Agency Intelligence: The Insurance Podcast Network
Agency Intelligence: The Insurance Podcast Network is a top insurance podcast network featuring multiple series. It offers insights from insurance agency owners and industry influencers, covering the latest trends and best practices in the insurance industry.
Episodes
Stuff About Money: Building Wealth When You’re Just Starting Out
What if you’re not behind financially? What if you’re just getting started? In this episode of Money in Real Life, Stuff About Money co-hosts Xavier Angel CFP®, ChFC®, CLTC®, and Erik Garcia, CFP®, BFA™, tackle the pressure young professionals feel to build wealth while paying down debt, starting careers, managing everyday expenses, and still trying to enjoy their lives.
Xavier and Erik explore w
Rough Notes Front Cover, October 2026: Linda Fisher, Cardinal Insurance Group
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Linda Fisher, Founder of Cardinal Insurance Group, the agency featured on the October 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
Why taking care of the team comes before taking care of the client
Moving from boss to leader and helping employees chas
Your Only Competitor Is the Person You Were About To Hire
What if your biggest competitor isn't the agency down the road, but your own habit of hiring? Jason Cass goes solo this episode to break down NexAgency's rollout of NexOne, why AMS platforms are becoming little more than a database, and how a lesson from Southwest Airlines reframes what real competition looks like for independent agents.
Key Topics:
NexAgency rolled out NexOne on September 1s
Rough Notes Front Cover Archives, July 2012: Randall Boss, Ottawa Kent Insurance Agency
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, pulling from the archives, Jason Cass sits down with Randall Boss, Certified Risk Manager and Certified Risk Architect at Ottawa Kent Insurance Agency (now part of HIGHSTREET Insurance Partners), the agency featured on the July 2012 cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
What landing the cove
Stuff About Money: Building Wealth When You Don’t Feel Wealthy
What if the biggest thing keeping young adults from building wealth isn’t how much money they make, but believing wealth is even attainable? In the second episode of Money in Real Life, Xavier Angel, CFP®, and his daughter Caitlin tackle the question that naturally follows their first conversation: I know what I want my money to make possible, but how do I actually get there?
Xavier and Caitlin t
Carl Ziadé On What's Next For Gaya, From Proposals To Agentic Quoting
Turning an hour-long insurance quote into a 20 minute process is exactly the kind of problem Gaya was built to solve. Jason Cass sits down with Carl Ziadé, Co-Founder of Gaya, to unpack how the platform is reshaping the way agents fill carrier portals, handle transportation submissions, and prepare for what's next in agentic quoting.
Key Topics:
Gaya autofills carrier portals as a browser ext
Insurance Shoptalk: The PAYGO Defense Strategy: How Agents Protect Their Workers’ Comp Book
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, Eric Stein sits down with Patrick Davis, CEO of InsurePay, to discuss how pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation is changing the way businesses pay premiums—and why insurance agents should understand it as both a client benefit and a retention tool. Patrick explains how pay-as-you-go connects workers’ compensation premiums directly to actual payroll, recalcul
Insurance Shoptalk: The New Agency Workforce: AI Tools + Offshore Talent
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, Eric Stein chats with Norm Hudson, CEO of Staff Boom, to explore why insurance agencies need to build the right operational foundation before AI and automation can deliver meaningful results. Norm shares lessons from working with insurance agencies, MGAs, wholesalers, and other organizations that have attempted to automate processes only to discover that inco
Stuff About Money: What Does Wealth Mean to You?: A Father-Daughter Conversation
What does “building wealth” mean when you’re still trying to figure out rent, your career, debt, relationships, and adulthood?
In this episode of Stuff About Money They Didn’t Teach You in School, Xavier Angel, CFP®, sits down with his daughter, Caitlin, for a conversation that started when she gave him some unexpected feedback: “I don’t think you should give this presentation.” Xavier had built
Troy Korsgaden's Ten Appointments A Day Rule For Growth
What can four decades in the restaurant business teach an insurance agency about running a tighter, more profitable operation? Jason Cass sits down with Troy Korsgaden, Founder of Korsgaden Consulting Services and Keynote Speaker for IndieTech 2027, to unpack lessons on client engagement, AI adoption, and building a resilient agency built to last.
