Agency Growth Machine

Every producer hits the same wall: more accounts, more work, same ceiling. Randy Schwantz pulls the numbers from a survey of 168 producers and $92 million in commission and finds the fix hiding in plain sight: your top 20% of accounts average $17,774 each, your bottom 40% average $518, and one top account is worth 34 of the small ones. Randy lays out the exact system, over-serve your best clients, earn the right to introductions into who they know, and wedge out the incumbent, that took a $546,000 book to $1 million with fewer accounts, not more. Stop writing anything that breathes. Press play and find out how many accounts you actually need to fire to double your paycheck. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You just told a buyer you have great market relationships, claims advocacy, and a team approach... so did the last three agents who called on that account. Randy Schwantz breaks down why 400+ sales workshops and over 10,000 insurance producers all give the exact same answer when asked what makes them different, and why that answer is costing them the deal. He walks through the ladder of abstraction: the exact process for turning a vague capability like "claims advocacy" into a specific, provable process a buyer can actually compare against the incumbent. If you've ever lost a piece of business to an agent who "matched your deal" at the last minute, this episode shows you why, and how to make sure it never happens again. Press play before your next sales call. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Dawson Eastes had less than a year in the business, zero industry experience, and a bad case of cold call reluctance. Then his sales manager called him out in front of the whole team, he committed to memorizing 15 proactive service wedges, and he walked away with $70,000 in new business revenue, all without playing the quoting game. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down how Dawson picked a niche using nothing but insider info from his own family, out-prepared a 15-year incumbent broker, and used role play to walk into every meeting already knowing what the prospect would say. If you've ever lost a deal to "the guy who's been there forever," this one hands you the exact process to beat him. Press play before your next round of cold calls. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Your CRM might be the reason your producers aren't hitting quota, and it's not because they're lazy. Randy breaks down why enterprise systems like Salesforce turn commercial insurance producers into data entry clerks, and shares the story of one $50 million agency that spent two years and six figures customizing theirs without landing a single extra deal because of it. He lays out what a CRM built for middle market insurance actually needs: goal setting tied to a real career plan, tools that turn your knowledge into differentiation, and a system that helps producers earn introductions from their best clients instead of just tracking them. If your producers are quietly avoiding your CRM, this episode tells you why, and what to fix before you burn another year and another budget on the wrong system. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Your producers hit their new business number every year and still have no idea if they can retire, pay for their kids' weddings, or send them to college. That's not a motivation problem, it's a math problem, and most agency owners never do the math with them. Randy Schwantz breaks down the 3-tier goal-setting process that turns a vague commission target into a real savings number, then reverse-engineers it into the exact activity a producer needs every week to hit it. He'll tell you about the $65,000 wake-up call that almost cost him his family's future, plus the rule of 25 every producer needs to know before they retire broke. If your top producer is coasting on a goal that has nothing to do with their real life, they need this episode before they burn out and walk. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Stuck in voicemail hell, stonewalled by gatekeepers, and losing deals to the incumbent agent who always gets last look? This episode breaks down two systems that flip the game: Bold Statement Appointment Setting, which rebuilds the first five seconds of every cold call, and the Seven-Layer Voicemail and Email Strategy that positions you as the problem-solver buyers actually call back. Randy Schwantz shares the exact opening line that stops prospects from hanging up, plus the story that busts the incumbent relationship before you ever set the appointment. Producers running this went from one appointment per 100 dials to one per 23, and reached million-dollar books nearly ten years faster than their peers. If you're tired of dialing all morning with nothing to show for it, listen before your next call block. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You did everything right and still closed the year at $20,000 in revenue. That was Jasmine Singh two years ago. Then one uncomfortable question from her agency owner ("Do you want to be the minimum wage agent?") flipped a switch, and she went on to hit six figures in new business for the first time in her career, grow new business by 250%, and get named 2026 Young Insurance Agent of the Year. In this episode she breaks down the exact question she now asks every prospect that gets them to sign on the line, why she fired her bottom 40%, and how she stopped chasing accounts so they started coming to her. If "your price is too high" keeps killing your deals, listen before your next sales call. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You're running sales meetings every week, and your pipeline still can't predict what will close. Randy Schwantz breaks down why the three formats most agencies default to (the town hall, the pipeline review, the book club) produce exactly zero revenue, and walks through the hot seat model: 45 minutes, one producer, one target account, where they define, defend, and develop specific wedges against the incumbent holding that account. One Cincinnati agency ran this process for six months and their producers started winning accounts they'd been circling for years. If your producers walk into prospect meetings without knowing exactly where the incumbent is underserving that account, they're not competing. Listen now. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You've got clients who'd take your call on a Saturday, and you haven't asked them for a thing. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down the exact conversation that gets your best clients telling your story before you ever pick up the phone, including the one question most producers skip that's the difference between a lukewarm name and a red-hot introduction. One producer ran this system for three years and 43% of his new accounts came straight from introductions. Cold calling is the hard way. This is the smart way. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Your busiest producer might be your most lost. He's on the phone all day, calendar packed, servicing renewals and putting out fires... and he hasn't set a new first appointment in nine weeks. From the outside he looks like your best. On paper he's drifting straight off course, and nobody can see it. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down the Flight Plan system: a specific number for every producer, the activity math behind it, and a six-week flight review built around the one question that surfaces the ceilings your people have been hiding for years. One agency ran this and grew 18 percent, then strung together three straight years of double-digit organic growth without hiring a single new producer. If you're flying your team by feel and a year-end revenue report, you're catching the drift four hours too late. Listen now and learn to fly with instruments. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You keep going back to your old self. You win an account, then drift right back to transactional, price-only selling... and you feel the time, energy, and margin bleeding out of every deal. Brandon Spivey lived it. He came out of State Farm personal lines, got rolled on a deal at a Braves game, and decided he was done playing in the minor leagues. Five years later he's sitting on a $1.35 million book using the Wedge, a locked-in ideal client profile, and a set of named proactive services he can actually monetize. The number that should stop you: when Brandon quantified those services across his top 10 accounts, they averaged $85,000 of hard, tangible value per client in year one. That is where boldness comes from. Not wanting to win, but knowing they need you. He also reveals the drift that he says cost him a $2 million book, and why he fired his biggest client to protect it. If you're tired of burning your marketing team, your underwriters, and your weekends on deals that don't pay, listen before you build your next proposal. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Your best client just said they want to go out for bid. No complaints, no service problems, no price issue.... they just want to know if there's something better out there. Here's the brutal truth: your value is real, but it's invisible, and a client who can't see your value can't defend you when a competitor shows up with a document. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down the proactive service model, an account-level service calendar that turns everything you already do into something clients can see, expect, and miss if it's gone. One Charlotte agency built it and pushed retention from 91% to over 94.5%, keeping more than a million dollars a year that used to walk out the door. Listen now and find the 10 things you do for every client that you've never put in writing, before the incumbent's next renewal becomes your open door. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Most agency owners say they want to grow. Ask any of them, and every single one will say yes. But wanting to grow and actually deciding to grow are two completely different things, and that gap is where most agencies stall. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down what real commitment looks like: a specific number, a deadline, and an honest answer to the question most owners avoid. One agency owner took this seriously, made his commitment public to his team, and grew 31% in two years. If you're sitting on a plan that hasn't moved, this episode tells you why. Listen before your next leadership meeting. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Most producers in the middle of your agency have never been asked what they actually want from their career. Not once. And it's costing you more than you think. In a 10-producer agency, your middle six already generate more revenue than your top performers combined. Randy Schwantz breaks down the math: if those six producers each grow their books by just 20%, that's close to a million dollars in organic growth without a single new hire. One agency owner proved it. Four of six middle producers hit that target, the agency added over $2 million in revenue, and nobody was hired to make it happen. If you haven't had a real developmental conversation with your middle producers lately, this is the episode that changes that. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You've spent real money on producers and they're still not winning. Here's the uncomfortable truth: it's not them. A Cincinnati agency owner kept the same twelve producers she'd been struggling with, built a system, and went from eight million to nearly eleven million in written premium in eighteen months. Randy breaks down exactly what she built and why the single biggest misdiagnosis in this industry is treating a system problem like a people problem. Fix this before you post that next job listing. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

