Catch Bigger Fish with the Right Resources

From Cast to Net: How an Agency Owner Gained the Resources to Catch Bigger Fish

Kavan Maybee is the owner of Kavan Maybee Insurance Agency Inc. in Harrison, Arkansas. He’s also earned an impressive reputation as a tournament bass fisherman. In both endeavors, he knows that success requires technical mastery, strategic thinking and meticulous preparation.

Key Takeaways:

• Leaving the captive model gave Kavan the freedom to better serve his clients and grow his agency.
• Access to more carrier markets and expert support helped him build momentum as an independent agent.
• Strong relationships and ongoing guidance played a key role in his long-term success.
• Reaching Leadership status allowed Kavan to keep 100% of his commissions, accelerating his agency's growth.
• The flexibility to choose the right markets and carriers helped him win larger accounts and better serve niche clients.

Agency Overview

Taking the Leap from Captive to Independent

Kavan began his insurance career at Farmers Insurance Group, where he stayed for 13 years.

At first, he felt like he was able to take care of his customers, but over the years, that changed. He began to realize that his clients were more important than his carrier. If he had to choose, he knew he had to go with his customers.

In 2011, Kavan made the decision to become an independent insurance agent.

“It’s the best decision I ever made,” he says.

Technical Mastery as an Independent Agency

Switching to the independent insurance model meant building a new agency.

“I realized I had some markets, but they weren’t the right markets,” Kavan says. To start producing immediately, he needed the support of an insurance network or cluster group.

Kavan knew what he was doing as an insurance agent, but owning an independent insurance agency was new territory.

“I’ve been in the insurance business for 28 years and I will tell you this—if you find an agent that tells you they know everything, you run from ‘em, because you learn something new every day,” Kavan says.

By joining the Smart Choice network, he gained the carrier access and comprehensive support he needed to build momentum.

Strategic Alliances

As a captive agent, Kavan’s networking opportunities were limited. He depended on one carrier for everything, and that didn’t leave many opportunities to form new business relationships.

As an independent agent, everything is different. Kavan’s been able to meet new people and form strong relationships. One of his most important business relationships is with Kim Carney, the Arkansas State Director at Smart Choice.

“Kim is one of the key people on the independent side who have helped me along the way. It’s all about relationships,” Kavan explains.

Keep 100% of What You Catch

As a partner with Smart Choice, one of Kavan’s goals was to become a Leadership Agent. Once this milestone is reached, there’s no more commission split, and the agent gets to keep 100% of commissions.

Kavan is proud to say he’s achieved his goal. With the support and carrier access he gets from Smart Choice, he’s been able to reach Leadership, even during the hard insurance market. Now he’s keeping more of his revenue, further accelerating his growth.

“That’s why Smart Choice has been so good for us,” Kavan says. “They gave us that opportunity and we achieved it. Now, we’re above that cap and we receive 100% of the commission.”

Competing with Meticulous Preparation

As an independent agent, Kavan now feels well prepared with the freedom, flexibility and expertise he needs to find the best coverage solutions for his clients.

On the commercial side, Kavan specializes in the farm and poultry niches, and his relationship with Smart Choice has enabled him to land some big clients. Within his niche, State Auto Insurance is quite competitive, and he has the flexibility to go to other carriers as needed.

“Whenever a unique challenge arises, I just call Kim, my Smart Choice State Director. She is always there for me, and I’ve never had a problem that she hasn’t fixed. That’s what she does. I love her to death – that was a great decision on my part. She’s helped me out tremendously.”

Are You Ready to Catch Bigger Fish?

Kavan has succeeded by relying on Smart Choice network for insurance markets, guidance and back-office support. You can do the same. Whether you’re just getting started or you have years of insurance experience, Smart Choice gives you the resources you need to catch bigger fish.