Business Refocused

Lindsay Sexton & Carey Wallace
  • 4.9 (46)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Helps leaders navigate the numbers, people, and strategy behind sustainable growth. Hosted by Carey Wallace and Lindsay Sexton, the show dives into what really happens when a business is changing, whether it’s expanding, merging, transitioning ownership, or rethinking operations. Each conversation offers practical insight on analyzing your business, making data-driven decisions, and building a company built to last. Show previously named Insurance Refocused, but changed to Business Refocused in November 2025. Business owners of all industries face the same challenges as independent insurance agencies. 

  1. #169 - How Smart Agencies Are Hiring Young Talent w/ Todd Hufford

    1D AGO

    #169 - How Smart Agencies Are Hiring Young Talent w/ Todd Hufford

    In this episode of Business Refocused, Lindsay and Carey sit down with Todd Hufford, CEO of Conner Insurance, to talk about on a topic that’s shaping the future of agencies: bringing in young talent.  The conversation starts light but quickly gets into something more meaningful. Todd shares how his perspective on time, shaped early in life, led him to think long-term about building an agency. Not just for today’s revenue, but for the next generation of leaders. Todd shares how Conner Insurance scaled by consistently bringing in and developing talent, even when it meant short-term tradeoffs. Over time, that investment compounded into real growth. That means hiring early career talent with no book of business, funding their development, and accepting that not every hire will work out. For Todd, that’s not a risk. It’s part of the strategy. A few key ideas from the episode:  Hiring young producers is an investment, not an expense  Most agencies struggle here because they protect short-term profit  Training matters more than experience, especially early on  Data builds confidence when recruiting and developing talent  Every team needs proof that success is achievable Agencies that grow aren’t just better at selling. They’re better at building people. Connect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    21 min
  2. #168 - What Comes Next? Redefining Yourself After a Career Shift w/ Nicole Malachowski

    APR 14

    #168 - What Comes Next? Redefining Yourself After a Career Shift w/ Nicole Malachowski

    In this episode of Business Refocused, Carey and Lindsay sit down with Nicole Malachowski, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and the first female Thunderbird pilot, to talk about transition. Not just planning for it. Actually going through it. Nicole’s career ended unexpectedly after a serious illness forced her out of the role she had built her identity around. What followed wasn’t a clean next step. It was the messy middle that most people don’t talk about. Her perspective is simple and practical: transition comes whether you plan for it or not. What matters is how you respond. One idea that stands out is yield to overcome. Accept where you are so you can move forward with clarity. For agency owners, this hits directly. Transition is rarely about the numbers alone. It’s about identity, control, and what you carry with you into the next phase. A few key takeaways:  Transition is emotional before it’s strategic  The hardest part is letting go of your role  What you’ll miss isn’t always what you expect  The skills that built your agency still matter, just in a different wayConnect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    39 min

  3. APR 7

    #167 – Walking Away Happy w/ Matt Naimoli

    The agency owners who walk away from a sale feeling good aren't the ones who got lucky — they're the ones who prepared. In the final episode of this series, Carey and Matt talk about fixing problems before they become deal killers, how to know what kind of seller you are, and why the question of what comes next matters just as much as the closing number. In this episode: How to fix valuation issues before you go to marketThe three seller personas — and why knowing yours changes everythingWhat a competitive process does that a direct negotiation can'tWhy so many owners hesitate to pull the trigger (and what to do about it)How to make a decision you won't regret two years laterConnect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    23 min

  4. MAR 31

    #166 – What's Your Agency Actually Worth w/ Matt Naimoli

    Your agency might be worth less than you think — and the reasons probably have nothing to do with your revenue. In part three, Carey and Matt dig into the valuation drivers most owners never see coming: producer-owned books, aggregator contracts, leadership concentration, and the transferability issues that quietly discount an otherwise strong agency. In this episode: Why a multiple of EBITDA is just the starting pointProducer-owned books: what they are and what they cost you at exitAggregator and cluster contracts — what you signed and what it means nowThe value killers that show up too late to fixHow leadership and culture factor into what a buyer will actually payConnect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    20 min

