May 20, 2024 • 20 mins
In this riveting episode of "Up to Speed", we interview Casey, a reputable marketing and branding expert based in Wyoming, who is making a tangible difference in the insurance industry. Casey's unique and innovative business practices have helped insurance agents across America to improve their brand visibility and increase their online presence. Tune in to discover the secret sauce to successful branding and take your entrepreneurial capacity to the next level.
Casey highlights the importance of agent's online presence and its reflection of the 'human' behind the business—an underemphasized yet crucial aspect of customer attraction and building deep relationships. As a distinguished business coach, she underlines the significance of consistency and gradual growth, instead of trying to do everything all at once. Her flexible services motivate clients to progress courageously without the constraints of binding contracts.
Beyond her marketing and coaching roles, Casey leads the Professional Women's Empowerment Network, aiming to develop, connect, and empower women in the insurance field. Offering valuable insights into her journey and about the community that she is fervently nurturing, she truly signposts the indispensable need for such dedicated spaces for women.
The episode also features Casey's astute analysis on creating meaningful change and fostering career growth for women in the insurance arena. Hear about her forthcoming empowerment event in Denver which focuses on professional advancement, work-life balance, and the key importance of asking for help. Tune in to comprehend the richness of the insurance world beyond strict rules and regulations, as she inspires agents to celebrate their individuality, thus challenging dated industry norms.
If you are working in an insurance office or running your own agency, this episode is a must-listen. It not only empowers women professionals in insurance to develop and benefit from their careers but also offers advice on how to maintain a positive mindset amidst industry changes, emphasize personal strengths, and utilize personal branding for professional progression.
Casey Kuckert -The Biz Lady (@caseythebizlady) • Instagram photos and videos
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
All right. We've got a great episode today on Up to Speed. I am joined with
my girl, Casey, all the way. Where is she? Where are you in Wyoming, Denver? Where are you?
In Wyoming? Yeah. I knew it was one of those states out there.
So thanks for joining us today. How are you, girl?
I'm good. I'm excited to be here and I can't wait to dive into all of the things.
I'm just excited. I love when I meet somebody electronically and it is like meant to be.
(00:25):
And so you and I connected through one of interview I had done and a friend
of yours. And it turned out we were both in the insurance space.
So this is very cool because you are what I would like to call a little bit
of an agency slash marketing branding maven. Okay. What does that mean?
You're helping agents get better at their brand. So tell us about your business
(00:45):
and what it is you're doing for agents all over the country. free.
Yeah. I think that it's one thing that I stumbled upon back in the day and I
didn't really even realize what I was doing with it or that it was even a thing,
but I've always been good at,
marketing more of myself versus the corporation that I'm backing.
Not that there's not a place for that, that there is, but I think that that's
(01:09):
what really helped me grow my agencies is I was always that go-getter in the
community and then I was spotlighting and highlighting it and putting putting
my name everywhere, all over.
And that's kind of what I help agents do these days too, is it's trending for agents.
They're finally getting on the bandwagon of like, okay, I need social media.
I need an online presence.
(01:29):
I need all the things, but I have no idea where to start. So that's kind of
what I help do is create their online presence.
I dig it. And we've spoken in the past with marketing, website design and content
creation, but a lot of it, kind of all full circle ties into that branding moment.
Because if you don't have a good brand, it's hard for people to find you.
And it's also, you know, hard to be consistent with your approach.
(01:52):
And when you're, you know, trying to attract new business, some of the biggest
mistakes that you see agents making,
I mean, the first one I can say right now, just from being in this seat over
here is they don't have any presence or not enough presence is what I see.
But what do you see in your seat?
Yeah, I think it's a lot of that. And I think more now than ever before,
consumers want to do business with a real person and not a robot.
(02:16):
So I think when I'm working with agents, that's what I help try to create is,
who are you outside of the agency?
What motivates you? What are your values? What do you believe in?
What are the other things that you're involved in? And let's spotlight and shine
that out there because that's what helps, you know, deepen those relationships.
So that increases that know, like, and trust factor.
(02:37):
And then you kind of just start creating your own little tribe and then you,
then you start growing from there.
So I think that definitely that
is, they try to, they either try to not do enough or I see this a lot.
They just talk insurance all day, every day, get a quote from me,
get a quote, all that kind of stuff.
And it's like, no, we like, I want to see who you are before I get a quote.
So those are a couple of the things that I really love diving into.
(03:01):
And it's a fun thing as to is it's a good personal development journey for agents,
because a lot of times we get stuck in that mode of insurance agent hat.
And that's all we kind of are at the end of the day, who we think we are at the end of the day.
So I help them push the boundaries and explore a little bit more of who they really are.
And what I think it's a relatability factor. And it's also a great way to get business.
(03:26):
So, you know, my brother's really into off-roading and doing dirt stuff, right?
And so there's a lot of clients and a lot of people that can connect with him
at that level. And then, oh, by the way, he does insurance.
So for his brand, it's really worked well because he's a part of that community.
And for many of us in different, you know, spaces in our personal life,
I mean, everybody out there needs what we're doing.
(03:46):
And so I think creating that personal connection, you know, as much as they
say, you know, don't bring your personal life into your business life.
I mean, don't bring the messy stuff, but bring good stuff because I do think
it helps with the relatability.
Moving more into a little bit of the marketing part of what you're doing for helping agents grow.
(04:07):
When we talk about what's effective and the different channels and the different
ways that people can be effective when it comes to marketing,
what are some of the approaches that you're advising your clients on?
What I do is I start with, let's take one thing at a time. Like,
let's just dive into one step.
Where are you comfortable at right now? And let's start there.
Let's not try to jump into doing all the things all at once.
(04:30):
I relate it to just, we were just talking a minute ago about working out. I relate it to that.
It's like, you know, we start a workout program and we dive in and we do amazing
and do all the things for two weeks.
And then we burn out and fry out because it's just too much.
So that's the approach I like to take is let's start one place.
Let's get you confident and consistent because that's the important part is
(04:50):
being consistent with what you're doing.
Let's get you consistent there. And then we'll add some other platforms on top of.
That consistency and that motivation and that growth.
And it doesn't have to be the same thing all the time too. A lot of people think,
oh, I'm only on Facebook or oh, I'm only on LinkedIn or oh, I'm only pushing my website.
I mean, there's so many different avenues I think that all of us need to be
(05:12):
engaging in at different times and finding what works.
And the consistency is so important, but it's also just like the motivation,
I think, to just get it going in the first place.
I mean, and a lot of agents maybe don't have a lot of extra capital to be hiring
a firm to do it. And a lot of these things you can do yourself.
I mean, you've got a really great 90-day content calendar that you offer for
(05:35):
free on your website, which I really liked.
And it helps, you know, just kind of create a roadmap.
Yeah, exactly. It's something that you can just, you know, it's a starting point.
So it's like, you know, here's an idea for you. I think that's the hardest thing
about creating content is you sit there and you know you need to create something,
but you have no idea what to create.
And then, of course, you can't think of anything because you're trying so hard.
(05:56):
So that's just kind of a starting point where it's like, OK,
here's a roadmap for 90 days.
Pick some of these and then pick up your phone and hit go and start kind of
creating and going from there.
And that will create the momentum to keep replicating the process.
One of the big, bold kind of headlines about what you're doing is you're really
(06:17):
your coach, your coach, your business coach in all the best ways for insurance professionals.
Now, you know, many of us and I've been there,
you know, you've got a startup agency or maybe you're going and now the e-brake's
been pulled because, hey,
you're in a state that's, you know, a little challenging to write and you don't,
you know, you don't want to spend the money on the self-investment or you don't
think you're worth it in a lot of ways, I think is a lot of,
(06:39):
you know, the blocks that people have, you know,
Hiring someone to help you be better, faster, smarter is the best investment that you can ever make.
And so, you know, what do you say to the people that aren't quite there yet
that that they don't really realize the full potential of bringing someone like
you and your firm into the fold?
Yeah, I mean, I just say that, you know, if you hire me, my goal is for you
(07:01):
to make your investment back.
So if we're not doing that, then there's a problem here, you know.
So that's the goal is there's so many different creative opportunities that
you can do online and with social media and with the branding that if you're
not making that investment back, then there's something off and we need to tweak that.
There's absolutely ways to, you know, monetize that and then actually add even more to it.
(07:23):
So take the dip, at least with me. I know that a lot of marketing firms are
very strict on like you've got to have a contract and you've got to do it for
this many days and all the things.
And I'm just like, you know what? I live agent life. I get it.
Let's try some things for 90 days. Let's see what works. Let's tweak what doesn't.
And then we'll kind of go from there.
And a 90 day commitment. I mean, 90 days is enough time to see results or to
(07:46):
at least get going in a path that you want to get going. And it's not a huge commitment.
You know, a lot of these firms are, yes, a year commitment, or it's a whole
bunch of money that, you know, let's be honest, people don't necessarily have right now.
And so I think, you know, having in the back of your mind that I can do this
for 90 days, I can also implement some key things that can help me,
you know, hopefully magnify the, you know, expense that you're putting out up front.
(08:11):
Another part of you that I love and I'm super excited to talk about is your
Professional Women's Empowerment Network.
Its headline is Grow, Connect, and Empower. I want to dig in here and I want
to learn about how this became and what you're doing here to help further women in the industry.
Yeah, it's a journey. It's a lifetime in the making, right? It's kind of like
(08:31):
my story and a lifetime in the making.
And I'm getting ready to, so a sneak peek for Colorado, we're getting ready
to launch kind of like a sister community for just women in insurance.
So just like agent professionals. professionals, but it's really about,
you know, when I started in the insurance industry back in the day,
it's very male dominated. It still is.
(08:51):
There's not a lot of support and tools and resources out there specifically for women.
And, you know, the thing that is, is we, we do want to hear things differently
and we're motivated and we're driven differently than a male audience.
And so I just haven't found a lot of tools and resources for that.
So it's like, I'm going to create that and make that happen.
So it's kind of my journey of starting and not having that availability and
(09:16):
how can I leave my mark and make it a little bit better place for the next,
you know, female insurance professional behind me.
And then we kind of like branch out and help women in business and that kind
of stuff too, because, you know, our, our agencies are businesses.
Sometimes we don't see them that way, that way, but they really are.
So yeah, it's a journey of all the things that I felt like was kind of missing
(09:39):
and how can I make my mark and create that and make that better for others.
And I love that the focus, it is a full focus. So a lot of times you'll see
different organizations have, you know, big, you know, conventions and then
they have a little small, you know, panel, you know, for women in the industry, which is great.
I mean, thank you for having us at the table, but to have some place where we
(09:59):
can really dive in for a couple of days and, and soak in and really understand,
you know, at this upcoming event, which we're going to talk about in a second,
but also a year, you know, it's a community that you're creating.
And it's a place where people can go and ask the questions and really lean in
on each other to have, you know, the answers to things that maybe they're afraid
to ask their male counterparts.
(10:19):
So they don't feel if they ask the questions, then maybe they'll be, you know,
you know, not smart looking in their firms. So to be able to create space for
that, I think is so important.
And there really isn't anything like it, which is where I really found you to
be just super cool. I was like, yes, this is amazing.
So what you've got coming up is this event in Denver. Talk to me about it.
It's coming up right around the corner.
(10:41):
Yeah, it's coming up first part of June. I'm so excited for it.
I've been doing these empower her events for several years, but but it's been
more kind of like women in business all over and all in general.
But my passion is insurance. That's where my experience is. That's kind of like
how I feel like I got started with insurance.
And so I wanted to really niche down and dive into some hot topics of.
(11:04):
Yeah, as women professionals, we want to know how to get more leads and grow our business.
But we also want to know, what does work-life balance look like for you? Does that even exist?
How does it look like in a home? Is it okay to ask for help?
How do you even delegate?
I think sometimes as women, we don't even know how to start delegating or asking for the help.
And if we do, we feel like we're failures almost a little bit,
(11:27):
you know, asking for that.
So we're going to be diving into all of the hot topics for insurance professionals
and women wearing all the different hats that we do on a daily basis.
Which is so key and so important because there are so many different hats.
And I think we all as individuals wear a lot of different hats,
but a lot of things tend to land on the seat of the woman because,
(11:48):
you know, it's the kids, it's the house, it's the this, it's that.
And it's also that we are not good at asking for help by nature. It's just not who we are.
And I don't know at what point in the world of our existence that became like
our normal path, but, you know, leaning in and saying, hey, I need to tap out
or, hey, I need to bring in this person.
I mean, these are all things that help you be better and not,
(12:09):
you know, stress you out and get you to a place where you're so depleted that
you're just like, Like your hair is just on fire.
So you've got about 20 seats left. If we were talking about it before, you know,
to come to the conference, right? I'm going to be there. I'm really excited.
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. We can push 20 more seats.
I'm fine to open up another room if we have to, because I think this is just
(12:30):
such an important place to start creating change for women in insurance.
So 20 seats left. We go all day on Thursday. So you can either buy a ticket
for just Thursday, because I know sometimes it's hard for women to get out of
their office or their home for a day and a half.
But if you can, you can come back Friday and we go half a day Friday.
And yeah, I've got some amazing ladies that are kind of like in my circle that'll be presenting with me.
(12:55):
And then as vendors, and of course, I'm a girl of swag.
So I'm going to be bringing all the swag. I've got all the bling starting to come in.
And so it will be unlike an insurance conference that you've never been to before.
I dig it. I think it's so fun and so great. And it's really priced appropriately.
I mean, it's less than $300 to come in for a day and a half and hear about some
(13:16):
incredible, you know, maybe eye-opening ideas, things you might need to be thinking
about and also just meet some new people.
I mean, hey, anytime you can get in a room with people doing the same thing
you are, it's a great experience to have.
So I am super excited and I will put in our notes here about how they can learn
a little bit more and get in touch.
So one of the things I love about, you know, just the concept of what you're
(13:38):
doing and not just for women,
I mean, for for all walks of the world in the industry is really helping people,
you know, find their strengths and really capitalize on that to be more successful.
And so what are, you know, some of the things that you feel people are not seeing
about themselves when it comes to being an insurance, either person working
in an office or an agency owner?
(13:59):
Like, what are some of the things that you see time and time again that you're
like, hey, you know, if we could just like fix this so we don't have this problem
anymore? Like, what do you see?
