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The Digital Insurance Agent
The Digital Insurance Agent is a podcast that explores the latest trends, tools, and strategies for transforming your insurance agency in the digital age.
Join host Carl Willis, a seasoned financial services digital marketing consultant, as he interviews industry experts, shares success stories, and provides actionable tips to help you stay ahead of the curve and build a successful and sustainable insurance agency in today's ever-evolving market.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this show is the ultimate guide to help you modernize your insurance agency and thrive in the digital world.
The Digital Insurance Agent
Why Most Insurance Agencies Stall Out at $5M — And What the Smart Ones Do Differently
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Most independent insurance agencies hit a ceiling and never break through it.
In this episode of the Digital Insurance Agent Podcast, Curtis Barton — CEO of Alkeme and former agency owner who built a $11M book of business from scratch — pulls back the curtain on why good agencies plateau, what separates thriving agencies from average ones, and the mindset shifts that actually move the needle.
If you're a P&C agency owner generating $500K–$10M in revenue and you're ready to stop guessing and start building with intention, this conversation is required listening.
In this episode, Curtis covers:
- Why cold calling is a lost art — and what replaced it for building a $2.5M book
- The #1 reason agencies stall between $5M–$10M (hint: it's not leads)
- How to build a niche identity that makes clients come to you
- Why culture isn't a slogan — and what it actually looks like operationally
- The "queen bee" problem that silently destroys agency culture overnight
- How AI is becoming a force multiplier for producers (not a job killer)
- Why organic growth is the engine behind everything — including your agency's valuation
- The difference between reactive and proactive risk management
- What smart agency owners do differently with their money in years 3–7
- How to position your agency for a meaningful exit — on your terms
Curtis's top advice for $3M–$7M agency owners right now:
- Build consistent operational procedures.
- Reinvest in your business before you take it all home.
- Get your data clean. Hire people who want your job.
- Give equity. Know your why.
About Curtis Barton:
Curtis is the CEO of Alkeme, a tech-enabled insurance platform that has completed 82 agency acquisitions. Before building Alkeme, Curtis grew his own agency, Venture Pacific, to over $11M in revenue by specializing in niche markets including the ready-mix and security guard industries in California.
📧 Contact Curtis: cbarton@alkemeins.com
🌐 Learn more: https://alkemeins.com/
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisbarton/
Don't forget to subscribe to the Digital Insurance Agent Podcast for weekly conversations with agency owners, platform leaders, and industry veterans who are building the future of independent insurance.
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