The Scratch Agency Podcast

In Episode 185 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald tackle another question from the Scratch Agency Podcast Community: Which aggregator is best for a scratch insurance agency?The answer isn't as simple as naming one company.Stephen and Shawn explain why choosing an aggregator or cluster depends heavily on the agency you're trying to build, the business you want to write, your geographic market, the carriers you actually need access to, and the stage your agency is currently in.One of the biggest warnings is simple: read the contract.Understand the commission structure, fees, carrier access, ownership, exit clauses, and exactly what happens if you eventually want to leave. An aggregator may be the right solution during one season of your agency, but that doesn't necessarily mean it should be your permanent solution.If you already have relationships with carrier representatives from previous insurance experience, direct appointments may be possible. If you're starting without those relationships, an aggregator may be necessary. Depending on your niche, wholesalers and E&S markets could also become part of the strategy.Throughout the episode, they repeatedly recommend talking with local associations like Big I or PIA and finding experienced agency owners in your market who understand which aggregators, clusters, and carriers are actually working in your area.The takeaway isn't to find the perfect aggregator.It's to understand what agency you're building, what clients you want to serve, what markets you need, and what solution makes sense for your current season of business.💼 Sponsored by HawkSofthttps://www.hawksoft.comA family-owned and operated agency management system serving independent agencies with teams from one to 300+ employees. In this episode, Stephen shares feedback from an agency owner in California who values HawkSoft for being reliable, friendly, and family-oriented.🔗 Links & Resources:🎙️ Episode 68 – Creating Your Own Network with Tom LarsenReferenced during the conversation for agency owners interested in learning more about creating their own local cluster or network.📘 Join the Scratch Agency Podcast Community on Facebook to connect with other Scratch agency owners, ask questions about aggregators and carrier access, and learn directly from agents operating in your market.📸 Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thescratchagencypodcast🎧 Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/7hutxCZ5NUPqF5hRdC79Hl🌐 Visit Our Website:https://scratchagencypodcast.comRemember to dig down deep, believe in yourself, and own your own future.

In Episode 184 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald are joined by Michael Richardson of Richardson Insurance for a community call focused on building an agency where the business comes to you.Michael and his wife, Erin, run a fourth-generation agency with a unique inbound-focused model. Rather than relying heavily on cold outreach or aggressive outside producers, Richardson Insurance has built its growth strategy around three core pillars: community involvement and social media, referral partner relationships, and exceptional service.Michael explains how community events, local sponsorships, social content, lender and realtor relationships, and thoughtful client experiences have helped Richardson Insurance build a recognizable local brand that naturally generates opportunities.One of the biggest themes is what Michael calls “unreasonable hospitality.” Instead of competing solely on price or product, his team listens carefully for moments where they can surprise clients with something personal. It might be celebrating a new driver's license, a paid-off mortgage, a new home, or simply remembering a story a client shared.Michael shares how an $8 photo sent to one client ultimately helped generate roughly $10,000 in revenue through referrals and additional business. The point isn't expensive gifts—it's showing people that you're actually listening.The conversation also dives into Michael's inbound sales structure. His producers aren't responsible for generating their own leads. The agency creates the demand, the team catches those inbound opportunities, and compensation is structured around salary, sales goals, bonuses, and team competition.Richardson Insurance has developed its strategy around the lifestyle, growth goals, strengths, and vision Michael and Erin want. They're not trying to build someone else's agency. They're building the agency that works for them.For scratch agency owners wondering where to begin, Michael recommends keeping it simple: set micro goals. Build one new realtor or lender relationship each week. Create one thoughtful client experience. Track what works. Batch the process. Then gradually build from there.💼 Sponsored by HawkSofthttps://www.hawksoft.comA family-owned and operated agency management system serving independent agencies with teams from one to 300+ employees.📚 Books mentioned:Unreasonable Hospitality – Will GuidaraProfit First – Mike MichalowiczGiftology – John Ruhlin📘 Join the Scratch Agency Podcast Community on Facebook to connect with other Scratch agency owners, participate in community calls, ask questions, and learn how other independent agencies are growing.📸 Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thescratchagencypodcast🎧 Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/7hutxCZ5NUPqF5hRdC79Hl🌐 Visit Our Website:https://scratchagencypodcast.comRemember to dig down deep, believe in yourself, and own your own future.

