You can watch the full episode here:
Mike put it best in his intro: “The future isn’t coming — it’s already here, and it’s AI-first.” That couldn’t be more true. Too many agencies still treat AI and automation as afterthoughts, layering them onto outdated workflows. Instead, these tools should form the foundation of how an agency operates. In our conversation, I shared what it looks like to build an agency where bots do the heavy lifting and humans step in only where they truly add value.
Building a Future-Proof Agency
Here are some of the key ideas we covered in the episode:
Understand the difference between native AI, agentic AI, and RPA.
These aren’t just buzzwords. Each one plays a different role in a modern tech stack. APIs move the data. RPA executes the repetitive tasks. AI — especially agentic AI — makes decisions and adapts. Together, they create a seamless and scalable ecosystem.
Why starting AI-first increases revenue per employee.
When you build your business around automation and intelligent workflows, your team can focus where they make the biggest impact. It’s realistic to see revenue per employee grow into the $400,000 to $600,000 range or more with the right approach.
Listen to your team.
Your staff knows where the friction points are. Before automating anything, ask your team what should be automated and why. That input is critical to success.
Treat your agency as a lab.
At Hatteras Insurance, we treat our own agency as a proving ground for everything we build. We test, refine, and adapt constantly. Agencies that embrace that mindset will always be ahead of the curve.
What’s Possible
We talked through real-world examples of:
AI intake bots that qualify and score leads before your team touches them
Quoting bots that gather data, run rates, and sync with the CRM automatically
Multi-layered automations handling service tickets, renewals, and even cross-selling
Designing a “tech brain” where multiple bots feed into a central AI system that learns and improves over time
These aren’t concepts — they’re live in my agency and in the agencies we work with through InsurCore, ZoInsure, and SmarterLead.IO.
About Me
InsurCore: Consulting and implementation for independent agencies
ZoInsure: AMS/CRM platform with native AI agents and automation
Hatteras Insurance: My own agency, built on the same principles I teach
SmarterLead.IO: AI-driven lead generation and routing
If you’re ready to multiply your team’s capacity, increase revenue per employee, and finally run your agency with a growth mindset, take a few minutes to watch the episode below.
If you’d like to connect or discuss how these ideas could work in your agency, feel free to reach out:
Email: Erik@InsurCore.io
The future is already here. It’s just a matter of whether you’re building toward it — or falling behind.