Agency Profile: Taking it Personally

B&B Premier Insurance Solutions, Inc.

Agoura Hills, California
Founded: 1988
Employees: 45

If you had 8,000 clients who are largely affluent Californians, you might think it’s impossible to stay in personal contact with them. But B&B Premier tries very hard to do just that.

The $11 million-revenue shop has 10 aggressive producers who focus on a couple of commercial niches as well as an enormous book of high-end personal lines. One producer alone often writes more than 100 preferred personal lines apps in a month and generated $160,000 in new commission last year.

B&B Premier also proactively brings in young employees—several hires came directly from universities—and trains them in account service and management, seeking to move them into production positions.

BRETT BOSSUK, PRODUCER

Networking is the way I’ve been able to meet new young professionals. I try to get out of the office twice a week for a productive activity spent with either a client or center of influence. I play golf once a week with a group of young professionals and attend networking events on average twice a month. I do a lot of health insurance—with all the new laws and plan changes, I am out working on renewals and open enrollments at least twice a month. A face-to-face meeting to review questions is very helpful.

ERIK BOSSUK, CEO

Independent agents need to work diligently and aggressively to grow our business. All employees have to be on board with this concept, otherwise we won’t thrive as a business. That is why we are investing in new producers and upgrading our service staff. We hired a new producer and designed three new hybrid producer/service positions to build a book of business while also acting as account managers. This will allow them to grow a book so the transition will be easy when they move to full-time sales. This investment brings new folks into the independent agency business, which is imperative to our success as an industry.

STEVE BROOKS, PRESIDENT

I’m the in-your-face networking guy. Networking by far is the key. Five producers joined a networking group known as ProVisors, which includes attorneys, CPAs, business managers and other professionals. We meet once a month for breakfast as a coat-and-tie trusted advisor group. You don’t solicit anyone in the group; you share your clients with other people. I just got a referral 10 minutes ago from a CPA in my group—a doctor in Palm Springs who needed insurance. At $1,600 per person per year, ProVisors isn’t cheap. But it’s $1,600 on purpose.