The Insurance Buzz

Hosted by Michael and Courtney Weaver

Business Entrepreneurship Management Education

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Episodes

476

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

The Insurance Buzz shares top tips for Insurance Agents on how to maximize their entrepreneurial journey. Sales training tips, mindset, and motivation and learn from some of the best in the industry and experts in the field as they share what they have done to be successful as an Insurance Agent.

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60 recent

August 20, 202639 min

481. How to Streamline New Hire Licensing So You Can Actually Run Your Agency Like a CEO

You are losing sales every time a customer says it is too expensive, they need to talk to their spouse, or they want to check with another agent first. On August 20th at noon CST, Michael is teaching a free live training on exactly how to overcome objections in the auto conversation. 👉 REGISTER NOW: https://bit.ly/auto-objection-webinar Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: Most agency owners can recruit new hires, but getting them licensed and selling is where the process breaks down. In this episode, Michael and Courtney Weaver sit down with Mike Aldini of Excel Solutions to break down why new hires fail licensing exams or quit halfway through, why setting clear expectations and deadlines up front fixes it, and how AI tools like Excel's in-house RubyTutor are helping agencies get new hires licensed and selling faster than ever. [00:00] The hiring pain point every growing agency faces [01:00] Meet Mike Aldini and why Excel Solutions works with agencies nationwide [03:00] Why managers overlook how hard the licensing journey really is [05:00] The two-week contingent offer window that gets new hires moving [06:00] Why setting expectations up front produces better licensing results [08:00] Courtney's own licensing story [11:00] Why Excel front-loads easier content to stop early quitting [13:00] P&C first or life and health first [14:00] The three-strike rule and creating urgency the right way [16:00] What agency owners would miss most if Excel disappeared [18:00] The state requirements page that removes the guesswork [20:00] Inside RubyTutor: Excel's cautious approach to AI in coursework [22:00] Register for Michael's free training on overcoming auto sales objections [24:00] Fire yourself: the real job of a scaling agency owner [29:00] The success stories that make this work worth it [33:00] Outsourcing licensing so you can focus on culture and leadership [36:00] How to get in touch with Mike Aldini and Excel Solutions Connect with Mike Aldini: Excel Solutions: excelsolutions.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-aldini-78459422/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.aldini Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracias_louie/ Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

August 17, 202642 min

480. How One Financial Advisor Legally Cut His Tax Rate to 2.8%

Every “I need to shop around” is a policy walking out the door. Michael’s free webinar breaks down the exact scripts to turn auto insurance objections into closed sales. 👉 REGISTER NOW Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What’s in this episode: Financial advisor and insurance industry expert Mike Milligan, CFP and owner of One Oak Financial and Ideas by Mike, joins Michael and Courtney Weaver to break down how he legally reduced his effective tax rate to 2.8% using Puerto Rico’s Act 60 export services incentive. Michael and Courtney dig into how insurance agents and financial advisors can use content creation, especially YouTube, to build authority and attract prospects who might otherwise walk right past them in the grocery store. Mike also shares the framework he uses to turn financial planning conversations into simple, one-page vision statements for clients, and explains why the biggest problem facing insurance agents and financial advisors today is not competition, it is obscurity. Listeners will learn a simple weekly content habit any insurance agent or financial advisor can start today, how to reframe rejection in sales conversations, and why becoming a behavioral coach matters as much as being a product expert. [00:00] Taxes are an asset now: the $800K he saved [01:00] 2.8% effective tax rate: what this episode covers [02:00] Michael and Courtney welcome Mike Milligan [03:00] Why Mike lives in Puerto Rico, works from Virginia [04:00] How Act 60 drops his income tax rate to 2% [05:00] Geographic arbitrage: not a fit for everybody [06:00] Why proximity to high performers changes you [08:00] Taxes were his biggest expense, now an asset [09:00] The insurance industry’s biggest problem: obscurity [10:00] Why one-size-fits-all content hurts good advisors [12:00] The microphone: financial services’ best tool [13:00] Mike’s Friday self-appointment framework [15:00] Why YouTube works: people search for answers [16:00] Best clients come from unexpected places [17:00] You don’t need to be a creator, just 30 minutes [20:00] Eight-figure earners have the same 24 hours [22:00] Choosing your hard: leads and differentiation [23:00] Cringe Mountain and the one-inch opinion square [25:00] Turn client questions into a video library [26:00] Profit vs. impact: what big companies miss [28:00] Why advisors are becoming behavioral therapists [30:00] Michael’s story: a father’s pension, a coach [33:00] The one question every financial plan starts with [34:00] A one-page vision statement clients keep [37:00] Inside Mike’s Sprint to Success program [39:00] Where to find Mike: Skool, text-in, website [41:00] Closing thoughts Connect with Mike Milligan: Skool community: https://www.skool.com/mikemilligan Text “IDEAS” to 600700 Website: https://www.mikemilligan.com Book: “One of a Kind Financial Plan” https://a.co/d/05GuUFu2 New Book: “Retirement Deja Vu” https://a.co/d/0hImXVgd Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