In Episode 183 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald sit down with Dan Sage, Director of Associations at HawkSoft, to talk about agency ownership, carrier relationships, industry associations, and the value of building the right relationships when starting and growing an independent insurance agency.Dan shares his journey from working nights and Saturdays in his father-in-law’s agency to buying it with his wife in 2007, selling in 2023, and joining HawkSoft. Taking over a generational agency taught him the difference between being good at selling insurance and being good at running an insurance business.The conversation explores going deeper with fewer carrier and wholesale partners, building relationships with underwriters, and knowing when to refer business.Dan explains how Big I and PIA can connect new owners with carrier representatives, technology vendors, E&O resources, education, mentors, and experienced agency owners. Stephen shares how Big I New York helped him launch T5 Insurance. The value comes from showing up, attending events, asking questions, and building genuine relationships.Dan also discusses why HawkSoft supports associations and the broader independent agency channel.🕒 Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome & HawkSoft00:58 – Meet Dan Sage01:21 – How Dan Got Into Insurance03:00 – Buying & Eventually Selling the Family Agency03:45 – From HawkSoft User to HawkSoft Team Member04:23 – Taking Over a Generational Agency05:27 – Learning to Run the Business06:53 – Challenging the Way Things Were Always Done08:19 – Too Many Carrier Appointments09:46 – Going Deeper With Carrier Partners10:04 – Why Wholesaler Relationships Matter10:57 – Knowing When to Refer Business12:15 – Why Scratch Agents Need Industry Associations12:42 – Big I, PIA & Building Industry Relationships14:08 – Learning From Other Agency Owners14:56 – Why Associations Matter From Day One15:52 – Stephen's Experience With Big I New York17:14 – Why Getting Involved Matters17:35 – Dan's Role at HawkSoft18:30 – Supporting the Independent Agency Channel20:55 – Other Associations Worth Exploring21:11 – Learning From Other HawkSoft Users23:50 – Find the Most Active Associations24:24 – Networking Beyond Writing Policies24:53 – Closing Thoughts💼 Sponsored by HawkSofthttps://www.hawksoft.comA family-owned and operated agency management system serving independent agencies with teams from one to 300+ employees. Dan Sage joins this episode from HawkSoft to discuss his experience as a former agency owner and his current work helping associations better support independent insurance agencies.🔗 Links & Resources:📘 Join the Scratch Agency Podcast Community on Facebook to connect with other Scratch agency owners, ask questions, share experiences, and learn from people at different stages of their agency journey.📸 Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thescratchagencypodcast🎧 Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/7hutxCZ5NUPqF5hRdC79Hl🌐 Visit Our Website:https://scratchagencypodcast.comThank you for tuning into another episode of the Scratch Agency Podcast.👍 Like the show.📤 Share it with another scratch insurance agency owner.🔔 Subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don't miss the weekly episodes, updates, and shorts.Most importantly, remember to dig down deep, believe in yourself, and own your own future.

Stephen and Shawn have built two very different agencies with very different approaches to generating business. Shawn has developed a strong paid lead strategy, particularly through Meta ads, while Stephen's agency relies heavily on community involvement, relationships, and inbound referrals.Both strategies work—but both can also create a potential bottleneck when too much of the agency's growth depends on one source.Shawn discusses why he believes an agency may eventually benefit from having both a warm and cold lead generation strategy. Instead of abandoning what's already working, the goal could be to keep the primary engine running while gradually developing another measurable source of opportunities.Stephen shares the other side of the equation. His community-driven strategy works, but much of that lead generation currently depends on him personally. That raises a similar question: how do you build a repeatable playbook that another producer can eventually execute?They also explore the leverage that can come from referral relationships. One strong relationship with a lender, realtor, banker, attorney, or other referral partner can potentially expand into introductions from an entire office or network.Stephen shares a real example from T5 Insurance where a relationship with one mortgage officer expanded after she moved companies. Within weeks, her new mortgage company began generating multiple warm introductions per day for the agency.The episode doesn't pretend there is one perfect answer. Instead, Stephen and Shawn explore when it makes sense to stay focused on your primary growth engine—and when it might be time to start building another one.🔍 If most of your agency's new business comes from one source, this episode will get you thinking about concentration risk, warm versus cold strategies, referral leverage, and how to build a more diversified lead-generation system without spreading yourself too thin.🕒 Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome to the Scratch Agency Podcast 01:28 – Two Agencies, Two Lead Generation Strategies 02:25 – When Should You Diversify Lead Generation? 03:04 – Start With One Strong Growth Engine 04:31 – Diversifying Your Leads vs. Your Book 04:55 – What Happens If Your Main Lead Source Disappears? 05:38 – When the Agency Owner Becomes the Bottleneck 06:28 – Warm vs. Cold Lead Generation 07:33 – Building a Measurable Cold Strategy 08:52 – Don't Spread Yourself Too Thin 09:19 – When a Scratch Agency Becomes “Scratch Plus” 10:15 – Your Strategy Can Change as You Grow 11:01 – Why Warm & Cold Strategies Can Work Together 12:28 – The Leverage of Referral Partners 12:54 – How One Relationship Created More Leads 14:47 – Are You Diversifying Your Lead Generation? 15:55 – Creating More Leverage in Your Agency 16:22 – Closing Thoughts 💼 Sponsored by HawkSofthttps://www.hawksoft.comA family-owned and operated agency management system serving independent agencies with teams from one to 300+ employees. In this episode, an agency owner from Alabama highlights HawkSoft's user-friendly platform and describes its supportive service as top-notch.🔗 Links & Resources:📘 Join the Scratch Agency Podcast Community on Facebook to connect with other Scratch agency owners, share what's working in your agency, ask questions, and contribute ideas for future episodes.📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescratchagencypodcast🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hutxCZ5NUPqF5hRdC79Hl🌐 Visit Our Website: https://scratchagencypodcast.comThank you for tuning into another episode of the Scratch Agency Podcast.👍 Like the show. 📤 Share it with another scratch insurance agency owner. 🔔 Subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don't miss the weekly episodes, updates, and shorts.Most importantly, remember to dig down deep, believe in yourself, and own your own future.