 Most new insurance producers are working hard and going nowhere. Winston Welch was one of them... until he built a system. In just two years, Winston went from emailing quotes hoping prospects would bind to winning Rookie of the Year at Crest Insurance. In this episode, Randy breaks down exactly how Winston bridged the gap between effort and results using the Wedge sales process and Bignition. The math is staggering: organized, disciplined producers will out-earn disorganized producers by $8.5 million over a career. This episode shows you what it actually takes to get there. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

 Eight months. Zero new revenue. And a nice guy who checked every box. If that story sounds familiar, you have a hiring problem, not a training problem. In this episode, Randy reveals the MCOP framework: four pillars that separate hunters from book sitters before you ever sign an offer. He also walks through the retirement math that reveals whether a new hire is truly motivated to grow. The all-in cost of a failed producer hire runs to $150,000. The fix starts before the offer is ever made. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

 Most producers think they lose on price. Greg's story proves otherwise. He kept an account where both competitors beat him by $15,000 and $20,000 — and they never knew why. In this episode, Randy Schwantz delivers the complete six-step Flight Plan, from red-hot introductions to cross-selling and wedge-proofing. Incumbents in commercial lines hold a 92% retention rate. Not because they are better. Because they get the last look. This is how you break it. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You know that producer who has worked hard for 20 years and still has a $300,000 book? That is not a career. That is a sentence. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down the exact system separating million dollar producers from everyone else. Spoiler: the answer is not more accounts. It is fewer, better ones. Randy walks through the Me Inc. mindset, the 20-20 game plan, and the math that shows how to double your book in three years with half the accounts. One producer went from $300K with 300 accounts to $1.3 million with 30. The arithmetic works. The question is whether you are willing to do what it takes. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Your sales meetings are backward-looking theater, and your close rate proves it. CRISP is the 4-part weekly framework one agency used to go from a 25% close rate to 81% and nearly double their new business per producer. Randy Schwantz breaks down every phase and shows you exactly what's different about a meeting designed to win. If your Monday morning meeting teaches producers nothing, this episode is the fix. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Your clients will give you a referral reluctantly. They'll give you an introduction enthusiastically — but only if you give them the right story to tell. Most producers are sitting on their single greatest pipeline asset and never touching it: their existing book of business. In this episode, Randy Schwantz breaks down SODAR — a five-letter system that transforms your best client from "sure, I'll mention your name" into a champion who pre-sells you before you walk in the door. Introductions built this way close at seven times the rate of a cold call. If your pipeline still depends on strangers saying yes, this episode changes that. Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

If you've spent four episodes learning how to wedge out other agents' accounts... congratulations. Someone in your market is now running those exact plays on you. This episode is Randy's defensive playbook: the ABC account management system, the written service timeline that turns your service commitments into signed contracts, and the cross-sell strategy that makes your best accounts nearly impossible to crack. One producer went from losing 6 accounts in 18 months to growing his book 28% in 24 months using exactly this system. IN THIS EPISODE•       The ABC system: why your A accounts (top 20%, 80% of revenue) are probably getting the least service — and exactly how to fix that with visit frequency and proactive touchpoints•       Why frequency alone isn't enough: the one document that locks a client in and shuts down a competitor's wedge before it starts•       A real written service timeline example: April 15 claims review, July midyear check, September renewal strategy, November delivery — all signed at the start of the policy year•       Cross-selling as a defensive weapon: why holding more lines per account is the highest-return retention activity a producer can do•       The producer comeback story: from 6 lost accounts to 28% book growth in 24 months, with zero cold callsReady to move your agency from Selling 2.0 to Selling 3.0? Learn more about Bignition at bignition.com.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

You ran a strong first meeting. You found pain. You built the vision. You got commitment.And then… you lose the deal anyway.It happens every day in commercial insurance. Not because your proposal was weak, but because the incumbent got a second chance.In this episode, Randy breaks down the 6-step Keystone process—the exact system top producers use to lock in deals before the second meeting ever slips away.You’ll learn: Why deals are actually won before the proposal is presented  The 3 positions you’re always in walking into a second meeting  How to prevent the “let me talk to my current agent” stall  The one step that took a producer’s close rate above 80%  How to present service in a way the incumbent can’t match If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “that was a layup”… and still lost, this is the fix.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Most producers lose before they even realize it.They think they got beat on price… but in reality, they were just used to give the incumbent leverage.In this episode, The Wedge creator Randy Schwantz breaks down the exact 5-step system that flips that dynamic completely.This is a field-tested process that’s been used for 30+ years to: Eliminate price competition  Create real differentiation (not “better service” fluff)  Get prospects to ask YOU for the proposal And close deals without chasing or convincing You’ll learn: The “Picture Perfect” question that exposes gaps instantly  Why most producers accidentally help the incumbent win  The Vision Box technique that makes prospects sell themselves  How to shift control so the buyer pulls you in  The final move that prevents your proposal from dying in a drawer If you’re tired of losing deals you should have won…this is the system that changes that.Get the full process with the book here: https://shop.thewedge.net/collections/booksWant us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Most producers don’t lose deals because of price. They lose because they walk into meetings unprepared.In this episode, Randy breaks down the exact 7-question pre-call framework top commercial insurance producers use to dramatically increase their close rate—often in just 20 minutes of preparation.You’ll learn:Why every sales meeting actually has a “third person” in the room—and how to beat themThe simple prep strategy that turns average producers into top performersHow to uncover hidden weaknesses in the incumbent before you ever walk inThe real reason prospects say “your price is too high” (and how to avoid it)How one producer went from losing deals to winning by BOR in the first meetingIf you want to win more accounts, shorten your sales cycle, and stop competing on price, this episode gives you a practical system you can use before your very next meeting.Interested in learning more? Visit thewedge.netWant us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

