Connected Conversations In Insurance

Canopy Connect
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Connected Conversations in Insurance – A Canopy Connect Podcast Welcome to Connected Conversations in Insurance, the podcast by Canopy Connect where we dive into the stories, strategies, and technology shaping the future of the insurance industry. Each episode, we sit down with top agents, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the challenges they face, the solutions they’ve found, and how they’re streamlining their processes to better serve clients.

  1. 5d ago

    Own It: Personal Ownership, Emotional Intelligence & the Biology Nobody Talks About

    This season, we have talked about confidence and self-advocacy. And now Dawnyel Smink arrives to ask the harder question: what gets in the way of both? Dawnyel is the President and CEO of Canyon Lands Insurance and CLI Select Agencies—a network of more than 80 affiliated agency locations across 18 states. She is the co-founder of WIISE, Women In Insurance Sharing Empowerment. She is the author of Don’t Project Your Sh*t on Me! And she has spent more than 15 years building a philosophy of personal ownership that is equal parts framework, fire, and radical honesty. Her ‘I’ll Own It’ framework is built around a single conviction: that real leadership—and real freedom—comes from doing the hard internal work. Breaking toxic cycles. Owning your choices. Stopping the unconscious habit of putting your unprocessed stuff onto the people around you. And then she goes somewhere that almost no one in this industry goes.She talks about what women are managing biologically across a career—and doing it mostly in silence. Pregnancy and postpartum. The years of raising teenagers while building a business. Aging parents. Perimenopause. Full menopause. The hormonal, neurological, emotional reality of being a woman whosebody is changing while the world keeps expecting her to perform at full capacity. Dawnyel has lived all of it. She is talking about it openly because she believes the silence costs women more than the conversation ever could. She wants you to know something. You are not alone. And you are not crazy. Connect with Dawnyel: Website: https://dawnyelsmink.comDon't Project Your Shit on Me: https://dontprojectyourshitonme.comWIISE: https://wiisewomen.com/home

  2. Sep 22

    Owning Your Voice: Self-Advocacy and Presence — Megan Bell

    In this episode of Connected Conversations, host Carrie speaks with Megan Bell, SVP of Marketing at Falvey Insurance Group and creator of the Insure podcast, about self-advocacy, presence, and navigating conflict. Megan shares her path into insurance from consumer products, her motivation to spotlight women leaders through Insure, and why women often struggle to ask for what they want due to self-consciousness, comparison, and workplace dynamics. They discuss how male-dominated environments and informal networks can affect visibility, and how conflict can be calm, fact-based, and focused on resolution. Megan offers practical strategies like preparing, starting tough conversations in writing, finding mentors, building confidence through small steps and communities, and leaders creating open communication channels and recognizing women’s ideas. Connect with Megan: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-bell/InsHER Podcast: https://www.insherpodcast.com/

  3. Sep 15

    Building Confidence from the Inside Out — Sharilyn Tanaka

    Building Confidence from the Inside Out — Sharilyn Tanaka In this Connected Conversations episode launching season four on women in insurance, co-host Carrie Thornbrugh interviews Sharilyn Tanaka, Executive Vice President and Unit Manager for Business and Personal Insurance at Atlas Insurance in Honolulu. Inspired by a YWCA Oahu women’s leadership program, Tanaka explains that confidence can be built and shares five practical strategies: build expertise through education and designations, track successes and impact, act before you feel fully ready, use your voice consistently, and build a supportive “village” including mentors and sponsors who advocate for you when you’re not in the room. She discusses navigating self-doubt—especially as an introvert in male-dominated rooms—by focusing on preparation, speaking up, and accepting imperfection, particularly for working mothers.

