The Agent Insider Story

Rick McLean opens his agency

1985 — Rick McLean opens his agency in Moline, IL.

The agency moves to Bloomington, IL

3 years later, Rick transfers his agency to Bloomington, IL (where it still is today).

This is a homecoming — Rick was raised in Bloomington-Normal.

Building an agency and a family

Rick (and his wife Margaret) have kids — a lot!

While busy growing the agency, they are also busy growing their family.

“We were essentially the Instagram police and called out fake influencers left, right and centre. It was fun and all, but there is only so many bikini chicks you can look at on Instagram before you start losing your mind.”

Dan, Co-founder and CEO of Lumio

Growing up with insurance

The kids go to work in Dad's agency. Farmer's markets, x-dates, cold calls, door-to-door.

The agency is everyone's first "real" job.

“After this, we both took up golf on during the week and started eating fancy dinners at the local Country Club... Ha. This is not what happened at all. We suck at golf and love eating Guzman Y Gomez.”

Adam, Co-founder of Lumio

A second family business

In 2016, Merrick McLean starts The Hypo Group.
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The Rick McLean Agency is client #1, but we dabble in other industries.

New era for The Hypo Group

Eventually, we realize we do our best work with the folks we know best: insurance and financial services pros.

So we double down.

We partner with top agents and bring them what's working inside Dad's agency.

We also hire people who's last name isn't McLean.

Tapping into a prospect gold mine

Eventually, we touch the elephant in the room.

Dad's social media is anemic.

His prospects spend more time than ever on social. And he is... nowhere to be found.

What's up with that, Dad?!?

"Team's too busy."
"Does it really work?"
"We post! Don't stock images count?" :(
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So we get our hands dirty, and we make videos for him.

Then he starts hearing about it.

First, from his mom. "I saw you on Facebook honey!"

Then, clients. "Very nice video, Rick!"

And, finally, prospects. "Hey, I recognize your face. I saw your videos."
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The content is good enough that thousands of prospects in his community see it every week.
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Voila, we have something.

Putting agents on prospects' phones

So, we package the process and take it to our top-tier partners.

We get feedback.

We make it easier and more effective.

And we reach a lot of prospects.

We help them put their own spin on it, so they can be the #1 agent on social in their own communities.
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All along, our thesis is simple. If it works inside our agent lab, it can work for others.
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That's why we call it Agent Insider.

Why insurance?