How do I grow my agency using Virtual Employees?

in this weeks episode, Heath Shearon sits down with Rob Lopez, CEO of V!VA, for a wide-ranging conversation about insurance, outsourcing, virtual assistants, and AI. Rob shares how his path from broadcast journalism and sports radio led him back into the insurance world, and why his focus has always been on building real departments not just filling seats.

They also dig into what makes V!VA different: process-driven onboarding, bilingual support, nearshore staffing in El Salvador, and a consultative approach that helps agencies document workflows before adding talent.

https://vivateams.com/insurancetown

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome, sponsors, and introducing Rob Lopez from V!VA

03:33 – Why Rob stays present in the industry

05:32 – Rob’s early life as an Allstate kid

06:30 – Broadcast journalism, the Houston Rockets, and a career shift

07:26 – The first life insurance claim that changed Rob’s perspective

07:55 – Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma

08:44 – Distribution work, aggregators, and building agency networks

09:35 – Why aggregator margins eventually hurt the value proposition