Agency Freedom James Jenkins

In this "Greatest Hits" episode, originally aired on January 6th, 2023, James welcomes Bradley Flowers and Scott Howell, co-hosts of the Insurance Guys Podcast. Visit https://www.jamesjenkins.com/podcasts/agency-freedom/ to join our email list and catch up on episodes you may have missed.

Connect with Agency Freedom on Facebook at the Agency Freedom group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom

Email us at podcast@jamesjenkins.com with ideas, requests, complaints or suggestions for how we can make the show better.

Episode Highlights:

Bradley discusses The Insurance Guys Podcast, how it got started, and what the podcast's hook is. (6:04)


Bradley believes that people should create content around their passions, and that podcasting is a great way to do it. (9:51)


Scott and Bradley explain that consistency is the key to having more than 300 episodes and that skipping an episode for a week is a good litmus test to see how many people are waiting for that show to drop. (13:29)


Bradley mentions that he and Scott often batch record, putting them months ahead of schedule. (16:41)


Scott explains that his sole focus is to provide outstanding material every Wednesday at 6:00 a.m. (27:23)


According to James, many absolute rockstars are hidden in plain sight, and Vonda Copeland, who has 9 offices with over 50 employees, is one of them. (30:26)


Bradley explains that, from a content viewpoint, it is becoming easier for non-content producers to generate content, therefore if you want to be an elite content generator, you must elevate your game. (50:14)


James commends the people of Florida for passing special session legislation that limits the assignment of benefits. (1:03:51)

In this "Greatest Hits" episode, originally aired on July 22nd, 2022, James talks with Troy Smith, Retired Detective and Hostage Negotiator with the San Antonio Police Department. Troy is now with the Black Swan Group. To learn more about Black Swan Group, Visit https://www.blackswanltd.com. Visit https://www.jamesjenkins.com/podcasts/agency-freedom/ to join our email list and catch up on episodes you may have missed.

Connect with Agency Freedom on Facebook at the Agency Freedom group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom

Email us at podcast@jamesjenkins.com with ideas, requests, complaints or suggestions for how we can make the show better.

Episode Highlights:

Troy shares his background story and how he ended up joining the San Antonio Police Department as an officer and later as a hostage negotiator. (5:19)


Troy discusses what led him to the Black Swan Group where hostage negotiation skills are applied in a business environment. (6:28)


Troy shares the story of a powerful moment when he gave his badge to a young boy with terminal cancer who wanted to be in law enforcement one day. (9:06)


Troy explains his day-to-day setup as a Black Swan coach and facilitator. (19:40)


Troy shares that the foundation skills as part of the training are labeling, mirroring, and dynamic silence. (22:57)


Troy shares how to use dynamic silence as a way to stay in the conversation and continue to get the information that you need. (29:54)


Troy explains that if you are in any kind of negotiation, you have to learn to be patient and be willing to commit to it. (32:15)


Troy discusses why they limit their coaching sessions to 1 or 2 per day. (41:40) 

Troy shares how Chris spends his time on a day-to-day basis as he runs the business and makes important decisions. (45:16)


Troy advises the listeners not to get consumed with how everybody is doing down the road, and instead, just give their best at the moment. (47:41)



Key Quotes:

"If you don't use the silence to give them the time, you start over talking, you start talking over them. And before they can give you an answer, you've already moved on to the next thing." - Troy Smith

“If you're in a negotiation, you have to learn to be patient. This is something that you have to be willing to commit to.” -Troy Smith

"When you start saying it’s is all about you, it's not about them any longer. And most people are going to get turned off by that." - Troy Smith

In this "Greatest Hits" episode, originally aired on May 20th, 2022, James talks with Cory Schnabel, Agency Principal at KC Insurance Group in Kansas City, MO. To learn more about KC Insurance Group, visit https://www.hubinternational.com.Visit https://www.jamesjenkins.com/podcasts/agency-freedom/ to join our email list and catch up on episodes you may have missed.

Connect with Agency Freedom on Facebook at the Agency Freedom group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom

Email us at podcast@jamesjenkins.com with ideas, requests, complaints or suggestions for how we can make the show better.

