As everyone knows who attended last week’s BIBA Conference, there was a real buzz in the air and more networking conversations than backstage at This Morning. From start up brokers and software suppliers, to corporate giants and celebrity speakers, BIBA crammed so much into two short days and nights. Here’s some news from Konsileo, who are growing fast and hungry for more.
Fast-growing commercial brokerage Konsileo has appointed its 100th broker – as its run rate GWP tops £40 million. Established in 2018, Konsileo set out to turn the traditional broking organisation model on its head, creating an entirely new broking platform, and a workplace of the future based on self-management and peer-to-peer support.
It achieved chartered status last year, and continues to go from strength to strength – all based on the promise of having the happiest, best rewarded and most professional brokers in the business.
Co-founder and CEO John Warburton said: “Reaching 100 brokers is such a huge milestone for us because it means we’ve reached critical mass – and we’ve done so without compromising our mission.
“We set out to fix commercial broking by putting brokers back at the heart of it – and giving them the tools and the freedom to do their job and protect clients, properly. I think when we started out everyone thought we were a bit mad – but relentlessly doing the right thing by our people and our clients actually makes perfect sense.
“It’s taken time to build a self-managing, self-organising and peer-supporting business that’s also economically viable, but with sophisticated use of technology, careful design of operations and an intense focus on culture we’ve achieved it. Now we’re here, the next 100 brokers, and the 100 after that will be quicker and easier – and still be the happiest, best-rewarded and most professional in the business.”
At Konsileo, there’s no line management, no set hours, or set markets to use, and targets are set by individuals not managers. Brokers get a salary, but they also get the freedom to build a book of business their own way – and earn generous bonuses every month based on what they bring in.
Rather than being in competition with each other, Client Directors are supported to collaborate and pool their expertise – through a bespoke broking platform which encourages transparency, allows virtual team contracting, simplifies data sharing, and facilitates peer-reviewed compliance. People are buddied up based on their skillset, assigned a coach to help them reach their full potential, and can work with colleagues in virtual teams or physical ‘hubs’ around the UK.
Amongst the latest hires are:
· Ian Smith joins from Real Insurance, part of GRP group, and specialises in supporting companies with the insurance they need to sell not only in the UK but internationally including the USA.
· Birinder Singh Bedi is based in Croydon and comes to Konsileo from A-Plan insurance. His specialisms include construction, food and hospitality.
· London-based Chris O’Sullivan is an expert in insurance for taxi operators, and has previously worked at Green Insurance Group, GRP and Brown & Brown.
· Faiz Karim was formerly Head of Sales at IC Insurance, and will continue to focus on clients in the care sector.
· Motor trade specialist Paul Canter, from Weston-super-Mare, joins Konsileo from PSP Insurance & Financial Solutions Ltd.
As the official 100th broker, Ian Smith commented: “The opportunity for a more flexible work life balance, to be able to focus on the clients I want to deal with, and to be able to work within like-minded group of brokers was too good to pass up.
“For me, the ability to access so many great talents within one organisation is a major positive. Having worked within more traditional and rigid broking models for most of my career, it was particularly refreshing to find the emphasis at Konsileo is on collaboration rather than competition. We can work together to create our own teams, bouncing around ideas and concepts, sharing resources and getting clients the very best advice and the very best protection.
“Working for Konsileo means I’m not tied to an office or to office hours, so I can choose when and where to spend time with my friends and family. It’s ideal for me, and I can’t wait to get started.”
John Warburton added: “People like Ian are coming over from traditional brokerages because they’re fed up with being micromanaged, and prevented from doing the job they want to do for clients they genuinely care about. Here they get to bring their A game, and even better, to bring their whole self to work – because the two are intrinsically linked. At the end of the day, happy brokers mean happy clients. And I’m excited to see what our growing team will achieve next.”
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