Agency Growth Machine

Randy Schwantz
  • 5.0 (4)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Agency Growth Machine Podcast with Randy Schwantz. This show is for agency owners who want to remain independent, develop their team of producers, and do it in a way that they too can grow and profit from.

  1. 16H AGO

    The 6-Step Keystone Process That Pushes Your Close Rate Past 80%

    You ran a strong first meeting. You found pain. You built the vision. You got commitment. And then… you lose the deal anyway. It happens every day in commercial insurance. Not because your proposal was weak, but because the incumbent got a second chance. In this episode, Randy breaks down the 6-step Keystone process—the exact system top producers use to lock in deals before the second meeting ever slips away. You’ll learn:  Why deals are actually won before the proposal is presented  The 3 positions you’re always in walking into a second meeting  How to prevent the “let me talk to my current agent” stall  The one step that took a producer’s close rate above 80%  How to present service in a way the incumbent can’t match If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “that was a layup”… and still lost, this is the fix. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    22 min

  2. MAR 30

    The 5-Step Wedge System: Close More Deals Without Quoting

    Most producers lose before they even realize it. They think they got beat on price…  but in reality, they were just used to give the incumbent leverage. In this episode, The Wedge creator Randy Schwantz breaks down the exact 5-step system that flips that dynamic completely. This is a field-tested process that’s been used for 30+ years to:  Eliminate price competition  Create real differentiation (not “better service” fluff)  Get prospects to ask YOU for the proposal And close deals without chasing or convincing You’ll learn:  The “Picture Perfect” question that exposes gaps instantly  Why most producers accidentally help the incumbent win  The Vision Box technique that makes prospects sell themselves  How to shift control so the buyer pulls you in  The final move that prevents your proposal from dying in a drawer If you’re tired of losing deals you should have won… this is the system that changes that. Get the full process with the book here: https://shop.thewedge.net/collections/books Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    20 min

  3. MAR 23

    Close 3X More Deals with 7 Questions of Pre-Call Prep

    Most producers don’t lose deals because of price. They lose because they walk into meetings unprepared. In this episode, Randy breaks down the exact 7-question pre-call framework top commercial insurance producers use to dramatically increase their close rate—often in just 20 minutes of preparation. You’ll learn: Why every sales meeting actually has a “third person” in the room—and how to beat themThe simple prep strategy that turns average producers into top performersHow to uncover hidden weaknesses in the incumbent before you ever walk inThe real reason prospects say “your price is too high” (and how to avoid it)How one producer went from losing deals to winning by BOR in the first meetingIf you want to win more accounts, shorten your sales cycle, and stop competing on price, this episode gives you a practical system you can use before your very next meeting. Interested in learning more? Visit thewedge.net Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    16 min

  4. MAR 16

    The 3 Moves That Win $40K Accounts

    In commercial insurance sales, there is no such thing as a “win-win.” If you want to grow your book of business, someone else has to lose. In this episode of the Agency Growth Machine Podcast, Randy Schwantz breaks down the hard truth most insurance producers avoid: every prospect already has an incumbent agent. If you want the account, you must create a reason for the buyer to fire their current broker. Instead of competing on price or hoping relationships win deals, Randy explains the real strategy top commercial insurance producers use to take accounts from competitors. Inside this episode you’ll learn: The 3 brutal realities that control every commercial insurance sales conversationWhy pain is the only true motivator that gets buyers to switch brokersHow prospects lower their expectations and why that creates opportunityThe sales questions that expose weaknesses in the incumbent agent’s serviceWhy the best producers differentiate with process instead of priceHow to shift a conversation from a quote meeting to a competitive takedownYou’ll also hear the story of how one producer used this approach to take a $40,000 revenue account from an incumbent who held it for 11 years. If you sell commercial insurance, this episode will change how you approach every prospect meeting. Because the real competition isn’t the other broker. It’s the comfort your prospect has with staying exactly where they are. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    16 min

  5. MAR 9

    The Philosophy Behind the Wedge (And Why This Podcast Is Back)

