Is Your Desire to Succeed Greater Than Your Team’s?

One of the things I was thinking about today is how come it is that leaders have a greater desire for their people to succeed than their people do sometimes?

Leaders are leaders because of their mindset. They’re wired tighter than other people and are more driven. They want to see people succeed. At the end of the day, though, I think that leaders have a fault. Sometimes we want to see other people succeed more than they want to succeed, and I don’t understand the thought process behind that even though I’m guilty of it.

I think we have people in our organizations that we really believe in and can see their potential. And it’s our job as leaders to reveal that potential to them and believe in them at a greater level than they’re willing to believe in themselves. But at the same time, there has to be a time when we as leaders cut the cord. We can’t consistently want people to do better than they want to do for themselves.

The truth is, in many organizations, people become cancerous victims that do nothing except complain about everything that doesn’t get done for them. Leaders cave. They go above and beyond. They do everything they can to honor the commitment they’ve given to that person when they come into the organization. But at that point, they’re in the death spiral. As leaders, we need to recognize when this happens. We need to remember when we need to quit. We need to recognize when we have to do something that we don’t like to do. We have to give up. I’m not particularly eager to give up, but we’re also responsible for running profitable organizations, and sometimes that’s what it requires.

As you think about how you’re going to go about your week, think about making sure there’s equality. Identify the congruent patterns of how you want someone to succeed and how they see themselves as succeeding. Everybody has a desire. It’s just a matter of what level. Ramp that up and get it. If you can do that, you and your team will kill it in commercial insurance.

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

July 3, 2025 No Comments

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.

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

June 27, 2025 No Comments

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.

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

June 26, 2025 No Comments

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.

The Hidden Cost of Misclassification: Mastering Workers’ Comp Class Codes for Middle Market Success

June 18, 2025 No Comments

In the world of commercial insurance, no phrase inspires more dread—or confusion—than “workers’ comp audit.” Often, the root cause of these audits isn’t fraud or underreporting, but something far more preventable: incorrect workers’ compensation class codes.

Mastering B2B Email Marketing: How to Write Subject Lines That Convert and Click-Through Strategies That Drive Results – A Conversation with Jay Schwedelson

June 17, 2025 No Comments

If you’re in commercial insurance sales or B2B marketing, chances are you’ve dabbled in email outreach. And if you’re like most, you’ve probably concluded that email doesn’t work anymore. But what if the problem isn’t the channel—it’s the way you’re using it?

Unlocking Profitability: Why Leading with Workers’ Compensation Is the Smartest Move for Commercial Producers – A Conversation with Kevin Ring

June 11, 2025 No Comments

In a hard market defined by razor-thin margins, rising premiums, and fierce competition, commercial insurance producers are constantly looking for ways to stand out. One of the most overlooked—and yet most powerful—strategies is to lead with workers’ compensation insurance.