[Blog] Celebrating ‘something fresh’

Industry friends gather to mark the launch of Korsgaden Insights

Troy Korsgaden believes in practicing what he preaches, which is why you are reading this magazine. Korsgaden Insights was launched to provide another vehicle for sharing the business acumen he has developed over 40 years in the insurance and financial services world.

Colleagues, clients and friends from across the country joined Troy and members of his team at Woodland Hills, California, in May, to celebrate the inaugural issue of Korsgaden Insights, created and curated exclusively for multiline insurance professionals and their teams.

Explaining the genesis of the new title, Troy said that with ongoing learning and innovation two of the foundational business excellence principles he teaches through his speaking and writing, he recognized the need to provide more ways for people to connect.

“Adults learn differently,” he said. “Some like the spoken word. Some like to hold something in their hand, like an electronic device, or watch a video. We want to meet the learner where they want to be met, to connect with them the way they want to connect.”

And while there are other good industry publications available, “we felt there was room for something fresh, something exciting” that draws on his years of experience and extensive relationship network.

To help bring that vision to life, Troy turned to Martijn van Tilborgh, a Dutch-born entrepreneur and businessman known for his innovative publishing and marketing initiatives. Noting Troy’s ability to “understand changes in the market before they happen,” Korsgaden Insight’s publisher said he was glad to be involved in creating a platform to further Troy’s reach and introduce “other voices that we can curate to speak to the industry, to help them navigate the changes that are imminent.”

‘Valuable information’

Troy has been encouraged by the “overwhelming” response to the new publication. “We’ve heard from people that we haven’t talked to in quite some time telling us how excited they are about the content, about how fresh and young it feels,” he said.

Among those at the launch were Daniel and Christina Seong, who were featured in the inaugural issue. Their profile article told how they started Great Park Insurance in Irvine, California, from “lower than scratch” (as Christina put it) in 2007, since when it has grown into a top-rated agency with a team of 13.

Daniel welcomed Korsgaden Insights as a valuable addition to industry resources. “Some people will write a book, but to actually create a magazine that’s ongoing, I think it’s something very special,” he said. In particular, he believed it could help encourage and equip newcomers: “I think what the industry is missing is, or one of the challenges that I see the industry going through, is getting the younger generations in the industry in all aspects, not just agency owners,” he said.

“The great thing about the industry is as more time passes, the better you get and the more fun it becomes. So, I wish there was truly a way for young people to know that you don’t need to be an agent to be in the industry—there’s insurtech, there’s the carrier side, there’s the association side, there’s so many different parts.”

Also at the launch was Rob Gibson, a 39-year industry veteran with an independent agency in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, who specializes in commercial insurance. With a wide range of articles appealing to agencies of every size, the new magazine was “done very professionally,” he said, providing “valuable information to everyone in our industry.”

Ryan Grams, managing partner of The Barkley Team in Bellingham, Washington, said it was an honor to see the unveiling of Korsgaden Insights, which he described as “a product filling a much-needed niche in our profession.”

What have early readers suggested for future content? Articles from and about people who are leading the industry in areas such as technology, suggested Daniel. Also, featuring “new faces” from different parts of the country. “But I think if Korsgaden Insights is to make a true impact, it has to touch Main Street, because that’s probably 90% of our industry.” For Rob, “some of our biggest challenges are in the property market,” including dealing with weather-related and governmental issues.

And what about you? What or who would you like to read about in future issues of Korsgaden Insights? Email us your thoughts and ideas at [email protected].