In commercial insurance sales, there is no such thing as a “win-win.” If you want to grow your book of business, someone else has to lose.In this episode of the Agency Growth Machine Podcast, Randy Schwantz breaks down the hard truth most insurance producers avoid: every prospect already has an incumbent agent. If you want the account, you must create a reason for the buyer to fire their current broker.Instead of competing on price or hoping relationships win deals, Randy explains the real strategy top commercial insurance producers use to take accounts from competitors.Inside this episode you’ll learn:The 3 brutal realities that control every commercial insurance sales conversationWhy pain is the only true motivator that gets buyers to switch brokersHow prospects lower their expectations and why that creates opportunityThe sales questions that expose weaknesses in the incumbent agent’s serviceWhy the best producers differentiate with process instead of priceHow to shift a conversation from a quote meeting to a competitive takedownYou’ll also hear the story of how one producer used this approach to take a $40,000 revenue account from an incumbent who held it for 11 years.If you sell commercial insurance, this episode will change how you approach every prospect meeting.Because the real competition isn’t the other broker.It’s the comfort your prospect has with staying exactly where they are.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

After several years away from the mic, Agency Growth Machine is back.But the silence didn’t mean the work stopped.During that time, Randy Schwantz was deep inside agencies, working with owners and producers trying to grow in a market that has shifted dramatically. Private equity consolidation, new technology, changing expectations from buyers — and yet many producers are still struggling to win deals they should be winning.So Randy went looking for answers.In this episode, he explains what he discovered in the trenches and lays out the core philosophy behind the Wedge — the framework that has helped thousands of producers and hundreds of agencies change the way they compete and grow.You’ll hear:Why the podcast went quiet after 2021What Randy learned working directly with agencies during that timeThe surprising data pattern behind producer performanceWhy so many producers end up stuck in what Randy calls “small account prison”The core beliefs that drive the Wedge philosophyThe overlooked third player present in every sales conversationYou’ll also hear what to expect going forward.From here on out, the podcast will deliver one idea each week — one insight, one framework, or one play you can apply immediately in your agency or book of business.If you're an agency owner trying to unlock growth… or a producer doing the work but still losing deals you thought you had won…This episode lays the foundation for everything that follows.Learn more about The Wedge: https://thewedge.netGet the book The Wedge: https://shop.thewedge.net/collections/booksQuestions or feedback: [email protected] us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

