Training and leadership are still the two biggest constraints holding independent insurance agencies back. In this episode, I sit down with Justin Goodman to talk about how agencies can finally solve both without burning out owners or losing great people to competitors. Justin shares the real story behind Total CSR and why daily, practical training beats one-time education every single time.

We talk about how agencies can recruit better, train faster, and build confidence on the front lines using structured learning paths, micro learning, and smart technology. Justin also opens up about Project 55 and why mental health support inside the insurance industry matters more than ever.

If you want to build a stronger team, reduce E&O risk, and create a culture where people grow and stay, this conversation gives you a clear path forward.

Highlights:

• How agencies can turn daily training into a competitive advantage instead of a burden.
• Why micro learning helps team members retain coverage knowledge long term.
• How to recruit and assess talent before hiring mistakes become expensive.
• Why confidence without competence creates hidden E&O risk.
• How AI tools can support coverage conversations without replacing human judgment.
• Why mental health support is becoming a leadership responsibility inside agencies.

About Justin Goodman:

Justin Goodman brings over 20 years of insurance industry expertise as a third-generation professional in the field. By the age of 29, he was recognized as one of the top five construction insurance experts nationwide by Risk and Insurance Magazine. As CEO and co-founder of Total CSR, he has developed training programs that have reached more than 70,000 customer service representatives, account managers, and producers across the United States. He also serves as Managing Director and co-founder of Project 55, a non-profit focused on transforming mental health outcomes in the workplace. His work has earned him recognition as one of the 2024 Insurance Journal Agents of the year and named to Insurance Business Magazine’s Hot 100 list.

www.totalcsr.com

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

If you want more out of life and business next year, it starts with becoming more of who you’re capable of being. In this solo episode, I share the exact year-end framework I’ve used for decades to design my most joyful, fulfilling, and successful years.

I walk through three simple but powerful questions that shape how I spend my time, how I build my business, and how I take care of my health, relationships, and personal growth. This episode is about intention, clarity, and reverse-engineering my best year before it even begins.

By the end, you’ll have a practical way to design your life one year forward, eliminate what drains you, focus on what matters most, and create a plan that supports both personal and professional success.

Highlights:

• How to identify what truly brings joy into your life and structure your time around it.
• Why eliminating tolerated and energy-draining tasks creates more focus and momentum.
• How spending more time in your strength zone leads to greater fulfillment and impact.
• Ways to evaluate your business across team, clients, vendors, brand, and finances.
• What defining success in both business and personal life looks like without burnout.
• How reverse-engineering the best year of your life creates clarity and direction.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

Predictability is becoming one of the most valuable advantages in today’s insurance market, and data and technology are finally making it possible. In this episode, I sit down with Dylan DiMarchi, Co-Founder and CEO of Eventual, to explore how independent agents can use price guarantee strategies to stand out, retain clients, and grow in a challenging market.

We discuss how Premium Lock works alongside existing homeowners policies to provide multi-year premium stability without replacing carriers, and how data modeling and AI are helping address volatility driven by inflation and climate risk. This conversation is about more than pricing—it’s about giving agents a powerful new way to deliver certainty, differentiation, and long-term value to their clients.

Highlights:

• How premium predictability is becoming a competitive advantage for independent agents.
• Why homeowners are demanding stability as rate increases continue across the country.
• How data, AI, and predictive analytics are reshaping insurance pricing and risk management.
• Ways agents can improve retention and referrals with multi-year value propositions.
• What the hard market data reveals about regional trends, climate risk, and carrier behavior.
• How technology-driven guarantees can coexist with admitted carriers and existing policies.

About Dylan DiMarchi:

Co-founder and CEO of Eventual, the company behind Premium Lock.

Premium Lock is a 3-Year Price Guarantee that works alongside homeowners’ existing carriers and coverage to help homeowners fight back against rising insurance prices. Premium Lock is distributed by independent insurance agents across America, helping them grow their businesses faster by (i) marketing a long-term price guarantee to differentiate and win more customers, (ii) improving retention with a multi-year product, and (iii) adding an incremental commission stream.

Dylan was born and raised in Hawaii and studied mechanical engineering and economics at Yale. Prior to Eventual, Dylan was an Investment Professional at Blackstone, where he invested $3.5bn in commercial real estate during his tenure.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

Scaling an agency requires clarity, intentionality, and the courage to focus on what truly drives growth. In this episode, I share the mindset and systems used by top independent insurance agencies to compress time, eliminate distractions, and scale faster than ever before.

I also introduce Onyx, our new high-level program built for agency owners who are ready to elevate their leadership, strengthen their culture, and create the scalable infrastructure needed for long-term success. We dive into how planners outperform reactors, why subtraction accelerates growth, and how early adopters are using automation and AI to create massive efficiency gains. This episode will challenge you to lead with purpose and build your agency like the one you want to own three years from now.

Highlights:

• How intentional planning—not reaction—creates the clarity needed for breakthrough growth.
• Why calculated courage separates stagnant agencies from those scaling at record speed.
• How subtraction (fewer priorities, fewer distractions, fewer wrong-fit people) accelerates success.
• What early adopters teach us about using automation, RPA, and AI to compress time and build efficiency.
• Why leadership depth, culture alignment, and people architecture determine long-term scalability.
• How the Onyx Program is helping agency owners elevate performance, build stronger leadership, and achieve exponential growth.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

The most powerful advantage in your agency might not be what you think—it’s understanding how your people work best. In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Harwood, entrepreneur, national speaker, and author of Move Over Extroverts, to explore how introverts and extroverts can work together to create balance, trust, and unstoppable growth within your team.

