In this Power Producers Shop Talk episode, David Carothers kicks off a six-week series focused on the growing trend of remote workforces in the insurance industry. Rather than just relying on virtual assistants, David and his team are diving into the process of building and managing remote teams within the United States, specifically focused on highly skilled professionals.
This week, David is joined by Jeremy Huerta, Michael Overstreet, and Caleb Walker, all partners at Heritage, an insurance agency that’s already perfected the remote workforce model. Together, they share how they’ve scaled their business by embracing remote work and managing teams across multiple states, breaking down what’s working for them and what others in the industry can learn from their experience.
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The team discusses how the need to build a remote workforce arose from merging multiple agencies and expanding across states like Missouri, Washington, Utah, and Arizona. They share how remote work helped them overcome logistical hurdles, giving them access to great talent across the country without the constraints of physical office space.
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Jeremy, Michael, and Caleb dive deep into why core values are critical when building a remote team. They explain how defining core values early on shapes every decision—hiring, firing, and everyday interactions. They emphasize that core values are more than just words on a wall; they must be actively practiced, reinforced, and consistently tied to everything the team does.
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The partners discuss how they kept their core values simple and easy to remember, and how it’s essential for their remote team to live and breathe these values daily. They draw on examples from other successful companies like Ritz-Carlton, whose attention to detail and consistency in core values creates a replicated experience every time. Michael, Jeremy, and Caleb share the secret of keeping core values alive within the team, even remotely.
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It’s one thing to have core values, but it’s another to live by them. The team explains how they use weekly meetings, peer recognition, and real-time feedback to keep the values front and center. From providing feedback on employee performance to using recognition programs and even offering rewards like gift cards, they actively reinforce the behaviors they want to see in the team.
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David and the team discuss the role turnover plays when defining and sticking to core values. They emphasize that turnover can be a positive thing when it means only those who align with the company’s values remain. Michael, Jeremy, and Caleb share how they’ve navigated turnover while ensuring their culture remains strong.
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At the end of each episode, the team provides downloadable resources, including worksheets to help define and implement core values within your own agency. Whether you’re building a new remote team or refining an existing one, these resources are designed to help you put these principles into action.
To download the resources and read the full blog, visit: Core Values Resources
In the coming weeks, David and the team will continue to dive into the aspects of remote team management, focusing on culture, connection, and team-building activities. Be sure to tune in for more practical insights and actionable strategies to help you build a winning remote team.
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