant concern—while also serving in the Air National Guard and giving back to her community through various organizations.
"We have seen a large impact since the flood rates changed a few years ago, which is counting a lot of people out from some of these bigger homes or projects," Jacobs explains. "Because of our extra exposure down here in the lower six counties in Mississippi, we’re definitely feeling the rate increases. The beauty is that I do have the options as an independent broker, which I do appreciate. But it’s tough because some people just can’t afford it."
"We do a lot of fundraising for the homeless or for women’s shelters," Jacobs says when asked about her philanthropy endeavors. "Through those different platforms and organizations, I’m donating, I’m giving back, I’m raising money. Just anything that impacts my community for the better."
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.
Jacobs was also featured in the July issue of Independent Agent. Check out her interview here or read the full issue online.
Driven to Lead: Young Agents on the Rise
Episode 481
Thursday, June 26, 2025 • Duration 14:23
On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Ashley Engl, chair of Big I New York’s NextGen young agent committee, hosts a conversation with two Generation Z agents: Jackson Doyle, commercial risk adviser at J. Krug in Itasca, Illinois; and Brooke Stout, receptionist and assistant account manager at Chalk & Gibbs Insurance & Real Estate in Morehead City, North Carolina.
Together, they discuss how they got their start in the industry, what excites them about its evolution and the valuable lessons they've learned from the mentors who have guided their growth along the way.
“I’ve learned the most from doing the job,” Doyle says. “Being thrown into the fire—whether it's all the cold calls, dealing with rejection, meeting with prospects, or going through your routine of delivering a proposal—a lot of the growth over the years has just come from strictly doing the job and learning what works.”
This month, Doyle and Stout were featured in Independent Agent magazine's June cover story alongside eight other next-generation agents.
https://www.iamagazine.com/2025/06/01/license-to-lead-meet-10-young-agents-35-and-under/
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.
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