    After several years away from the mic, Agency Growth Machine is back. But the silence didn’t mean the work stopped. During that time, Randy Schwantz was deep inside agencies, working with owners and producers trying to grow in a market that has shifted dramatically. Private equity consolidation, new technology, changing expectations from buyers — and yet many producers are still struggling to win deals they should be winning. So Randy went looking for answers. In this episode, he explains what he discovered in the trenches and lays out the core philosophy behind the Wedge — the framework that has helped thousands of producers and hundreds of agencies change the way they compete and grow. You’ll hear: Why the podcast went quiet after 2021What Randy learned working directly with agencies during that timeThe surprising data pattern behind producer performanceWhy so many producers end up stuck in what Randy calls “small account prison”The core beliefs that drive the Wedge philosophyThe overlooked third player present in every sales conversationYou’ll also hear what to expect going forward. From here on out, the podcast will deliver one idea each week — one insight, one framework, or one play you can apply immediately in your agency or book of business. If you're an agency owner trying to unlock growth…  or a producer doing the work but still losing deals you thought you had won… This episode lays the foundation for everything that follows. Learn more about The Wedge:  https://thewedge.net Get the book The Wedge: https://shop.thewedge.net/collections/books Questions or feedback:  info@thewedge.net Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    23 min

  6. MAR 2

    The System You Were Promised (But Never Got)

    Why Most Commercial Insurance Producers Fail — And What Actually Fixes It  Six out of ten new commercial insurance producers fail within their first two years. And it’s not because they’re lazy. It’s not because they lack talent. It’s not because they “just didn’t want it bad enough.” It’s because they were handed a license… a list… and a draw — and told to “go figure it out.” In this episode of the Agency Growth Machine Podcast, Randy breaks down: The three silent scripts running in most producers’ headsWhy “just make more calls” is not a strategyThe real reason incumbents keep winningWhy mentorship isn’t the answer you think it isThe five-step sequence that breaks the failure loopThis conversation is for the commercial insurance producer who wakes up on Tuesday morning knowing they need to prospect — but has no system for who to call, what to say, or how to create urgency. Commercial insurance success is not a personality sport. It’s an operational discipline. And the difference between the 20–30% industry success rate and a 72.3% producer success rate isn’t motivation. It’s infrastructure. If you were hired with a draw and told the rest would “figure itself out,” this episode will explain exactly what was missing — and what to do about it. Learn more about the fully integrated sales operating system built specifically for commercial insurance producers: 👉 https://www.bignition.io If this episode resonates, share it with a producer who needs to hear it. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    18 min

  7. FEB 23

    Why Insurance Producers Fail (And the System That Prevents It)

    Most producers don’t lose deals because they lack effort. They lose because they lack differentiation. In this episode, Randy walks through the exact scenario playing out in agencies every week: • Producers quoting blind  • Prospects saying “we’ll consider it”  • Incumbents matching price  • And the deal quietly disappearing If your team walks into appointments promising to “save 10%,” you’re training prospects to make price the only decision variable. There’s a better way. You’ll learn: • Why quoting creates commodity positioning  • The real reason incumbents win at the last minute  • How to pre-close before presenting  • What a Written Service Plan actually is  • The 6-step Flight Plan that helps agencies win 50%+ of new business by BOR This isn’t theory. It’s a systematic way to differentiate without undercutting commission or chasing cheaper markets. If you’re tired of getting “rolled” at the finish line, this episode will change how you think about selling commercial insurance. Learn more about implementing the Flight Plan at:  👉 https://bignition.io Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    16 min

  8. 04/05/2021

    Adrienne's Journey: 40% Growth Rate (in just 2 years!)

    Meet Adrienne. After working in education as a training coordinator for over a decade, she recently made the jump to run operations at an employee benefits firm. It wasn't easy and she admits that she made some rookie hiring mistakes at first. But since then, she's been promoted to CEO of Benefit Advisors. Because in just 2 years after taking over the insurance agency -- Adrienne's lead their team to over 40% growth. And hired a few solid ROCKSTAR producers along the way. But the best part? She's not done growing this money-making machine. Watch Adrienne's Journey here. ------- Learn more about Bignition -- https://bignition.io Learn more about The Wedge Group -- https://thewedge.net/ #insuranceagenttraining #insurancesales #insurancerecruitment Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes. If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.   Get more insights like this every week:  👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

    13 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Agency Growth Machine Podcast with Randy Schwantz. This show is for agency owners who want to remain independent, develop their team of producers, and do it in a way that they too can grow and profit from.

Information

  • Creator
    Randy Schwantz
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Agency Growth Machine
  • Show Website
    Agency Growth Machine

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