In this episode of Insurance Leaders Lab, I sit down with Kelly Donahue-Piro, founder and president of Agency Performance Partners, for an honest conversation about what many agency owners and teams are facing right now: service pressure, staffing challenges, burnout, soft market, and the constant need to do more with less.

Her message is simple: before chasing more growth, agency leaders need to focus on opportunities inside their agency.

A major theme in this conversation is efficiency. Kelly outlines practical ways agencies can reduce chaos, including improving first-call resolution, documenting while the client is still on the phone, helping teams “read the day,” and embracing systems and technology instead of resisting change.

This episode is for agency owners, leaders, and insurance professionals who want to step back from the daily rush and find smarter ways to grow the agency they already have.

MAIN IDEAS:

• Growth may already be inside the agency — in the current book, existing clients, team, systems, and customer experience.
• A quote process is not the same as a sales process — agencies need a clear, repeatable way to guide prospects and clients.
• The soft market is exposing weak spots — leaders need to look honestly at premium, revenue, policy count, and client count.
• Efficiency starts with the basics — first-call resolution, better documentation, clearer procedures, and less rework.
• Teams need to “read the day” — not every day allows for the same pace, conversations, or workflow.
• Technology helps only when the foundation is strong — tools cannot fix unclear processes or poor adoption.
• Hire for teachability and attitude — insurance experience is valuable, but mindset and willingness to learn matter more.
• Stop leading only through firefighting — even a small amount of intentional thinking time each week can change the agency's direction.

RESOURCES:

Agency Performance Partners Website - https://www.agencyperformancepartners.com/

Kelly Donahue - Piro on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellydonahuepiro