The Insurance Growth Lab

Callan Harrington
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Host Callan Harrington dives into the strategies, decisions, and lessons that have shaped the careers of top marketing and growth leaders in the insurance industry. From bold moves to costly mistakes, each episode uncovers real-world insights that listeners can apply to accelerate growth in their own businesses.

  1. 15H AGO

    How Andy Harbut Scaled a Niche Insurance Brokerage in One Year

    Callan Harrington sits down with Andy Harbut, Co-Founder of NewCo Risk, who built a multi-million dollar insurance brokerage in just one year after leaving the big brokerage world. Andy shares how he and his partner, Josh, carved out their own path, focusing on search fund clients and lower middle-market private equity deals. With 75% of their clients being entrepreneurs who bought their own businesses, Andy explains why this niche offers more personal satisfaction than working as a cog in a large institutional machine. Andy breaks down their growth strategy built on old-school relationship building through conference sponsorships, university events, and face-to-face networking within the search fund community. He discusses the challenges of carrier selection across 40 states, why they wholesale specialty lines to true experts, and how they compete against major brokers by offering intimate client relationships and direct accountability. The conversation covers everything from insurance diligence in M&A transactions to why Andy insists on calling himself a broker rather than an agent. This episode offers tactical insights for any insurance professional looking to understand niche market development and independent brokerage growth strategies. Key topics covered:[00:00] Intro[04:26] Why Start Your Own Brokerage[07:51] Extreme Growth in Search Fund Niche[13:14] Unique Competitive Positioning Advantage[16:01] Old School Selling Insurance Strategy[17:32] University Conference Marketing Approach[20:03] Building Messaging Around Unknown Problems[21:58] National Carrier Selection Challenges[24:06] Program Business Growth Strategy[28:20] Leveraging Underwriting Office Arbitrage[32:46] Wholesaling vs In-House Expertise[36:21] Why Broker Not Agent[39:49] Fee Only Model Exploration[42:54] Growing the Team Connect with Andy Harbut on LinkedIn for more marketing insights and strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyharbut/ Subscribe to The Insurance Growth Lab for more tactical growth strategies from insurance industry leaders. New episodes every week.

    44 min

  2. JAN 15

    Jennie Lyttle's Cold Calling Playbook for Insurtech Outbound Success

    Callan Harrington sits down with Jennie Lyttle, Sales Director at Salt and one of the most skilled cold callers in insurtech. Jennie breaks down her most successful campaign ever, the “broker box” initiative at Beam Benefits that delivered over 300% ROI despite being launched without approval. She explains how she turned leftover Bluetooth toothbrushes from Beam's warehouse into a powerful lead generation tool that forced the company to hire additional sales reps to handle demand. The conversation shifts into a comprehensive look at cold calling in today's insurance market. Jennie shares her current approach for both inbound and outbound prospects, explaining why she sends resource emails before calling inbound leads but starts with calls for outbound. She details her qualification process, emphasizing the importance of determining fit before booking demos, and discusses the growing trend toward full-cycle sales roles versus separate BDR teams. This episode delivers practical insights for anyone running outbound campaigns or looking to improve their cold calling effectiveness in the insurance space. Key topics covered:[00:00] Intro[02:44] Email Campaign Mistake[04:20] Turning Marketing Errors Into Wins[08:23] The Beam Benefits Broker Box Campaign[11:18] 300% ROI From Unsanctioned Campaign[13:20] Cold Calling State of the Union[15:28] Inbound vs Outbound Call Strategies[19:36] First 30 Seconds of Cold Calls[21:35] Qualifying Prospects Over Meeting Setting[23:25] Full Cycle Sales vs BD Teams[26:42] Selling to Insurance Agents Successfully[29:46] Why Insurance Professionals Never Leave[32:27] Early Adopter Agency Relationships[34:17] Starting Over at The Shipyard[36:57] Consistency Beats Talent Every Time[40:27] Self-Reflection in Sales Performance Connect with Jennie Lyttle on LinkedIn for more marketing insights and strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenlyttle Subscribe to The Insurance Growth Lab for more tactical growth strategies from insurance industry leaders. New episodes every week.

    43 min

  3. JAN 8

    Clinton Houck's Framework for Driving Non-Core Product Adoption

    Callan Harrington sits down with Clinton Houck, VP of Insurance and Distribution at Fair, to explore how to successfully drive adoption of non-core products within P&C insurance agencies. Clinton brings serious insurance experience from every angle, having worked as an underwriter at State Farm, owned his own agency, and held leadership roles at multiple insurtech companies. Clinton reveals Fair's systematic approach to breaking through the traditional home, auto, and umbrella offering stack that most P&C agencies stick to. He shares how they achieved a 12% attachment rate by positioning auto warranty not as a separate product sale, but as a natural extension of the auto insurance conversation. The key insight is treating warranty like an endorsement rather than forcing producers to learn an entirely new sales process, making it feel complementary to existing coverage discussions rather than disruptive. This episode delivers tactical frameworks for anyone looking to distribute ancillary products through insurance agencies, from winning over principals to ensuring producer adoption through superior user experience and comprehensive training programs. Key topics covered: [00:00] Intro[02:28] First insurance industry rude awakening[06:22] Sitting in every seat drives career decisions[09:40] Breaking through P&C agency core offerings[12:07] Money talks but ease of use wins[17:25] Progressive's user experience advantage[20:00] Auto warranty fits naturally with insurance[22:21] Winning principals vs producers[26:13] Higher commissions than traditional P&C[29:25] Digital vs main street agency differences[32:43] Speed vs advisory value propositions[36:31] Where most ancillary products fail[39:38] Simplifying coverage options backfired[41:39] Claims transparency builds trust[43:17] Cold calling agencies doesn't work Connect with Clinton Houck on LinkedIn for more marketing insights and strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clinton-houck Subscribe for more insurance growth strategies and connect with Callan Harrington on LinkedIn for additional insights.

    46 min

  4. 12/18/2025

    How Caleb Cramer Used Webinars to Scale AgencyZoom to Thousands

    Callan Harrington sits down with Caleb Cramer, Chief Revenue Officer at LAUNCH, to break down the exact group demo process that helped AgencyZoom onboard thousands of agencies to their CRM product. Caleb shares his experience working across insurtech, agency networks, and service businesses, explaining why he believes the insurance industry attracts people who want to help others despite lacking the technology tools other verticals take for granted. The conversation dives into the tactical details of running effective webinars versus one-to-one sales calls. Caleb walks through his complete process from cold calling with validated problem statements to nurturing prospects through text messaging and structured webinar experiences. This episode provides actionable insights for any insurtech company looking to maximize their sales resources while building trust through group experiences rather than traditional individual demos. Key topics covered:[00:00] Intro[03:02] Why Insurance Industry Attracts Tech Talent[05:47] Differentiation Challenges Facing Producers[08:03] Dale Carnegie Problem in Sales Discovery[11:00] Group Webinars vs One to One Demos[13:13] Problem Statement Validation Through Customer Interviews[16:08] Segmentation Process for Targeting Agencies[19:50] Cold Call Structure with Problem Hypothesis[21:00] Moving Prospects to Text Communication[25:47] Rep Ownership vs Marketing Sequences[28:46] Group Demo Content Structure[30:14] Making Prospects the Hero Not Victim[34:22] Curated Product Moments Over Full Tours[36:15] Post Demo Follow Up Strategy[40:21] When Group Demos Don't Work[43:48] Scaling Lessons from Agency Zoom Connect with Caleb Cramer on LinkedIn for more marketing insights and strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-cramer Subscribe to The Insurance Growth Lab for more tactical growth strategies from insurance industry leaders. New episodes every week.

    46 min

  5. 12/11/2025

    The Story Behind one of Nationwide's Most Successful Marketing Campaigns with Brad Barnett

    Callan Harrington sits down with Brad Barnett, former VP of Enterprise Marketing at Nationwide and current independent consultant, to break down one of insurance marketing's most successful campaigns. Brad managed over $300 million in annual media spend and a $50 million portfolio of sports and entertainment partnerships during his 20-year tenure at Nationwide. He was instrumental in developing the iconic NFL partnership featuring Peyton Manning and the return of the famous "Nationwide is on your side" jingle that became a cultural phenomenon. Brad shares the strategic thinking behind Nationwide's entry into NFL sponsorship, from competing against Geico and Progressive's massive advertising budgets to creating unique B2B experiences for distribution partners. He reveals how the campaign achieved the highest brand awareness scores in Nationwide's 100-year history and explains the behind-the-scenes process of talent selection, Q-score analysis, and managing reputation challenges. The conversation covers everything from negotiating category sponsorships to measuring ROI on major sports partnerships. Key topics covered: [00:00] Intro[03:04] Crowd Pleasers and Karaoke Strategy[06:37] Product Experience Drives Marketing Success[09:52] Nationwide Career Path to CMO[12:52] NFL Partnership Origins and Strategy[16:55] Official NFL Sponsorship Benefits[19:09] Peyton Manning Selection Process[21:22] Bringing Back the Jingle[25:29] Strategic Bet and Executive Buy-in[28:21] Distribution Partner Experiences[34:24] Brand Awareness vs Direct Consumer[36:31] Managing Reputation Challenges[39:40] Entrepreneurial Leap Decision[41:12] Outworking Competition Early Career[42:14] Natural Curiosity as Differentiator[43:18] Intentional Relationship Building Connect with Brad Barnett on LinkedIn for more marketing insights and strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbarnett05/ Subscribe to The Insurance Growth Lab for more tactical growth strategies from insurance industry leaders. New episodes every week.

