Speaker 1: 0:00

All right, this is an episode of Brass Tactics, those Funky Tactics, and we're talking about scaling your agency with intention and purpose. All right, welcome back growth-minded insurance agents, to another transformative episode of your favorite Brass.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Tactics, those funky antics.

Speaker 1: 0:31

Oh, I love it. I'm your host, jason Feldman, and I'm on a mission to help you build an agency that not only thrives financially but also makes a meaningful difference in the world.

Speaker 2: 0:44

Ooh, and I'm Craig Pretzinger, your co-pilot on this journey to intentional, purposeful growth. So today we're gonna be diving into a topic that's critical for any agency looking to expand and how to scale with intention and alignment.

Speaker 1: 0:57

Oh, that's right, mr Craig. Growth is an exciting prospect, that's for sure, but it can also be a double-edged sword. If you're not careful, you can lose sight of your core values, your client focus and even your own well-being in the pursuit of bigger numbers. This has happened to me personally. Having that attention is so important.

Speaker 2: 1:21

Yeah, I mean. We've seen it countless times, jason. An agency will grow too quickly, too haphazardly. They've scaled chaos and suddenly they're drowning in this wicked web of complexity and they're losing their best clients, they're burning out their team, they're freaking out. It's not good.

Speaker 1: 1:36

But here's the good news.

Speaker 2: 1:37

Mr.

Speaker 1: 1:38

Craig, there is a way to scale that not only avoids those pitfalls but also actually enhances your agency's impact and culture, and it all starts with a shift in the mind.

Speaker 2: 1:51

Absolutely so. The first step to intentional growth is moving from a hustling mindset to a strategizing mindset. So, everybody loves to hang out on their sleeve that they're the best hustler and that's great, but that's labor, right. We need to strategize, get that mindset in and, instead of just trying to close all these deals and just running after the next deal, you start thinking about how each growth opportunity is going to align with the things that you're really good at right, your strengths and your values.

Speaker 1: 2:20

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the hustle culture. I think it's a little off. But what you just said is a very powerful shift. When you're clear on your agency's core purpose and expertise, it becomes so much easier to identify the right opportunities to pursue, especially for you as the agency owner, the ones that will truly move you forward rather than just adding more noise and chaos to the old agency.

Speaker 2: 2:46

And it's not just about what opportunities you pursue, but also how you pursue them right. Intentional growth requires building a team and a culture that can support and sustain growth over the long haul.

Speaker 1: 2:58

Boom, and that's the key. As your agency grows, you need to be intentional about fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement. This means investing in your team's development, encouraging open communication and celebrating wins along the way, because, at the end of the day, you want that kind of autonomous agency that can thrive without you, because you want to build a strong business.

Speaker 2: 3:23

Right. I think I can speak for both of us. I know some of my best months have actually been when I'm not in the agency, which in the olden days I would have thought, oh, it's impossible. Right, I'm so important and getting myself away from that was really, really key to all of it, right, and it was implementing these systems and these processes that can handle the increased volume and all that complexity. This is where a lot of agencies are going to stumble, and where they have stumbled and where we've stumbled, but they grow their client base, but not their operational capacity.

Speaker 1: 3:56

Yeah, a hundred percent, and we found that a key is to proactively build scalable systems in areas like lead generation, client onboarding, service delivery and team training. And you know this because we've talked about it a lot in the past. But I mean it's time to double down on this because this is what will help you. When you have a strong process in place, you can absorb growth without sacrificing quality or sanity. Everybody thinks that it gets more chaos as you grow, but trust me, being an agent that has been in a larger agency and grown to that really big size and then scaling down, it's actually a lot easier the bigger you grow. It's the opposite.

Speaker 2: 4:38

And throughout all of it, it's really, really crucial to stay connected to the why your, why your agency's core purpose, your agency's mission. So growth shouldn't ever be just about hitting a bunch of big numbers. I know that that's what we hear oh, you got to hit these numbers, you got to do this, but we need to do it again. Strategically, right, it should be about expanding your ability to make a positive difference for your clients, for your team, for your community because that's where things really come together.

Speaker 1: 5:11

Yeah, 100%, especially for your team, because they're in there every single day and burning them out. It's just not fun and it doesn't make you feel good. We've seen some incredible examples of this in action. One of our clients, an agency specializing in nonprofit insurance, had the opportunity to take on a major new client that would have doubled their revenue overnight. It was tempting, but they realized this client's value and need were aligned differently than their own. So, instead of compromising their mission, they referred the client to another agency and focused on finding growth opportunities where it was a better fit and staying in their niche.

Speaker 2: 5:49

Yeah, I remember that and I don't know how they would be a nonprofit. But as a result, they not only stayed true to their purpose right, because they stuck to their guns, they also attracted even more ideal clients who resonated with their approach. Right, it's flocks of birds of a feather flock together. Their growth ended up being more organic, more sustainable and more fulfilling because they're helping the right people and that's the power of intentional growth.

Speaker 1: 6:14

When you scale with purpose and alignment, you create a virtuous cycle of success that benefits everyone involved.

Speaker 2: 6:22

Right and then that opposite. I know at the beginning, when I first started, it was, hey, I want to get everybody, I want to do every kind of insurance and that's just insane.

Speaker 2: 6:31

It creates craziness, right. So if you're ready to take your agency to the next level, here's your action plan. Number one clarify your agency's unique strengths, values and mission, and teaser alert we're going to go into that pretty soon here. Identify growth opportunities that align with the core purpose. Build a team and a culture that supports sustainable growth. Implement scalable systems to handle that increased complexity, because it's going to get a little bit crazier, but if you plan ahead right strategic, it's not going to be as bad. And stay connected with your why this is really important. You need to connect with your why, otherwise, down the road you find yourself somewhere where you don't want to be and things are really difficult to unwind. A hundred percent.

Speaker 1: 7:12

And to help you put this plan into action, go to the iDudescom. We've created a special workbook for you and this tool will help you guide you excuse me there through the process of developing your own personalized growth strategy, step-by-step.

Speaker 2: 7:29

You will glide through those steps, Mr Jason.

Speaker 1: 7:31

Yeah, I hope so.

Speaker 2: 7:32

To get your free copy of this workbook. It's actually right down in the show notes, Just freaking click. There's a little link down there right in the notes. You click it and grab your copy.

Speaker 1: 7:43

That's right and that's all for today. Transformation seekers hopefully Remember growth is not just about getting bigger. It's all about getting better, making a bigger impact and staying true to what matters most to you and your team.

Speaker 2: 7:58

Ah, it's so touchy feely today and I love it. So dream big, but grow wisely. Seek out those opportunities that are going to align with your purpose and build an agency and a team that shares your vision. It's your business. You can build it any way you want. The world needs more agencies like yours, until next time.

Speaker 1: 8:16

Keep learning, keep growing, keep making a difference. This is Jason and Craig signing out.