Key Topics:
Parallels between running Crawdad
Rough Notes Front Cover, September 2026: Robbie Smith, Oakbridge Insurance
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Robbie Smith, Co-Founder of Oakbridge Insurance the agency featured on the September 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
Robbie reflects on Oakbridge Insurance earning a spot on the cover of Rough Notes Magazine
Oakbridge Insurance formed fiv
Stuff About Money: Your Thoughts Shape You. Your Habits Build You. Your Choices Define You
In the final episode of the series, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Dr. Matt Morris, LMFT bring together the core ideas explored throughout The Psychology of Money. They revisit the framework that ties the entire series together:
Your thoughts shape you
Your habits build you
Your choices define you
The conversation expands beyond investing and budgeting into fulfillment, relationships, iden
Insurance Shoptalk: Building an Agency People Want to Join — and Owners Want to Sell To
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, Eric Stein sits down with Marc Duffy of Duffy Insurance to explore how a family-owned independent insurance agency can grow through acquisitions while maintaining its culture, personal service, and local identity. The conversation covers agency integration, technology and management systems, employee training, recruiting, producer incentives, and the diffe
Chris Voss: The Most Dangerous Negotiation Is the One You Don't Know You're In
What if the negotiation you're losing has already started before you even open your mouth? Jason Cass sits down with Chris Voss, CEO and Founder of The Black Swan Group, to unpack the tactics behind high-stakes negotiation, from hostage crises to closing sales.
Key Topics:
The negotiation has already started before the first word is spoken
Lessons learned from the Burnham-Sobero hostage
Stuff About Money: Is Financial Control an Illusion?
How much control do we really have over our financial future? In this episode, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Dr. Matt Morris, LMFT explore the tension between external circumstances and personal responsibility. While economic conditions, inflation, taxes, and unexpected crises are outside anyone’s control, the conversation highlights the many financial choices that still remain firmly within
Rough Notes Front Cover, August 2026: Michael Cruz, Foresight Insurance
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Michael Cruz, Principal Owner of Foresight Insurance, the agency featured on the August 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
Michael's reaction to being featured on the cover of Rough Notes Magazine
Foresight Insurance's growth to 13 employees
Your AMS Isn't Dying, It's Getting Demoted
Why do less than a third of independent agents actually use a CRM, and what is that gap costing them? Jason Cass sits down with Mariah Gates, Founder of Accelerated Automation, to unpack agency operations, the shifting role of AMS platforms, and what it really takes to prepare an agency for AI.
Key Topics:
Why less than 27% of agents actually use a CRM, per a Vertafore study
Growth throu
Stuff About Money: Love, Trust, and Money
Money is rarely just about numbers inside a relationship. In this episode, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Dr. Matt Morris, LMFT unpack why financial conflict in marriages and partnerships is often rooted in deeper emotional needs like trust, security, control, communication, and vulnerability.
Drawing from years of counseling couples and advising families, they discuss financial infidelity, p
Stuff About Money: Your Past Financial Mistakes Are Not Your Identity
Everyone has financial regrets. In this episode, Erik and Dr. Matt tackle the emotional weight people carry from past financial decisions — debt, overspending, failed investments, divorce, financial scams, and seasons of instability. The real danger, they explain, isn’t the mistake itself; it’s allowing the mistake to become an identity.
Dr. Matt introduces the difference between guilt and shame:
Michael Cruz: The Virtual Employee Playbook
What does it actually look like when an independent agent builds a fully staffed, four-day-workweek agency that outpaces the captives? Jason Cass sits down with Michael Cruz, COO of Virtual Intelligence and ERIE agent based in Maryland outside Washington DC, to unpack how virtual employees, smart staffing, and operational flexibility are reshaping what an independent agency can be.
