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.
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.
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.
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.
The Protege Season 3 cast met with special guest mentor Charles Specht to talk about what it really takes to build a million dollar book of business in the commercial insurance world. The result was one of the most valuable mentoring sessions the group has ever had.
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You could feel it—every producer, coach, and guest mentor knew this was the official start of something special. The conversation wasn’t just about competition. It was about purpose, legacy, and growth.
Hosted by David Carothers, creator of The Protege and founder of Killing Commercial, this kickoff call set the tone for what Season 3 will represent: a proving ground for producers who are ready to work harder, think deeper, and build something that lasts.
Influence is one of the most powerful tools we have in business, leadership, and personal life. Used well, it inspires people, builds trust, and creates ethical results. Used poorly, it can slide into manipulation and self-interest.
Reinvention is one of the most powerful themes in the insurance industry. Some of the best commercial producers in the country did not grow up wanting to sell insurance. They did not study risk management in college. They did not come from an agency family. They found this industry after they tried something else. They found it after life pushed them toward a career where performance, autonomy, and mindset determine the outcome.
The most successful producers in the middle market did not get there because they quoted faster, smiled bigger, or knew how to talk longer. They got there because they learned how to differentiate themselves so clearly that prospects had no choice but to see them as trusted advisors. They learned to operate like businesspeople first and insurance technicians second. They learned how to tie operational mechanics to insurance outcomes. They learned how to control their time, their pipeline, and their future.
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