You know what? You know what I think I see? And I think that there's this huge
kind of like, I don't know, stigma or conditioning around it,
but that as insurance professionals,
like we have to be very, very strict and by the book and professional and we're
(14:22):
not allowed to have any fun and we can't showcase any other parts of us.
Like we just have to stay inside those lines.
Right. I think that's just kind of like how it's always been,
I guess. And so that's the number one thing that's consistent that I see.
And so that's what I try to actually break agents out of that mold and be like, okay, I get it.
(14:43):
Like I love that world too, but who else are you?
And let's tap into that a little bit. And they get super uncomfortable and super
nervous and think they're breaking all the rules.
But I think that we need more of that, especially in this industry.
Yeah. And it goes back to that personal branding and that connection.
I think it's just a circle that we keep going on and it's fantastic.
(15:04):
You know, we're here in California.
You're in, you know, Wyoming, you know, that whole sector, which I'm not sure
how the market is there, but here in California, and I know my friends in Texas
and Florida, I mean, it is a disaster out there and it's a lot of doom and gloom.
And every single day, you know, you're hearing like we just had,
you know, our travelers was like, you could write one policy this month.
What? You know, and it's the companies are really being really hard on us independent
(15:28):
agents. And so, you know, how do we keep ourselves motivated in these times
that are so challenging?
And we all know it's a cycle. We know we're going to get to the other side.
But for someone that's just not able to see that light, like what are some of
the things that you could maybe help them to see the light?
Mindset is everything. It always has been. I remember back in the day when credit,
(15:50):
do you remember that when they started the industry as we're going to pull credit
numbers and that can affect your rates.
And I remember thinking, and everyone was just like, Oh my God,
like this is the end of the insurance industry and agents are going to go crazy.
And, you know, I've just always tried to, no matter what's happening,
there's so many things you can't control, but it's like, Like, what can I control?
(16:12):
I can control my mindset and the way I'm going to look at this and I'm going
to look for opportunities and I'm going to surround myself by the game changers
and the agents that are winning.
And that's what I have control over. And that's what I'm going to do.
So that's what when I'm starting, when I start working with agents and they're
just kind of spinning out of control because it is, it's a crazy world right
(16:32):
now in insurance and it's hard not to get sucked up into that.
So that's what I try and do is like, okay, get in my circle. let me plug you in.
Let's look at this differently so we can think outside of the box and get creative
on how we're going to keep money coming into your agency.
I just was on a different show and one of the guests had said,
(16:52):
play to win. Don't play to lose, play to win.
And I've never really thought about that, but I'm like, yeah,
you got to play to win. And I think this time is a great time to win.
And I keep saying it over and over again, because as much as it's a scary doom
and gloom moment, I think there is a lot of potential out there.
And it's a lot of, You know, it's a great time to educate yourself and learn
about new things and be the smart person in the room because your your clients
(17:15):
are now listening because they have to.
And they're asking questions. And so it's important for you to know the answers
or at least provide the best solutions that you can.
And, you know, going back to the professional development and the branding and,
you know, how you want to present yourself to your clients.
I mean, this is a great time to be able to develop that internally in your offices. is.
(17:35):
And it's like, we don't usually get that time, but now we have it and we have to have it.
Yeah. Yeah. I think it's so important. And you know what, what I've been loving
seeing is agents are finally starting to realize that things are changing and moving. So.
I'm going to start getting out of my office. I'm going to get in the community.
I'm going to start being part of things that matter. I'm going to start creating
(17:57):
change and making a difference. And then that's kind of like how I've branded myself.
And I don't really talk about selling insurance.
Some people don't even realize that I'm still an agent because what I go out
in front of people is what I'm doing in the community, in the world.
And then those leads kind of just follow after that.
So that's kind of what I encourage, too, is get your mindset,
(18:19):
get yourself in a good circle of positive people that are finding ways to win
and they get out in your communities and make a change and make a difference.
And it's interesting. So when I started in insurance, I would write off little flyers.
At one point, I was like, I want to focus on auto body. And I would walk into these auto body shops.
And of course, I was this little blonde thing. And they'd be like, what are you doing?
(18:41):
And I'd hand them my business card. And I was writing auto body shops. It was what I was doing.
And then it became the internet and you didn't have to go out and pound the pavement in that way.
But maybe now, like you're saying, it is a good time to get back out there and
meet your small businesses and, you know, meet the clients out there because
they, you know, everybody's really when you hear insurance right now,
(19:01):
it's a very like turbulent subject matter all around.
And so I think it's like just something as simple as attending a breakfast or.
Attending a conference or whatever it is.
And, you know, being being a voice and being the person that,
you know, they can look to and, you know, you get involved with the community
as well, I think is a great way to get business always.
Yeah, it's so important. And even just go, you know, like I try to pick out
(19:24):
like 10 small business owners a month and just go in and just check in on them.
Hey, how's things going? How's business been?
You know, nothing more than I'm not trying to sell anything.
