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Michael Ley on Agency Networks, Tech Stacks, and the HawkSoft Purple Cow | Connected Conversations in Insurance
In this episode of Connected Conversations in Insurance, Ray Huang sits down with Michael Ley, Director of Network Relations at HawkSoft, to talk about what agency networks and aggregators are doing to stand out and deliver real value beyond commission splits.
Michael shares his journey from a family-owned agency to HawkSoft and breaks down what agencies should look for before joining a network—from book ownership and carrier access to contract terms, transparency, and technology investments.
They also dive into the modern agency tech stack, why the AMS is at the center of it all, and the tools helping agencies work smarter, including CRM, texting and VoIP, e-signatures, and streamlined intake solutions.
Plus, Michael talks about HawkSoft’s customer-first “Purple Cow” philosophy and wraps things up with a fun travel-themed round of “Where Would Michael Sit?”
0:00 Networks Look Alike
00:46 Meet Michael Ley
01:37 What Network Relations Means
03:23 From Teacher to Agent
06:01 Networks vs Associations
06:33 Network Pain Points10:35 Agency Network Checklist
15:27 Tech Stack Talk
17:28 Open APIs and Data Ownership
21:35 Must Have Agency Tools
29:15 Purple Cow Branding
32:35 Culture and User Community
34:10 Travel Game Setup
34:54 Aisle vs Window Debate
35:47 Bathroom Row Stories
36:47 Family Travel Tradeoffs
37:10 Accidental Private Jet
38:02 Subway Seat Strategy
39:42 Rental Shuttle Tactics
41:19 Doctor Waiting Room Picks
41:53 Conference Room Power Seats
43:16 Movie Theater Sweet Spots
44:43 Best Seats in the Stadium
47:39 Airplane Selfie Side Eye
49:28 Season Wrap and Sponsor
