Scaling Your Insurance Agency in the Age of AI with Seth Zaremba
Independent insurance agencies have always competed on relationships, expertise, and advice. But as costs rise, revenue models change, and technology continues to accelerate, agencies have to rethink how they operate.
In this episode, Brent Kelly sits down with Seth Zaremba, founder and CEO of b atomic, to discuss what it really takes to scale an independent agency in today's environment.
Seth brings a unique perspective to the conversation. He's been a producer, agency owner, aggregator founder, and now an insurtech entrepreneur focused on solving the operational challenges facing independent agencies.
One of his biggest observations is that agencies have historically treated their processes as part of what makes them special. But customers don't care how a file is documented or how a vehicle is changed in the AMS. They care about the experience, the advice, the expertise, and the relationship.
The opportunity is to use technology and better processes to handle the work customers don't value, freeing people to spend more time on the work that creates value.
In this episode, Brent and Seth discuss:
- Why scaling has become one of the biggest challenges facing independent agencies
- The difference between being busy and creating value
- Why cost per transaction could become a critical agency metric
- How agencies can better deploy their most valuable resource, their people
- Why account managers have a finite number of "shots on goal"
- How technology can create capacity rather than simply create more work
- Why AI should be introduced through leadership, culture and purpose
- The connection between operational efficiency, retention, growth and profitability
- Why Seth believes there may be significant margin sitting inside today's independent agencies
- Why confidence is a skill, not something you're simply born with
The Big Takeaway
Technology should not replace relationships. It should create more capacity for relationships.
When agencies automate and improve the work that doesn't require human expertise, they can redirect their people toward the conversations, relationships, and decisions that actually drive growth, retention, and value.
Listen to the full episode and rethink how your agency is using its most valuable resource: its people.
Connect with Seth Zaremba on LinkedIn or learn more about their work at www.batomic.com
Is Your Agency Built to Scale?
Your people shouldn't spend their most valuable time on work that technology and better processes can handle. See where your agency has opportunities to create more capacity, improve performance and increase profitability.