August 13, 202642 min

479. Internet Leads Are Dying. Here's What Insurance Agencies Should Do Instead

You are losing sales every time a customer says it is too expensive, they need to talk to their spouse, or they want to check with another agent first. On August 20th at noon CST, Michael is teaching a free live training on exactly how to overcome objections in the auto conversation. 👉 REGISTER NOW: https://bit.ly/auto-objection-webinar Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: Most insurance agencies are building someone else's brand without realizing it. In this episode, Michael and Courtney Weaver sit down with marketing expert Jake Cash, head of Senryx, to break down why internet leads should not be the backbone of any agency's growth plan and why relying on a single lead source leaves an agency exposed the moment costs spike or the market shifts. Jake explains how the top performing agencies diversify their lead generation across referrals, digital marketing, and traditional marketing, why owning your brand matters more than ever, and the framework Google uses to explain how many touchpoints it takes before a customer buys. Michael and Courtney add their own take on positioning, content, and why the agencies willing to get uncomfortable now are the ones who will not be dependent on carriers or vendors later. [00:00] Why Michael says quit branding your carrier [01:00] Meet Jake Cash and today's lead gen conversation [02:00] Why Jake Cash wants internet leads to die [03:00] The false confidence internet leads create [04:00] What true marketing diversification looks like [05:00] Why commoditized leads erase your differentiation [06:00] Michael's rule: five lead sources at all times [07:00] What the top 10% of agencies do differently [09:00] The known, liked, and trusted core of marketing [11:00] Finding your white space in a crowded market [12:00] Credibility, opportunity, and the contrarian take [14:00] The Google framework behind buyer attention [16:00] Where agents should actually be spending time [17:00] Shared, owned, and earned marketing explained [19:00] Why in-person pitching beats social media DMs [21:00] What is generating leads within 90 days right now [22:00] The digital marketing table stakes agents skip [24:00] Why diversifying yourself matters as much as marketing [26:00] Lead magnets and the warm up before the ask [27:00] Educational content built around life stage triggers [29:00] The Sunday Smarts story that built instant credibility [30:00] Why agents have to climb cringe mountain [32:00] Short term versus long term marketing strategies [34:00] Ideal customer, ideal location, ideal conversation [35:00] The psychology behind Agency Coach AI's marketing data [37:00] Stop renting your growth and start owning it [38:00] The hidden risk in your marketing vendor contracts Connect with Jake Cash https://senryx.com/podcast (free marketing independence assessment) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakecash/ Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

August 10, 202612 min

478. Why Insurance Agency Owners Must Become CEOs (Carriers Are Forcing It)

You are losing sales every time a customer says it is too expensive, they need to talk to their spouse, or they want to check with another agent first. On August 20th at noon CST, Michael is teaching a free live training on exactly how to overcome objections in the auto conversation. 👉 REGISTER NOW: https://bit.ly/auto-objection-webinar Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: Most insurance agency owners are stuck seeing every dollar they spend as an expense instead of an investment. In this episode, Michael Weaver breaks down the mindset shift required to build an agency that can actually scale, why hiring, coaching, training, and technology are investments in growth rather than costs to control, and why carriers are pushing agency owners to operate like true CEOs instead of top producers. Michael shares a real conversation with an Agency Coach AI customer who almost canceled her account the same week she hired an office manager, and walks through the exact math that changed her mind. He breaks down what it actually costs to build a real training and coaching system inside an agency, and why the agencies that invest now are the ones that will still be standing when the industry shifts. [00:00] Why you cannot save your way to profitability [01:00] The mindset shift between an expense and an investment [02:00] Why bringing on 3 new hires next month is an investment, not an expense [03:00] The Agency Coach AI customer who almost canceled her account [04:00] Doing the math on what 2% of your revenue actually buys you [05:00] Why the coach you just hired needs the tools to actually coach [06:00] What training providers charge versus what Agency Coach AI costs [07:00] Why your CRM and your phone are investments too [08:00] The reminder every agency owner needs to hear right now [09:00] Becoming an agency of the future instead of an agency of today [10:00] Why carriers are forcing you to become a true CEO [11:00] The swamp period every growing agency has to survive [12:00] The fast track to buying back your time Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

