I was just starting my drive from Dallas to Oklahoma City for the Big I Oklahoma Young Agents Conference when Patrick McBride called. Patrick owns The McBride Agency in Dixon, IL and he was on his way to present at the event. His connecting flight through DFW had been delayed for hours and he was going to miss the evening session. Patrick asked how far I was from the airport and if I could come pick him up since I was already headed to OKC.
What followed was a three-hour ride that felt more like a private seminar. When you spend time with someone like Patrick, it’s not small talk. It’s an unfiltered download of ideas, systems, philosophies, and hard-won lessons from the trenches of agency ownership. Patrick doesn’t just run his insurance agency. He engineers it with care and precision. Care for his people, care for his clients, and care for the time and energy that too often gets wasted on the wrong things.
That road trip set the tone for the presentation he gave the next day. It also gave me a deeper look at something even more powerful: how one agency leader uses technology not to replace people, but to elevate them.
Patrick doesn’t run his agency like most. He’s not in it to impress with jargon or showcase the shiniest new tools. He’s built his agency around people. His team, his clients, and his family. Technology? That’s just the scaffolding. The real structure is trust, intention, and empathy.
What struck me most wasn’t what software he uses (although it’s impressive). It was how those tools enable something rare: meaningful communication. In Patrick’s office, AI and automation aren’t used to cut corners. Instead, they’re used to cut friction. And with that time saved, his team focuses on what actually matters: listening to clients, solving real problems, and being present.
He said something that stuck with me (and landed well with the young agents in the room), “No producer got into this business to copy VIN numbers.” Amen. We’re here to help people manage risk and plan for life. That takes attention, care, and headspace. Those are all things you only get when you stop drowning in busywork.
Patrick’s agency is proof that tech doesn’t replace human connection; instead, it clears the way for it. He’s built systems that onboard team members faster, catch negative sentiment in client calls, and ensure every process reflects his agency’s values. It’s not about being the flashiest agency. It’s about being the most present.
He’s an example worth following: a leader who sees tech not as a disruptor, but as a lever. One that lifts the weight off his team so they can serve with heart. So they can spend time with their families. So they can fully show up for their clients.
This wasn’t just a talk on automation. It was a reminder that when we build with intention, we can create agencies that don’t just work better… but feel better too.