Podcast · Business

The Insurance Dudes©

by The Insurance Dudes: Craig Pretzinger and Jason Feltman · English · Business

The Insurance Dudes is a weekly podcast for independent and captive P&C insurance agency owners, hosted by Craig Pretzinger and Jason Feltman, covering lead generation, sales scripts, DISC-based hiring, producer training, recruiting, automation, and the KPI tracking that scales an agency past $10 mi

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 46 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 51 min

Meaningful, Customized, Unexpected: Reciprocity That Wins Clients

Shoot Us A Message! Turn insurance prospect conversations into closed business with ethical persuasion and reciprocity. This episode covers how P&C agency owners can leverage behavioral science, active listening, and relationship-driven sales to improve closing rates and client retention. Author and international influence consultant, Brian Ahearn breaks down the practical application of Robert Cialdini's influence principles and explains how meaningful, customized, unexpected outreach s...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Sep 2026 · 28 min
Great Agencies Don’t Hire Salespeople, They Build Them
Shoot Us A Message! Hiring insurance producers who actually write premium comes down to building a repeatable training system rather than searching for a unicorn salesperson. In this episode, we break down why relying on experienced talent often leads to high turnover and bad sales habits inside your agency. Learn how to recruit for coachability, structure daily producer onboarding, and run consistent sales training to ramp new hires to full quota faster. If you need a structured framework t...
23 Sep 2026 · 42 min
Why Most Agents Fail the Exam
Shoot Us A Message! How to help new insurance producers pass the licensing exam on their first attempt and reduce onboarding drop-off. Melissa, the Insurance Exam Queen joins us to break down why most candidates struggle with the insurance licensing exam and how agency owners can fix their preparation process. When bringing new talent into your agency, long study cycles and repeat test failures cost time and revenue. Structuring a clear study framework helps your new hires get licensed faste...
16 Sep 2026 · 53 min
The Future of Insurance: Technology, Risk & Relationships
Shoot Us A Message! How P&C insurance agency owners can adapt to modern technology, evaluate emerging risk, and strengthen client retention to scale their business. In this episode, we discuss the changing landscape of insurance technology, managing risk profiles, and maintaining strong relationship-driven service. Learn how to implement sustainable agency growth systems and streamline your operations in a shifting market. If you are looking to scale your agency systems and processes, ch...
9 Sep 2026 · 59 min
From Wild Claims to Agency Success: Michelle O'Connor's Journey
Shoot Us A Message! Scale your P&C insurance agency by building repeatable operations, handling complex claims, and tightening your client acquisition process. In this episode, we sit down with agency owner Michelle O'Connor to break down the operational shifts required to build a sustainable book of business. We walk through navigating claims handling, transitioning into agency leadership, and setting up daily processes that protect retention while driving steady agency growth. F...
2 Sep 2026 · 16 min
The 15-Minute Meeting That Changes Everything
Shoot Us A Message! Meetings: the overlooked habit that keeps an agency from falling apart This episode breaks down why daily meetings are the “glue” that keeps an insurance agency running smoothly. We explain how inconsistent check-ins create hidden problems, while short, focused meetings surface roadblocks, accountability gaps, and team momentum before the numbers slip. We discuss why meetings are often avoided, why that avoidance makes problems harder to fix, and how AI tools can help tr...
26 Aug 2026 · 46 min
$6 Million Non-Renewed - Then Everything Changed with Dan Kitajima
Shoot Us A Message! Struggling to stay profitable when carriers change the rules on you overnight? Dan Kitajima shares the brutal moment his captive agency lost $6 million of book in six months, right as he had just signed a $20,000-a-month office lease - and how that shock forced him to rethink everything. We pushed Dan into the numbers behind the move from captive to independent, from broker fees and comp plans to closing ratios, retention, and why hyper-specializing can beat trying...
19 Aug 2026 · 55 min
The Hiring Mistake That Costs Visionary CEOs Their Best People with Mandy Keene
Shoot Us A Message! Hiring for insurance agencies requires a specific strategy to avoid turnover and protect your company culture. This episode covers the common hiring mistakes that lead visionary CEOs to lose their best talent and how to implement better agency systems for long term retention. Mandy Keene, a specialist in helping business owners align their team with their vision, joins us to discuss role fit and leadership. Learn how to identify the right candidates for your P&C agenc...
12 Aug 2026 · 57 min
How $500 Became a 50-Employee Insurance Empire
Shoot Us A Message! Struggling to grow when your best move feels too risky to make? We discuss how to scale a P&C agency from scratch. The episode focuses on the transition from a small startup to a 50 employee operation by implementing specific outbound dialing processes and hiring the right producers. Guest Dan Garzella, owner of The Garzella Group, explains his journey of building an agency empire starting with only 500 dollars. If you are looking to scale your outbound effort...
5 Aug 2026 · 25 min
Why Your Agency Hiring Process Is Failing
Shoot Us A Message! Hiring Producers for P&C Agencies. In this episode, we discuss effective recruitment techniques for finding high performing talent in a competitive market. We break down the mechanics of role fit and how to screen for candidates who actually want to work. If you are looking to improve your hiring process, hiring producers, and team culture, check out TeamIQ. Key Takeaways and Timestamps 0:00 Introduction to hiring challenges 4:15 Why role fit is more important th...
29 Jul 2026 · 31 min
Mastering the Insurance Sale: Six Stages to Success
Shoot Us A Message! How to close more P&C deals in 6 steps. In this episode, we break down the six stages of every successful insurance sale. We explain how to move prospects through the funnel using consistent outbound dialing and proven lead generation strategies. Mastering these stages is essential for agency growth and maximizing your overall agency valuation. Improve your results with our outbound lead gen and dialing tools at Teledudes. Key Takeaways and Timestamps 0:00 The firs...
S8 · E805 · 22 Jul 2026 · 24 min
Mastering Lead Generation: Six Steps to Insurance Agency Success with iDudes Mailbag
Shoot Us A Message! Are your marketing efforts leaking money without delivering the growth you need? This episode dives into the real, behind-the-scenes challenges of running successful lead campaigns and how to fix the leaky buckets draining your budget. You’ll learn the six crucial stages to optimize, from sourcing reliable leads and managing cold calls to navigating carrier flags and discover how to fix broken systems that keep your agency stuck. We share their proven strat...
S8 · E804 · 15 Jul 2026 · 21 min
The Secret Sauce to Insurance Business Success with iDudes Mailbag
Shoot Us A Message! Think your agency has a lead problem? Most agencies aren’t losing sales because they bought the wrong leads, they’re losing because they’re not tracking the right numbers. In this episode, we break down the 3 metrics every P&C agency needs to scale with confidence: cost per sale, lifetime value, and payback period. When you know your numbers, you stop guessing, stop bleeding cash, and start building a real money machine. Better decisions. Better margins...
S8 · E803 · 8 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
From Chaos to Order: The Insurance Journey of Andrew Engler
Shoot Us A Message! Most agencies aren’t losing growth because of price, they’re losing because of process. 👀 In this episode, we break down why the best P&C agencies win by building better systems, not just pushing harder. From producer accountability to closing more business, the real edge comes from creating a repeatable process that helps your team sell with confidence. We also dig into why chaos kills scale and how top agencies turn messy workflows into momentum. Ready to build a...
1 Jul 2026 · 24 min
How Hiring Mistakes Drain Your Agency's Profits with iDudes Mailbag
Shoot Us A Message! Are bad hires quietly draining your profits? We discovered how the true cost of a failed team member can skyrocket to $74,000 in just six months and why neglecting this is crushing your growth. You'll learn the concrete numbers behind hiring mistakes, the cascading effects of turnover, and practical steps to build a pipeline of champions who keep delivering for your agency long-term. We break down the hidden expenses you’re paying: the opportunity costs, the lost reven...
24 Jun 2026 · 19 min
How 1% Improvements Lead to 40X Growth with iDudes Mailbag
Shoot Us A Message! How to teach and train a sales team effectively depends on consistency and repetition rather than one-off training events. We answer a mailbag question about the best way to develop producers and ensure agency growth. The episode breaks down why daily meetings are the core of a successful sales system and how they prevent the natural entropy of an agency. It covers the compounding effect of one percent daily improvements, the skeleton of a high-converting sales script, a...
17 Jun 2026 · 17 min
How to Hire A Players in a Tight Market
Shoot Us A Message! Think your agency has a lead problem? Think again. In this high-energy episode, we reveal how top agencies are slicing through chaos by upgrading their talent game. Discover why ditching the bottom tier can triple productivity, how clear standards keep A players engaged, and why investing more upfront saves headaches and boosts profits fast. Learn why hiring for attitude over cheap labor is the secret sauce to building a powerhouse team. We share real numbers, like p...
10 Jun 2026 · 55 min
Unlocking Agency Growth: Fun, Authenticity, and Social Media Mastery with Nicholas Sakha
Shoot Us A Message! Struggling to scale your insurance agency without adding more chaos? Discover how embracing fun and authenticity can transform your business and life. In this fun episode, we sit down with Nicholas Sakha, a dynamic insurance agent from Las Vegas. We dive into the evolution of Nicholas's career, exploring how he leveraged social media to grow his agency and connect with clients. The conversation touches on the importance of balancing work and personal life, the power of a...
4 Jun 2026 · 57 min
The Future Agent: Winning with AI, Automation, and Digital Innovation
Shoot Us A Message! In this episode, we dive into the seismic shifts happening in the insurance world, led by industry veteran Justin Brock. From skyrocketing agency growth to the transformative power of AI, we uncover how agents can capitalize on these trends to scale faster and smarter. Justin Brock runs Bobby Brock Insurance and GoGuru, a high-growth agency specializing in Medicare, with over 500 agents and 50 employees. Justin’s focus on innovation, content, and scaling strategies has mad...
27 May 2026 · 28 min
Mastering Contact Rates: How to Double Your Insurance Sales
Shoot Us A Message! Ready to eliminate the hidden problems slowing down your agency growth? In this episode, we delve into the challenges of lead generation, contact rates, and the impact of recent phone system changes on insurance sales. We explore practical solutions like managing phone numbers, leveraging AI, and optimizing dialing strategies to boost sales efficiency. Learn why clear expectations, measurable standards, and consistent coaching are the keys to building a high-performan...
20 May 2026 · 24 min
10% Lead Success? Here's What You're Missing
Shoot Us A Message! In this episode, we cut through the BS around lead generation and show you how elite agencies win regardless of lead quality by having the right systems, follow-up, and discipline. If you're tired of chasing bad leads or wasting money, this is the no-fluff strategy guide you've been waiting for. In this episode: Why lead quality is less important than process and environmentThe critical role of response time, persistence, and follow-up cyclesHow elite agencies standardiz...
15 May 2026 · 27 min
Why 70% of Agency Turnover Is Emotional, Not Financial with IDudes Mailbag
Shoot Us A Message! Are high turnover and ineffective leadership draining your agency’s culture and momentum? In this no-fluff episode, we break down how emotional burnout, unclear expectations, and toxic environments are killing your growth and reveal proven strategies to fix it fast. You’ll discover how to build loyalty, create stability, and keep your team engaged with practical tactics like celebrating activity, defining clear career paths, and maintaining consistent leadership, so you...
S4 · E688 · 24 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Why Your Team Isn’t Closing And How to Fix It with Rhiannon Ward
Shoot Us A Message! Rhiannon Ward, owner of Phipps Insurance Agency, is building more than just a business, she’s creating impact by giving back to her community through the Allstate Foundation Helping Hands grant. In this episode, we break down why most teams don’t fail because of people, they fail because of systems. From fixing messy onboarding to setting clear expectations and using data instead of emotion, Rhiannon shares what actually moves the needle in sales performance. If you’ve eve...