    48 min

  6. 12/04/2025

    Inside the Strategic Shift Coming to Insurance in 2026 with Callan Harrington

    Host Callan Harrington breaks down why the insurance industry may be entering a new growth phase and shares a standout story from his Bold Penguin days that proves what’s possible when momentum shifts. With enterprise carrier spend up 27% and major players like Nationwide committing $1.5 billion to tech, all signs point to a market ready to get back on offense. In this episode, Callan unpacks what it really takes to capitalize on that kind of opportunity. He explains how the Bold Penguin team hit a nearly impossible sales goal during what most consider to be the “slowest” month of the year by throwing out their usual processes and going all-hands-on-deck. What started as chaos turned into one of the most successful campaigns of his career, teaching him that sometimes you need to do things that don't scale to capture major opportunities. Key topics covered:[00:00] Intro[01:20] Growth Period Signs Emerging[02:34] EverQuote Earnings Signal Carrier Spending[03:22] Nationwide's $1.5 Billion Tech Investment[04:02] Window of Aggressive Growth Opportunity[06:09] Bold Penguin's 200 Agency Challenge[07:28] Setting Stretch Goals vs Impossible Goals[08:30] Commercial Rating Platform Background[10:48] November December Sales Reality[11:24] All Hands Blitz Strategy[12:52] Team Rally Around Shared Goal[14:46] Hitting the 200 Agency Mark[16:17] Doing Things That Don't Scale[17:15] Repairing Carrier Agent Relationships[18:38] InsurTech Competition for Carrier Investment[19:55] Planning Bold 2026 Strategies Subscribe for more tactical insurance growth strategies and connect with Callan Harrington on LinkedIn to share your thoughts on this episode: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callanharrington

    21 min

  7. 11/13/2025

    How Nick Golubitsky Uses AI and RevOps to Transform GTM

    Callan Harrington sits down with Nick Golubitsky, VP of Revenue Operations at GreenSlate, for a deep dive into how AI is actually being used in go-to-market today. Nick brings over 8 years of revenue operations experience across multiple insurtech companies and shares real campaigns and tools he's implementing right now. This conversation cuts through the AI hype to focus on practical applications that are driving results. Nick walks through a live enterprise lead campaign using multiple AI tools, explains why conversational intelligence has become the gateway for sales teams to embrace AI, and how these tools are making sales reps more effective rather than replacing them. The discussion covers everything from automated lead qualification to proactive customer success initiatives powered by AI-generated insights. This episode delivers tactical insights for anyone wondering how AI is actually being implemented in revenue operations and what's possible today versus what's coming in the next few months. Key topics covered: [00:00] Intro[03:16] Salesforce Admin to Rev Ops Evolution[06:41] AI and Rev Ops Partnership Era[09:43] Competitor Campaign Using Multiple AI Tools[13:09] Native Hubspot vs Category Leaders[16:10] Prospecting Agent Research Capabilities[20:37] Conversational Intelligence Gateway Drug[23:05] AI Enhanced Sales Training Methods[26:01] Data Collection Without Resource Overhead[30:24] Insurance Tech Lessons from 5 Years Ago[35:02] Proactive Value vs Generic Outreach[36:48] Future of Rev Ops Role Evolution[42:18] Confidence Advice for Starting Out Connect with Nick on LinkedIn to learn more about his revenue operations strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickgolubitsky/ Subscribe for more tactical insights from insurance growth leaders, and let us know in the comments what AI tools you're experimenting with in your go-to-market operations.

    45 min

  8. 11/06/2025

    Why Ryan Hanley Says Every Insurance Leader Needs a Personal Brand

    Host Callan Harrington sits down with Ryan Hanley, President of Linqura and one of the insurance industry's most recognized voices, to break down the content strategy that built his personal brand over 20 years. Ryan shares how he went from nearly being fired by his father-in-law to becoming a sought-after speaker and industry leader through consistent content creation. Ryan explains his unique approach to content development, filtering ideas through leadership topics and insurance applications to create wholly original takes. He reveals his current workflow using AI tools to streamline commenting and editing, allowing him to maintain consistent output across multiple platforms. The conversation dives deep into why Ryan believes personal branding is now mandatory for anyone in leadership positions, not optional, and how content serves as a trust-building mechanism that moves prospects closer to purchase before any sales conversation begins. This episode delivers actionable insights for insurance professionals and business leaders looking to build their personal brand and leverage content marketing for career growth. Key topics covered: [00:00] Intro[03:21] Why Ryan Started Creating Content for Insurance Agents[06:07] Being a Misfit in Traditional Insurance Sales[11:03] When Content Creation Started Working[16:02] Ryan's Current Content Strategy and Process[19:39] Video First Content Creation Approach[20:08] Personal Brand vs Business Marketing Debate[26:28] Content as Trust Building Before Sales Conversations[31:25] Is Personal Branding Mandatory for Success[36:58] Building Content From Scratch Today[42:07] Starting with Commenting Before Creating Posts[47:17] AI Hack for Automated Content Commenting[49:55] What Ryan Would Do Differently Starting Over Connect with Ryan Hanley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanhanley/ Subscribe for more tactical growth insights from insurance and business leaders.

    54 min
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5
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About

Host Callan Harrington dives into the strategies, decisions, and lessons that have shaped the careers of top marketing and growth leaders in the insurance industry. From bold moves to costly mistakes, each episode uncovers real-world insights that listeners can apply to accelerate growth in their own businesses.

Information

  • Creator
    Callan Harrington
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    132
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Callan Harrington
  • Show Website
    The Insurance Growth Lab