Level Up Your Event with Michael Cruz as a Speaker!
Michael Cruz – Speaker & Industry Leader
I’ve spent my career challenging the way independent insurance agencies operate. Most agencies are stuck in outdated models—inefficient processes, lack of specialization, and too much manual work. I’ve built my businesses by streamlining operations, leveraging technology, and creating process-driven systems that actually work.
As the Owner of Foresight Insurance and Partner & COO of Virtual Intelligence, I know firsthand the struggles of running an agency, growing a team, and keeping up with an ever-changing industry. My passion is helping agency owners cut through the noise and build businesses that scale—without burnout.
Career & Background
Like most agency owners, when I started Foresight Insurance, I was doing everything myself—selling, servicing, handling claims, managing renewals—everything. But I quickly realized that running a business this way was a recipe for burnout.
That’s when I shifted my focus to building a team, implementing processes, and structuring my agency for long-term growth. This led to the development of the modern insurance agency model, built on:
✅ Specialized roles so employees aren’t overwhelmed doing everything.
✅ Process-driven sales and service structure for consistency and efficiency.
✅ A team-based approach ensuring better service and workload balance.
✅ Centralized communication with a shared inbox and phone number.
✅ AI & Automation to reduce busy work and increase efficiency.
I also saw a massive gap in the industry—agency owners were drowning in work, and hiring was a nightmare. This led me to launch On Hand VAs, a virtual employee company sourcing top-tier talent from Barranquilla, Colombia. On Hand VAs later merged with Virtual Intelligence (VI), where I now serve as COO & Partner, helping agencies leverage virtual employees and cutting-edge technology to boost productivity.
Insurance Experience
Foresight Insurance (2015 – Present) – Founder & Principal
Virtual Intelligence (April 2024 – Present) – COO & Partner (Merger with On Hand VAs)
On Hand VAs (March 2022 – April 2024) – Founder – Virtual Assistants
Liberty Mutual Insurance (2012 – 2015) – Personal Lines Insurance Agent
Life Insurance Agent (2008 – 2012)
2024 Accomplishments
2024 was one of the hardest insurance markets in decades. Despite this, I achieved:
🚀 40% revenue growth, scaling from six figures to seven figures.
🏆 2024 Safeco’s Agent for the Future Award – Outstanding Agency Overall.
📅 Implemented a four-day work week (32 hours per week) since May 2024.
📖 Built an intranet with a chatbot providing access to all SOPs.
📚 Developed a Learning Management System (LMS) for streamlined employee training.
📞 Launched an AI receptionist to handle missed and after-hours calls.
I’ve been in the trenches. I know what works (and what doesn’t). My goal is to help others avoid the mistakes I made and build agencies that actually scale.
Speaking Topics
My talks are packed with practical, real-world strategies agency owners and business leaders can implement immediately. No fluff—just actionable insights tailored to today’s insurance challenges.
🎤 The Modern Agency Concept: Selling & Servicing as a Team
→ Move away from the outdated individual-based model and embrace a structured workflow that ensures efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
🎤 Leveraging Virtual Employees to Reduce Workload & Increase Efficiency
→ How to use virtual staff effectively without disrupting your operations.
🎤 Why Specializing Roles is the Future of Agency Success
→ Stop expecting employees to do everything—specialization leads to higher productivity and better service.
🎤 How to Implement AI & Automation Without Losing the Human Touch
→ The balance between technology and personal service for maximum efficiency.
🎤 Navigating the Hard Market & Retaining Clients Without Competing on Price
→ Proven strategies to keep clients without slashing rates.
🎤 How to Build a Process-Driven Agency That Runs Without You
→ Systems over stress—scale without being trapped in daily operations.
🎤 Selling Smarter: Prequalifying Leads & Systemized Follow-Ups
→ Attract high-quality leads and implement follow-up systems to nurture and convert prospects at the right time.
I deliver practical, experience-driven insights to help agencies grow efficiently and strategically. If you're looking for actionable strategies tailored to today’s insurance landscape, let’s connect!