Key Topics:
Rough Notes Front Cover, July 2026: Angela Trimble & Janet Payne, TrustPoint Insurance
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Angela Trimble & Janet Payne, Co-owners of TrustPoint Insurance the agency featured on the July 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
How Angela and Janet went from college roommates to agency co-owners 17 years later
Agency overview: three loca
Stuff About Money: Motivation Won’t Build Wealth. Habits Will
Most people believe financial transformation starts with motivation. Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Dr. Matt Morris, LMFT argue the opposite: motivation fades, but habits compound. In this episode, they explain why relying on bursts of inspiration or willpower almost always leads to inconsistency — especially when it comes to money.
Using stories from fitness, personal finance, and ever
Stuff About Money: Emotions Are Signals, Not Instructions
Money is emotional — and in this episode, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Dr. Matt Morris, LMFT explore why emotions have such a powerful influence on financial behavior. From market volatility and economic uncertainty to comparison, insecurity, and fear of failure, people rarely make purely rational financial decisions. Instead, emotions often drive reactions that conflict with long-term g
Athena Page On What Is Really Driving Producers Out The Door
What's really behind the growing wave of producers walking out the door? Jason Cass sits down with Athena Page, Head of Sales at Virtual Intelligence, to unpack the real reasons good producers leave agencies and what owners can do to stop the cycle before it starts.
Key Topics:
Why producers leave: overwhelm, admin burnout, and doing multiple jobs at once
Career path and culture rank
Insurance Shoptalk: AI vs. AI The New Battle Against Insurance Claim Fraud
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, Eric Stein sits down with David Prejeant, Vice President of Client Relations at Alacrity Solutions, to discuss one of the fastest-growing challenges facing the insurance industry: AI-powered fraud. With more than two decades of experience in claims operations, property adjusting, catastrophe response, and commercial claims management, David shares firsthand i
Why Gen Z Could Be Your Agency's Secret Weapon
The agencies that figure out Gen Z first will have a serious edge. As part of the Virtual Intelligence series, Jason Cass sits down with Juan Rueda, Managing Director at Virtual Intelligence, to break down what it actually takes to lead, train, and retain a Gen Z workforce.
Key Topics:
Why Gen Z's tech fluency and questioning mindset are underused agency assets
How Juan built a virtu
Stuff About Money: Mindset: Your Financial Beliefs Driving Your Financial Decisions
In the opening episode of The Psychology of Money series, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Dr. Matt Morris, LMFT explore one of the most overlooked drivers of financial success: mindset. Long before people learn how to invest, budget, or build wealth, they develop internal “money scripts” — subconscious beliefs shaped by childhood experiences, family dynamics, culture, and personal history.
Tog
The Phone Call Is Not Dead, It’s Just Getting Smarter
What happens when the person building your phone technology has actually spent time on your side of the desk? Jason sits down with Veronika Perkowski, Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy at LightSpeed Voice, to dig into how voice technology is evolving, what Nova Pro brings to agency workflows, and why today's AI voice agents may be doing more harm than good.
Key Topics:
Veronika's path f
Rough Notes Front Cover, June 2026: Bradley Flowers, Portal Insurance
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Bradley Flowers, Founder of Portal Insurance, the agency featured on the June 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics
From selling cell phones and planning to teach to dropping out of college for insurance
Taking a $15K salary to learn P&C: chasing
Insurance Shoptalk: Own Your Pipeline How Agencies Build True Marketing Independence
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, Eric Stein sits down with Jake Cash, founder of CynrX Group and former marketing leader at GEICO, to discuss what insurance agencies need to do to grow in today’s rapidly changing marketing environment. Drawing from his experience managing large-scale insurance marketing campaigns and helping hundreds of agencies grow their books of business, Jake shares prac
Ryan Hanley: The Human Moment AI Can't Replace
What happens when you stop building your life around your work and start building your work around your life? Jason sits down with Ryan Hanley for a wide-ranging conversation covering ITC Agents, the philosophy behind his upcoming book Easy Mode, and why autonomous AI agents may already be the biggest unlock independent agents aren't using.
Key Topics:
How Drake and Ryan grew ITC Agents in
Insurance Shoptalk: Inside the Next Generation of Insurance Tech Stacks
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with James Benham, founder of JBK and Terra, host of the InsureTech Geek Podcast, and a longtime technology leader in the insurance industry. James shares insights from more than two decades building software, claims systems, underwriting platforms, and automation tools for carriers, TPAs, MGAs, and brokers across the insurance ecosy
Stuff About Money: Episode 109: Time, Compounding, and the Truth About Building Wealth
In this episode, Erik P. Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™, and Xavier J. Angel, CFP®, ChFC®, unpack a misunderstood truth about building wealth: real wealth takes time. Picking up from their earlier conversations on discipline, behavior, and consistency, they dive into the power of compounding—not just financially, but professionally and personally as well. Through stories, analogies, and practical examp
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Podcast Rebrand - The "Permission Sales" Pivot
In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer podcast, host In this last episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast, host Charles Specht tries to hit you squarely between the eyes. In other words, he wants to get you thinking. Do you need to pivot? Do you need to start something -- finally! -- that you've been thinking about for a while but just haven't gotten around to getting
From Corporate To Agency: Patrick Murakami's Journey And AI Innovations
In this episode, Jason Cass interviews Patrick Murakami, a forward-thinking insurance agency owner, about his journey from corporate to entrepreneurship, innovative marketing strategies, and the future of AI in the insurance industry. They explore how to leverage social media, AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT, and build scalable, sellable agencies.
Key Topics:
Patrick's decade at Progressi
Millionaire Insurance Producer: In Order to Win Someone Else Has to Lose
In order for you to win a new client the incumbent agent has to lose. The incumbent agent needs to get fired in order for you to get hired. But how do you get the insured to realize their agent is a "bum" without you saying it? In this episode, host Charles Specht will teach you how to uncover problems with the incumbent agent and get the insured to admit to you that their agent is a "bum" and sig
Stuff About Money: Episode 108: Consistency: The Hidden Engine of Wealth
In this third episode of the series, Erik Garcia, CFP®, and Xavier Angel, CFP®, uncover what they call the hidden engine behind wealth: consistency. After breaking down the behaviors that destroy wealth and the ones that protect it, this episode answers the real question—what actually builds it. The answer isn’t intensity, timing, or even talent. It’s doing the right things over and over again, lo
Rough Notes Front Cover, May 2026: Mark Flockhart - Valor Insurance Group
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Mark Flockhart, Founder of Valor Insurance Group, the agency featured on the May 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
Mark's reaction to landing on the cover of Rough Notes Magazine and the pressure that came with it
How Think Insurance grew fr
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Appointment Setting (and Getting Awarded the BOR)
Two things... In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast, host Charles Specht briefly shares how to set more new business appointments, what to say in order to set those appointments, how to convert those prospects into loyal clients, and ....... he talks about a new, select group of small- to medium-sized insurance agencies who will be brought in to take over the insurance poli
Stuff About Money: Episode 107: 3 Behaviors That Protect Your Wealth: The Disciplines That Keep You From Losing What You’ve Built
In the last episode, we broke down the behaviors that quietly destroy wealth—emotional decisions, lifestyle creep, and overconfidence. But avoiding mistakes is only half the equation. In this episode, Erik Garcia, CFP®, and Xavier Angel, CFP®, flip the conversation and focus on what actually protects wealth once you start building it. Because wealth isn’t just created—it has to be preserved wi
Insurance Shoptalk: The Future of Insurance: AI, M&A, and What Agents Must Do Now
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with Joe Zuk, an operating partner with Altamont Capital Partners, to discuss the future of insurance through the lens of private equity, underwriting, MGA strategy, and AI. Joe shares insights from his career across reinsurance, underwriting, corporate development, and insurance investing, while offering a behind-the-scenes look at
Stuff About Money: Episode 106: Before You Build Wealth… Stop Destroying It: The 3 Behaviors That Sabotage Your Financial Future (Part 1 of 4)
Before you can build wealth, you have to stop destroying it. Nobel Prize-winning economist Richard Thaler said it best: “People don’t act rationally.” And when it comes to money, that shows up in ways that quietly cost us more than we realize.
