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In this episode of The Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers and co-host Kyle Houck interview Patty Lares, the Owner of AA Lares Insurance Services. Patty talks about her career in the insurance industry and what she does to help their community.

Episode Highlights:

  • Patty mentions one of the biggest challenges she has had. (3:59)
  • Patty shares her background. (6:09)
  • How long has Patty’s agency been running? (9:06)
  • Patty shares how their agency started. (9:12)
  • Patty shares how her career started in the insurance industry. (18:32)
  • Patty mentions the scholarship that they offer. (27:59)
  • If Patty were talking to an agency owner that doesn’t help in their community or does a limited amount, how would they start? (31:25)

Tweetable Quotes:

  • “You can challenge me to do anything about work or business. I am not afraid of taking on the challenge or putting in all the hours that’s needed. Seems to me like I’m committing not to myself, but to so many other people.” – Patty Lares
  • “I feel that ever since I can remember, I wanted to own a business. I didn’t have a clue what type of business, I just wanted a business. I don’t know when but it clicked that I’m protecting people.” – Patty Lares
  • “I feel that all of us were created for greatness. Some of us have had better opportunities than others. I just started thinking about how I could give back. I feel honestly extremely blessed.” – Patty Lares

Resources Mentioned:

The Power Producers Podcast where we are refining and redefining the sales game.

Kyle Houck

Risk

From Policies to Profitability: How Strategic Risk Consulting Can Transform Middle Market Insurance Production – A Conversation with Doug Benz

Middle market producers often believe that bigger accounts come from quoting better, faster, or cheaper. But in reality, the leap from writing $5,000 policies to closing $1.2 million in premium starts with a different mindset. It starts with consulting over quoting. That’s exactly the story that unfolded at Producers in Paradise when Doug Benz shared how he landed the largest account of his career—not by selling insurance, but by solving problems no one else could.

This post breaks down the step-by-step strategy Doug and his mentor David Carothers used to win a high-stakes, complex account through total cost of risk analysis, claims data visibility, and certificate compliance solutions. If you’re a commercial producer trying to break into the middle market, this blueprint is for you.

Read More »
Risk

From InsurTech to Relationship-Driven Risk Management: Lessons for Modern Insurance Producers – A Conversation with Brett Fulmer

In a constantly evolving insurance landscape, commercial producers are being forced to adapt—quickly. Between InsurTech advancements, shifting market conditions, and increasing client expectations, producers must learn how to balance innovation with deep relationship-building and technical risk expertise. On a recent episode of the Power Producers Podcast, industry veteran David Carothers sat down with Brett Fulmer, principal at Newport Beach Insurance Center, to talk about navigating these dynamics with authenticity and strategy. What followed was a roadmap for producers who want to succeed in today’s middle market.

Read More »
Insurance

How Successful Insurance Producers Can Stay Grounded, Build Respect, and Avoid the Arrogance Trap

In the commercial insurance industry, success can come fast—especially for driven producers who are focused on the middle market. The money starts coming in, the book grows, and you find yourself standing in rooms where you once only dreamed of being. But with that success comes a subtle trap—one that’s caught more than a few top producers off guard: arrogance.

It’s not always loud or obvious. Sometimes, it’s the silent erosion of empathy. Other times, it’s the misplaced belief that your way is the only way. In this post, I want to explore how insurance producers can stay grounded even as their careers take off, how they can build respect by honoring where they came from, and how to avoid becoming the very kind of producer people whisper about after conferences for all the wrong reasons.

Read More »
Power Producers Podcast with Bernie Borges
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Unpacking the evolution of online marketing

Marketing 2.0 a Decade Later is a deep dive into “Modern Selling” with the Godfather of social media marketing Mr. Bernie Borges.  Bernie is currently the Chief Marketing Officer of Vengreso.  He is host of the Modern Marketing Engine podcast and the author of Marketing 2.0, one of the first 50 books written on social media strategy.  This episode unpacks the evolution of online marketing in the decade since Bernie authored his book.  From social media marketing to “modern selling”, Bernie Borges has remained a thought leader and one of the most respected figures in the digital marketing world, continually recognized for his leadership.  Bernie is recognized by TopRank as a Top 50 Content Marketing Influencer, by Onalytica as a Top 100 Artificial Intelligence Influencer, as well as a Marketing Insider Group Top 60 Marketing Speaker.  He is a regular contributor to Social Media Today and Business 2 Community.

In this episode of The Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers and co-host Kyle Houck,  , interview Bernie Borges, Chief Marketing Officer of Vengreso and author of Marketing 2.0: Bridging the Gap Between Seller and Buyer Through Social Media Marketing. They discuss the role social media plays in the current market, and how to optimize social media platforms such as LinkedIn to attract buyers.