  5. MAR 24

    #165 – The Decisions That Matter When Selling Your Agency w/ Matt Naimoli

    Selling your agency isn't just a financial transaction — it's one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make. In part two of this series, Carey and Matt get into what it actually looks like to navigate an exit, whether that's keeping it in the family or going to market. They break down the difference between a broker and a true advisor, why the fee question is the wrong place to start, and what it really takes to feel good about the outcome. In this episode: Internal succession vs. external sale — the real trade-offsWhy "broker" and "advisor" aren't the same thingHow the advisory fee pays for itself (and then some)Why working with a sell-side only advisor matters more than you'd thinkWhat a good exit actually looks like beyond the wire transferConnect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    17 min

  6. MAR 17

    #164 – Running the Numbers w/ Matt Naimoli

    Most agency owners are great at insurance. The financial side? That's where things get fuzzy. Carey Wallace sits down with Matt Naimoli of Legacy Advisors to talk about what financial clarity actually looks like inside an independent agency — and why getting there changes everything from hiring decisions to long-term value. This is part one of a four-part series. In this episode: Why most agency owners are making big decisions without the right financial pictureWhat a fractional CFO actually does (and why "fractional" is the point)How to forecast staffing and growth before you need toOrganic growth vs. acquisition — why doing both at once is harder than it soundsHow debt, cash flow, and annual valuation connect to what your agency is worthConnect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    19 min
  7. #163 - It's Not Always About Size w/ Adam DeLaForest

    MAR 10

    #163 - It's Not Always About Size w/ Adam DeLaForest

    In this episode, Lindsay and Carey sit down with Adam DeLaForest to explore the key factors influencing agency valuation, including financial management, operational efficiency, and market conditions. Our guest, Adam DeLaForest,  shares insights from his experience completing valuations on numerous agencies at his role in AgencyFocus, emphasizing the importance of profitability, contracts, and strategic planning for agency owners. Connect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    29 min
  8. #162 - Your Yearly Agency Check-Up: Benchmarking

    MAR 3

    #162 - Your Yearly Agency Check-Up: Benchmarking

    In this episode of Business Refocused, Lindsay and Carey focus specifically on benchmarking and why it might be the most underutilized tool in an agency owner’s toolbox. A lot of owners think benchmarking is just a “nice to have” report. In reality, it is a financial health check. It gives you a clear, unbiased look at how your agency stacks up against others your size and where you may be off without realizing it. They walk through what benchmarking actually uncovers, including: Whether your compensation structure is in line with industry standardsIf your profitability is truly strong or just looks strong on the surfaceHow retention impacts long-term growth more than new business doesWhether your revenue per employee and spread support sustainable scalingWhy misclassified expenses can distort how healthy your agency really isThey also talk about why benchmarking is especially important for agencies planning internal transitions, acquisitions, or long-term growth. You cannot improve what you do not measure, and you cannot confidently scale what you do not understand. Connect with us: Follow AgencyFocus for more conversations that help agency owners build clarity, confidence, and long-term value. Learn more at https://agency-focus.com/ Show previously named Insurance Refocused

    24 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

Helps leaders navigate the numbers, people, and strategy behind sustainable growth. Hosted by Carey Wallace and Lindsay Sexton, the show dives into what really happens when a business is changing, whether it’s expanding, merging, transitioning ownership, or rethinking operations. Each conversation offers practical insight on analyzing your business, making data-driven decisions, and building a company built to last. Show previously named Insurance Refocused, but changed to Business Refocused in November 2025. Business owners of all industries face the same challenges as independent insurance agencies. 

Information

  • Creator
    Lindsay Sexton & Carey Wallace
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    170
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Business Refocused
  • Show Website
    Business Refocused

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