Level Up Claims

Hosted by Galen Hair

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Episodes

191

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

The Level Up Claims Podcast brings you real conversations with the leaders, builders, and disruptors shaping the property damage, restoration, and insurance-claims world. Each week, we dig into the strategies, systems, and mindset needed to grow, whether you're a contractor, public adjuster, attorney, or anyone working in the claims ecosystem. From business growth and leadership to industry trends, complex losses, tech, and entrepreneurship, we spotlight the people who refuse to settle and are pushing the industry forward. No fluff. No sales pitches. Just actionable insight from those who've lived it. If you're ready to think bigger, operate smarter, and level up your impact, you're in the right place.

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60 recent

August 19, 2026Episode 19223 min

Are YOU The Bottleneck in Your Business? with Alane Boyd - Episode 192

What happens when the founder becomes the person holding everything together? In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with serial entrepreneur and workflow automation expert Alane Boyd , who built a social media agency to 600 clients and 125 employees before selling the company in 2018. Alane shares the systems and mindset shifts that helped her build a business that could scale without relying on one person to keep everything moving. In this episode: Why founders struggle to let go How to start documenting your business processes Why project management should encompass your entire company Using AI and automation to eliminate repetitive work How better systems can improve employee satisfaction and retention Identifying hidden revenue leaks Why adding more people isn't always the answer The difference between growing and scaling Getting out of your own way as a leader Episode Resources: · Connect with Alane Boyd · https://www.alaneboyd.com/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

August 12, 2026Episode 19135 min

The Game of Ten: Stop Overthinking and Start Trusting Yourself with Steve Barton - Episode 191

What if becoming a better leader isn't about gathering more information, analyzing more possibilities, or thinking harder? In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast , Galen sits down with Steve Barton , high-performance executive coach and creator of the Game of Ten , for a conversation about the things that can quietly hold high achievers back: overthinking, fear, self-doubt, guilt, shame, and the constant need to control the outcome. Steve shares the personal experience that took him from growing his family's flower business from roughly $200,000 to more than $2 million in annual sales to realizing that business success didn't automatically equal happiness. That realization ultimately led him into personal development, coaching, and the framework he now calls the Game of Ten. The conversation gets into intuition, awareness, leadership, decision-making, personal growth, and why some of the smartest and most successful people can still get trapped in their own heads. In this episode: Why successful people can still feel unfulfilled The difference between business success and internal confidence Steve's Game of Ten framework Why high achievers often get stuck in the "7, 8, or 9" How overthinking can become its own form of addiction Why awareness may be more valuable than simply collecting more information Learning to use thoughts, emotions, skills, and identity as tools rather than letting them control you The tension between logic and intuition in leadership Letting go of control and becoming more comfortable with uncertainty Steve's six phrases for getting back to the present moment What "leveling up" means when the goal isn't simply more success At its core, this is a conversation about learning to stop second-guessing yourself, become more aware, and lead from a place of greater confidence and authenticity.

August 5, 2026Episode 19030 min

AI, IT & Leadership: Are You Using Technology the Right Way? with Lara Hamilton - Episode 190

Technology is supposed to make business easier. So why does it sometimes feel like it's making everything harder? In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast , Galen sits down with Lara Hamilton , a multifamily IT and software support leader, to talk about the intersection of technology, AI, leadership, and operational efficiency. Lara shares her unconventional path from banking operations to multifamily IT, how she learned to eliminate inefficient processes, and why businesses need to make sure their technology actually works for their people. They also dive into the opportunities and risks of AI, including data security, employee education, governance, and the importance of verifying what AI tells you. But perhaps the biggest lesson is about leadership: the goal of technology isn't to eliminate the human element. It's to free people up to do the things only people can do. In this episode: Why technology should eliminate operational friction—not create more of it The importance of documenting processes before automating them How AI can improve reporting and efficiency The security risks businesses need to consider when employees use AI Why every company needs clear AI governance policies How leaders can use technology to give employees more room to think and grow Recognizing when your IT team is overwhelmed and becoming reactive Why taking care of your people ultimately means taking care of your clients Lara's philosophy on leadership, growth, and what it means to level up Lara's perspective is especially relevant for leaders trying to navigate rapid technological change without losing sight of the people their businesses are built around.

July 29, 2026Episode 18932 min

Why Your Team Isn't Taking Initiative (And How to Fix It) with Dr. Katie Trowbridge - Episode 189

What if the biggest challenge facing your team isn't a lack of talent, but rather it's a lack of leadership that encourages people to think? In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with Dr. Katie Trowbridge, educator, leadership export, and author of Lead Boldly, Think Deeply, to discuss why today's workplaces are producing more compliance than creativity… and what you can do to change it. Highlights: · Why employees stop taking initiative, and how leaders accidentally create it · The difference between managing people and teaching people to think · How AI should support leaders, not replace human connection · Building trust through meaningful recognition and authentic leadership · Why curiosity is becoming one of the most valuable leadership skills · The CREATE Method and how it develops stronger, more engaged teams · Small leadership habits that create long-term cultural change Episode Resources: · Connect with Dr. Katie Trowbride · https://www.katietrowbridge.com/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

