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Welcome to the

Power Producers
Podcast

This is The Power Producers Podcast where we are refining and redefining the sales game.  A place where sales professionals can come to learn from other sales professionals and thought leaders who have mastered their craft. As well as their peers who are still striving for perfection to achieve their “why”.  Real sales professionals. Real stories. Real results. Are you ready to feel the power?

Power Producers Podcast
The Science of Sorting: Lowering Resistance and Using AI as a Copilot with Josh Braun

The Science of Sorting: Lowering Resistance and Using AI as a Copilot with Josh Braun, Episode #414

April 22, 2026

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers sat down with Josh Braun to explore how sales is evolving in an AI driven world while reinforcing that human connection still wins. They discussed the role of AI in content creation, the importance of authenticity on platforms like LinkedIn, and why the best ideas often come from real conversations rather than manufactured posts. The conversation then shifted into Josh’s core philosophy around detachment, asking better questions, and replacing traditional sales pressure with curiosity. Through practical examples, they broke down how producers can uncover real problems, reduce resistance, and ultimately make sales conversations more natural and effective.

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Upping Your Telesales with Lynn Hidy

Upping Your Telesales with Lynn Hidy, Episode #413

April 15, 2026

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers spoke with Lynn Hidy, founder of Up Your Tele Sales, LLC, about the evolution of sales and how inside sales is often undervalued compared to outside sales. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Lynn shared insights from her journey and her new book Mastering Inside Sales Leadership. They discussed key strategies for success in telesales, the importance of emotional intelligence, and how AI can enhance sales processes rather than replace the human touch. Lynn also emphasized how inside sales teams are just as valuable as their outside counterparts, especially when the right tools and strategies are leveraged to engage with clients effectively.

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Why Total Cost of Risk Is the Missing Link in Marketing and Prospecting - Part 3

Why Total Cost of Risk Is the Missing Link in Marketing and Prospecting -Part 3, Shoptalk Episode #212

February 27, 2026

In this episode of Shoptalk, David Carothers continued his exploration of total cost of risk, focusing on how producers can integrate it into their sales cadence without overhauling existing approaches. He explained that introducing total cost of risk doesn’t mean abandoning transactional sales calls but supplementing them with deeper, long-term risk assessments. David emphasized how asking the right discovery questions and sharing stories of past success can demonstrate value and build trust. This episode also touched on a key shift: moving from being just another vendor to becoming a trusted advisor who proactively identifies risks and delivers solutions.

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How Smart Agencies are Using AI, Automation and Workflow Design with Joe Ems

How Smart Agencies are Using AI, Automation and Workflow Design with Joe Ems, Episode #411

February 25, 2026

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers welcomed Joe from Sembley to discuss a range of topics impacting agencies, from personal lines to AI-powered tools. David shared insights on the challenges of building a personal lines division from scratch, how tech investments have streamlined workflows, and the importance of agency owners evaluating their tech stack to maximize efficiency. They dove into the power of custom intake forms, e-signatures, and integrations with systems like Hawksoft. The conversation also emphasized the shift towards automation to save time and resources in an industry that’s increasingly tech-driven.

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Why Total Cost of Risk Is the Missing Link in Marketing and Prospecting – Part 2

Why Total Cost of Risk Is the Missing Link in Marketing and Prospecting – Part 2, Shoptalk Episode #211

February 20, 2026

In this episode of Shoptalk, David Carothers discussed the concept of “found money” and the importance of auditing experience mods. By identifying claims that were overstated on NCCI worksheets, producers can get insurers to recalculate and issue refunds for overpaid premiums. David also delved into how agencies can add value by asking better, emotionally-driven questions to prospects, focusing on underlying issues like lost productivity, workers’ comp claims, and operational risks. He warned against telemarketing agencies that pitch audit work for a 10% revenue share and emphasized that these tasks should be handled internally for maximum benefit.

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Workers' Compensation in 2026 with Kevin Ring

Workers’ Compensation in 2026 with Kevin Ring, Episode #410

February 18, 2026

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers welcomed Kevin Ring from the Institute of Work Comp Professionals to discuss what he is seeing in workers’ compensation heading into 2026. The conversation covered long term rate trends, signs that the market may be approaching the bottom, growing audit scrutiny, Nevada’s major payroll cap change, AI’s role in policy analysis, and the evolving legislative landscape around marijuana and the gig economy. As always, the discussion blended practical strategy for producers with broader industry outlook and regulatory insight.

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Why Total Cost of Risk Is the Missing Link in Marketing and Prospecting -Part 1

Why Total Cost of Risk Is the Missing Link in Marketing and Prospecting – Part 1, Shoptalk Episode #210

February 13, 2026

In this episode of Power Producers Shoptalk, David Carothers went deeper on how producers should introduce total cost of risk and experience mod conversations at the point of sale. He explained why many producers freeze when it is time to bring up total cost of risk, and why others lose the room by leading with technical safety language too early. David shared how his early success came from having strong risk services deliverables behind the sales process, and he emphasized that agencies need those deliverables if they want to sell this approach with confidence. He also broke down a practical prospecting sequence that starts with a short appointment setting call, moves into a fast discovery meeting over Zoom, and then transitions into a value focused on person meeting where the producer earns the right to present work product and ask for engagement.

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Why Middle Market Producers Can No Longer Ignore Captives with Warren Cleveland

Why Middle Market Producers Can No Longer Ignore Captives with Warren Cleveland, Episode #409

February 11, 2026

In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers is joined by Warren Cleveland from Captive Coalition for a wide ranging conversation on specialization, creativity, and why producers must narrow their focus to survive in the middle market. Building off recent discussions around parametrics and alternative risk strategies, they explain how captives, benefits captives, and disciplined education can prevent producers from losing high value clients. The episode centers on asking better questions, using the right partners, and positioning captives as a long term strategic tool rather than a last minute reaction.

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Why Total Cost of Risk Wins in a Softening Market - Part 3

Why Total Cost of Risk Wins in a Softening Market – Part 3, Shoptalk #209

February 6, 2026

In this episode of Shoptalk, David Carothers dug into total cost of risk with a focus on downtime, disruption, and distraction as hidden drivers of long term expense. Using real manufacturing examples, he explained how equipment breakdown, supply chain delays, and even severe workers’ comp injuries can create operational losses far beyond what shows up in loss runs. He also outlined how middle market producers can use a year-round cadence of touch points to control costs, strengthen submissions, and create clear wedges in prospecting. The episode ends with a note that this is part one, with part two continuing next week.

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Parametric Insurance Explained with Brian Thompson

Parametric Insurance Explained with Brian Thompson, Episode #408

February 4, 2026

In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers sat down with Brian Thompson from Descartes Underwriting to break down parametric coverage and why it is becoming a serious differentiator for producers. Brian explained parametric as a predefined payout tied to a predefined event, with payment triggered by the event and supported by a loss attestation. They explored how parametric can address gaps traditional insurance does not, especially economic loss, non damage business interruption, and revenue disruption tied to access and supply chain issues. David emphasized that producers do not need to be experts, but they do need to know parametric exists and ask better discovery questions to uncover risks that can be solved with these programs.

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Why Total Cost of Risk Wins in a Softening Market – Part 2, Shoptalk Episode #208

January 30, 2026

In this episode of Power Producer Shop Talk, host David Carothers delivers a masterclass on navigating the shift from a hard to a soft market, emphasizing that the time to prepare is now. With reinsurance renewals signaling a softening, David warns that the easy “price shopping” wins of the hard market are disappearing, and producers must pivot to value-based selling to displace incumbents who are now delivering good news (rate decreases).

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When Growth Breaks You Before it Builds You with Dan Sachkowsky

When Growth Breaks You Before it Builds You with Dan Sachkowsky, Episode #407

January 28, 2026

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, host David Carothers sits down with Dan Sachkowsky, a business growth expert and founder of Big D Coaching. Recorded on location in Florida, this raw and unfiltered conversation traces Dan’s roller-coaster journey from growing up in “the hood” of New Jersey to building and selling three companies for over $30 million—and losing everything in between.

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Why Total Cost of Risk Wins in a Softening Market - Part 1

Why Total Cost of Risk Wins in a Softening Market – Part 1, Shoptalk #207

January 23, 2026

In this episode of Power Producer Shoptalk, host David Carothers kicks off the new year with a deep dive into the shifting dynamics of the reinsurance market and what producers need to do to prepare for a softening market. He emphasizes that the “bad news” hard market—where price shopping is rampant—is giving way to a “good news” soft market, where incumbents are harder to displace.

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Profiling, Preparation and Persuasion with Don Weber

Profiling, Preparation and Persuasion with Don Weber, Episode #406

January 21, 2026

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, host David Carothers interviews Don Weber of DR Weber Coaching. Don’s background reads like an international spy thriller—from selling diamonds in Antwerp to conducting intelligence operations for the U.S. and French governments. He joins the show to discuss how the skills he learned in those high-stakes environments translate to elite sales performance and corporate training.

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