FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN AN UNCERTAIN MARKETPLACE by Carol Hammes It takes a lot of planning to attain higher growth rates and lower expense levels. The first step in the process is to evalua...

FOUR WAYS TO CUT COSTS AND INCREASE PROFITS by Bill Schoeffler and Catherine Oak Theres more of an emphasis on watching expenses today in order to return a reasonable profit. Many owne...

GROWTH VS. PROFITABLE GROWTH by Chris Burand Revenue growth for its own sake doesnt make sense. In an industry that prizes sales, its no wonder that so many sales p...

HOW DO COMPANIES SET THEIR RATES? by Chris Burand The market determines the price of gasoline, toys, and cars. The market, not actuaries, determines the price of insurance, too. Chris B...

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY YOUR PRODUCERS?: PART II by the IIABA Virtual Faculty Whats the average renewal commission that an owner should give his producers? Is there a differenc...

Personal Lines competition continues to intensify, as more and more players enter the marketplace. However, independent agents can fight back — if they're willing to make some fundamental changes in the way they do business. In this two-part document, Peter van Aartrijk presents 17 ways to help you build your Personal Lines book. If implementing all of them seems impossible, try three or four. But make a commitment, and go for it.

IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY TO INCREASE NEW SALES by Carol Hammes When setting your agency's production goals for the coming year, don't rely on help from the marketplace. In fact, it...

KEEP A CLEAR FOCUS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT by Carol Hammes The hardening market, together with the start of new year give you the perfect opportunity to reflect on how to improve your busine...

MAXIMIZING OWNERSHIP RETURN by Carol Hammes During the past several years, a relatively conservative investor could have achieved an annual investment return of 25% or more in the stock market t...

NOW IS ALWAYS THE BEST TIME TO SELL YOUR AGENCY, RIGHT? by Chris Burand According to a number of recent articles, small business owners should sell their businesses today to avoid large i...