 Why Most Commercial Insurance Producers Fail — And What Actually Fixes It Six out of ten new commercial insurance producers fail within their first two years.And it’s not because they’re lazy.It’s not because they lack talent.It’s not because they “just didn’t want it bad enough.”It’s because they were handed a license… a list… and a draw — and told to “go figure it out.”In this episode of the Agency Growth Machine Podcast, Randy breaks down:The three silent scripts running in most producers’ headsWhy “just make more calls” is not a strategyThe real reason incumbents keep winningWhy mentorship isn’t the answer you think it isThe five-step sequence that breaks the failure loopThis conversation is for the commercial insurance producer who wakes up on Tuesday morning knowing they need to prospect — but has no system for who to call, what to say, or how to create urgency.Commercial insurance success is not a personality sport.It’s an operational discipline.And the difference between the 20–30% industry success rate and a 72.3% producer success rate isn’t motivation.It’s infrastructure.If you were hired with a draw and told the rest would “figure itself out,” this episode will explain exactly what was missing — and what to do about it.Learn more about the fully integrated sales operating system built specifically for commercial insurance producers:👉 https://www.bignition.ioIf this episode resonates, share it with a producer who needs to hear it.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Most producers don’t lose deals because they lack effort.They lose because they lack differentiation.In this episode, Randy walks through the exact scenario playing out in agencies every week:• Producers quoting blind • Prospects saying “we’ll consider it” • Incumbents matching price • And the deal quietly disappearingIf your team walks into appointments promising to “save 10%,” you’re training prospects to make price the only decision variable.There’s a better way.You’ll learn:• Why quoting creates commodity positioning • The real reason incumbents win at the last minute • How to pre-close before presenting • What a Written Service Plan actually is • The 6-step Flight Plan that helps agencies win 50%+ of new business by BORThis isn’t theory. It’s a systematic way to differentiate without undercutting commission or chasing cheaper markets.If you’re tired of getting “rolled” at the finish line, this episode will change how you think about selling commercial insurance.Learn more about implementing the Flight Plan at: 👉 https://bignition.ioWant us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Meet Adrienne.After working in education as a training coordinator for over a decade, she recently made the jump to run operations at an employee benefits firm.It wasn't easy and she admits that she made some rookie hiring mistakes at first.But since then, she's been promoted to CEO of Benefit Advisors.Because in just 2 years after taking over the insurance agency -- Adrienne's lead their team to over 40% growth.And hired a few solid ROCKSTAR producers along the way.But the best part?She's not done growing this money-making machine.Watch Adrienne's Journey here.-------Learn more about Bignition -- https://bignition.ioLearn more about The Wedge Group -- https://thewedge.net/#insuranceagenttraining #insurancesales #insurancerecruitmentWant us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Meet Ryan.He's the father figure of a blended family living off the coast of New Jersey.Ryan's also the Sales Director at JGS Insurance, who joined Bignition a few years ago.Since then, he's helped their team to achieve a few BIG squad goals like ...- 3X their sales revenue- Increase to a 97% retention rateThe best part?They're still growing.----*P.S. -- Are you an independent insurance agency leader with 4-10 Producers looking for a scalable growth system? Here's a free webinar just for you: https://thewedge.net/register/Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Meet Justin. He went from being a college football coach to selling insurance for a living ... Now he coaches Producers in his agency on how to do it too. Justin told us, "There's really no difference between the two jobs ... You've just got to be disciplined to a system." His secret training system? Bignition. Because with Bignition, there is no room for excuses anymore. Your Insurance Producers get access to 24/7 sales training on-demand and the technology to track activity effectiveness. ... This way you ALL have the proven system to win more business. GROW BIG OR STAY HOME™ ---------------------- *P.S. -- Want to know how Bignition can work for your agency? Watch this free webinar here -- https://thewedge.net/register/Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Imagine you’re a 28 to 32 year-old commercial insurance agent going after accounts anywhere from $7500, up to $30,000 in revenue.How do you position yourself to set more appointments with these types of prospects?The answer: BETTER MARKETING!Join Randy Schwantz and insurance marketing LEGEND, Michael Jans, as they take a deep dive into becoming a better marketer to set more appointments.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

One of the biggest questions agency owners face when making a new decision for their business is, "When will we see a return on investment?"This wasn't any different for agency owner, Jared Pitts, from GIA-TX. He admitted that he was extremely skeptical of the program at first.But with Bignition, there is no secret formula here. If you want to grow your agency, it's VERY simple.We'll bring the tools and coaching. You bring the commitment and effort.And together, we'll catapult you to the next level ... Just to see how far you can take it.So if you have 4-10+ Producers and you're ready to see EXPONENTIAL GROWTH in your agency ...Schedule your Strategy Call here:https://thewedge.net/grow-big/Because if you don't ... who will?Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Randy Schwantz and Tim Pollard, author of The Compelling Communicator, discuss virtual and effective communication during COVID. In this video they dive into things you should know, common mistakes, and how mastering a few communication tips can hugely impact your business and success. At the end of the day good communicators win and bad communicators lose. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AND - We've negotiated a special deal for you! If you enter the discount code RS15, you will receive a 15% discount on Oratium's E-learning.E-Learning Website: https://elearning.oratium.com/pivotThe Compelling Communicator Book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-compelling-communicator-tim-pollard/1125315183Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Don't you hate it when you spend a boatload of your time, money, and effort finding quality candidates -- only to have your newbie quit 2 weeks later?It's frustrating. But you don't need to give up on hiring just because the last new Producer you hired felt like an absolute train wreck. The truth is you have what it takes to hire Producers that'll make it. You just need the proven playbook to do it right.In the latest episode of Agency Growth Machine Podcast -- I caught up with one of our Bignition agency owner's, Jamie Noe (CEO of Insurance Group of America.)Jamie let me in on his process for finding quality candidates and shared a BIG finding after assessing hundreds of them.He looked at who made it vs. who didn't and found they all had one thing in common.NEVER hire another Insurance Producer unless they have this ONE personality trait.GRIT Personality Inventory -- https://thewedge.net/assessments/GRIT Book -- https://thewedge.net/books/---*P.S. — Check-out these FREE goodies for Agency Owners: 3 Strategies to Double Agency Growth -- https://www.thewedge.net/webinar/ Free Download of Agency Growth Machine -- https://www.thewedge.net/free-book/Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

