CEO Newsletter

As we approach the halfway point of 2022, we continue to see the ripple effects on our industry of economic instability wrought by the pandemic. Although we’ve been seeing indications of a hard market for some time, the state of the insurance industry shows no signs of reversing this trend and it continues to tighten from a risk perspective.

In this business, we handle so much sensitive personal and private financial consumer information that we have to be vigilant about staying on top of cyber security. It is important to always be cognizant of potential threats in order to preserve your clients’ security and that of your book of business. Making sure you are aware of these risks now will save you time and money in the long run.

One of the primary reasons so many agents choose to go the independent route is the freedom it brings – the freedom to manage your own life and business, and the freedom to build something on your own terms. It’s very different from running an agency in the captive world with all if its restrictions and requirements – and you have more decision-making capabilities when it comes to your clients and growth targets.

Challenge yourself to sign up for something new, instead of simply meeting your mandated CE requirements each year. It could pay off big financially to expand your expertise into a new segment of the industry.

One thing that has never changed in this type of marketplace, and likely won’t ever stop being important, is networking and being involved in your community.

As an independent agent, you have an unprecedented opportunity to help businesses and commercial clients hit the reset button and navigate an evolving insurance marketplace as we move forward.

Several years ago, we started a program called “Express Markets™” – a providential venture given the recent dramatic rise in this corner of the insurance market. Today that program has grown to over $360 million in annual premium, over 35 partners, and has experienced 15 percent growth in the last year.

Business planning doesn’t have to be traditional, and you don’t have to follow any specific template. Sometimes, it’s simply about sitting down and asking yourself a few important questions about where you want to go.

While we have been fortunate that our industry hasn’t been hit with as many challenges as many others, it is still an accomplishment to remain still standing at this juncture — because business ownership is challenging even in normal time. I want to applaud all of you for your veracity and perseverance in continuing to serve customers during this year. It has truly been a marvel to witness the human spirit and the business owners’ willingness to adapt in a constantly changing landscape. 

CEO Newsletter: In a time when people may be suffering from economic impacts, as well as information overload from news and other sources, it can be difficult to know what’s even appropriate for promoting your business and staying front and center.

CEO Newsletter: In the midst of month five of our ongoing pandemic, all businesses have had their resiliency tested and put on full display. Whether you anticipated our country still being in this situation or not, it has been an interesting test of our ability to adapt rapidly to meet changing needs in a changing world.

Who would have thought we would be facing such an uncertain future just a few short months ago? I think many of us believed this would be a temporary disruption, and now many states are facing an undetermined amount of time that businesses will be shut down, which is a scary prospect for much of the population.