Agency Nation Meets: Rushang Shah

• July 1, 2026

Get to know the individuals that ignite the insurance industry as they answer our icebreaker questions. 

Rushang Shah is the chief marketing officer and a board member at HawkSoft. For the past decade, he’s been transforming a 30-year-old insurance software company into a brand that customers evangelize. He once lived as a monk in an ashram in India, which explains his ability to stay calm when life throws curveballs.

He believes the most underrated competitive advantage in business is genuine gratitude for the team, customers, and appreciation for those who have helped along the journey.

After that introduction, here’s your chance. Can you tell us a joke?

My first joke was at age 4, at a family Christmas party. “What was the name of the first bus in America?” … Columbus. The silence in that room told me everything I needed to know about my future in comedy. I never forgave the adults in that room.

Great start. What is the title of your hypothetical autobiography?

“My Experiments in Life.”

And comedy … What film have you watched the most times and will probably keep watching over and over again?

“The Godfather” and “The Godfather, Part II.” There are lots of subtle life lessons in those movies. Of course, you have to filter out the Mafia lessons from the positive ones.

It is important to make the distinction. What is your favorite book?

“Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls for fiction and “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin for nonfiction.

Which sports teams do you support and why?

Local first, always. I feel a sense of gratitude toward my city and the Portland Trail Blazers. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was a die-hard fan of my local teams: the Oakland A’s, Golden State Warriors, and San Francisco 49ers.

100% local, yes! What is your favorite season?

Summer in Portland. I grew up in California and was spoiled with great weather. Enough said.

Yep. Onto the food questions. What’s one thing you can’t say no to?

Bread.

What is your coffee order?

A latte, with a higher milk-to-coffee ratio than normal.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Jalapeños.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Coffee.

Can you tell us about your morning routine?

Five minutes of yoga to stretch, tea with ginger, and no meetings until 9:30 a.m. on most days, so I can focus on important initiatives first.

Sounds ideal. How do you stay fit and healthy?

I’ve lost acquaintance with those two terms.

Ha! Who has had the biggest influence on your professional career?

Steve Jobs.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

A missing serial, or Oxford, comma in a sentence.

Relatable. So where would you go during a zombie apocalypse?

Iceland.

Do you have any pets?

Only ever had one: a cat who lived to be 19.

When was the last time you laughed so much you cried?

Playing cards with extended family and reminiscing about stories from our past.

What is the moment you realized you were an adult?

The first time I had to pay my own auto insurance premiums.

What one piece of advice would you give to your great-grandchildren?

Understand the past so that you can better build your own future.

This is a monthly column for Independent Agent magazine and iamagazine.com. To be featured, email hello@agencynation.com.