August 6, 202641 min

477. AI Just Ate Your Prospecting (And That's a Good Thing)

One agency office went from a 7% close rate to 23% in two weeks. Same team. Same leads. We are showing you exactly what changed, live. This is a one time webinar, no replay and no recording, so you have to show up. Thursday, August 6th at noon CST, capped at 100 seats.👉 SAVE YOUR SEAT Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: Insurance agencies are falling behind on AI faster than their own customers are catching up. In this episode, Michael and Courtney Weaver sit down with Matthew Black, owner and CEO of mav.ai, to break down how agentic AI is already qualifying leads, running SDR conversations, and changing the way consumers shop for insurance before an agent ever picks up the phone. Matthew explains how AI voice and text agents are replacing the manual prospecting grind for insurance agents and agencies, why team members who refuse to adopt AI won't have a job in three years, and what it actually takes to compete once ChatGPT starts serving ads to insurance shoppers. Michael and Courtney get real about the AI tools every insurance agency owner needs to be using right now to stay ahead. [00:00] Why the agency force is falling behind on AI adoption [01:00] Meet Matthew Black, owner and CEO of mav.ai [02:00] How Matthew personally uses AI to run his business day to day [04:00] Chat or Claude: how the AI models are picking their lane [06:00] What agentic AI actually means versus a chatbot conversation [08:00] Using AI to scrape support emails and surface trends for Agency Coach AI [09:00] The top of funnel tasks agentic AI can take off an agency's plate [11:00] Why humans still win the conversation and the close [13:00] The line between efficient AI outreach and spammy AI texts [14:00] Memory, context, and the future of AI matched insurance shopping [17:00] Free training: how AI saves agencies 12 to 15 hours a week [19:00] What happens to team members who refuse to use AI [20:00] ChatGPT ads are here and what it means for agency marketing [22:00] Why over 90 percent of Agency Coach AI customers are top 2 percent [24:00] The one thing top talent actually wants out of their job [26:00] What Mav does for insurance agencies buying third party leads [30:00] AI voice SDRs versus AI text SDRs: what is converting [34:00] What makes Mav different from a CRM text cadence [37:00] Why Matthew built Mav for the insurance industry [38:00] How to connect with Matthew Black and Mav Connect with Matthew Black: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madebyblack/ Website: https://hiremav.com/ Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

August 3, 202614 min

476. Insurance Agents You're Not Overspending, You're Underinvesting

One agency office went from a 7% close rate to 23% in 2 weeks. Same team. Same leads. We are showing you exactly what changed, live. This is a one time webinar, no replay and no recording, so you have to show up. Thursday, August 6th at noon CST, capped at 100 seats. 👉 REGISTER NOW: SAVE MY SEAT Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: Michael Weaver flies solo this episode, fresh off a conference where carriers are no longer talking about $10 million books of business. They are talking about $100 million books, and insurance agency owners are being asked to run their offices like enterprises, not small shops. Michael breaks down what separates the agents built for the future: bigger teams, multiple marketing channels, and technology like Agency Coach AI that automates training and coaching instead of eating up a manager's day. He also makes the case for why small mom and pop agencies will get starved out, and what every insurance agency owner needs to invest in right now to stay ahead. [00:00] Growth is messy, know exactly when you're about to breakthrough [01:00] Michael flies solo with fresh takeaways on the agent of the future [02:00] Why carriers are talking $100 million books instead of $10 million [03:00] The three stages of an agency owner: sales agent, manager, CEO [04:00] What separates the best agents in the country, and it is not a secret [05:00] The mom and pop agencies carriers are about to starve out [06:00] Investing in people and tech instead of cutting corners [07:00] Where AI is headed next for insurance agencies [08:00] Why one or two marketing channels is a recipe for disaster [09:00] Turning scale into revenue and thinking like an enterprise [10:00] The agencies already making these investments right now [11:00] Why investing money is the fastest way to scale efficiently [12:00] The mindset shift from $10 million books to $100 million books [13:00] Growth is messy, but you have what it takes [14:00] Michael's parting reminder to go make it happen Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

