When Nancy Giacalone was told by her former partners that having a female agency owner “wasn’t a good look,” she didn’t argue. Instead, she cashed out her 401(k), bought her $50,000 book of business, and walked out the door to build her own empire.

Nearly 30 years later, she sold a highly profitable, systematized agency to the Leavitt Group entirely on her own terms.

My guest, Nancy Giacalone, former founder of Olympic Crest Insurance and current Benefits Practice Leader at Leavitt, joins me to share her masterclass on agency ownership. We discuss why going independent just to keep 100% of your commissions is a massive trap, how to build operational processes for employees you haven’t even hired yet, and the stark difference between earning industry recognition versus buying it.

Nancy also breaks down her meticulous strategy for preparing her agency for acquisition years before she ever sat at the negotiating table, and the emotional reality of watching the sign come down off your building.

If you want to build a business that serves your life instead of the other way around, this episode is your blueprint.

Resources: