Building An Agency, Having Babies and Knocking It Out Of The Park!

In this episode of Power Women In Insurance, Teresa Kitchens sits down with Ashley Mastowski , the agency owner of First Choice Insurance. Ashley and Teresa have a follow up on how she has built her agency through CoVid, having twins, and navigating a hard market. Episode Highlights: Ashley mentions that after working in the captive world for 12 years, she decided to explore other opportunities and started First Choice Insurance, and has successfully been running it for almost four and a half years. (2:58) Ashley shares the challenges she faced in starting a family while growing a business. (5:01) Ashley discusses the importance of treating employees well and hiring the right people for key roles in order to achieve growth and success in an agency. (12:44) Ashley shares her experience with a local agency specializing in commercial insurance, and the push and pull dynamics between her and the agency owner regarding taking on different types of clients and the possibility of merging. (18:04) Ashley explains the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive team and seeking continuous learning opportunities in the insurance industry. (26:52) Ashley mentions that going independent has its own struggles, but it offers more freedom and flexibility. (30:57) Ashley shares that she values having conversations with others and loves to connect with people for educational purposes and support, particularly with moms of toddlers. (39:01) Key Quotes: “If you don't have the right people around you and the right team with you, growth doesn't matter. So I honestly give everything to them. And they've gotten me through everything that I've needed. ” - Ashley Mastowski “When I train my new employees, I tell them, don't be scared to do that. Because I'd rather have you say, you know what, I'm new or, you know what, I'm actually not sure what that answer is. Let me find that out.” - Ashley Mastowski “I love talking to people and I love furthering my education that way versus actually going back to school.” - Ashley Mastowski Resources Mentioned: Ashley Mastowski LinkedIn First Choice Insurance Group Contact Teresa Kitchens Sterling Insurance Group