S4 · E687 · 17 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Mastering Sales, Technology & Business Success with Michelle O’Connor
Shoot Us A Message! We had the pleasure of sitting down with Michelle O’Connor, a seasoned insurance professional with over 25 years of experience, to talk about the ins and outs of growing a successful business. From mastering follow-ups and building consistent sales processes to leveraging technology and AI to better serve clients, Michelle shares practical insights that any entrepreneur or agent can apply. In this episode, she opens up about managing teams, implementing structure without l...
S4 · E686 · 10 Apr 2026 · 43 min
The Skills No One Teaches, But Everyone Needs With Laurie Moroco
Shoot Us A Message! Laurie Moroco is a leadership coach and speaker who helps women build confidence, communicate powerfully, and make bold decisions, because extraordinary lives begin with the courage to take action. In this episode, we unpack the real skills behind successful communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, and execution. From miscommunication in everyday conversations to leading teams, handling conflict, and creating a strong culture, this discussion highlights what trul...
S4 · E685 · 3 Apr 2026 · 52 min
What Drives Business Growth in the Real World With Bill Snow
Shoot Us A Message! Bill Snow, mergers & acquisitions professional and author of Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies, shares practical insights on business, marketing, and deal-making. In this episode, we break down what really matters, why execution beats overthinking, how marketing is simply creating opportunities to sell, what valuation actually means in real-world deals, and why building value attracts opportunities instead of chasing them. A no-fluff conversation on business, grow...
S4 · E684 · 27 Mar 2026 · 48 min
Execution, Niches & AI in Business With Kirk Chester
Shoot Us A Message! We’re honored to sit down with Kirk Chester, Principal Broker at Grit Insurance Group. He shares practical insights on building and scaling a business. Specializing in blue-collar industries across multiple states, Kirk focuses on tailored solutions that help businesses manage risk and grow sustainably. In this episode, the conversation explores the importance of execution over overthinking, the power of going niche to stand out, and how AI is changing the way businesses...
S4 · E683 · 20 Mar 2026 · 58 min
Building a High-Performance Team with Beau Vincent
Shoot Us A Message! Beau Vincent, an insurance agency owner, leadership coach, speaker, and host of ‘The Conviction of a Leader’ podcast, joins the conversation to share the leadership mindset behind building a high-performing business. After growing Vincent Family Insurance from 300 to nearly 13,000 policies, Beau now helps business owners scale with a stronger culture, clearer leadership, and better systems. In this episode, the discussion explores what it really takes to build great teams,...
S4 · E682 · 13 Mar 2026 · 59 min
The Modern Insurance Sales System: Cold Email, Data & Automation with Dean Bowen
Shoot Us A Message! In this episode, we sit down with Dean Bowen from Patriotic Insurance Group. He shares how he transitioned from blue-collar work into insurance and built a modern prospecting system using cold email, automation, and data. In this episode, he discusses producer development, why selling to friends and family isn’t a sustainable strategy, and how younger agents can build credibility and win commercial clients in today’s insurance market. Join the elite ranks of P&C agen...
S4 · E681 · 6 Mar 2026 · 45 min
Breaking Fear-Based Cultures in Business with Brendan Keegan
Shoot Us A Message! Brendan Keegan, a 6-time CEO and bestselling author known for scaling companies through transformational growth, shares insights on leadership, career development, and building resilient teams in a changing workplace. The conversation explores how mindset, presence, and mentorship influence professional success, why embracing failure fuels innovation, and how simplifying complexity creates room for better thinking and progress. From early leadership experiences to guiding ...

About The Insurance Dudes©

The Insurance Dudes© is a English business podcast from The Insurance Dudes: Craig Pretzinger and Jason Feltman. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Insurance Dudes: Craig Pretzinger and Jason Feltman
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 46 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1451888095

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