  4. Jun 2

    CCII: Michael Ley

    Michael Ley on Agency Networks, Tech Stacks, and the HawkSoft Purple Cow | Connected Conversations in Insurance In this episode of Connected Conversations in Insurance, Ray Huang sits down with Michael Ley, Director of Network Relations at HawkSoft, to talk about what agency networks and aggregators are doing to stand out and deliver real value beyond commission splits. Michael shares his journey from a family-owned agency to HawkSoft and breaks down what agencies should look for before joining a network—from book ownership and carrier access to contract terms, transparency, and technology investments. They also dive into the modern agency tech stack, why the AMS is at the center of it all, and the tools helping agencies work smarter, including CRM, texting and VoIP, e-signatures, and streamlined intake solutions. Plus, Michael talks about HawkSoft’s customer-first “Purple Cow” philosophy and wraps things up with a fun travel-themed round of “Where Would Michael Sit?” 0:00 Networks Look Alike 00:46 Meet Michael Ley 01:37 What Network Relations Means 03:23 From Teacher to Agent 06:01 Networks vs Associations 06:33 Network Pain Points10:35 Agency Network Checklist 15:27 Tech Stack Talk 17:28 Open APIs and Data Ownership 21:35 Must Have Agency Tools 29:15 Purple Cow Branding 32:35 Culture and User Community 34:10 Travel Game Setup 34:54 Aisle vs Window Debate 35:47 Bathroom Row Stories 36:47 Family Travel Tradeoffs 37:10 Accidental Private Jet 38:02 Subway Seat Strategy 39:42 Rental Shuttle Tactics 41:19 Doctor Waiting Room Picks 41:53 Conference Room Power Seats 43:16 Movie Theater Sweet Spots 44:43 Best Seats in the Stadium 47:39 Airplane Selfie Side Eye 49:28 Season Wrap and Sponsor

  5. May 26

    CCII: Nick Berry

    Nick Berry on TotalCSR, Microlearning, and Unhinged Insurance Marketing | Connected Conversations in InsuranceIn this episode of Connected Conversations in Insurance, host Ray Huang welcomes former co-host Nick Berry back to the show to share what he’s been up to since leaving Canopy Connect, including his new role as head of marketing at TotalCSR. Nick explains how TotalCSR helps agencies find, assess, and train talent across personal lines, commercial lines, and health and benefits, including license tracking and a microlearning app designed to reinforce knowledge retention—especially for complex commercial topics. They discuss common resistance to training, the need for ongoing skills checks, and how staying sharp builds trust as a “trusted advisor.” Ray and Nick then shift to marketing, emphasizing outcome-driven ads, creative that doesn’t look like ads, long-form copy, memes, and delivering value to local audiences rather than relying on direct “get a quote” messaging.00:00 Career With Cool People00:41 Podcast Welcome Back02:27 Nick Joins TotalCSR05:17 What TotalCSR Does07:16 Microlearning For Retention09:34 Canopy Connect Ad Break10:38 Custom Learning Paths13:19 Training Resistance And Trust15:02 Golf Practice Analogy17:23 Insurance Mustache Game20:49 Mayhem Ad Love21:07 Guessing Celebrity Jingle22:29 Progressive and Farmers Faces23:44 Canopy Connect Pitch24:49 Top of Funnel Marketing27:36 Unhinged Ads That Work32:26 Value First Local Ads36:06 Marketing Is Everything38:49 Wrap Up and Where to Find39:53 Final Canopy Connect Outro

  6. May 19

    CCII: Peter Wood

    Peter Wood on Mentorship, Community, and Collaboration in Insurance | Connected Conversations Peter Wood didn't find insurance. Insurance found him. In this episode, Carrie sits down with Peter, agency owner at Kraken Insurance Services based in Chandler, Arizona, to talk about what it really takes to build a thriving agency, a strong community, and a mentorship culture that actually works. Peter shares how Kraken grew from around $5,000 a month in commissions to $350,000 in just 18 months, why he believes your problems are never as unique as you think, and the hard truth he has had to accept about helping people who are not ready to be helped. He also gets into what makes the Winning at Insurance Facebook community different, why listening matters more than talking in this business, and the three pieces of advice he gives every agent whether they are brand new or years into their career. If you have ever felt like you wanted to help someone more than they wanted to help themselves, or wondered whether the grass is really greener at a higher comp rate, this one is for you. 00:00 Insurance Found Me 00:55 Meet Peter and Kraken 01:30 From Copiers to Captive 03:26 Joining Kraken Growth 06:07 Nationwide Footprint Event 07:25 Collaboration Over Competition 10:06 Peer Learning Communities 11:32 Value Without Expectation 12:51 Fact Finding Sore Thumb 14:20 Coaching With Parma 16:51 Feedback That Stings 18:54 Building Group Culture 20:21 Value Without Expectation 21:40 Mentorship Learning Curve 24:22 Book Recommendations for Leaders 28:35 Listening to Understand 31:31 Canopy Connect Ad Break 32:37 Advice for Agents 33:03 Mentors and Red Flags 36:47 Compensation vs Support 39:58 Closing and Outro

