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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?
In this Power Producers Shoptalk episode, David Carothers continues his series with the team from Insurance Futures, diving into the importance of job descriptions for building a strong culture in remote teams. As remote work becomes more common, having clear job descriptions helps set expectations, boost accountability, and ensure employees understand their roles.
In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers welcomes Jacob Hicks, a sales coach with an eclectic background in various industries, including retail, real estate, and optical sales. Jacob shares his insights on the evolution of sales and the importance of systems, follow-up, and understanding of your ideal client profile.
In this Power Producers Shoptalk episode, David Carothers keeps the remote workforce series going with a deep dive into KPIs—why they’re crucial and how they should be tied to core values. David and his team from Insurance Futures discuss how measuring the right activities can lead to success and help remote agencies stay on track.
In this Power Producers Podcast episode, David Carothers dives into the world of email marketing with Jay Schwedelson, founder of SubjectLine. The discussion focuses on how to refine your email marketing strategy, specifically the art of creating subject lines that boost open rates and increase engagement.
In this Power Producers Shoptalk episode, David Carothers continues the discussion on building and managing remote teams in the insurance industry, with a specific focus on culture and connection. In this second installment with the team from Insurance Futures, David dives into the importance of team-building activities in a virtual environment.
In this episode of Power Producers, David Carothers is joined by Eric Stein, the president of Insured Solutions and author of the newly published book The Blueprint. Eric brings a wealth of experience in the insurance industry, especially in alternative workers’ compensation and risk management. Throughout the episode, he shares insights into the complexities of captives and alternative risk transfer, breaking down the steps agencies should take to prepare for these advanced insurance structures.
In this Power Producers Shop Talk episode, David Carothers kicks off a six-week series focused on the growing trend of remote workforces in the insurance industry. Rather than just relying on virtual assistants, David and his team are diving into the process of building and managing remote teams within the United States, specifically focused on highly skilled professionals.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers welcomes back David LeFevre from Sales Power to dive into the transformative role AI is playing in the insurance industry. They explore how technology, specifically AI, can revolutionize data management, client experience, and operational efficiency in insurance agencies.
In this episode of Power Producers Shoptalk, David Carothers is joined by Colby Allen from Agency Brokerage Consultants for an in-depth discussion on producer equity. This conversation picks up where they left off in their previous episode on cracking the code of producer compensation, diving into the nuances of equity, ownership, and how to properly structure compensation plans for producers.
In this episode of Power Producers, David Carothers is joined by Madison Baker, Vice President at Marsh McLennan, to discuss her unique journey in the insurance industry, the power of building a personal brand, and the challenges and advantages of being a female producer in a traditionally male-dominated field.
In this episode of Power Producers Shoptalk, David Carothers dives into a crucial topic that every agency principal and producer need to hear: Producer Compensation and Producer Equity. Joining him is Colby Allen, VP of Agency Consulting and Valuation for Agency Brokerage Consultants, who brings his expert insight into the complexities of agency compensation models, including how to attract and retain top-producing talent through the right mix of pay and equity.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers sits down with the team from Dreyev, an innovative solution transforming fleet safety and risk management. The team—Frank Centner, Roberto Sicconi, and Giancarlo Stanton—shares how Dreyev’s cutting-edge technology can help producers reduce the total cost of risk for fleet accounts, all while improving safety and performance.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers dives deep with Noelle McCall from Contract Risk Academy to explore the crucial topic of contract review and how insurance agents can add value by properly reviewing contracts for their clients. Noelle, with her impressive background in commercial insurance and contract management, breaks down how producers can avoid common pitfalls in contract review and offer true consulting to their clients.
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.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers sits down with Brennen Grone, EVP of Sales at Rainbow, an InsureTech MGA specializing in restaurant coverage. They dive deep into the world of InsureTech, underwriting flexibility, and how Rainbow is redefining the insurance experience for agents looking to place complex risks. Brennen shares insights into the company’s growth, their unique approach to risk selection, and why independent agents should pay attention to emerging tech-driven solutions in commercial insurance.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers sits down with Michael Drew, a publishing expert with an astonishing track record—131 consecutive books placed on the New York Times bestseller list. Michael shares the insider strategies he’s developed over decades in the industry, helping authors not only publish their books but also build powerful marketing platforms that drive real influence.
In this episode of Power Producers Shoptalk, David Carothers dives into a topic that every insurance producer cares about—commissions. But instead of breaking it down himself, he brings in the expert who handles it all: Crystal Temple Frawley from The Pemberley Group. Crystal, a seasoned insurance accounting professional, shares her insights on agency bill, commission reconciliation, and the technology that’s reshaping bookkeeping for insurance agencies. She discusses the unique challenges agencies face when managing their books, the common pitfalls of relying on generic bookkeeping services, and the importance of leveraging specialized expertise. The conversation also touches on how advancements in automation and AI are streamlining commission reconciliation, saving agencies time, and ensuring financial accuracy.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers kicks off the new year with an insightful conversation featuring Chris Cline, author of The Inertia of Legacy. They dive into the book’s core themes—how individuals and businesses can shape their own legacy by embracing intentional change rather than remaining stuck in routine. Chris shares his unconventional journey from a fine art major to leading distribution for an insurance company, illustrating how creativity and problem-solving can transform traditional industries. The discussion explores the intersection of structure and innovation, the evolving role of independent agencies, and why legacy should be seen as an ongoing process rather than an outcome.
In this episode of Power Producers, David Carothers sits down with Alan Versteeg from Growth Matters International, bringing in fresh perspectives on sales from outside the insurance industry. Some of the best sales strategies come from those who aren’t in the daily grind, and Alan delivers just new ideas, different approaches, and a mindset shift that can elevate any producer’s book of business.
In this episode of Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers takes a deep dive into the journey of Drew and Alan Kinney, owners of Kinney Insurance, as they share their experience in transforming a family agency into a modern, digitally driven business. From humble beginnings without a website to scaling into a multi-location operation with a strong online presence, the Kinneys discuss the challenges and strategies behind their success.
The truth about professional sales isn’t flashy, and it certainly isn’t about charisma. If you think selling is about having the “gift of gab,” winging it on calls, or leaning on your likability to win deals, you’re doing it wrong—and that’s why you’re struggling. In this post, we’re breaking down lessons from a brutally honest conversation with Benjamin Dennehy, the UK’s Most Hated Sales Trainer®, about why so many producers in commercial insurance and other industries fall short—and what the top performers do differently.
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.
At Producers in Paradise 2025, five insurance leaders took the stage to share exactly how they’ve built brands that drive real conversations and real revenue: Patrick McBride, David Carothers, Ciara Gravier, Daniel Wakefield, and Aaron Levine.
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.
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.
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.
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