July 30, 202612 min

475. HIGHLIGHT: The Questions That Build a Six Figure Life Insurance Career with Van Mueller and Jim Ruta

Your team is having the same conversations every day, and most of them end in NO. That's not a talent problem. It's a training problem. For 8 years, Weaver Sales Academy has turned untrained producers into closers, over 17,000 of them, generating 200M+ in insurance sales along the way. This week's the last shot to get your team in before the price goes back up! 👉 Book your call: SAVE NOW Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: In this highlight episode, life insurance legend Van Mueller shows insurance agents exactly what to say, and what to cut, in a client conversation. He breaks down the one word that kills trust, the exact question that turned a stranger into an $800,000 case, and why repetition, not talent, builds top producers. Jim Ruta then walks Michael Weaver through the ICON Protocol: inspiration, communication, organization, and enumeration. It's the four part framework insurance agents and agency owners can use to build a six figure life insurance career that lasts. [00:00] Van Mueller on why insurance sales is a lonely business [01:00] Introducing two life insurance legends, Van Mueller and Jim Ruta [02:00] The word Van Mueller cut from his vocabulary when talking to clients [03:00] The grocery store conversation that turned into an $800,000 case [06:00] Why repetition, not talent, builds great insurance agents [07:00] Weaver Sales Academy's Summer Sizzle Sale, last call to save $1,200 [08:00] Jim Ruta introduces the ICON Protocol, starting with inspiration [09:00] Why style beats substance in insurance sales [10:00] Building an organized sales presentation agents can repeat every time [11:00] Why enumeration separates top producers from everyone else [12:00] The full ICON framework recapped for insurance agents ready to grow Full Episodes: 431. Questions That Sell Life Insurance Without Pressure with Van Mueller: https://youtu.be/aS_0e1rJwDU 429. The Burnout Trap Most Life Insurance Agents Fall Into with Jim Ruta: https://youtu.be/O62RP9pV_q4 Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

July 27, 202640 min

474. The Future Insurance Agent and Why New Agents Quit Before They Get Good

Training doesn't create producers. Reps do. Agency Coach AI coaches everyone in your office, reviews every call, and shows you exactly where to coach. Increase close rates. Save 40–60 manager hours every month. 👉 Book Your Demo: Let's Talk Watch the full episode on YouTube: Watch Now What's in this episode: Most new insurance agents don't quit because they're not smart enough. They quit because they're thrown into the field without ever practicing first. In this episode, Michael and Courtney sit down with 40-year insurance industry veteran Greg Smith to break down the paradox of learning: why new insurance agents lack confidence and competence right out of training, and why the industry's outdated onboarding model is setting new agents up to quit before they ever get good. [00:00] Why rapid experience acceleration could save the industry millions [01:00] Introducing 40-year insurance veteran Greg Smith [02:00] Greg's family legacy in insurance and how he built a 40-year career [05:00] The paradox of learning and why new agents freeze up [08:00] What sports and surgery teach us about practicing before performing [10:00] Why the industry's onboarding model sets new agents up to fail [12:00] Diffusion of innovation and why only 16% of agents adopt change first [15:00] What carriers should actually be solving for right now [19:00] Why AI sales agents will replace transactional selling within five years [23:00] How AI lets managers coach 15 to 20 people instead of five or six [25:00] Turning AI into a technical knowledge assistant for agents [27:00] Why professional advisors still beat AI on trust [30:00] Functional courage and the coyote mindset for new agents [32:00] The team member who logged 150+ role plays in a single month [36:00] Greg's new book and where to connect with him Connect with Greg: linkedin.com/in/greg-smith-35788063 https://www.meetgregsmith.com Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