July 22, 2026Episode 18832 min

Marketing Isn't Magic, It's Strategy with Joshua Ramsey - Episode 188

Marketing has never been more accessible… or confusing. In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with Joshua Ramsey, Fractional Chief Marketing Officer and marketing strategist, to discuss what business are getting wrong about marketing, and how to build a strategy that drives growth. Highlights: · What a Fractional CMO actually does · Marketing strategy vs. marketing execution · How to evaluate marketing agencies · Where businesses waste marketing dollars · AI's impact on modern marketing · Why diversification beats chasing trends · The importance of tracking ROI · Building marketing that supports business growth Episode Resources: · Connect with Josh Ramsey · https://jrcmo.com/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

July 15, 2026Episode 18734 min

How to Build a Business Without Losing Yourself with Tiffanie Janowitz - Episode 187

Success shouldn't come at the expense of your health, relationships, or identity. In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with Tiffanie Janowitz, CEO of Limitless Society, executive coach, and leadership strategist, for a conversation about what it really takes to build a sustainable business and become the kind of leader others want to follow. Highlights: · Why burnout is often a leadership problem · Building a business without losing your identity · The importance of self-awareness · Breaking limiting beliefs · Emotional intelligence and leadership · Creating sustainable success · Leading yourself before leading others · Why growth starts internally Episode Resources: · Connect with Tiffanie Janowitz · https://tiffaniejanowitz.com/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

July 8, 2026Episode 18641 min

Executive Presence: Communicating Like a REAL Leader with Eric Nitzberg - Episode 186

What separates great leaders from everyone else? In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with executive leadership coach Eric Nitzberg of Sierra Leadership to discuss the communication habits, mindset, and executive presence that inspire trust and influence. Highlights: · What executive presence truly means · Why communication is every leader's most important skil · How to overcome imposter syndrome · The listening exercise every leader should practice · Communication habits that quietly destroy trust · Building influence without pretending to be someone else · Leadership in an AI-driven workplace · How authenticity creates better leaders · Why people follow leaders they trust, not just leaders who sound confident Episode Resources: · Connect with Eric Nitzberg · https://sierraleadership.com/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

July 1, 2026Episode 18534 min

Legacy Over Luck: Building a Public Adjusting Business That Lasts with Jack Hanks - Episode 185

Success in the claims industry isn't built on one great storm. It comes from building systems, relationships, and leadership that continue long after the next claim is closed. In this special session recorded at the Level Up Claims Summit 2026, Galen Hair sits down with Jack Hanks of VPA Public Claims Adjusting to discuss what separates professionals who simply survive from those who build lasting businesses. Highlights: · Why long-term thinking beats chasing the next storm · Building a company instead of just creating a job · Leadership lessons learned through experience · Creating opportunities for future generations · Developing systems that allow your business to grow · Why reputation remains your greatest competitive advantage Episode Resources: · Connect with Jack Hanks · https://unitedclaimsprofessionals.org/team/jack-hanks/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

June 24, 2026Episode 18431 min

How to Become the Obvious Choice Online with Jeffro - Episode 184

Most business owners focus on getting more leads. The best businesses focus on becoming the obvious choice. This week on the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen Hair sits down with Jeffro, founder of FroBro Web Technologies, to discuss how SEO, authority, content, and trust are changing in the age of AI. Jeffro explains why traditional marketing tactics are becoming less effective, how business owners can stand out online, and why becoming a recognized authority in your industry is more valuable than ever. Highlights: · How AI is changing SEO and online marketing · Why authority matters more than rankings · The biggest mistakes business owners make online · Building trust before a prospect ever contacts you · Creating content that generates opportunities · Hot to become the obvious choice in your market · The future of search, branding, and visibility · Personal branding for business owners Episode Resources: · Connect with Jeffro · https://www.frobro.com/ · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/

June 17, 2026Episode 18333 min

Building Operations that Survive the Storm with Ashley Bickford - Episode 183

This special episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast was recorded live at the 2026 Level Up Claims Summit. While most businesses focus on marketing and growth, few talk about what happens after the leads arrive. In this candid conversation, Galen Hair sits down with Insurance Claim HQ COO Ashley Bickford to pull back the curtain on the operational challenges that come with catastrophe events, rapid growth, acquisitions, and scaling a modern claims organization. Highlights: · Why intake is often the first thing to break during a CAT event · The operational mistakes that nearly derailed growth · Building SOPs and training systems that scale · How Insurance Claim HQ uses AI without replacing people · Improving client communication and accountability · Solving referral tracking and attribution challenges · Creating operational leverage before the next storm hits · Lessons learned from acquiring another law firm's assets · Why growth exposes problems instead of solving them · How to identify and eliminate bottlenecks before they become crises Episode Resources: · Connect with Ashley Bickgord · abickford@hstalaw.com · Connect with Galen M. Hair · https://insuranceclaimhq.com · hair@hairshunnarah.com · https://levelupclaim.com/