I genuinely, you know, care about them and their business.
And so I'm just checking in on them. And to me, there's nothing better than, you know,
when you're sitting in an office all day dealing with claims and rate calls
(19:45):
and all these fires that you have have to put out, when you can take that break
and just get out in your community and talk to some other business owners,
it's so refreshing to me.
It's awesome. So when I think about you, I think about empower your potential
and elevate your success because that's what you've got on your website.
And that is exactly what you're doing. I love every single thing about what
is coming out of your mouth and especially what you're doing to push the narrative
(20:09):
for women in the industry. I think it's incredible. I think you're incredible.
I can't wait to see you in the the next few weeks. And if anybody's out there
and wants to join us, please, you know, get in touch directly or click the links here.
And hopefully we'll see you in Denver. Casey, thank you so much for your time.
We have kept you up to speed today and we hope that everybody has a great week.
All right. We've got a great episode today on Up to Speed. I am joined with
my girl, Casey, all the way. Where is she? Where are you in Wyoming, Denver? Where are you?
In Wyoming? Yeah. I knew it was one of those states out there.
So thanks for joining us today. How are you, girl?
I'm good. I'm excited to be here and I can't wait to dive into all of the things.
I'm just excited. I love when I meet somebody electronically and it is like meant to be.
(00:25):
And so you and I connected through one of interview I had done and a friend
of yours. And it turned out we were both in the insurance space.
So this is very cool because you are what I would like to call a little bit
of an agency slash marketing branding maven. Okay. What does that mean?
You're helping agents get better at their brand. So tell us about your business
(00:45):
and what it is you're doing for agents all over the country. free.
Yeah. I think that it's one thing that I stumbled upon back in the day and I
didn't really even realize what I was doing with it or that it was even a thing,
but I've always been good at,
marketing more of myself versus the corporation that I'm backing.
Not that there's not a place for that, that there is, but I think that that's
(01:09):
what really helped me grow my agencies is I was always that go-getter in the
community and then I was spotlighting and highlighting it and putting putting
my name everywhere, all over.
And that's kind of what I help agents do these days too, is it's trending for agents.
They're finally getting on the bandwagon of like, okay, I need social media.
I need an online presence.
(01:29):
I need all the things, but I have no idea where to start. So that's kind of
what I help do is create their online presence.
I dig it. And we've spoken in the past with marketing, website design and content
creation, but a lot of it, kind of all full circle ties into that branding moment.
Because if you don't have a good brand, it's hard for people to find you.
And it's also, you know, hard to be consistent with your approach.
(01:52):
And when you're, you know, trying to attract new business, some of the biggest
mistakes that you see agents making,
I mean, the first one I can say right now, just from being in this seat over
here is they don't have any presence or not enough presence is what I see.
But what do you see in your seat?
Yeah, I think it's a lot of that. And I think more now than ever before,
consumers want to do business with a real person and not a robot.
(02:16):
So I think when I'm working with agents, that's what I help try to create is,
who are you outside of the agency?
What motivates you? What are your values? What do you believe in?
What are the other things that you're involved in? And let's spotlight and shine
that out there because that's what helps, you know, deepen those relationships.
So that increases that know, like, and trust factor.
(02:37):
And then you kind of just start creating your own little tribe and then you,
then you start growing from there.
So I think that definitely that
is, they try to, they either try to not do enough or I see this a lot.
They just talk insurance all day, every day, get a quote from me,
get a quote, all that kind of stuff.
And it's like, no, we like, I want to see who you are before I get a quote.
So those are a couple of the things that I really love diving into.
(03:01):
And it's a fun thing as to is it's a good personal development journey for agents,
because a lot of times we get stuck in that mode of insurance agent hat.
And that's all we kind of are at the end of the day, who we think we are at the end of the day.
So I help them push the boundaries and explore a little bit more of who they really are.
And what I think it's a relatability factor. And it's also a great way to get business.
(03:26):
So, you know, my brother's really into off-roading and doing dirt stuff, right?
And so there's a lot of clients and a lot of people that can connect with him
at that level. And then, oh, by the way, he does insurance.
So for his brand, it's really worked well because he's a part of that community.
And for many of us in different, you know, spaces in our personal life,
I mean, everybody out there needs what we're doing.
(03:46):
And so I think creating that personal connection, you know, as much as they
say, you know, don't bring your personal life into your business life.
I mean, don't bring the messy stuff, but bring good stuff because I do think
it helps with the relatability.
Moving more into a little bit of the marketing part of what you're doing for helping agents grow.
(04:07):
When we talk about what's effective and the different channels and the different
ways that people can be effective when it comes to marketing,
what are some of the approaches that you're advising your clients on?
What I do is I start with, let's take one thing at a time. Like,
let's just dive into one step.
Where are you comfortable at right now? And let's start there.
Let's not try to jump into doing all the things all at once.
(04:30):
I relate it to just, we were just talking a minute ago about working out. I relate it to that.
