Are you a one-trick pony, or are you a five-tool player? Does your audience know? How do they know? What have you done to make sure that the people who are seeking you, understand what your capabilities are? That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
Being a five-tool player is vital in the commercial insurance game, and the reason I’m writing this article today is because guess what? I blew it! I blew it. I have not done an excellent job in the marketplace of letting everybody know my full capabilities. See, I can go deep with anybody when it comes to workers’ compensation. I can drive a wedge and close a deal with the best of them. You want me to dive into an experience modification factor analysis? I can do that, and I can make the business case as to why you need to hire me on the spot. But here’s the problem: too many people are associating me right now with only understanding workers’ comp, and that’s bad. That’s bad for me, and it’s terrible for them because I feel like I bring value across the board, and I feel like they could use that value.
So here’s what I’m going to challenge you guys to do today. Pay attention as you build out your LinkedIn profiles and as you publish evergreen content. Focus as you have casual conversations with your peer group, or as you’re networking and talking with prospects. Don’t be afraid to let them know your full skillset. Don’t be scared to talk about cyber liability. Don’t be afraid to talk about why you would not want to have a monthly limit of indemnity on the business income of 1/12. Talk to them about all of the things that you know about, not in an obnoxious way; you don’t need to vomit insurance-speak all over the place, but you know what I’m saying.
Make sure they understand you’re well-rounded. Make sure that you’re not a one-trick pony. Because I think so many times we gravitate to what we’re most passionate about or what we’ve had the most success with, and as a result, we end up getting rusty in the other elements of our game. We end up missing out on opportunities because people don’t realize that, “Yeah, he does that too.” Take the next few days, really plan out a mission to make sure that everybody you come into contact with knows you’re a five-tool player and your full capabilities. And if you can do that, you’re going to kill it in commercial insurance.
Until next time: kill or get killed!
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.
In commercial insurance, the most dangerous threats to your book of business aren’t always visible on the loss runs. One of the most overlooked vulnerabilities for middle market producers is ignoring the personal lines needs of their business owner and executive clients.
The commercial insurance industry is one of the few professions where someone can enter with no experience, no connections, and no background in risk management and still build a long, lucrative career. But success is never automatic. It requires hunger, humility, curiosity, and the willingness to keep showing up even when the process feels overwhelming. That is why the story of Pam Seidler has already started making waves among new and aspiring commercial producers.
In an industry where tradition often outweighs innovation, artificial intelligence and automation are slowly but steadily reshaping how independent insurance agencies operate. The push toward smarter, more efficient workflows is no longer a matter of if—but when. While many agencies are still evaluating how AI fits into their operations, early adopters are already reaping the benefits of streamlined submissions, faster processing, and actionable data insights.
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