In this episode, Erik Garcia, CFP®, and Xavier Angel, CFP®, break down three wealth-destroying behaviors—emotional decisions, lifestyle creep, and overconf
Millionaire Insurance Producer: The Secret Sauce to Building a Huge Book of Business
The secret sauce to building a huge Book of Business does exist. It really does. The issue is just that you don't know the recipe yet. You don't know how to set more appointments, win more signed Broker of Record Letters, and build a base of loyal clients who choose you and renew with you, year after year. But that can change right now! In this episode, host Charles Specht will pull back the curta
Rough Notes Front Cover, April 2026: John Dawson, Correll Insurance Group
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with John Dawson, CEO at Correll Insurance Group, the agency featured on the April 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
John's reaction to landing on the front cover of Rough Notes Magazine
How Corell grew from $25M to $100M+ in commission over 10 y
Insurance Shoptalk: The AI CSR: How Agencies Are Automating Calls, Claims & Renewals
In this episode of Insurance Shop Talk, host Eric Stein sits down with Francisco Lopes of Sonant to talk about how AI voice technology is transforming the way insurance agencies handle inbound and outbound calls. From quote requests and policy servicing to claims intake, billing questions, renewals, and cancellation follow-up, Francisco shares how agencies are using AI voice assistants to reduce
Stuff About Money: Episode 105: Beyond the Salary: Real Money Decisions for New Pharmacists
Landing that first job feels like the finish line, but for most young professionals, it is really just the beginning. In this episode, Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC®, CLTC®, sits down with Christopher Bland, PharmD, FCCP, FIDSA, BCPS, Albert W. Jowdy Professor in Pharmacy Care at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, to unpack the real-world financial questions that pharmacists and other
Momentum And The Next Phase Of IndieTech
Jason welcomes Michael Lebor and Peter Germanov to talk about the future of agency technology and how the IndieTech movement is reshaping the insurance industry.
From the rebrand of NowCerts into Momentum AMP to the growing need for a truly connected ecosystem, the conversation explores how vendors, data providers, and agencies are coming together to build the next generation of insurance techn
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Your Fizzle Rate Is Making You Poor (Here's How to Fix It)
You're losing – literally – tens of thousands of dollars in new business commission each year because your Fizzle Rate is way too high. What's a Fizzle Rate? A Fizzle Rate represents the number of prospects who agree to meet with you and have you quote, but they just don't get you the information you need to put together a submission to go to the marketplace to gather quotes. The prospect simply "
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Should You Lead with "Price" or "Service" When Prospecting?
Do you find it difficult to set new business appointments? Most agents struggle with this as well. Usually it has a lot to do with what you're saying (or not saying) to your prospects. Is your script focused on "Price" or is it focused on "Service" or even something else? Because it matters.
In this episode, host Charles Specht will explain which script variation tends to work better for which t
Stuff About Money: Episode 104: Normal Returns, Broader Markets, Sexy Bonds and Lasagna With Phil Blancato
Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™, welcomes back Phil Blancato for their annual market conversation, now a tradition on Stuff About Money They Didn't Teach You In School. Phil is Chief Market Strategist at Osaic Wealth, a regular on Fox Business, and an experienced portfolio manager who brings equal parts insight and humor, including a lightning round that somehow turns the 2026 market into a lasagna
Rough Notes Front Cover, March 2026: Diane Keil-Hipp, Knight Insurance Group
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Diane Keil-Hipp, Chief Operations Officer at Knight Insurance Group, the agency featured on the March 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
Landing on the front cover of Rough Notes Magazine, a goal Knight set five years in advance
How a 165-yea
Stuff About Money: Episode 103: 3 Myths About Building Wealth (Part 1)
In this episode of Stuff About Money They Didn’t Teach You in School, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ and Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC®, CLTC® begin a two-part series on how wealth is actually built and why it often looks boring in real life. In Part 1, they tackle three common myths that derail people before wealth ever has a chance to compound. From the belief that wealth is built by luck or big
The Future Of Communication: AI And Voice Technology Revolutionizing Customer Service With AI
In this episode, Jason Cass and Joel Poythress discuss the evolution of telecommunications, the impact of AI on customer interactions, and the future of communication technology. They explore how AI is transforming the industry, the importance of sentiment analysis, and the potential for voice prints in authentication. The conversation also touches on security concerns, the decline of voicemail, a
Insurance Shoptalk: New Revenue Stream for P&C Agents: Inside the ICHRA Opportunity
Healthcare costs are no longer just a line item — they’re a growing liability for employers. In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with Brandy Thompson, CEO of BenefitBay, to explore how ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements) is reshaping the way larger employers approach employee benefits. With renewal volatility, self-funded risk exposure, fidu
Insurance Shoptalk: Scaling P&C Agencies Without Adding Headcount
Insurance agencies don’t just need more people — they need smarter operations. In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, Eric Stein sits down with Travis MacMillian of Xceedance to unpack how automation, AI, and strategic back-office support can completely transform the way property & casualty agencies operate. From policy checking and COI management to remarketing, loss runs, endorsements, account
Revolutionizing Insurance: The Power of Homebot Lead Generation in the Modern Age
In this episode of the Agency Intelligence Podcast, Jason Cass and Andy Mathisen discuss the evolution of lead generation in the insurance industry, focusing on innovative strategies and tools like Homebot that bridge the gap between real estate and insurance. They explore the importance of personalization, data analytics, and building relationships with referral partners to enhance agency growth.
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Don't Play "Pat-A-Cake" with Your Commission Check
Too many insurance producers are playing Pat-A-Cake with their insurance careers. They're not taking seriously the need to focus, to get prepared, to see what works and pivot as needed, etc. They're just wingin' it, throwing mud against the wall to see what sticks. But you don't want to play Pat-A-Cake with your commission check.
In this episode, host Charles Specht explains what both producers
Stuff About Money: Episode 102: What 100 Conversations About Money Taught Us
In this milestone episode of Stuff About Money They Didn’t Teach You in School, Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™, and co-host Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC®, CLTC®, reflect on what they’ve learned after reaching 100 episodes of honest, practical money conversations.
This episode looks back at why the podcast started, the gaps in financial education that inspired it, and the themes that kept showing u
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Convincing Your Prospects to Only Get Quotes from You
In this episode of the Millionaire Insurance Producer Podcast, host Charles Specht discusses the challenges insurance agents face in prospecting and securing exclusive access to markets. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the insurance buyer's perspective, the necessity of Micro-Niching to stand out, and the common issue of agents presenting only one quote in their proposals. Charles ad
Rough Notes Front Cover, February 2026: Andrew Cowan and Dave Taylor, FirstMark Insurance Group
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Andrew Cowan and Dave Taylor of FirstMark Insurance Group, the agency featured on the February 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
From Farmers agents to independent: Andrew and Dave's leap into FirstMark in 2013
Bootstrapping for seven years
Stuff About Money: Episode 101: King Cake and the Seasons of Money
In this solo episode of the Stuff About Money podcast, Erik Garcia CFP®, BFA™, ChFC®, reflects on King Cake season in New Orleans, an annual reminder that some things are wonderful precisely because they don’t last forever. Between questionable calorie intake and the collective sugar coma that sweeps the city, Erik is grateful that King cake is a season, not a lifestyle. That rhythm sparks a bigge
Unlocking Insurance Accounting: Insights From Industry Experts
In this episode of the Agency Intelligence Podcast, host Jason Cass welcomes guests Daniel Garzella, CEO of Darkhorse Insurance Brokers and Jason Massey, Vice President of Finance and Accounting at Insurance Accountants to discuss the unique challenges of insurance accounting. Daniel shares his journey from running a retail brokerage to founding an insurance accounting company, highlighting the di
Celebrating The Life Of Walt Gdowski
This episode of the Agency Intelligence Podcast is a heartfelt tribute to Walt Gdowski, a significant figure in the insurance industry and the former CEO of Rough Notes.
