You asked, we delivered. In this episode, Josh and Joe tackle one of the most-requested topics from the FTF community: should you bring on an intern — paid or unpaid — for your insurance agency? It sounds like free help, but without the right systems in place, it can go sideways fast. Josh shares the story of an intern who literally ended up mowing his lawn because he had nothing for him to do (they're still friends 20 years later, so it worked out). Joe recounts door-knocking all summer with a non-paid intern because he didn't know what else to do. They break down the SOPs you need before day one, how to make an internship valuable for both sides, the predatory internship model that gives the industry a bad name, and why exit interviews are gold. If you've ever wondered whether an intern would help or hurt your agency, this one's for you.

⏱️ Chapters

0:00 — Intro & Welcome
Josh and Joe kick things off and tee up the topic: interns — paid vs. unpaid, pros and cons, and whether it's even worth it.

0:54 — Should You Hire an Intern?
Joe lays out the question from the community. Is a short-term or non-paid intern a viable route for your agency?

1:14 — Systems First: The Litmus Test
Josh draws a line in the sand: don't hire an intern if you don't have good systems. An intern is a flashlight on your processes — it'll instantly show you whether you're organized or flying blind.

1:53 — What SOPs Do You Need?
Josh breaks down the basics — starting with front-line phones. A one-to-two page document on how to answer, greet, and route calls. If someone can't be proficient by Friday, you're not ready.

3:27 — When Internships Go Wrong
Joe gets honest about his first intern back in '07 — a non-paid kid from Western Illinois who spent the entire summer door-knocking because Joe had no plan. Shadowing is not the same as training.

5:36 — Josh's Lawn-Mowing Intern Story
Josh flashes back to his second year — hired a kid from his fraternity, had nothing for him to do, and the intern ended up mowing his lawn. 20 years later, they're still friends. Proof that even the messy ones can turn into something great.

6:50 — What Would You Want as an Intern?
Joe flips the question: if you could go back and intern for a successful agency owner, what would you want? Josh says shadowing client interactions — not selling, just listening and learning. Joe points out how telling that is.

9:16 — The Predatory Internship Model
Josh tells the story of his wife getting offered a "summer internship" that was really just selling life insurance to friends and family before heading back to school. They unpack why insurance internships deserve the bad rep they sometimes get.

10:37 — Putting Interns to Work on Your To-Do List
Joe and Josh talk about using interns to tackle items 4 and 5 on your to-do list — cataloging life insurance, emergency contacts, client-friendly projects that don't require a license. The intern as your flashlight on broken processes.

12:23 — Exit Interviews Matter
Joe's final point: do exit interviews with interns the same way you would with departing clients. Find out what worked, what didn't, and what was transformational — then use it for the next one.

14:07 — Closing & Call to Action
The guys wrap up and ask you to drop your intern experiences and hiring questions in the comments. If you've got the question, someone else does too.

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Got an intern story — good, bad, or lawn-mowing? Drop it in the comments — Josh and Joe read every one.