Why Insurance Agencies Struggle to Scale Their Team | Tats Shepherd on Hiring, Leads and Growth

Struggling to grow an insurance agency isn’t usually about leads. It’s about what happens after the leads come in. In entrepreneurship and business advice conversations around scaling a business, this is where most agencies break. Not from lack of opportunity, but from lack of team capacity and structure. Tats Shepherd, co-founder of Shepherd Insurance Group, shares what it really takes to scale an insurance agency in today’s market. In just a few years, he and his partner built their agency from a small team into nearly 20 agents, driven almost entirely through referral-based relationships with lenders and realtors. But rapid growth came with a new challenge, not enough licensed producers to handle high-quality, warm inbound leads. He breaks down how hiring has become just as difficult as lead generation, why traditional recruiting platforms are falling short, and how shifting customer behavior and rising rates have changed the insurance landscape. He also shares why the future of insurance agencies depends on blending technology like AI with strong human-led service and relationship building. Chapters 0:00 - Why warm leads are going unworked 0:21 - The real challenge in agency growth 2:27 - Why recruiting isn’t working 4:41 - What makes a great insurance agent 7:13 - Building a modern insurance team 11:45 - From 1 to 18 agents in 4 years Connect with Tats Shepherd: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tats-shepherd-40066121 Connect with Jessica Jones: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agency-va About Brokers Hotseat Podcast: Brokers Hotseat is a business podcast focused on real conversations with insurance professionals, founders, and industry leaders. The show explores entrepreneurship, leadership skills, business strategy, scaling a business, and the real challenges behind growing service-based companies. Powered by NXC Podcast Network #thenxcpodcastnetwork #brokershotseat #insuranceagency