In this spotlight, we interviewed Nick Ramirez, a Goosehead Insurance agency owner in California. Nick was new to the insurance industry when he launched his agency, and years later his business is flourishing in California’s challenging hard market. Read more about his proudest career moments and learn what advice he has for prospective agency owners.
Hi Nick. You had a diverse career before you started your insurance agency. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I’m a native Angeleno with a background in entrepreneurship, tech, and hospitality, specifically restaurants and hotels. I'm a big Dodgers baseball fan and have been my whole life. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I tend to use colorful language throughout the day. My guilty pleasure is a fancy steak dinner paired with a dirty vodka martini, stirred not shaken.
Why did you decide to make the switch to Goosehead?
Goosehead was actually my first introduction to the insurance industry! I had no prior experience, but I’m really happy I made this career move. Being a captive agent never resonated with me because I knew the viability and economics of that ecosystem would be detrimental to my career path and income.
What’s your favorite thing about owning a franchise?
The support is my favorite part. The service team handles most of the day-to-day service items, allowing me and my sales agents to focus on new business sales. Additionally, I have full faith in the leadership of our executive team. Even in the challenging market we’re experiencing in California, we’re thriving more now than ever.
What does your team look like, and are you planning to continue growing your business?
I currently have three sales agents on my team; one of them was a tenured captive agent, and the other two have no prior experience. My goal is to grow to a team of 10 agents, each producing $10k in new business revenue per month.
What excites you about the future of your business?
I'm excited knowing we have the best lineup of carrier products and support service staff to handle our growth. The insurance industry is always evolving, and I’m confident our leadership is focused on innovation with our carrier partners to ensure mutual success.
What advice would you give to those interested in opening an insurance franchise?
Be organized, have patience, and ask questions. Know the details of all the products in your portfolio and create a scalable sales process. Set the right expectations with your franchise sales team and the producers you intend to hire.
What is the biggest trend you’re seeing in the industry right now affecting your business?
The California market is very turbulent in 2024. With the admitted market nearly shut down, surplus carriers are writing 80-90% of our new business. Thankfully, these carriers help our clients navigate this hard market. Carriers are also demanding better upkeep of properties, resulting in healthier homes for homeowners.
Tell us about a career moment you’re most proud of.
When I started at Goosehead in 2016, I had a silent partner. Five years later, I realized the contract wasn’t equitable and made the hard decision to start a new franchise as the sole owner. Since then, I’ve grown bigger and faster, hiring three employees. I'm proud of this move, although it was bittersweet due to the diminished relationship with my old agency.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is solving insurance problems for mortgage loan officers and real estate agents. I also enjoy learning about my new clients, many of whom are entrepreneurs, lawyers, engineers, and doctors. It's great to be a resource for them and provide peace of mind knowing their estate and assets are well protected.
What do you enjoy most about being part of Goosehead?
I love how talented and driven we all are. The people I work with daily are competent, funny, easy-going, and focused. We all “get after it.” I also value the relationships with other agency owners; speaking with them after a hard day is an essential therapy.
What resources do you use to learn more about insurance and owning a business (e.g., blogs, podcasts, books, websites, etc.)?
I'm a big fan of Audible and often recommend e-books to other agency owners and producers. One book I highly recommend is “Exactly What to Say” by Phil M. Jones. Listening to it and taking notes is a game changer when it comes to closing more business, faster. Andiamo!
