The Insurance Perspectives Podcast

HawkSoft
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Business
  • Weekly

The Insurance Perspectives podcast provides honest, open, and transparent conversations with members of the independent insurance space about technology partners, mental health, building a tech stack, and more.

  1. 15h ago

    Gaya Pt. 2 - Niki Henley

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives podcast, host Michael Ley sits down with Nikki Henley, owner of Extra Mile Insurance Solutions, to discuss her experience with Gaya. Nikki walks through how Gaya has given a four-person agency the quoting speed and capacity to compete against much larger operations, how it keeps data clean across a workflow involving VAs, account managers, and agents, and how it's become her go-to tool for commercial submissions even without a commercial rater. She also shares what separates Gaya and HawkSoft from almost every other vendor she's worked with: they actually listen. Sarah Wilson of Gaya joins to expand on how agencies can use Gaya to feel like they have a rater without the cost. Takeaways Gaya gave Nikki's four-person shop the quoting speed of a much bigger operation.Gaya keeps data clean across multiple hands. The source stays consistent all the way through.No commercial rater? Gaya can fill the gap. Quote multiple commercial carriers without the expense or complexity.ACORD forms in seconds, not minutes. Prospect didn't convert? Delete the data and move on, no wasted AMS space.Technology creates capacity for relationships. Every minute saved on data entry is a minute spent with a client.Learn more about Extra Mile Insurance Solutions: https://www.extramileins.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Agenthenley https://www.instagram.com/agenthenley/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/extramileinsurance/ To get in touch with today's guests, reach out below: Niki Henley (click here)Sarah Wilson (click here)Michael Ley (click here)More information about Gaya: https://gaya.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/gaya-ai/ ________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Gaya Pt. 2 - Niki Henley

  2. Oct 27

    Gaya Pt. 1 - Sarah Wilson

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives podcast, Michael Ley sits down with Sarah Wilson of Gaya to discuss their tool which she calls, "autofill on steroids." She walks listeners through the HawkSoft sync button, Gaya's AI-powered parsing that figures out where data belongs without requiring prompts, data ownership, and the unexpected use cases agents have discovered on their own. Nikki Henley of Extra Mile Insurance Solutions chimes in as a real-world Gaya user and shares how the tool has kept data clean across a multi-person workflow from client intake all the way to the agent. Takeaways Autofill on steroids for insurance. Any source, any destination, one click.Your data stays yours. SOC 2 compliant, encrypted, and Gaya's AI never trains on your client data.AI works in the background so you don't have to think about it. No prompts, no arguing with a chatbot.The HawkSoft sync button changes remarketing. Pull the whole client record into Gaya in one click.Clean data across multiple hands. When a VA, account manager, and agent all touch the same file, Gaya keeps it consistent.Learn more about Gaya: https://gaya.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/gaya-ai/ To get in touch with today's guests, reach out below: Sarah Wilson (click here)Niki Henley (click here)Michael Ley (click here)More information about Extra Mile Insurance Solutions https://www.extramileins.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Agenthenley https://www.instagram.com/agenthenley/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/extramileinsurance/ ________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Gaya Pt. 1 - Sarah Wilson

  3. Oct 20

    Sonant Pt. 2 - Jonathan Siegel

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives Podcast, host Michael Ley continues the series on Sonant. Jonathan Siegel, sales director at Cash & Forbes Insurance Group, shares what it's actually like to implement an AI receptionist inside a real independent agency. He walks through why Cash & Forbes went looking for a solution in the first place. Jonathan gets specific: the two-month build-out process, listening to every call during onboarding, building in a VIP bypass list for customers who don't want to talk to AI, and more. Francisco Lopes of Sonant joins to add context on onboarding and implementation. Takeaways Find your bottlenecks before you buy any tool. Solve a real problem, not a hypothetical one.Tell your staff this is a tool, not a replacement.Do the pre-build work before you go live. Two months of setup makes the launch clean.Commit to it fully or don't bother. The more you put in, the more you get out.Weekend calls are now opportunities, not missed voicemails.It's a partnership, not a product. Sonant's engineers are in it with you the whole way.Learn more about Cash & Forbes Insurance Group: https://cashforbesinsurancegroup.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cash-forbes-insurance-group/ https://www.facebook.com/cfigtx https://www.instagram.com/cash_forbes_insurance To get in touch with today's guests, reach out below: Jonathan Siegel (click here)Francisco Lopes (click here)Michael Ley (click here)More information about Sonant: https://www.sonant.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonant/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Sonant-AI/61561943142635/ ________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Sonant Pt. 2 - Jonathan Siegel

