If you have attended Dynamics of Selling classes over the past few years, you have heard me refer to the “NUs” and “NU NUs.” The “NU” agencies are run by agency owners with extensive insurance agency experience; the agencies themselves are new. The “NU NU” agencies are new agencies where the agency owners have little or no insurance agency experience.

Over the past year, several trends have started to create change among independent agents. The demand for training from national and regional brokers as well as regional companies is at an all-time high. We've seen more requests for customized training in the past 24 months than the 5 years prior. Second, we have never seen greater frustration from the carriers in capturing new business and increasing volume. Companies big and small are growing more disillusioned with their distribution systems. So how does that affect you?

We are aging and carriers are in a panic. Over the past 2 years, while there have been many mergers and acquisitions, there has been another phenomena occurring. The old are being replaced by an entire new class of entrepreneur. They are younger, aggressive, hungry have a plan and are hell bent on success.