Billy Wagner, a Brightway Insurance agency owner in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida shares with us how he built his agency to $5M twice and how he views the Florida insurance market as an every day hard market - no big deal!
Episode Highlights:
Billy shares his personal experience of losing their home in a fire and how it led him to join the insurance industry and eventually become a franchise owner of Brightway Insurance. (7:50)
Billy mentions that building deep relationships with clients has been the key strategy for Brightway Insurance, focusing on adding value and being a true partner and resource, resulting in close to 1,000 solid, consistent relationships that generate all of its business through referrals. (12:11)
Billy discusses a systematic approach to building relationships with clients in the real estate industry, including gathering information on realtors and lenders, reinforcing relationships, offering value-added services, and cross-selling other lines of business. (18:37)
Billy explains the need for a differentiating approach and mindset, including overseeing staff, forming relationships with carriers, and finding profitable business opportunities. (30:10)
Billy discusses the challenges and changes in the insurance industry over the past 18 years, including the loss of markets, the need for efficiency, and the current focus on reinsurance and high premiums. (35:56)
Billy expresses his desire to positively impact the community through their business. (44:16)
Billy discusses his strategic planning in the insurance business that allows him to have quality time with his family. (49:56)
Key Quotes:
“We built a system around coming up with different ways that we can show up and be different and be a true partner and a resource.” - Billy Wagner
“Whenever there's pain and disruption and challenges, there's opportunities in that same space, and it's just about how you look at it.” - Billy Wagner
Resources Mentioned:
