In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers welcomes a longtime friend and mentor, Bernie Borges, back to the show for an insightful conversation on leadership, fulfillment, and creating a culture of engaged employees. Bernie shares his journey from marketing expert to developing a leadership framework that focuses on helping leaders empower their teams to achieve both personal and professional fulfillment.
David and Bernie dive deep into the difference between happiness and fulfillment, and why fulfillment, a deeper, more enduring sense of satisfaction, should be the ultimate goal for leaders. Bernie explains how his Fulfillment-Centric Leadership Framework has been designed to help leaders support their teams in reaching their fullest potential, resulting in more engaged, loyal, and productive employees.
This episode is packed with real-world advice on how leaders can navigate the modern workforce by focusing on fulfillment, recognizing the value of personal relationships, and creating a work environment that fosters achievement at all levels. Bernie also opens up about his experiences developing this framework, the challenges he’s faced, and the incredible feedback he’s received from both individuals and organizations looking to make a positive impact in their workplaces.
Bernie explains the difference between happiness (fleeting emotion) and fulfillment (deep, lasting achievement), and why leaders should prioritize fulfillment.
Bernie introduces the Five Pillars: health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy, and how leaders can use them to guide teams towards fulfillment.
Bernie outlines a 10-step leadership framework to help leaders assess their own fulfillment and lead teams with conscious competence.
With 77% of the workforce disengaged, Bernie advocates for leaders to focus on personal and professional fulfillment to boost engagement and productivity.
Bernie shares a story of how understanding an employee’s needs and offering support led to greater productivity and career success.
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.
Please confirm you want to block this member.
You will no longer be able to:
Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.
