The First 6 Months of Your Independent Agency (What to Expect)

If you had to sum up the first six months of starting an independent insurance agency in one word, it would be: chaos.

In this episode of The Independent Roadmap, James Roberts (who recently launched his own scratch agency) and John Scheer break down exactly what happens on day one after you sign your contract with MIAA and SIAA. From setting up your tech stack to securing direct carrier appointments, they walk you through the onboarding blueprint designed to get you writing business immediately.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Support Team: How your assigned Onboarding Specialist and Agency Growth Coach guide you through the initial transition and help you execute your business plan.
• Tech & Quoting: Getting connected to SIAA Connect, the EZLynx Rater, and using the Access Plus team to quote and bind personal and commercial lines from your very first day.
• Agency Management: Why setting up your AMS (like Nexsure) and Ivan's download is critical for keeping track of your growing book of business.
• Training & Marketing: How the Agency Foundation and Business Insurance Advantage (BIA) courses fast-track your success and help establish your marketing plan.
• Carrier Appointments: The real timeline (4 to 8 weeks) for securing direct carrier appointments and how MIAA advocates on your behalf with territory reps.

Don't just produce—own your legacy.

Resources Mentioned:

• Connect with James Roberts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-roberts-kc/
• Connect with John Scheer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-scheer-lincoln/
• Attend the next SIAA Informational Session: https://www.siaa.com/introduction-to-siaa-webinar/