Episode Highlights:

  • What does Bernie Borges’ daily routine looks like?
  • What is Bernie reading or listening to right now?
  • David is releasing a book The Extra 2 Minutes, which will be released in May 2020.
  • Discussion on the changes in the platform of Marketing 2.0.
  • Bernie discusses how too many people think of social media as a broadcasting platform and that we need to treat social media as a communication and interaction channel.
  • The principles and practices still apply today as they were when his book was published in 2009.
  • A product meets a need, whether it is known or unknown. Example: no one told Steve Jobs that the world needs an iPhone.
  • We need to be really good at communicating our ability to fill a need, and we need to make sure our message is resonating with people at some emotional level.
  • David explains the difference between transformation and innovation.
  • Try not to focus on AI (artificial intelligence). Focus more on today, and helping salespeople create relationships.
  • Sellers need to be attractive to buyers, especially digitally, which often starts with LinkedIn.
  • Technology and video-sharing platforms, such as Zoom, allow sellers to meet buyers where they want to be met.
  • Why does Bernie focus on using LinkedIn, and what makes it better than it was 10-15 years ago?
  • We, as humans, retain more when we consume information through “chunking”, small chunks of information spaced out over time.
  • If someone is just starting with social marketing, what would be Bernie’s one piece of advice for them?
  • What is one thing people can do to improve their LinkedIn profile the most?
  • What is the best way to get in touch with Bernie if someone is considering hiring Vengreso?
  • What does Vengreso mean? 

3 Key Points:

  • Even though marketing platforms have changed, the principles remain the same. Salespeople need to utilize social media for communication with buyers.
  • Sellers need to be “attractive” to buyers, especially on social media platforms. They need to engage buyers and meet them where they want to be met.
  • Ensure your LinkedIn (or other social media platform) is written to engage buyers, and not written as a resume.

Tweetable Quotes:

  • “At the end of the day, a product is something that meets a need.” -Bernie Borges
  • “The seller’s number one challenge is having more conversations.” -Bernie Borges
  • “You’ve got to meet people where they want to be met.” -David Carothers
  • “A blog post is like hiring a salesperson that works for you 24 hours a day.” -David Carothers quoting Ryan Hanley
  • “I wouldn’t think of it as social marketing, I would think of it as modern selling.” -Bernie Borges

Resources Mentioned:

The Power Producers Podcast where we are refining and redefining the sales game.

Kyle Houck

Risk

From Policies to Profitability: How Strategic Risk Consulting Can Transform Middle Market Insurance Production – A Conversation with Doug Benz

Middle market producers often believe that bigger accounts come from quoting better, faster, or cheaper. But in reality, the leap from writing $5,000 policies to closing $1.2 million in premium starts with a different mindset. It starts with consulting over quoting. That’s exactly the story that unfolded at Producers in Paradise when Doug Benz shared how he landed the largest account of his career—not by selling insurance, but by solving problems no one else could.

This post breaks down the step-by-step strategy Doug and his mentor David Carothers used to win a high-stakes, complex account through total cost of risk analysis, claims data visibility, and certificate compliance solutions. If you’re a commercial producer trying to break into the middle market, this blueprint is for you.

Read More »
Risk

From InsurTech to Relationship-Driven Risk Management: Lessons for Modern Insurance Producers – A Conversation with Brett Fulmer

In a constantly evolving insurance landscape, commercial producers are being forced to adapt—quickly. Between InsurTech advancements, shifting market conditions, and increasing client expectations, producers must learn how to balance innovation with deep relationship-building and technical risk expertise. On a recent episode of the Power Producers Podcast, industry veteran David Carothers sat down with Brett Fulmer, principal at Newport Beach Insurance Center, to talk about navigating these dynamics with authenticity and strategy. What followed was a roadmap for producers who want to succeed in today’s middle market.

Read More »
Insurance

How Successful Insurance Producers Can Stay Grounded, Build Respect, and Avoid the Arrogance Trap

In the commercial insurance industry, success can come fast—especially for driven producers who are focused on the middle market. The money starts coming in, the book grows, and you find yourself standing in rooms where you once only dreamed of being. But with that success comes a subtle trap—one that’s caught more than a few top producers off guard: arrogance.

It’s not always loud or obvious. Sometimes, it’s the silent erosion of empathy. Other times, it’s the misplaced belief that your way is the only way. In this post, I want to explore how insurance producers can stay grounded even as their careers take off, how they can build respect by honoring where they came from, and how to avoid becoming the very kind of producer people whisper about after conferences for all the wrong reasons.

Read More »
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