The Agent Leader Podcast

Hosted by Brent Kelly--The Agent Leader Podcast

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Episodes

323

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The podcast for independent insurance agency leaders and their teams to learn practical strategies and behaviors to become their best version possible. Hosted by Sitkins Group President, Brent Kelly, The Agent Leader Podcast provides agencies with leadership, sales, and self-development methods that actually get results. With our focus on a total-team approach to improving independent insurance agencies, we dive into sales, service, and leadership teams. Leadership is not a title. Leadership is influence. Become a better leader and gain influence with your clients, team, and community.

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60 recent

September 3, 202627 min

Are You Solving the Wrong Problem?

What if the most expensive problem in your agency isn’t the one you’re currently solving? Agency leaders are constantly taking action, but more activity doesn’t always mean more progress. Before adding people, technology, leads or another initiative, you need clarity around what actually matters most. In this episode, Brent Kelly introduces the first discipline in the Sitkins framework: Clarify. Questions to consider: • Where are we right now? • Where are we trying to go? • What is the biggest constraint keeping us from getting there? • Are we solving the root cause, or just treating the symptom? • Are we maximizing the capacity we already have? The goal isn't simply to do more. It's to make sure you're solving the problem that matters most. 🎧 Listen now, and if you're ready to get clearer on what's really holding your agency back, book a conversation with the Sitkins team at www.sitkins.com/bookacall.

August 27, 202635 min

Be the One: The Leadership Mindset That Changes Everything | Karl Sherrill

What does it really take to become a better leader? In this episode of the Agent Leader Podcast , Brent Kelly is joined by Karl Sherrill, Chief Development Officer at Highstreet Partners, for a conversation about leadership, self-awareness, accountability, and execution. Karl shares why great leaders focus on creating an environment where people can thrive, and why sometimes the most important leadership conversations involve helping someone recognize they may not be in the right role. They also explore why most of us don't have a knowledge problem, we have an execution problem . From routines and accountability to small wins and consistent behaviors, Brent and Karl discuss what it takes to turn good intentions into meaningful progress. Karl also shares the philosophy behind “Be the ONE” : Own Yourself. Nurture Others. Expand Your Influence. If you're looking to raise your leadership standards, better develop your people, and become more intentional about the impact you have on those around you, this episode is for you. Connect with Karl Sherrill: Find and connect with Karl on LinkedIn. Want to learn more about becoming a Best Version Possible agency? Visit sitkins.com/bookacall to schedule a conversation with our team and explore how we can help you raise the bar in your agency.

August 14, 202623 min

What Does the Best Version Possible of Your Agency Look Like?

Exceptional insurance agencies don't become exceptional by accident. They become exceptional by consistently practicing the right disciplines. In this episode of The Agent Leader Podcast, Brent Kelly explores a question that Roger Sitkins first posed years ago: What does the best version possible of an insurance agency actually look like? After years of coaching hundreds of agencies, Brent has come to believe that the answer isn't simply a list of characteristics or best practices. It's a framework built around four disciplines: Clarify - Create awareness around where you are, where you're going, and what's standing in your way. Align - Build common language, expectations, standards, and culture so your team is moving in the same direction. Focus - Stop trying to fix everything at once and concentrate your time, energy, and resources on what creates the greatest leverage. Optimize - Commit to continuous improvement through a consistent rhythm of reviewing, measuring, adjusting, and repeating. Brent also explains why growth often exposes organizational weaknesses, why many agencies don't actually have a producer or sales problem, and why organizational excellence may be the "one thing" that makes everything else easier. This episode kicks off a deeper conversation around each of these four disciplines and what they can mean for your agency. The question isn't whether your agency can improve. The question is: Are you intentionally building toward your Best Version Possible? Learn more and book a conversation with our coaches, at Sitkins.com or order a copy of the Best Version Possible book. 00:00 - What Does the Best Version Possible Agency Look Like? 02:00 - From a Philosophy to a Framework 05:00 - Why Agency Growth Creates Complexity 08:00 - Discipline #1: Clarify 13:00 - Discipline #2: Align 17:00 - Discipline #3: Focus 22:00 - Discipline #4: Optimize 27:00 - Why Consistency Beats Intensity 30:00 - Which Discipline Is Your Biggest Opportunity? 33:00 - Building Toward Your Best Version Possible

August 6, 202631 min

AI + Human Connection: The New Advantage for Agencies

AI is changing the insurance industry, but the biggest opportunity isn't replacing people, it's helping people become better. In this episode of The Agent Leader Podcast, Brent Kelly sits down with Eric Witges, CEO of FSB Insurance Agency, to discuss how his agency is using AI to improve preparation, sales conversations, leadership, team alignment, and client relationships. But this episode goes beyond technology. Brent and Eric explore why AI should enhance, not replace, the human side of insurance, along with: How preparation creates confidence Why better questions uncover better opportunities Why communication and empathy remain the greatest competitive advantages for today's agency leaders. If you're looking for practical ways to leverage AI while strengthening the relationships that drive your agency's success, this conversation is packed with insights you can put into practice right away. Learn more about our tools that help your agency become its Best Version Possible, at www.sitkins.com.