The conversation starts with a new agency owner trying to decide between AMS platforms and phone systems. Stephen and Shawn use the question to explore a much bigger topic—how scratch agency owners should think about building their technology stack from day one.One of Stephen's biggest recommendations is simple: start with your AMS.Your agency management system should become the source of truth for your agency. From there, evaluate which CRM, phone system, texting tools, integrations, and other technology work naturally around that core platform.Stephen and Shawn discuss their experiences with HawkSoft, EZLynx, AMS360, AgencyZoom, RingCentral, and Lightspeed, including the advantages, limitations, integrations, and lessons they've learned from their own agencies.They also discuss an important mistake new agency owners can make: signing long-term technology contracts without fully understanding them. The platform that works when you're a one-person agency may not necessarily fit the agency you're building several years from now.It's easy to keep adding vendors for e-signatures, phones, texting, AI, automation, CRM, and other functions. But before adding another subscription, Stephen and Shawn recommend auditing what your existing technology already does and building stronger processes around the tools you already have.The best technology isn't necessarily the platform with the most features. It's the technology that fits the agency you're trying to build, integrates with your core systems, and helps your team execute without creating unnecessary complexity.🔍 If you're starting a scratch insurance agency—or reconsidering the technology you're already using—this episode will help you think more strategically about your AMS, CRM, phone system, integrations, contracts, and overall tech stack.🕒 Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome & HawkSoft 01:13 – Questions From the Community 01:37 – Choosing an AMS & Phone System 02:00 – AMS vs. CRM: Understanding the Difference 02:30 – Why You Should Read Your Tech Contracts 03:55 – HawkSoft vs. EZLynx Considerations 04:36 – Shawn's Experience With AMS360 05:25 – Choosing the Right CRM 06:27 – Do You Need a CRM From Day One? 06:57 – Why You Need an AMS From Day One 07:38 – Shawn's Experience Starting Without a CRM 08:07 – Integrations & Building Your Processes 09:05 – Choosing a Business Phone System 10:51 – RingCentral vs. Lightspeed 11:50 – Phone & AMS Integrations 13:40 – Build Your Stack Around Your AMS 14:41 – Don't Overbuild Your Tech Stack 15:38 – Build the Process Before Adding More Tech 16:09 – Audit the Technology You Already Have 17:06 – Questions From the Community 17:29 – Starting the Conversation 17:59 – The Scratch Agency Podcast Community 19:00 – Closing Thoughts 💼 Sponsored by HawkSofthttps://www.hawksoft.comA family-owned and operated agency management system serving independent agencies with teams from one to 300+ employees. In this episode, Stephen also discusses why HawkSoft has become the core AMS for his agency and why data ownership, cost, integrations, and simplicity matter when choosing technology.🔗 Links & Resources:📘 Join the Scratch Agency Podcast Community on Facebook to connect with other Scratch agency owners, ask questions, compare technology and processes, and contribute ideas for future episodes.📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescratchagencypodcast🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hutxCZ5NUPqF5hRdC79Hl🌐 Visit Our Website: https://scratchagencypodcast.comThank you for tuning into another episode of the Scratch Agency Podcast.👍 Like the show. 📤 Share it with another scratch insurance agency owner. 🔔 Subscribe to the YouTube channel so you don't miss the weekly episodes, updates, and shorts.Most importantly, remember to dig down deep, believe in yourself, and own your own future.