What happens when you hire a new-to-industry Producer who doesn’t know the first thing about selling insurance?In this episode of Agency Growth Machine, join Randy Schwantz and guest, Scott Knowles, as they explore a New Producer School focused on Workers Compensation.Find out how long it really takes to train a new Producer (Hint: it’s probably not what you’d expect.)Grow Big or Stay Home™https://www.thewedge.net/bignition/-------------------------------------------------------------*P.S. — Check out these FREE guides for Independent Insurance Agency Owners:The #1 Strategy to Double Your Agency: https://www.thewedge.net/webinar/Agency Growth Machine Book: https://www.thewedge.net/free-book/Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

With all the negativity in the world, it’s extremely hard to see anything positive. The problems become even more magnified if negativity is all you can see. In this episode of Agency Growth Machine Podcast, Randy Schwantz sheds some light on how your future can be bright no matter what goes on around you. Grow Big or Stay Home™  — www.thewedge.net/bignition/ ------------------------------------------------------------- *P.S. — Check-out these FREE goodies for Agency Owners: www.thewedge.net/webinar/ www.thewedge.net/free-book/Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

There's a couple of different ways to look at this, but ultimately you can either sell out, keep your agency and double it, or just put up with what it is. Listen in and join Randy in the discussion of the pros and cons of each. Grow Big or Stay Home™ — www.thewedge.net/bignition/Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Because of The Wedge, you already have the tools to Double Your Agency's Growth. Many people have tried, but only the committed make it happen. Join Randy discuss principles from Think and Grow Rich, sharing how committing to a plan is the key to success.Interested in our sales training? Click here -  November 16-17 for Virtual Wedge Training.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

In this episode of Agency Growth Machine, Randy Schwantz, author of the Wedge, breaks down Winning Through Intimidation by Robert J. Ringer. He discusses a couple of theories in the book and applies them to life in the insurance world... touching on preparing for tough times, keeping a positive attitude, resilience, and how to set yourself up for success. His mission is to help people accomplish long term success personally and in their career. Give it a listen! To learn more about what we do at the Wedge visit us here.Looking for sales training? Join us November 16-17 for Virtual Wedge Training.Books Referenced by Robert J. Ringer:Learning Through Intimidation Looking Out for #1: How to Get from Where You Are Now to Where You Want to Be in LifeWant us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Let's talk about challenging the way you think and getting clear on your goals, so that you can begin to pursue them. Re-write and rebuild your personal story about who you are and what you want to achieve. If you don't work on your vision for your career or life and begin to map it out... Or commit to being who you want to be, you will stay in a state of mediocrity. Does it have to be that way? No, but it is up to YOU to be extraordinary. Interested in learning more about growing your agency or growing as a producer? Click here.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

I want to give all the recognition I can to Robin Sharma for his book, The 5 AM Club. It impacted me so much I sent a copy to 3 of my kids and attended his Personal Mastery Academy. Have you ever felt like you're not reaching your potential?Imagine if you were able to resist all the temptations that distract you from your goals. All the things that you don't need or rely on, but give your time and attention to. It could be social media, your phone, Netflix... What if you were able to get excited about spending more time and focus on what you'll create and do instead of what you're afraid you'll miss out on? Potential has to be developed, its something that's there, but it needs to be trained and practiced. It takes courage to step into change. You will need courage to exploit your potential.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