July 30, 202617 min

How Leaders Create Capacity, Not Just Results

Most agency leaders think their biggest growth challenges are external. Recruiting. Market conditions. Competition. Carrier relationships. But what if the biggest limitation is actually your leadership capacity? In this episode, Brent Kelly explains why great leaders don't simply create results, they create capacity. You'll learn how expanding your own leadership and developing others allows your agency to scale without creating bottlenecks. In this episode, you'll discover: The difference between internal and external leadership capacity Why leaders unintentionally become the biggest constraint to growth Warning signs your agency has become dependent on you Four ways to intentionally expand leadership capacity across your organization Reflection questions every agency leader should ask If you're ready to build a stronger leadership team and create sustainable growth, this episode is for you. Take the Agency Performance Diagnostic: https://www.sitkins.com/getmyscore

July 16, 202637 min

Your Agency Doesn't Have a Growth Problem (It Has an Alignment Problem)

What if the biggest thing holding your agency back isn't talent, effort, or opportunity? What if it's alignment? In this episode of The Agent Leader Podcast , Brent Kelly challenges one of the most common assumptions in the insurance industry: that growth problems are solved by hiring more producers, increasing activity, or finding more clients. While those things have their place, they're rarely the root cause of stalled growth. Instead, Brent explains why misalignment quietly creates a hidden " performance tax" that's draining productivity, profitability, and momentum across your agency. You'll learn: Why adding more producers often multiplies existing problems instead of solving them. The difference between being busy and making meaningful progress. How alignment creates leverage across leadership, sales, service, and operations. Why the highest-performing agencies focus on fundamentals instead of chasing the next shiny strategy. The leadership habits that drive sustainable growth, stronger profits, and a healthier agency culture. If your agency feels like it's working harder than ever but still not achieving the results you know are possible, this episode will help you identify what's really standing in the way, and how to fix it. Resources mentioned: 📊 Take the Agency Performance Assessment: https://www.sitkins.com/getmyscore 📘 Read Best Version Possible by Roger Sitkins and Brent Kelly: https://www.sitkins.com/bvp

July 9, 202622 min

Your Team Is Borrowing Confidence From You

Confidence isn’t something leaders have, it’s something they create. In this episode of The Agent Leader Podcast, Brent Kelly shares why confidence is one of the most contagious forces inside an insurance agency, and how your team is taking its cues from you every single day. Brent breaks down how elite agencies build confidence through clarity, consistency, and accountability. You’ll learn: Why great producers don’t automatically become great leaders How leadership creates confidence during uncertainty The three habits that build confidence across your agency Why elite agencies develop leadership systems instead of relying on personalities How stronger leadership leads to stronger culture, accountability, and growth If you’re an independent insurance agency owner or leader looking to create a more aligned, confident, and high-performing team, this episode is for you. Take the Agency Performance Assessment at www.sitkins.com/getmyscore

June 26, 202621 min

What Are You Tolerating That Your Future Agency Can't Afford?

Most agency leaders don't wake up and decide to become average. Instead, average happens slowly, through tolerated behaviors, avoided conversations, weakened standards, and leadership drift. In this episode, Brent Kelly explains why the biggest threat to agency growth isn't usually talent, competition, or market conditions. It's the gradual acceptance of mediocrity. You'll learn: Why average clients drain agency capacity The cost of tolerating underperformance How weak systems create chaos Why leaders avoid necessary conversations The role standards play in agency culture and performance Questions every agency leader should be asking right now If you're serious about building a more profitable, aligned, and intentional agency, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership, accountability, and standards. Ready to take your agency above average? Take the free Sitkins Agency Performance Diagnostic

June 18, 202635 min

Beyond Outsourcing: Building High-Performing Teams with Virtual Assistants

Most agency owners know they need help, but hiring the right people feels harder than ever. In this episode, Brent sits down with Valerie Bowden , founder of CRDLE, to discuss why African virtual assistants are becoming one of the biggest untapped opportunities for growing businesses. Valerie shares how companies are finding highly educated, experienced professionals while creating meaningful careers and improving business performance. The conversation goes beyond outsourcing. Brent and Valerie explore how agency owners can reclaim their time, delegate strategically, build better systems, and leverage AI to create documented processes that scale. If you've been wondering whether it's time to bring on additional support, or how to do it successfully, this episode provides a practical roadmap. In this episode, you'll learn: Why African talent is becoming a competitive advantage The biggest misconception about virtual assistants How to identify what work you should delegate first Why documenting your processes matters more than ever How AI can help create SOPs and accelerate onboarding The investment mindset required for successful delegation How strong onboarding leads to long-term business growth If you're ready to create capacity with a virtual assistant, visit the CRDLE website at https://crdle.com/ or connect with Valerie Bowden on LinkedIn.

June 3, 202619 min

Context Creates Results

Why do some agencies thrive in difficult markets while others struggle under the same conditions? In this solo episode, Brent Kelly explores one of the most powerful leadership concepts agency leaders often overlook: context. The way you interpret market conditions, staffing challenges, and opportunities for growth directly impacts the decisions you make, the behaviors you reinforce, and ultimately the results your agency achieves. Brent breaks down how elite agencies approach hard markets, soft markets, staffing concerns, and professional development differently than average agencies. You'll learn why leadership isn't about reacting to circumstances, it's about creating the right perspective. Key Takeaways: Why context drives behavior and behavior drives results How elite agencies respond differently to hard and soft markets The leadership mistake many agencies make when it comes to staffing Why preparation and practice separate top performers from average performers Questions every agency leader should ask themselves about the culture they're creating If you're ready to create better results, take our free assessment at www.sitkins.com/getmyscore to uncover the biggest opportunities in your agency.