Jason Cass and Roger Sitkins reflect on Walt's life, his contributions to the industry, and the personal memories they shared with him. They discuss his leadership style, his commitment to community service, and the high stand
Millionaire Insurance Producer: Things Highly Successful Insurance Producers Do (and don't do)
There are definitely things that the most highly successful insurance producers do in order to ensure victory when selling insurance. Some are easier than others, but almost all of them can be done by new(er) producers as well. If you want to build a $1,000,000 or more Book of Business, you need to begin implementing these things the most successful producers do. What are these things, you ask? We
Stuff About Money: Episode 100: Caring for Aging Parents: Why Waiting Is the Most Expensive Option
In this episode of Stuff About Money They Didn’t Teach You in School, Xavier Angel, CFP®, is joined by Shannon Mehaffey Ory, Owner and Senior Care Consultant at Avila Senior Advisors, for an honest conversation about something every family will face but few feel prepared for: caring for aging parents. Whether care needs change slowly or arrive overnight after a fall, hospitalization, or diagnosis,
Insurance Shoptalk: Grow Your Book with a New Workers’ Comp Program in Ohio!
In this episode of Insurance Shop Talk, host Eric Stein introduces a game-changing workers’ compensation opportunity for P&C agents in Ohio and surrounding states. With Ohio’s monopolistic system long limiting agent participation, a newly approved Alternate Employer Organization (AEO) program now allows agents to earn ongoing commission while delivering meaningful cost savings and improved claim
Insurance Shoptalk: Recruiting Is Broken in Insurance Here’s the New Playbook
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with Walter Sabrin of Venture Employer Services for a wide-ranging conversation on the realities of hiring, recruiting, and retaining talent in today’s insurance agency environment. Drawing on decades of experience, Walter breaks down why agencies should always be recruiting, how internal referral programs and small-scale job fairs
Rough Notes Front Cover, 2022 Agency of the Year: Granger Financial
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Jeff and Eboné Granger, Managing Partners at Granger Financial, the 2022 Rough Notes Magazine Agency of the Year.
Key Topics:
The significance of being featured on the front cover of Rough Notes Magazine
Building the agency from the ground up during COVID and s
Stuff About Money: Episode 99: Should You Wait to Invest When the Market Feels Expensive?
In this episode of Stuff About Money They Didn’t Teach You in School, Erik Garcia is joined by Miles Clark, Senior Analyst at Nasdaq Dorsey Wright, to explore a simple but important question: what’s better—time in the market or timing the market? The conversation opens with a long-term look at how markets have behaved over multi-decade periods and what that data can teach investors when they’re de
Stop Buying Hammers, Start Solving Problems
What if every phone call your agency receives could tell you exactly how customers feel and how your team is performing? Jason Cass sits down with Winston Smith, CEO of Bridge Insure and Magellan Insure, to unpack how call intelligence is reshaping agency operations. The discussion explores why phone systems are more than dial tone, how real insights surface from everyday conversations, and why fo
Stuff About Money: Episode 98: Plan Before Life Forces Your Hand: The Cost of Waiting
In this solo episode of Stuff About Money They Didn't Teach You in School, Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC®, CLTC, steps behind the mic to wrestle with a tough truth: planning isn’t optional, not if you want control over your future. Fresh off his conversation with Giovanni Arenas about Gio’s life-threatening condition and remarkable double lung transplant, Xavier gets another call that hits just as hard
Millionaire Insurance Producer: If You Offer Quotes To Non-Clients, Do This First!