It's like, you know, we start a workout program and we dive in and we do amazing
and do all the things for two weeks.
And then we burn out and fry out because it's just too much.
So that's the approach I like to take is let's start one place.
Let's get you confident and consistent because that's the important part is
(04:50):
being consistent with what you're doing.
Let's get you consistent there. And then we'll add some other platforms on top of.
That consistency and that motivation and that growth.
And it doesn't have to be the same thing all the time too. A lot of people think,
oh, I'm only on Facebook or oh, I'm only on LinkedIn or oh, I'm only pushing my website.
I mean, there's so many different avenues I think that all of us need to be
(05:12):
engaging in at different times and finding what works.
And the consistency is so important, but it's also just like the motivation,
I think, to just get it going in the first place.
I mean, and a lot of agents maybe don't have a lot of extra capital to be hiring
a firm to do it. And a lot of these things you can do yourself.
I mean, you've got a really great 90-day content calendar that you offer for
(05:35):
free on your website, which I really liked.
And it helps, you know, just kind of create a roadmap.
Yeah, exactly. It's something that you can just, you know, it's a starting point.
So it's like, you know, here's an idea for you. I think that's the hardest thing
about creating content is you sit there and you know you need to create something,
but you have no idea what to create.
And then, of course, you can't think of anything because you're trying so hard.
(05:56):
So that's just kind of a starting point where it's like, OK,
here's a roadmap for 90 days.
Pick some of these and then pick up your phone and hit go and start kind of
creating and going from there.
And that will create the momentum to keep replicating the process.
One of the big, bold kind of headlines about what you're doing is you're really
(06:17):
your coach, your coach, your business coach in all the best ways for insurance professionals.
Now, you know, many of us and I've been there,
you know, you've got a startup agency or maybe you're going and now the e-brake's
been pulled because, hey,
you're in a state that's, you know, a little challenging to write and you don't,
you know, you don't want to spend the money on the self-investment or you don't
think you're worth it in a lot of ways, I think is a lot of,
(06:39):
you know, the blocks that people have, you know,
Hiring someone to help you be better, faster, smarter is the best investment that you can ever make.
And so, you know, what do you say to the people that aren't quite there yet
that that they don't really realize the full potential of bringing someone like
you and your firm into the fold?
Yeah, I mean, I just say that, you know, if you hire me, my goal is for you
(07:01):
to make your investment back.
So if we're not doing that, then there's a problem here, you know.
So that's the goal is there's so many different creative opportunities that
you can do online and with social media and with the branding that if you're
not making that investment back, then there's something off and we need to tweak that.
There's absolutely ways to, you know, monetize that and then actually add even more to it.
(07:23):
So take the dip, at least with me. I know that a lot of marketing firms are
very strict on like you've got to have a contract and you've got to do it for
this many days and all the things.
And I'm just like, you know what? I live agent life. I get it.
Let's try some things for 90 days. Let's see what works. Let's tweak what doesn't.
And then we'll kind of go from there.
And a 90 day commitment. I mean, 90 days is enough time to see results or to
(07:46):
at least get going in a path that you want to get going. And it's not a huge commitment.
You know, a lot of these firms are, yes, a year commitment, or it's a whole
bunch of money that, you know, let's be honest, people don't necessarily have right now.
And so I think, you know, having in the back of your mind that I can do this
for 90 days, I can also implement some key things that can help me,
you know, hopefully magnify the, you know, expense that you're putting out up front.
(08:11):
Another part of you that I love and I'm super excited to talk about is your
Professional Women's Empowerment Network.
Its headline is Grow, Connect, and Empower. I want to dig in here and I want
to learn about how this became and what you're doing here to help further women in the industry.
Yeah, it's a journey. It's a lifetime in the making, right? It's kind of like
(08:31):
my story and a lifetime in the making.
And I'm getting ready to, so a sneak peek for Colorado, we're getting ready
to launch kind of like a sister community for just women in insurance.
So just like agent professionals. professionals, but it's really about,
you know, when I started in the insurance industry back in the day,
it's very male dominated. It still is.
(08:51):
There's not a lot of support and tools and resources out there specifically for women.
And, you know, the thing that is, is we, we do want to hear things differently
and we're motivated and we're driven differently than a male audience.
And so I just haven't found a lot of tools and resources for that.
So it's like, I'm going to create that and make that happen.
So it's kind of my journey of starting and not having that availability and
(09:16):
how can I leave my mark and make it a little bit better place for the next,
you know, female insurance professional behind me.
And then we kind of like branch out and help women in business and that kind
of stuff too, because, you know, our, our agencies are businesses.
Sometimes we don't see them that way, that way, but they really are.
So yeah, it's a journey of all the things that I felt like was kind of missing
(09:39):
and how can I make my mark and create that and make that better for others.
