.avif)
In this episode of Business Refocused, Carey and Lindsay sit down with Joel Verdon of Lemon Mohler Agency to talk about what internal perpetuation can look like when both the current owners and the next generation are willing to have the right conversations.
Joel shares how he started as a young producer, built a successful book of business, and gradually began thinking beyond his own production. The turning point came when he started acting like an owner before he actually had ownership. He paid more attention to the quality of business he brought in, how his decisions affected the team, and what was best for the agency as a whole.
Eventually, Joel realized he wanted a long-term future with the agency, but ownership had never been clearly discussed with him. With some encouragement from his wife, he finally raised his hand and asked. That conversation led to a path toward ownership and exposed something that happens in a lot of agencies. Sometimes the next generation is ready, but no one has clearly communicated the opportunity.
The conversation also looks at what current agency owners should be doing if they want to perpetuate internally. Culture, communication, mentorship, and transparency all matter. A future owner needs more than production skills. They need to understand how their decisions affect the team, the clients, and the broader business.
A few things we cover
- How producers can begin thinking and acting like owners
- Why internal ownership opportunities need to be communicated clearly
- What agency owners should look for in future partners
- How mentorship helps develop the next generation of leaders
- Why culture plays such a big role in internal perpetuation
- How transparency can make succession planning easier
- Why both owners and future owners need to be willing to raise their hand and start the conversation
.png)