  4. Oct 13

    Sonant Pt. 1 - Francisco Lopes

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives podcast, host Michael Ley sits down with Francisco Lopes, co-founder and CEO of Sonant, to discuss their AI receptionist. Francisco came to insurance from an unlikely background in physics and astrophysics research and learned from an agency owner that insurance was full of hard, meaningful problems worth solving. What Sonant built in response is an AI voice receptionist designed exclusively for insurance agencies: it answers and routes calls, accesses HawkSoft client data in real time, logs call notes directly into the platform, and handles routine service work so agents and their staff can spend more time on what actually matters. Jonathan Siegel of Cash & Forbes Insurance Group joins Francisco on this episode and offers a real-world perspective on onboarding, customization, and how automated call documentation has solved a problem every agency has.  Takeaways Never miss a call and never send one to voicemail. 15 simultaneous callers, all answered.Your data is yours. Sonant is SOC 2 Type II compliant and your data ownership is written into their terms.Plug and play or fully custom. Sonant's engineers will help you get there either way.Call documentation happens automatically. Notes will be logged in HawkSoft so the next person who picks up knows exactly what happened.Sonant pulls real-time HawkSoft data during calls. Faster answers, better client experience.Sonant's deployment process accounts for all types of agencies, no matter the size.Learn more about Sonant: https://www.sonant.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonant/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Sonant-AI/61561943142635/ To get in touch with today's guests, reach out below: Francisco Lopes (click here)Jonathan Siegel (click here)Michael Ley (click here)More information about Cash & Forbes Insurance Group: https://cashforbesinsurancegroup.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cash-forbes-insurance-group/ https://www.facebook.com/cfigtx https://www.instagram.com/cash_forbes_insurance ________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Sonant Pt. 1 - Francisco Lopes

  5. Oct 6

    Social Media Content Creation Pt. 3 with Melissa Stallings

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives podcast, host Jeff White wraps up the three-part social media series with Melissa Stallings, principal and owner of Stallings Insurance Agency. Melisa walks through her content philosophy: post consistently, put your people in front of the camera, skip the stock photos, and don't overthink it. She also shares the practical scaffolding behind Stallings Insurance's social presence — weekly Monday Messages, a marketing company handling the monthly calendar, staff incentives to like and share, and seasonal content that doesn't always have to be about insurance. Key Takeaways Record it, post it, don't watch it back. If you hate the camera, put someone else in front of it. Stock photos are a scroll-past. Use your own faces, your own moments, your own life.Create a recurring theme and stick with it.Social media is branding, not direct revenue. Accept that and stop trying to measure the wrong thing.Get someone dedicated to it. A staff member, a marketing company, or a college intern.Seasonal beats salesy. Content tied to what's happening in life performs better than insurance facts.Learn more about Stallings Insurance: https://stallingsia.com/ https://www.facebook.com/stallingsia/ https://www.instagram.com/stallingsia/ To get in touch with Melissa or Jeff, reach out below:  Melissa Stallings (click here)Jeff White (click here)________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Social Media Content Creation Pt. 3 with Melissa Stallings