And I love that the focus, it is a full focus. So a lot of times you'll see
different organizations have, you know, big, you know, conventions and then
they have a little small, you know, panel, you know, for women in the industry, which is great.
I mean, thank you for having us at the table, but to have some place where we
(09:59):
can really dive in for a couple of days and, and soak in and really understand,
you know, at this upcoming event, which we're going to talk about in a second,
but also a year, you know, it's a community that you're creating.
And it's a place where people can go and ask the questions and really lean in
on each other to have, you know, the answers to things that maybe they're afraid
to ask their male counterparts.
(10:19):
So they don't feel if they ask the questions, then maybe they'll be, you know,
you know, not smart looking in their firms. So to be able to create space for
that, I think is so important.
And there really isn't anything like it, which is where I really found you to
be just super cool. I was like, yes, this is amazing.
So what you've got coming up is this event in Denver. Talk to me about it.
It's coming up right around the corner.
(10:41):
Yeah, it's coming up first part of June. I'm so excited for it.
I've been doing these empower her events for several years, but but it's been
more kind of like women in business all over and all in general.
But my passion is insurance. That's where my experience is. That's kind of like
how I feel like I got started with insurance.
And so I wanted to really niche down and dive into some hot topics of.
(11:04):
Yeah, as women professionals, we want to know how to get more leads and grow our business.
But we also want to know, what does work-life balance look like for you? Does that even exist?
How does it look like in a home? Is it okay to ask for help?
How do you even delegate?
I think sometimes as women, we don't even know how to start delegating or asking for the help.
And if we do, we feel like we're failures almost a little bit,
(11:27):
you know, asking for that.
So we're going to be diving into all of the hot topics for insurance professionals
and women wearing all the different hats that we do on a daily basis.
Which is so key and so important because there are so many different hats.
And I think we all as individuals wear a lot of different hats,
but a lot of things tend to land on the seat of the woman because,
(11:48):
you know, it's the kids, it's the house, it's the this, it's that.
And it's also that we are not good at asking for help by nature. It's just not who we are.
And I don't know at what point in the world of our existence that became like
our normal path, but, you know, leaning in and saying, hey, I need to tap out
or, hey, I need to bring in this person.
I mean, these are all things that help you be better and not,
(12:09):
you know, stress you out and get you to a place where you're so depleted that
you're just like, Like your hair is just on fire.
So you've got about 20 seats left. If we were talking about it before, you know,
to come to the conference, right? I'm going to be there. I'm really excited.
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. We can push 20 more seats.
I'm fine to open up another room if we have to, because I think this is just
(12:30):
such an important place to start creating change for women in insurance.
So 20 seats left. We go all day on Thursday. So you can either buy a ticket
for just Thursday, because I know sometimes it's hard for women to get out of
their office or their home for a day and a half.
But if you can, you can come back Friday and we go half a day Friday.
And yeah, I've got some amazing ladies that are kind of like in my circle that'll be presenting with me.
(12:55):
And then as vendors, and of course, I'm a girl of swag.
So I'm going to be bringing all the swag. I've got all the bling starting to come in.
And so it will be unlike an insurance conference that you've never been to before.
I dig it. I think it's so fun and so great. And it's really priced appropriately.
I mean, it's less than $300 to come in for a day and a half and hear about some
(13:16):
incredible, you know, maybe eye-opening ideas, things you might need to be thinking
about and also just meet some new people.
I mean, hey, anytime you can get in a room with people doing the same thing
you are, it's a great experience to have.
So I am super excited and I will put in our notes here about how they can learn
a little bit more and get in touch.
So one of the things I love about, you know, just the concept of what you're
(13:38):
doing and not just for women,
I mean, for for all walks of the world in the industry is really helping people,
you know, find their strengths and really capitalize on that to be more successful.
And so what are, you know, some of the things that you feel people are not seeing
about themselves when it comes to being an insurance, either person working
in an office or an agency owner?
(13:59):
Like, what are some of the things that you see time and time again that you're
like, hey, you know, if we could just like fix this so we don't have this problem
anymore? Like, what do you see?
You know what? You know what I think I see? And I think that there's this huge
kind of like, I don't know, stigma or conditioning around it,
but that as insurance professionals,
like we have to be very, very strict and by the book and professional and we're
(14:22):
not allowed to have any fun and we can't showcase any other parts of us.
Like we just have to stay inside those lines.
Right. I think that's just kind of like how it's always been,
I guess. And so that's the number one thing that's consistent that I see.
And so that's what I try to actually break agents out of that mold and be like, okay, I get it.
(14:43):
Like I love that world too, but who else are you?
And let's tap into that a little bit. And they get super uncomfortable and super
nervous and think they're breaking all the rules.
But I think that we need more of that, especially in this industry.
Yeah. And it goes back to that personal branding and that connection.
I think it's just a circle that we keep going on and it's fantastic.
(15:04):
You know, we're here in California.
