3 Things Producers can Learn from Watching Yellowstone

I know you’re going to think I’m nuts, but today I’m going to tell you three things that I’ve learned from watching Yellowstone and how it applies to being a producer in today’s environment.

I am an unapologetic and massive fan of the television series Yellowstone on Paramount. There are so many things addressed in the show that we can learn. Maybe part of it’s that I grew up in the city and very rarely had any experience to the country or the mountains, or any of the things experienced on Dutton’s ranch. But at the end of the day, these people work hard, and there’s a lot to be learned. But we also need to know some things that will keep us from making some of the same mistakes. So I’m going to give you two negatives and one positive. Let’s start with the positive first because it’s one that everybody can control.

They Put in a Good Day’s Work Every Day

The cowboys that work on that ranch are at it every single day. They do the everyday things they need to do to get their job done. They eat their three meals, sleep, and do whatever they do on the weekends to let the steam off, but they put in a good day’s work. As a producer, I can’t tell you enough about how important it is for you to put in a good day’s work. I’m writing an entire book called The Dirty 130 that will give you all the things you should be doing daily to get a good day’s work in and set yourself up for success.

The Don’t Have the Correct Perspective

But the other thing I noticed is that the cowboys don’t have the correct view of their role. Every episode, at least one time you hear Rip or one of the other people in leadership on the ranch remind people they don’t deserve the opportunity they’ve got. I’m afraid I have to disagree with that, and I think we all deserve the chance that we get. It’s a matter of what we do with it that determines whether or not we’re going to be successful. If you go to work every day to put in that good day’s work that we talked about earlier, and you don’t have the right mind frame, you might as well not even get out of bed. If you think you don’t belong, or you think you don’t deserve the opportunity, you’re never going to go out and get what’s yours and ultimately reap the most success you possibly could.

They Must Constantly Be Reminded of the Basics

The third thing that I wanted to point out, which brings up another negative, is that the cowboys always have to be reminded of the rules. Listen, the insurance industry is heavily regulated. We get that. There is a group of rules we must follow daily. We don’t need to get constantly reminded. And if you’re a producer and your agency has a structured program that you’re supposed to follow, it’s not your job to reinvent the wheel. Now, I’m all about collaboration and sharing new ideas to take agencies into the next decade. But at the end of the day, we got to figure out how to do the basics. Get up every day and put in a good day’s work, have the right mindset. But keep that train on the tracks, people.

In last week’s episode, I watched a young kid, an early 20’s guy and an old cowboy get reprimanded because they weren’t doing the basics and had to get reminded. Any of us are smart enough to learn, memorize, and execute the basics. The only thing that gets in the way of us doing that is us. So if you put in a good day’s work with the right attitude and stick to the basics, you can’t help but be successful in this industry. The problem is we all think we’re more intelligent than the basics. We all want to be sexier than the basics, and we hang our hats on a lifestyle career when at the end of the day, we can all get the lifestyle later by putting in the work right now. And the sweet nectar of retirement will be oh so much sweeter.

So think about those three things as you go about your work this week, and you’re going to kill it in commercial insurance.

Maximizing Revenue with Surety Bonds and Niche Contractor Insurance Strategies

August 5, 2025 No Comments

The middle market commercial insurance landscape is evolving at a rapid pace. Agencies that once relied solely on traditional property and casualty products are now discovering untapped revenue streams by embracing surety bonds and specialty coverages. By understanding how to position niche products—such as drone insurance for contractors—alongside licensing and permit bonds, agencies can capture high-intent leads, accelerate earned premium, and foster deeper client relationships.

In this post, we’ll explore a comprehensive bonding-first growth strategy: from the fundamentals of surety bonds to advanced marketing funnels, partner ecosystems, and actionable implementation checklists. Whether you’re a seasoned producer or a rising agency principal, you’ll walk away with a playbook to maximize revenue, differentiate your brand, and become the go-to resource for contractor clients.

Reclaiming Time and Building Efficiency: How Technology is Reshaping Insurance Servicing and Agencies Growth – A Conversation with Colby Tunick

August 5, 2025 No Comments

In the world of independent insurance agencies, servicing existing policies often overshadows the pursuit of new business. It’s estimated that 80% of agency time is spent servicing renewals rather than generating new opportunities. With the average cost of servicing a policy renewal totaling around $135 per policy, agencies are dedicating significant resources simply to maintain the status quo.

This servicing burden presents a major scalability problem. For every thousand policies on the books, agencies are effectively employing two full-time account executives just to keep up. The result is a “tyranny of insurance” where agency growth becomes harder as success increases. This challenge is even more pronounced for agencies focused on the middle market or attempting to backfill their books with small commercial insurance and personal lines.

Scaling a book of business while trapped in administrative quicksand isn’t just inefficient; it’s unsustainable. Agencies need a way to break free if they hope to thrive in today’s competitive and evolving market.

Maximizing Middle-Market Workers’ Compensation Success: Data-Driven Prospecting, Compliance Wedges, and Claims Excellence

July 31, 2025 No Comments

Middle-mazrket businesses face unique challenges when it comes to managing their workers’ compensation programs. Unlike large enterprises, they often lack dedicated in-house resources for safety, compliance, and claims oversight; yet unlike small businesses, their scale subjects them to more sophisticated regulatory scrutiny and larger potential losses. In this environment, commercial insurance producers who master an integrated approach—combining precise prospecting data, impactful compliance applications, and exceptional claims handling—can both win new accounts and build lasting client relationships.

Strategic Market Access for Independent Agencies: Unlocking Growth, Stability, and Profitability

July 31, 2025 No Comments

In the most challenging insurance market many of us have ever seen, independent agencies are grappling with a familiar foe: limited carrier access. Whether you’re a former captive agent trying to break into the independent space or a small agency trying to grow your commercial book, the obstacles are real. Direct appointments are hard to come by, especially for shops under $5 million in revenue, and wholesale markets can feel intimidating or like a last resort.

But they don’t have to be. With the right partner, wholesale and brokerage relationships can become a strategic advantage, not just a stopgap. This post explores how agencies can leverage smart market access to grow confidently, preserve profitability, and position themselves for long-term success.

Building High-Performing Remote Insurance Teams: Core Values, Hiring, Onboarding & KPI Strategies

July 30, 2025 No Comments

The insurance industry is undergoing a profound transformation as middle-market agencies recognize the benefits and challenges of embracing a fully remote workforce. No longer viewed as a temporary workaround, remote models offer the potential to tap into nationwide and offshore talent pools, reduce overhead, and increase flexibility in an increasingly digital world. Yet, flipping the switch to virtual operations can expose gaps in documentation, dilute corporate culture, and strain traditional oversight mechanisms. In this post, we’ll explore the four pillars essential to building a high-performing remote insurance team—core values, hiring practices, onboarding processes, and KPI strategies—while also delving into best practices for managing domestic versus offshore employees, ensuring data security, leveraging productivity tools, and fostering trust and autonomy.

Captive Insurance Strategies for Middle Market Success: Empowering Independent Agents with Risk Control and Profitability

July 28, 2025 No Comments

In today’s hard commercial insurance market, middle market business owners are more open than ever to solutions that give them greater control over their insurance costs. While guaranteed cost programs remain the default option, they often lack the flexibility and long-term savings that high-performing businesses crave. That’s where captive insurance comes in—a powerful but often misunderstood tool that enables clients to turn insurance from a sunk cost into a strategic asset.