  7. May 12

    CCII: Austin Panter

    Austin Panter on Client-First Tech, Canopy Connect, and Using AI Without Losing the Human Touch | Connected ConversationsIn this episode of Connected Conversations, Canopy Connect host Carrie Thornbrugh speaks with Austin Panter of Kevin Panter Insurance in Blue Ridge, Georgia, about modernizing agency operations by adopting technology that prioritizes client convenience. Austin shares how his agency uses Canopy Connect as a secure, encrypted intake link to quickly gather dec pages and verified policy data, reducing manual scanning and duplicate entry, and how clear communication helps overcome occasional security concerns or internal resistance. He highlights a tech stack including HawkSoft, Risk Advisor, and AI tools like PowerBroker AI for comparing policies and improving efficiency, while cautioning against over-automation that removes relationships from a relationship-driven business. Austin explains that insurance is a “noble profession” focused on helping clients in crises, and closes with advice to always do what’s right for the client.00:00 AI and Agency Change00:42 Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro01:36 Austin’s Path Into Insurance03:17 Client First Tech Philosophy04:18 Canopy Connect in Practice08:11 Building a Modern Tech Stack09:25 Ad Break Insurance Intake10:29 Real World Wins With Tech12:34 Handling Objections and Security16:43 Future of Insurance and AI Tools19:09 Ad Break 10 Second Handshake20:15 Balancing Automation and Relationships24:57 Why Insurance Matters Most29:26 Doing the Right Thing Closing31:13 Final Thanks and Outro Ad

  8. May 5

    CCII: Casey Nelson

    Casey Nelson on SOPs, Front Door Theory & Content as a Growth Differentiator | Connected Conversations Casey Nelson joins Carrie Thornbrugh for the Connected Conversations season finale to talk about why agencies struggle with tech and operations—and how to fix it. He breaks down Catalyit’s role, the three common “origin stories” that lead to messy systems, and why solid SOPs, training, and accountability actually make tech work.Casey also shares his “front door theory” for standardizing how requests come in (so your data isn’t a mess), plus some practical tips for getting your team on board with change. They wrap with a look at why content will be a key differentiator as tech becomes more commoditized—and a simple upgrade: ditch the generic “contact us” and use structured forms with automated replies.00:00 Why Tech Fails00:41 Season Finale Intro01:48 Meet Casey Nelson04:33 From Teaching to Insurance08:28 Teachers as Sales Pros11:15 Canopy Connect Ad Break12:22 Why SOPs Break Down12:48 Three Agency Origin Stories16:05 Resistance and ROI Objections17:57 Front Door Theory22:37 Accountability and Change25:10 Implementation at Canopy25:45 Driving Full Adoption26:12 Getting Team Buy In27:49 Pain Points Before Tools30:20 Avoid Shiny Object Traps31:40 Canopy Connect Ad Break32:47 Content As Differentiator36:59 Wrexham Story Marketing39:39 Simple Content Ideas41:16 Fix Your Contact Flow43:26 Wrap Up And Final Plug

See All (34)

Trailer

About

Connected Conversations in Insurance – A Canopy Connect Podcast Welcome to Connected Conversations in Insurance, the podcast by Canopy Connect where we dive into the stories, strategies, and technology shaping the future of the insurance industry. Each episode, we sit down with top agents, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the challenges they face, the solutions they’ve found, and how they’re streamlining their processes to better serve clients.

Information

You Might Also Like