Ashley and I dive into why so many agencies unknowingly operate with a bias toward extroversion, and how recognizing and empowering introverts can unlock new levels of productivity and retention. She shares practical tools to help leaders identify personality dynamics, build stronger relationships, and create an environment where every team member thrives. Whether you’re leading producers, CSRs, or leadership teams, this episode is about scaling smarter—by leveraging your people’s natural strengths and energy to fuel sustainable business growth.

Highlights:

• How introverts bring a quieter but deeper kind of power to business and leadership.
• Why energy management—not effort—is the key to productivity and long-term success.
• How to recognize and overcome extrovert bias within your agency culture.
• Simple ways to balance team energy and communication to improve retention and performance.
• How understanding personality dynamics leads to better leadership, collaboration, and client experience.
• Practical steps to help both introverts and extroverts thrive together and scale your agency intentionally.

About Ashley Harwood:

Ashley Harwood began her career in 2013 and built a 6-figure real estate business before launching Move Over Extroverts in 2018. Since then, she’s built programs and courses to help her fellow introverts thrive in sales roles without feeling like they need to change who they are.

A national speaker, sought-after sales trainer, author of “Move Over Extroverts: How to Build a Successful Real Estate Career as an Introvert,” and contributing writer for HousingWire, Ashley was also named one of The Top Coaches by The Close and INMAN. Her coaching and training programs are available for entrepreneurs throughout a variety of industries.

She grew up in Michigan and resides in Massachusetts with her boyfriend and their crazy orange cat.

https://www.moveoverextroverts.com/

Move Over Extroverts: How to Build a Successful Real Estate Career as an Introvert

Amazon – https://a.co/d/dTn2mkg

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/move-over-extroverts-ashley-harwood/1147097413?ean=9781917496025

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

The fastest-growing agencies aren’t just built on strategy—they’re powered by accountability. In this episode, I sit down with Joel McKinley, our Director of Accountability at UPP and a 20-year U.S. Army Ranger veteran, to talk about how true ownership transforms teams from task-driven to results-driven. We dive deep into what it really takes to create a culture where accountability is embraced, not enforced—and where every team member takes responsibility for their own success.

Sharing how trust, clear expectations, and consistent follow-through can help agency owners shift from micromanaging to leading with confidence. Together, we break down practical ways to build accountability into your agency’s foundation—so your people don’t just show up for work, they show up for results.

Highlights:

• How accountability builds trust and empowers independent insurance agency teams to own their results.
• Why accountability must start with leadership—and how agency owners can model it daily.
• The difference between holding people to tasks versus holding them to outcomes that truly matter.
• How consistent one-on-one accountability builds confidence, clarity, and momentum across your agency.
• Ways to identify and eliminate “busy work” so your team focuses on high-value, productive activity.
• How building an accountability culture attracts A-players who want to grow and lead within your agency.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

True leadership isn’t about tasks—it’s about unlocking the greatness inside your people. In this episode, I talk with Natty Lewis, an entrepreneur who has built and sold seven companies and now leads Ascend EQ, helping agencies harness emotional intelligence to elevate culture, retention, and revenue.

Natty shares powerful insights into why so many agency teams get stuck in “task mode,” how identity and labeling impact performance, and what leaders can do to close the gap between expectations and reality. We also dive into the role of emotions in the workplace and why employees can’t deliver an experience for clients that they don’t feel themselves. This conversation is a roadmap for agency owners who want to build a team that is not only productive but inspired—one that creates lasting client loyalty and greater profitability.

Highlights:

• How shifting from a task list mindset to a big-picture identity transforms performance and client experience.
• Why labels like “CSR” or “sales rep” limit potential and how to reframe them into empowering identities.
• The direct connection between emotional intelligence, retention, and revenue growth.
• How leaders can intentionally shape agency culture through communication and expectations.
• Why emotions drive behavior and how to equip employees with tools to manage them effectively.
• Ways to ensure your team feels seen, heard, and valued—so they can provide that same experience to clients.

About Natty Lewis:

Meet Natty, a true entrepreneur. She has started and sold 7 companies. She is currently the visionary behind Ascend EQ, a company that dives into human emotions and how to use them to your advantage. She has 25 years of experience in marketing and sales. Her expertise extends far beyond traditional business strategies; Natty has delved deeply into understanding human behavior, particularly what drives people to initiate projects but often prevents them from seeing them through to success.

Natty has not only founded companies but has also collaborated closely with diverse professionals ranging from athletes to business owners and influencers. Through these interactions, she uncovered a profound insight: the transformative power of emotional intelligence (EQ). Natty believes that elevating EQ levels doesn’t just enhance individual capabilities; it catalyzes a ripple effect across all aspects of life — from increased revenue and productivity to fostering purposeful relationships and living with greater intention.

In essence, Natty’s journey is a testament to her commitment to empowering individuals to achieve holistic success, where personal and professional growth converge to create a better life for all.

Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets!

Mike Stromsoe
The Unstoppable Profit Producer
Call 800-770-9984

Email: vip@upplife.com

Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/

Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/

Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com

If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!