In Episode 5 of From The Darkhorse's Mouth, titled "Build a Bear," Dan and Carly Garzella are joined by Cody Houk, Co-Founder of Primerisk, for a tactical deep dive into one of the most critical components of a successful independent agency: the tech stack.

Cody shares how he approached building out Primerisk’s platform from the ground up, including the evaluation process for choosing the right foundational tools like an Agency Management System (AMS), CRM, comparative raters, and more. He explains how to separate the “nice to haves” from the true game changers - and how to budget for technology in a way that drives growth without crushing your bottom line.

The conversation also covers the often-overlooked realities of technology adoption and team training, highlighting why even the best software fails without proper implementation. Plus, the episode looks ahead at future tech trends, including the role of artificial intelligence in transforming insurance operations through automation, decision-making, and predictive analytics.

Whether you’re starting your agency from scratch or refining your current systems, this episode gives you a roadmap to build a smarter, scalable tech stack that sets you up for long-term success.

💬 Have questions? Email us at podcast@darkhorseinsurance.com

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