Agency Nation Radio

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Jarrard “Rod” Powell Sr., agency principal at Encore Insurance Group Chesterfield, Virginia, shares his unique experience in insurance. Powell grew up cutting records and touring as an R&B artist, but by the time he reached his 30s, he was looking for a more stable career. After breaking into insurance through claims and benefits, Powell realized that “insurance was not only something that I could do, but something that I would enjoy,” he says. “And lo and behold, it went from something on the side to a passion to, ultimately, a purpose.” In 2022, Powell and his business partner founded Encore Insurance Group, a mid-Atlantic independent agency that runs the gamut from commercial property & casualty to life, retirement solutions and employee benefits, specializing in voluntary benefits and enrollment communication services. Starting the agency was “an opportunity to create the culture that’s going to service communities in the way that we desire, help people, bring value and be a solution,” Powell says. 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 https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts. You Should Get A License Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@ysgetalicense

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio Podcast, we explore the intersection of parenthood and professional growth with Lori Mihalich-Levin, the founder of Mindful Return. Lori shares insights, challenging stereotypes and offering practical strategies for both working parents and leaders seeking to foster a more supportive work environment for employees at every stage in life. Guest hosts Jana Foster, owner of Nevada Insurance Agency Co. and Jesse Konold, partner at BridgeMark Insurance Solutions in South Dakota experienced many parallels in life. The fast friends served the Big “I” national Young Agents Committee while raising young families and moving into agency ownership. They recently reconnected to talk with the leading empowerment expert “parenting out loud.” Lori talks about creating a parent-friendly work culture that encourages open communication, empathy, and flexibility. Additionally, she shares personal strategies that help her create structure and find success as a busy working parent. “There are these career critical skills that we gain through parenthood that make us inevitably more efficient and effective,” says Lori. “Working parents are some of the most productive and efficient people I have ever met because we don't have time for all the nonsense. Right? We are productivity, ninjas.” Get ready for this myth-busting session filled with techniques you can easily implement for a more productive and mindful life. 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 https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts. Guests: • Lori Mihalich-Levin https://www.mindfulreturn.com/about-lori-mihalich-levin/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorimihalichlevin/ • Jesse Konold, https://keyagency.com/about/staff/jesse-konold; https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-konold-cic-afis-568a5422/ • Jana Foster, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jana-schellin-foster-969667b1/ Resources: • Mindful Return Website: https://www.mindfulreturn.com • Lori's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorimihalichlevin/ • Mindful Return's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindful-return/ • Mindful Return on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulreturn/ • Mindful Return on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfulreturn • Mindful Return on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mindfulreturn/ Parents at Work Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parents-at-work/id1239258343

What technology is worth the investment? How can we learn about technology from insurtech startups? Laird Rixford, president of Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC) explains...

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During this episode of Agency Nation Radio, the Big “I” Young Agents and Trusted Choice share their insights on building staff morale as part of a special hard market bonus series. Guests Brock Elliott, National Young Agents Committee (YAC) Chair and Producer at Elliott Insurance Group, and Lisa Lemanski, Operations Manager at Meiers Lombardini Lemanski Insurance, talk about how they keep a positive culture during this hard market with Avery Moore, owner of ECI Insurance and member of the National YAC. Moore starts off the discussion by asking how the hard market has impacted staff morale within their agencies. Lemanski shares some of the strategies she’s implemented – like role playing conversations when a rate increase is discussed to gamifying trainings for staff to win prizes. Elliott reintroduced “smoke breaks” in his office. None of his staff are tobacco users, but the concept of stepping away from your desk for 15 minutes to take a break has been widely popular across multiple branch locations. Moore, when talking about leading through the hard market, said, “When you’re knee deep in alligators, it’s hard to remember you came to drain the swamp.” Elliott, Lemanski and Moore agree that the most important part of leading a team is making sure everyone feels valued and is recognized for their contribution. This might mean late starts, hybrid working, or gift cards to celebrate workaversaries. This session provides multiple strategies on how to increase morale within your agency and how it will impact your culture. Culture is not something that will change overnight. Elliott said, “We’re turning a cruise ship, not a canoe, and that takes time.” The Young Agents recommend the Trusted Choice Hard Market Toolkit as a valuable resource that can help with some of the nuances during a hard market. 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. GUEST: Avery Moore https://www.linkedin.com/in/averymooreeci/ https://eciagency.com/; www.bigiok.com/Connect/Pages/YA/default.aspx Brock Elliott https://www.linkedin.com/in/brock-elliott-7168568a/ https://elliottinsurancegroup.com/; https://www.kaia.com/yak/ Lisa Lemanski https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lemanski-cisr-728a0458/