I'm back for another episode of Agency Growth Machine. We're going to talk about how to grow your agency and look, the big quote I'm going after right now because I'm setting up this three-part series on leadership with Bill Belichick. We just did Nick Saban coming up today and coach K coming up in the future and here's why. My core belief is that the difference between where your agency is today and where it's going to be tomorrow and deep into the future is in direct proportion to your ability, yes, Mr and Mrs. Leader, your ability to lead, coach, train and develop your sales team.Hope you tune in to hear the rest... Listen below. Or click here to read a transcript.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

What we’re going to be talking about today is leadership and if you’re a leader, here’s what I want you to be thinking about, the difference between where your agency is today and where it will be tomorrow and deep into the future is in direct proportion to your ability to lead and develop your sales team. So I think the key phrase there is ‘it’s in direct proportion to your ability’ and if you don’t continue to develop your ability then your salespeople won’t develop themselves and your growth is predictable. And so as we get into you developing your ability, I really want to get into some of the things from three of my heroes: Bill Belichick, Nick Saban and coach K. I mean when you add them all together, there’s over 15 plus world championships. I mean big time stuff and so I want to just do that quote for you one more time so that we set the tone for why we need to listen to Bill and to Nick and to coach K. Hope you tune in to hear the rest… Listen below. Or click here to read a transcript.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

There’s a blast from the past, something that you’ve heard a billion times. The guy that we all love, man. I just can’t wait to hear what he’s got to say. In fact, it’s coming up here in just about three, two, one. Ready Go. Pat will always have his teams prepared. Whoa. You heard that voice before. Who is it? Pat will always have his teams prepared. Can you say Magic Johnson, one of the best all time ever, ever, ever, ever. And so what he’s talking about is Pat Riley, Pat, a major league coach will always have his team prepared. So now we’re talking to you as an agency owner/leader. What are you doing? Honestly, what are you doing? Honestly, to get your producers prepared, to go beat the competition, not just play, not just show up, but WIN? He is the most attention to detail guy. Now what he’s saying that Pat Riley’s great at details. He’s a detail guy. He’s the detail of getting producers ready to go do what? To win. He’s Pat Riley, a detailed guy at getting the guys like Magic Johnson prepared to go beat their competition. Now you’re going to love the sound byte coming up. This is how Pat kind of gets into the head of master guys like Magic Johnson. Hope you tune in to hear the rest… Listen below. Or click here to read a transcript.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Hey there everybody, this is Randy Schwantz. Welcome to another episode of Agency Growth Machine. I hired a marketing consultant to help me out and one of the assignments he gave me was to watch Simon Sinek do his TED Talk on Start with Why. It made me go pull the book off my shelf again and as I’m reading through it, thinking through it, mapping it out just a little bit, here’s what’s kind of hitting me; what Simon does a good job of is comparing somebody like Apple to somebody like Dell. They’re both computer companies. They both have all the capabilities in the world. They both have huge bank accounts. They both could be making amazing things, but Apple seems to trump Dell and other computer makers, like Lenovo in big ways. And why is that? Well, what he’s saying is that Steve Jobs, who’s the genius over there, has this kind of Why thing. Hope you tune in to hear the rest… Listen below. Or click here to read a transcript.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Letter to My Boss… I love you, but I’ve got to go to a place that will help me grow. This new Agency Growth Machine podcast is a little off the rails…. 3 subjects: Why did I write the “letter to my boss?”New TrendsOld World Agency vs. The New World Agency Probably some stuff that will make you mad… Hope you tune in. Listen below.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

What is Failure? Why do people make so much of it? In this brief Agency Growth Machine Podcast, I get into Failure in a unique way. I think you’re going to like it. Listen below.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net

Fundamentally, people know what they have to do to be successful. They have to prospect and set appointments. They have to convert those prospects into clients. They have to retain those clients for as long as possible, hopefully a lifetime. But, many have a hard time with the first step…. Prospecting. The source of the problem is NOT finding names to call. It’s NOT having a telephone that works. The problem is FEAR. And FEAR comes in different packages, sometimes disguised, but nevertheless… it’s FEAR. So, how do you solve the FEAR problem in 18 minutes or less? Listen below.Want us to tackle a real challenge you're dealing with? Submit your question using the link below. We read every question. We don’t respond to all of them—but the best ones get turned into episodes.If this episode was helpful, share it with a producer or agency leader who needs it.  Get more insights like this every week: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast & blog: https://thewedge.net