You're in, you know, Wyoming, you know, that whole sector, which I'm not sure
how the market is there, but here in California, and I know my friends in Texas
and Florida, I mean, it is a disaster out there and it's a lot of doom and gloom.
And every single day, you know, you're hearing like we just had,
you know, our travelers was like, you could write one policy this month.
What? You know, and it's the companies are really being really hard on us independent
(15:28):
agents. And so, you know, how do we keep ourselves motivated in these times
that are so challenging?
And we all know it's a cycle. We know we're going to get to the other side.
But for someone that's just not able to see that light, like what are some of
the things that you could maybe help them to see the light?
Mindset is everything. It always has been. I remember back in the day when credit,
(15:50):
do you remember that when they started the industry as we're going to pull credit
numbers and that can affect your rates.
And I remember thinking, and everyone was just like, Oh my God,
like this is the end of the insurance industry and agents are going to go crazy.
And, you know, I've just always tried to, no matter what's happening,
there's so many things you can't control, but it's like, Like, what can I control?
(16:12):
I can control my mindset and the way I'm going to look at this and I'm going
to look for opportunities and I'm going to surround myself by the game changers
and the agents that are winning.
And that's what I have control over. And that's what I'm going to do.
So that's what when I'm starting, when I start working with agents and they're
just kind of spinning out of control because it is, it's a crazy world right
(16:32):
now in insurance and it's hard not to get sucked up into that.
So that's what I try and do is like, okay, get in my circle. let me plug you in.
Let's look at this differently so we can think outside of the box and get creative
on how we're going to keep money coming into your agency.
I just was on a different show and one of the guests had said,
(16:52):
play to win. Don't play to lose, play to win.
And I've never really thought about that, but I'm like, yeah,
you got to play to win. And I think this time is a great time to win.
And I keep saying it over and over again, because as much as it's a scary doom
and gloom moment, I think there is a lot of potential out there.
And it's a lot of, You know, it's a great time to educate yourself and learn
about new things and be the smart person in the room because your your clients
(17:15):
are now listening because they have to.
And they're asking questions. And so it's important for you to know the answers
or at least provide the best solutions that you can.
And, you know, going back to the professional development and the branding and,
you know, how you want to present yourself to your clients.
I mean, this is a great time to be able to develop that internally in your offices. is.
(17:35):
And it's like, we don't usually get that time, but now we have it and we have to have it.
Yeah. Yeah. I think it's so important. And you know what, what I've been loving
seeing is agents are finally starting to realize that things are changing and moving. So.
I'm going to start getting out of my office. I'm going to get in the community.
I'm going to start being part of things that matter. I'm going to start creating
(17:57):
change and making a difference. And then that's kind of like how I've branded myself.
And I don't really talk about selling insurance.
Some people don't even realize that I'm still an agent because what I go out
in front of people is what I'm doing in the community, in the world.
And then those leads kind of just follow after that.
So that's kind of what I encourage, too, is get your mindset,
(18:19):
get yourself in a good circle of positive people that are finding ways to win
and they get out in your communities and make a change and make a difference.
And it's interesting. So when I started in insurance, I would write off little flyers.
At one point, I was like, I want to focus on auto body. And I would walk into these auto body shops.
And of course, I was this little blonde thing. And they'd be like, what are you doing?
(18:41):
And I'd hand them my business card. And I was writing auto body shops. It was what I was doing.
And then it became the internet and you didn't have to go out and pound the pavement in that way.
But maybe now, like you're saying, it is a good time to get back out there and
meet your small businesses and, you know, meet the clients out there because
they, you know, everybody's really when you hear insurance right now,
(19:01):
it's a very like turbulent subject matter all around.
And so I think it's like just something as simple as attending a breakfast or.
Attending a conference or whatever it is.
And, you know, being being a voice and being the person that,
you know, they can look to and, you know, you get involved with the community
as well, I think is a great way to get business always.
Yeah, it's so important. And even just go, you know, like I try to pick out
(19:24):
like 10 small business owners a month and just go in and just check in on them.
Hey, how's things going? How's business been?
You know, nothing more than I'm not trying to sell anything.
I genuinely, you know, care about them and their business.
And so I'm just checking in on them. And to me, there's nothing better than, you know,
when you're sitting in an office all day dealing with claims and rate calls
(19:45):
and all these fires that you have have to put out, when you can take that break
and just get out in your community and talk to some other business owners,
it's so refreshing to me.
It's awesome. So when I think about you, I think about empower your potential
and elevate your success because that's what you've got on your website.
And that is exactly what you're doing. I love every single thing about what
is coming out of your mouth and especially what you're doing to push the narrative
(20:09):
for women in the industry. I think it's incredible. I think you're incredible.
I can't wait to see you in the the next few weeks. And if anybody's out there
and wants to join us, please, you know, get in touch directly or click the links here.
And hopefully we'll see you in Denver. Casey, thank you so much for your time.
We have kept you up to speed today and we hope that everybody has a great week.
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