I know you probably work only on signed BOR ... right? Well, sometimes you might be tempted to offer quotes to a prospect (aka: Non-Client; someone who doesn't trust you yet) who won't sign the BOR over to you. Should you still work on that account and offer a quote, or should you push the "pause button" and try again next year? Well, it all depends on whether or not you can get the prospect to gi
The Executive Sessions: Francisco Lopes, CEO Of Sonant AI
Pressure on agency call volume has never been higher, and the gap between what teams can handle and what clients expect is widening fast. In this Executive Sessions conversation, Jason Cass sits down with Francisco Lopes, Founder and CEO of Sonant AI, to unpack how AI voice technology is transforming call handling, reducing repetitive tasks, and freeing teams to focus on higher-value work. Their d
Jackson Fregeau: Scaling Policy Review And Client Outreach With AI
Where does agency efficiency go when AI begins handling the repetitive steps teams have battled for years?
Jason Cass explores that shift with Jackson Fregeau, Co-Founder and CEO of Quandri, as they break down how a renewal intelligence platform can analyze policies, trigger quoting based on premium changes, and create contextual client communication automatically. Their discussion highlights h
Stuff About Money: Episode 97: Your Goals Need a Reframe
In this solo episode of the Stuff About Money podcast, host Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ sits down for a candid one-on-one about goals. Not the shiny, New-Year’s-resolution kind, but the messy, honest kind we whisper to ourselves when no one’s listening. Erik shares two personal moments that reshaped how he thinks about goal setting, including the year Dr. Matt Morris bluntly told him, “You just
The Executive Sessions: Doug McElhaney, Chief Strategy Officer At Applied Systems
Leadership is shaped in the moments when uncertainty meets opportunity.
Jason Cass sits down with Doug McElhaney, Chief Strategy Officer at Applied Systems, for an Executive Sessions discussion at the Applied Conference, where Doug breaks down how strategic clarity guides agencies through rapid technological change. Drawing from his years at McKinsey and his work at Applied Systems, he shares t
Rough Notes Front Cover, December 2025: Mark Rodgers, Trailstone Insurance
In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Mark Rodgers, Founder of Trailstone Insurance, the agency featured on the December 2025 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.
Key Topics:
Mark’s reaction to being selected for the Rough Notes Magazine front cover
Trailstone’s growth from a small agency to a lar
The Executive Sessions: Ashim Khurana, Chief Operating Officer At Cogneesol
What happens when experience, resilience, and strategic discipline converge inside a rapidly evolving insurance ecosystem?
Jason Cass sits down with Ashim Khurana, COO of Cogneesol, for an Executive Sessions conversation that explores how a 25-year industry leader balances instinct, data, technology, and people. Drawing from work across global operations, insurance services, and Cogneesol’s tra
Insurance Shoptalk: AI-powered Training & Client Outreach for Personal Lines Agents
In this episode of Insurance Shoptalk, host Eric Stein sits down with Vlada Lotkina, CEO and co-founder of SUPERAGENT, to explore how AI is changing the way P&C agencies train and scale their sales teams. Vlada breaks down how SUPERAGENT’s AI personas create realistic roleplay for new producers, how the real-time sales co-pilot improves conversion rates for experienced reps, and how their outbou
Stuff About Money: Episode 96: Faith, Finances, and Facing Mortality: A Conversation with Gio Arenas
In this moving episode of the Stuff About Money They Didn’t Teach You in School podcast, Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC®, CLTC, sits down with Giovani Arenas, business partner of Erik Garcia, CFP®, BFA™, ChFC®, at Garcia Insurance Services, to talk about life, death, and everything in between. Gio, who received a double lung transplant just two years ago, shares his remarkable story of resilience and fa
