In this inspiring episode of the Built Simple Podcast, host Adam Brsan sits down with Cesar Rodriguez, a veteran of the Final Expense insurance industry who’s now crushing it with over $600,000 in monthly sales at Senior Life. Cesar shares his journey from a high-flying Wall Street stockbroker to a journeyman agent navigating the challenges of the broker world, where he faced chargebacks, disloyal agents, and the chaos of managing multiple carriers. After years of hopping between companies, Cesar found his home at Senior Life, where simplicity, robust systems, and a focus on serving clients transformed his career.

Discover how Cesar leveraged Senior Life’s streamlined system to scale his agency from $200,000 to $655,000 in just four months, using a disciplined free lead program and a culture of accountability. He opens up about the pitfalls of the broker model, the power of focusing on one carrier, and the leadership principles—transparency, integrity, and loyalty—that drive his success. With a goal to hit $1 million in deposits in under two years, Cesar’s story is a testament to hard work, resilience, and staying focused amidst industry noise. Whether you’re an aspiring agent, a seasoned producer, or simply curious about building a thriving business, this episode is packed with actionable insights on leadership, simplifying your approach, and achieving life-changing results in the Final Expense industry. Tune in to hear Cesar’s strategies, his vision for building leaders, and why he’s all-in with Senior Life.

In this episode of the Built Simple Podcast, host Adam Brsan dives into the critical topics of contracts, transparency, and the importance of asking questions in the final expense insurance industry. Inspired by a recent podcast featuring an ex-Senior Life agent who lost her renewals after leaving the company, Adam reflects on his own 11.5 years with Lincoln Heritage and the similarities between these semi-captive carriers. He discusses the do’s and don’ts of agency contracts, the consequences of recruiting agents to new carriers, and why understanding the fine print is essential for protecting your renewals and building a sustainable business. Adam shares personal insights from his career, including an email exchange with Lincoln Heritage about safeguarding his renewals, and emphasizes the need for uplines to be transparent with their agents. Whether you’re an agent or agency owner, this episode offers valuable advice on navigating the complexities of insurance contracts and avoiding costly mistakes.

Key Takeaways:

• Why Senior Life and Lincoln Heritage operate as semi-captive carriers and what it means for agents.

• The importance of understanding contract terms to protect your renewals.

• How transparency from uplines can prevent misunderstandings and financial losses.

• Adam’s personal experiences with renewals and agency-building at Lincoln Heritage.

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Timestamps:

• 0:00 Introduction

• 1:30 The Senior Life agent’s story and lost renewals

• 5:00 Comparing Senior Life and Lincoln Heritage

• 10:15 The role of TV leads and semi-captive models

• 15:00 Adam’s experience building an agency at Lincoln Heritage

• 20:30 Understanding contract rules and renewals

• 25:45 Transparency and the upline’s responsibility

• 30:00 Final thoughts and advice for agents

#Insurance #FinalExpense #BusinessTips #Transparency #AgencyBuilding #BuiltSimplePodcast

In this episode of "Built Simple", I share a personal story from a day ice skating with three of my kids and how it mirrors the challenges of working with insurance agents. My oldest child, a confident skater, tempted me to focus on fun, while my middle child needed occasional help, and my youngest required constant support to stay upright. This experience sparked a realization about prioritization: just like on the ice, we can’t only focus on the top performers—those “easy wins”—at the expense of the team members who need guidance most.

Drawing parallels to managing agents, I explore how to balance attention between rockstar performers, steady-but-wobbly middle players, and struggling newbies. The bigger lesson? Tackling the hardest tasks first—whether it’s coaching a rookie agent or diving into a tough project—sets the stage for long-term success, rather than procrastinating with quick fixes. Tune in for a practical takeaway to rethink your focus, ensuring your whole “rink”—team or task list—moves forward together.