  6. Sep 29

    Social Media Content Creation Pt. 2 with Emily Ellis

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives podcast, host Jeff White continues the three-part series on social media content creation with Emily Ellis of YMI Insurance. Emily walks the audience through YMI's content philosophy — community-first, face-forward, minimal insurance jargon — and shares campaigns that have worked best. She also gets candid about what flopped, why AI-generated content turns people off instantly, and why her best advice for any agency is the same thing she learned the hard way: just put your people in front of the camera. Key Takeaways Nobody wants to see insurance on their social media. Lead with community, not coverage.Put your people in front of the camera. Faces build trust before a client ever calls.Authenticity can't be scheduled. Some of the best content happens on the spot.Collaborate with your community. Shares from local businesses reach audiences you'd never find alone.When something flops, learn and move on.Success isn't just metrics. Winning a chamber award or being recognized on sales visits count too.Learn more about YMI Insurance: https://ymiagency.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ymiinsurance https://www.instagram.com/ymiinsurance/ To get in touch with Emily or Jeff, reach out below: Emily Ellis (click here)Jeff White (click here)________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Social Media Content Creation Pt. 2 with Emily Ellis

  7. Sep 22

    Social Media Content Creation Pt. 1 with Matt Layson

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives Podcast, Jeff White, HawkSoft's social media manager, kicks off a three-part series on social media content creation. Matt Larson, President of Cal Rose Insurance in Everett, Washington, joins the podcast to talk about his content strategy, advice for fellow agents and more. What started as a way to tell people he was "insurance guy" turned into a full content strategy that has generated real leads, built genuine community trust, and made him one of the most recognized independent agents in his market. Matt shares his platform-by-platform strategy, why engagement beats views every time, and how to generate content ideas from your own clients. Key Takeaways You're going to be bad at first — accept it. Six months of consistent practice is the baseline.Phone, face, done. Don't buy gear until you've posted for a year.Stop trying to impress underwriters. Create content for your actual buyer.Engagement beats views every time. Vanity metrics don't pay commissions.Your best content ideas are already in your inbox. FAQs, weird client situations, misunderstood coverage concepts.Lurkers are real buyers. The people watching without ever liking may be your next best clients.Follow Matt on social media: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.layson.9 https://www.instagram.com/mattlayson/ https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewlayson Learn more about CalRose Insurance: https://calroseins.com/ https://www.facebook.com/calroseinsurance https://www.instagram.com/calroseins To get in touch with Matt or Jeff, reach out below: Matt Layson (click here)Jeff White (click here)________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Social Media Content Creation Pt. 1 with Matt Layson

  8. Sep 15

    Revisiting Elevate Teams with Stanley Meytin and Dominic Piccirillo

    In this episode of the Insurance Perspectives Podcast, host Michael Ley reconnects with Dominic Piccirillo and Stanley Meytin, co-founders of Elevate Teams, for an update since their last podcast appearance in March 2025. Elevate Teams has always been known for its rigorous pre-training model but the big news this time is Elevate Plus, a new offering that audits an agency's existing workflows, builds out SOPs, and trains the incoming VA on how the agency actually operates. Dominic and Stanley also get into their matchmaking philosophy, why low churn is the real proof point, their take on AI, and why the future of the independent agency is still built on relationships. Key Takeaways Elevate Plus builds your SOPs before your VA starts. Pre-training before placement changes everything. Matchmaking keeps churn low. The right fit for both sides means nobody quits in two months.Delegate so you can focus on what only you can do. Sell and serve.Go talk to your clients. Proactive touchpoints build referrals before anything else does.The relationship game isn't going anywhere. Previous episodes featuring Elevate Teams: Elevate Teams Pt. 1 - Apple Podcasts and Spotify Elevate Teams Pt. 2 - Apple Podcasts and Spotify Learn more about Elevate Teams: https://elevateteams.io/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevate-teams/ To get in touch with today's guests, reach out below: Stanley Meytin (click here)Dominic Piccirillo (click here)Michael Ley (click here)________________________________________________________________________ If you’re looking to reach out to HawkSoft, please email marketing@hawksoft.com. For more information on HawkSoft, visit: https://www.hawksoft.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hawksoft https://x.com/HawkSoft https://instagram.com/hawkSoft Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/

    Revisiting Elevate Teams with Stanley Meytin and Dominic Piccirillo
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The Insurance Perspectives podcast provides honest, open, and transparent conversations with members of the independent insurance space about technology partners, mental health, building a tech stack, and more.

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