Episode Highlights:

Cory talks about how he got started in the insurance industry. (5:27)


Cory shares that he bought his first Allstate agency in 2010. (6:42)


Cory how he started KC Insurance Group and what helped him to get contracts with several carriers. (12:51)


Cory shares that his referral partners are one of the secrets to his success. (20:46)


Cory explains how he connects with his referral partners. (21:36)


Cory shares his best practices for establishing value and connection with a channel partner. (26:03)


Cory discusses what he believes works best with channel partners in 2022 and beyond. (30:37)


Cory explains that most people, perhaps 90% of lenders, agents, wealth planners, CPAs, and insurance brokers, have no idea where a large portion of their business comes from. (32:39)


Cory shares his thoughts on what he learned from IAOA. (37:55)


Cory discusses some of his decisions that he would alter if given the chance. (51:57)


Cory believes if you trust in yourself and bet on yourself, you'll be alright. (54:38)

In this "Greatest Hits" episode, originally aired on June 10th, 2022, James talks with Dr. Billy Willams, CEO of Inspire A Nation. To learn more about Inspire A Nation, visit https://www.inspireanation.org. Visit https://www.jamesjenkins.com/podcasts/agency-freedom/ to join our email list and catch up on episodes you may have missed.

Connect with Agency Freedom on Facebook at the Agency Freedom group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom

Email us at podcast@jamesjenkins.com with ideas, requests, complaints or suggestions for how we can make the show better.

Key Topics:

Dr. Billy Williams talks about his background and what led him to start Inspire A Nation. (5:23)


Dr. Billy Williams shares that he does not worry about a person's mindset, but what is important is discipline. (10:27)


Dr. Billy Williams explains that when he chooses an agency management system, he makes sure that it does 90% of everything he needs. (20:03)


Dr. Billy Williams mentions that he is a step-by-step guy, and gives out the steps he is guided through on a normal workday. (24:34)


Dr. Billy Williams explains that the reason most people won't follow a process is that they don't take the time to create a process. (30:07)


Dr. Billy Williams elaborates on common weaknesses that a lot of people have. (38:17)


Dr. Billy Williams explains that he is not a cold caller type of guy, but a big referral type of guy. (44:31)


Dr. Billy Williams shares that one thing agents can do to make themselves experts is to understand that insurance is all about claims. (46:43)


Dr. Billy Williams explains the importance of having enough of a niche and knowledge in your demographics. (49:18)


Dr. Billy Williams elaborates on the importance of people getting back to the process and understanding assurances about the claim. (56:39)

In this episode, James talks with Brandon Rondon, Owner of Rondon Insurance Services. To learn more about Rondon Insurance Services, visit https://www.rondonins.com. Visit https://www.jamesjenkins.com/podcasts/agency-freedom/ to join our email list and catch up on episodes you may have missed.

Connect with Agency Freedom on Facebook at the Agency Freedom group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom

Email us at podcast@jamesjenkins.com with ideas, requests, complaints or suggestions for how we can make the show better.

Key Topics:

Transition from MMA to insurance

Approach to sales and client relationships

Insights on leadership and team building

Effective use of feedback within teams

Strategies for personal and professional growth

The role of constructive criticism in development

Integrating new technologies and systems in business operations

In this episode, James talks with Sandra Gebhardt, an Online Marketing Strategist. To learn more about Sandra Gebhardt Digital Marketing, visit https://sandragebhardt.com. Visit https://www.jamesjenkins.com/podcasts/agency-freedom/ to join our email list and catch up on episodes you may have missed.

Connect with Agency Freedom on Facebook at the Agency Freedom group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/agencyfreedom

Email us at podcast@jamesjenkins.com with ideas, requests, complaints or suggestions for how we can make the show better.

Key Topics:

Sandra's entry into the insurance industry and transition to marketing

Importance of personal branding in marketing

Using organic social media to enhance business growth

Tips for optimizing marketing strategies and community involvement

Benefits of a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

Challenges faced by insurance agents and strategies for success