July 23, 202616 min

473. HIGHLIGHT: What the Top P&C Producers in the Country Do Every Single Day

You have days left to lock in the Summer Sizzle Sale. For 8 years, Weaver Sales Academy has helped 17,000+ insurance professionals sell more and close better in auto, fire, and life. Once July 31 hits, this price is gone. Book your call now and walk into Q3 and Q4 already ahead. 👉 BOOK YOUR CALL Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: In this Insurance Buzz highlight episode, Michael and Courtney Weaver sit down with top producers Abe and Waldis to reveal what separates average agents from top performers. They explain why listening more, role-playing consistently, and focusing on getting 1% better every day leads to bigger results. Michael also breaks down his proven elevator pitch, the four-part framework that opens more conversations, and two simple objection-handling methods—the Phil Felt Found technique and his AAA approach (Agree, Address, Assume). If you're looking to turn more contacts into quotes, this episode delivers practical scripts you can use immediately. [00:00] Cold open, there's always another level to the game [00:01] Abe's real struggle, becoming an active listener [02:00] Why maximizing households beats one item per sale [02:30] Practicing active listening inside Agency Coach AI [03:30] Abe's rule, 1% growth every single day [04:30] Waldis on the six pack discipline behind mastery [05:30] Game excellence versus just having a good game [06:00] Owning your career, your desk, your office, your life [06:30] Weaver Sales Academy's Summer Sizzle Sale, almost gone [08:00] The 15 second elevator pitch that gets you the yes [09:00] The 4 parts of a winning elevator pitch, live example [11:00] Assuming the conversation for an immediate yes [12:00] Stage two, moving into rapport building on the call [12:30] The 5 objections you hear on every single call [13:30] The Phil Felt Found method for handling objections [15:00] The AAA method, agree, address, assume Watch the full episodes: 427. 100-App Months: What These 2 Producers Do Differently, and What They Expect From Their Agents: https://youtu.be/xecWXDdtXpY 444. The P&C Sales System, Step 1: The Elevator Pitch that Converts Contacts to Quotes: https://youtu.be/VzZrnWsHYXk Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver

July 20, 202632 min

472. How to Recruit and Retain Insurance CSRs and Account Managers

Your team is leaving money on the table, and the Summer Sizzle Sale is ending soon. For 8 years, Weaver Sales Academy has helped 17,000+ insurance professionals sell more and close better. Don't head into Q4 with the same gaps costing you sales. 👉 Book your call before the sale ends LET'S TALK Watch the full episode on YouTube: HERE What's in this episode: Finding and keeping strong CSRs and account managers has become one of the biggest challenges agency owners face today. In this episode, Michael and Courtney Weaver sit down with Tony Cañas of Top Hat Recruiting to break down why the account management talent pool has shrunk, what agencies get wrong about the role, and how outdated processes are driving good people away. Tony shares what experienced CSRs and account managers should be earning right now, why remote and hybrid flexibility has become the number one factor in retention, and how agencies can turn a clerical job into a real career path. He also breaks down the exact characteristics that separate top performing account managers from the rest, and what agency teams will likely look like a year from now. [00:00] Introducing Tony Cañas of Top Hat Recruiting [01:00] Why agencies can't find good people right now [03:00] Making the CSR and account manager role attractive [05:00] The pay gap between producers and account managers [07:00] Remote work and the return to office debate [10:00] Turning the role into a real career path [12:00] Outsourcing with VAs and building solid SOPs [13:00] Licensed vs. non licensed hiring decisions [14:00] Why compensation squeezes skipped service roles [16:00] The real reasons experienced talent is leaving [17:00] Why employer brand and culture matter so much [19:00] What CSRs and account managers should be paid [20:00] The real day to day of a $90K account manager [23:00] Traits of the best account managers Tony sees [24:00] What everyone is talking about at conferences [26:00] The truth about AI ROI in insurance agencies [27:00] Tony's prediction for insurance a year from now [29:00] What agency teams will look like next year Connect with Tony Cañas: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tonycanas Podcast: Profiles In Risk Agency Coach AI - BOOK A DEMO Stop guessing. Start closing. 24/7 AI coaching with real-time grading, role-plays, and feedback your producers actually use. TEXT MICHAEL DIRECTLY Have a question or want to talk to Michael directly? It’s really him, not a robot. Text “BUZZ” to (816) 727-7610 FREE 7-Day Demo – Weaver Sales Academy Try it: CLICK HERE Tools + Free Resources https://www.weaversa.com Connect with Michael Online LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelweaverwsa YouTube: @michaelweavertraining Facebook: facebook.com/themichaelweaver Instagram: @michaelweaver