The Insura-Preneur Podcast

Every week, Michael Jans cuts through the noise to deliver six signals that matter for independent agency owners. In this 7-minute briefing:

• Why slowing premium hikes point to an impending soft market 📉
• M&A trends: fewer deals, bigger valuations 💰
• California’s wildfire model shift — and what it could mean for the nation 🌲🔥
• AI’s overlooked growth power (hint: it’s not cost-cutting) 🤖
• Cyber coverage: new capacity, low p...

In this episode, Michael Jans unpacks Robert Cialdini’s timeless Influence and reveals how the 7 principles of persuasion shape every decision your prospects make. From reciprocity to scarcity (and the surprising “eighth” principle of unity), you’ll hear research, stories, and field-tested applications you can put to work immediately in your agency.

Discover why some agencies grow in leaps while others drop money on the way to the ...

Insurance News Brief with Michael Jans

In less than 7 minutes, Michael Jans delivers the week’s must-know news for serious Insura-Preneurs.

• Underwriting profit triples in 2025.
• UnitedHealthcare slashes Medicare agent commissions.
• Global cat losses surge to $80B.
• AI governance shifts from optional to mandated (24 states onboard).
• Liability costs continue their relentless climb.
• M&A activity heats up with World, Duffy, and E...

AI is the fastest-adopted technology in history—and it’s splitting the insurance industry in two. Some agencies are systematizing AI to drive growth, while others are dabbling and drifting into danger.

In this episode, Michael Jans sounds the alarm on 10 red flags that put your agency at risk—from the “expensive hobby” trap to the compliance catastrophe—and shows how to avoid them.

You’ll discover:

• Why AI can’t just be a side ...

Insurance News Brief with Michael Jans

A fast, 7-minute roundup of the biggest stories shaping the insurance industry — delivered straight to independent agency leaders who want to stay sharp without wasting time.

In this week’s brief:

• 📈 Health benefit costs set to climb 6–7% by 2026
• 💰 Valuations holding nearly 20% above the 10-year average
• 🤖 1 in 3 agencies already using AI — with principals leading adoption
• 🧭 Why AI may ...

Every agency owner says they want growth. Few actually ritualize it.

In this episode, Michael Jans pulls back the curtain on the simple but powerful “Growth Ritual” that keeps agencies on track month after month.

You’ll discover:

• Why your P&L is a lagging indicator—and what you should track instead.
• The Rule of 50 (and why it’s the ticket into premium valuation lanes).
• How to use the Four Tributaries of Income (referrals, ...

When you peel back the layers of most “successful” agencies, you find mediocrity hiding behind luck and inertia. Not here. In this episode, Michael Jans sits down with longtime Mastermind member Frank Karkowsky to reveal the real drivers of a Rule of 50 agency—where growth, margins, and valuation stack up in the top tier of the industry.

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• The deliberate decision to move up-market—and why Pasadena In...

In this episode, Michael Jans reveals the most overlooked growth lever for independent insurance agencies — and why agencies that master this one move consistently grow faster, make more per client, and sell for 15–30% higher multiples.

You’ll discover:

• Why niching down accelerates revenue, retention, and profitability
• The math behind a 60%+ income difference between two markets
• Michael’s Bullseye Market Selector — a 10-factor...

Most agencies are leaving money on the table—and they don’t even know it.

In this episode, Michael Jans reveals the 10 science-backed optimization levers that can take your email results from “meh” to 27X better. You’ll discover:

• The core campaigns every agency must run to attract, convert, optimize, and retain clients
• Why “event triggered campaigns” beats manual campaigns by 260%
• How AI-powered GPTs make “done-for-you marketi...

AI isn’t coming — it’s here. And for independent insurance agencies, it’s not optional anymore. In this episode, Michael Jans breaks down the 4 Levels of AI Mastery that separate agencies that soar from those that vanish.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Why “Traditional Tom” will lose to “AI-Enabled Sarah” every time
• How agencies are using AI to double growth while working fewer hours
• The simple framework to assess your agency’s AI m...

Your agency might already be compromised — and you wouldn’t even know it.

Worse, you could face an E&O claim if a client suffers a breach you never warned them about.

Cyber expert Jack Kudale (CEO & Founder of Cowbell, EY Entrepreneur of the Year) returns to reveal the new wave of attacks hitting independent insurance agencies — and why most owners are dangerously unprepared.

It’s not just ransomware anymore. The real threa...

In this episode, Michael Jans walks you step-by-delicious-step through 5 powerful ways to dramatically increase revenue per customer—boosting retention, profitability, and ultimately, agency valuation. You’ll learn how to turn service calls into money calls, run account reviews like a business unit, and future-proof your agency against AI-powered competitors. Plus: Michael shares a sneak peek into the tools being built for the AI G...

If you’re the principal of an independent insurance agency, there’s one role only you can play: strategist. In this episode, Michael Jans breaks down why strategy—not tactics—is the single most powerful lever for growth, profitability, and ultimate valuation.

Discover:

• The 3 historical phases of agency strategy
• Why AI adoption and niche focus are now mandatory
• The 7 strategic decisions every agency principal must make

If...

Most agencies are “just another insurance option.” Not you.

In this episode, Michael Jans reveals the true origin and power of the Unique Selling Proposition—drawing on lessons from advertising legends, Dan Kennedy’s 7-point framework, and decades spent guiding agencies to top-tier growth, margin, and valuation. You’ll learn:

• The real reason most agencies get ignored—and how to never blend in again
• How Rosser Reeves and Madiso...

AI isn’t coming. It’s crashing—right now—into the heart of the independent insurance agency. In this episode, Michael Jans breaks down the most transformational shift the industry has ever seen: the rise of artificial intelligence and how it’s rapidly separating tomorrow’s winners from the agencies that will vanish.

You’ll learn:

• Why “using” AI isn’t enough—why mastery is the new competitive edge
• The four pillars of AI-powered...

This isn’t your typical evergreen episode. In this urgent briefing, Michael Jans dives deep into the 2025 midyear reinsurance negotiations—and what they mean for you. If you're running an agency, you must prepare now for the shifting market dynamics.

You’ll get:

• Key signals pointing to an impending soft market
• Strategic advice on expense discipline, AI, and sales culture
• What smart agencies are doing now to engineer growth and...

What if the reason your agency isn’t growing isn’t what you lack—but what you’re still doing wrong?

In this episode, Michael Jans continues his eye-opening list of the 33 Deadly Marketing Mistakes made by Insura-Preneurs. This is Part 2—and it’s packed with real-world insight, hard-earned lessons, and straight-up advice for growth-focused agency owners. If you want to stop wasting time, stop leaking leads, and start making smarter ...

What’s killing your marketing results—slowly, silently, and profitably?

In this episode, Michael Jans reveals the first 13 of 33 deadly marketing mistakes he’s seen insurance agencies make over decades in the trenches. If you’re serious about growth, valuation, or even just getting leads that actually convert, this episode will change how you think.

You’ll get practical insights, candid stories, and field-tested fixes from one of t...

This isn’t a tactics episode.

If you’re looking for better subject lines or how to get more likes on your next post… wrong time, wrong episode.

This one’s big picture. Strategy. CEO-to-CEO.

Michael steps back and scans the landscape of the insurance industry — and the wider economy — to highlight 10 major shifts that could dramatically impact your agency in the months and years ahead. Some are obvious. Some are subtle. All of them ...