Share

The Leadership in Insurance Podcast - Insurtech & Innovation
From Finance to Founding: CEO Christie Horvath on Leadership, Bold Pivots, and Building Wagmo
🔍🎙️ New Podcast Episode: Live now!
This week on the Leadership in Insurance Podcast, we’re thrilled to feature Christie Horvath, CEO and Founder of Wagmo, a pioneering insurtech empowering responsible pet parenting. 🐾
Christie’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of remarkable. From her beginnings in big finance at BlackRock to founding Wagmo during business school, Christie has faced and overcome challenges most of us can only imagine.
In this episode, she opens up about the moments that shaped Wagmo’s success—including the bold decision to pivot from direct-to-consumer to a B2B2C model, tailoring pet wellness solutions for employers and their teams.
🎯 Here’s what you’ll learn:
🧩The challenges of hiring for roles you’ve never encountered before.
How to create focus and drive success by narrowing your business strategy.🏃♀️Why the secret sauce isn’t just building a great team—but aligning them to sprint together.
🔥Candid advice on what not to do as a founder—lessons learned the hard way.
💡 One of the standout lessons? The importance of bold pivots. Wagmo’s decision to shift focus wasn’t easy—essentially rebuilding the company and team—but it’s now paying off in dividends.
Whether you’re a founder, a leader, or someone passionate about startup stories, Christie’s transparent and thoughtful insights are bound to inspire.
💬 What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about leadership or scaling a business? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
#Leadership #Insurance #Podcast #Wagmo #StartupLessons #ScalingUp #PetWellness
More episodes
View all episodes
Rewriting the Rules of Auto Insurance with AI, A Conversation with Jonathan Matus, CEO of Fairmatic
30:07|We've had plenty of conversations about how insurance should work, but this one really got me thinking.This week on The Leadership in Insurance Podcast, I sat down with Jonathan Matus, CEO of Fairmatic, to talk about something that’s been a huge challenge in our industry—fairness in commercial auto insurance. The way risk is priced right now often feels outdated. Businesses that invest in safer driving and better fleet management don’t always see that reflected in their premiums, and that’s a problem.Fairmatic is trying to change that. They’re using AI and behavioural data to create a pricing model that actually rewards good driving instead of just relying on broad, traditional metrics. We talked about why the current system often gets it wrong, how better data could make roads safer, and what it really takes to scale an insurtech in an industry that isn’t exactly known for embracing change.This was such an insightful conversation, and if you’re in insurance, insurtech, or just curious about how AI is shaking up the industry, you won’t want to miss it.Also, if you enjoy these conversations, make sure to follow The Leadership in Insurance Podcast—we’re talking to the people leading real change in the industry every week.Would love to hear your thoughts on this"Rewriting the Rules of Auto Insurance with AI – A Conversation with Jonathan Mates, CEO of Fairmatic—do you think AI can actually fix insurance? Let’s chat in the comments.#LeadershipInInsurance #Podcast #Insurtech #AI #InsuranceInnovation #CommercialInsurance #FutureOfInsurance #Fairmatic #RiskManagement #AutoInsurance #InsuranceTechBuilding a Specialty Insurance Powerhouse: CEO Gerard Van Loon on Leadership, Growth & Innovation
32:09|What does it take to build a speciality insurance business from the ground up? This week on The Leadership in Insurance Podcast, we’re joined by Gerard Van Loon, CEO of Alta Signa, to talk about his journey in launching and scaling a speciality insurer, the challenges of underwriting unique risks, and what the future of speciality insurance looks like.In this episode, Gerard shares:✨ How he went from idea to execution in building Alta Signa✨ The biggest challenges of starting a speciality insurance business – and how to overcome them✨ Why culture and team-building matter just as much as strategy✨ How the speciality risk landscape is evolving and where the opportunities areWhether you're an entrepreneur, a leader in the insurance space, or just someone who loves hearing the stories behind successful businesses, this episode is packed with insights, lessons, and a behind-the-scenes look at the speciality insurance world.Enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest conversations from leaders shaping the insurance industry!Rewriting the Rules of Claims, A Conversation with Alex Pezold, CEO and Co-founder of Agentech
27:32|Insurance has poured billions into growth and distribution, yet claims—the biggest cost in the industry—hasn’t seen the same level of innovation. Why is that? And what happens when experienced founders decide to tackle it differently?In today’s episode of the Leadership in Insurance Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Alex Pezold, CEO & Co-Founder of Agentech, about what needs to change in claims and how Agentech is approaching it differently.🔍 This episode really got me thinking about:Why claims innovation has taken a backseat—and what’s finally shiftingThe difference between a horizontal vs. vertical approach to fixing claimsHow Alex’s past experience building and selling companies shaped his mindset this time aroundThe power of having the right team when trying to solve big industry problemsAlex brings so much insight, experience, and honesty to this conversation—it’s one of those episodes that challenges the way we think about the status quo. If you’re in insurance, claims, or just passionate about where this industry is headed, this is a must-listen.Would love to hear your thoughts—where do you see claims innovation heading next?#LeadershipInInsurance #Podcast #Insurtech #ClaimsInnovation #FutureOfInsuranceTransforming Leadership, A Conversation With Des Burke on Data, AI, and Driving Change in Insurance
42:29|🎙️ New Podcast Episode Alert!This week on The Leadership in Insurance Podcast, we’re delighted to feature Des Burke, Group COO of Tokio Marine HCC International. 🌍From navigating a career across multiple industries to leading transformation in a global organisation, Des shares insights every leader should hear. 🚀💡 Key topics include:🌱 The role of social mobility in shaping leadership values.🔄 How multi-sector experience influences problem-solving and decision-making.📊 The pivotal role of data in the insurance sector and the challenges of qualifying and using it effectively.🤖 The future of AI in insurance—opportunities, misconceptions, and how it can augment human capabilities.Des’s journey from a working-class background to the C-suite is not just inspiring—it’s a testament to the importance of understanding where we come from and how it shapes our approach to leadership.👉 Tune in now for an engaging conversation that explores everything from transformation and technology to the human side of leadership.#LeadershipInInsurance #InsurancePodcast #Data #AI #Leadership #InsuranceInnovation #SocialMobilityRevisiting Favourites: Inside The Global Impact of Insurtech Gateway with COO, Maria Coko.
25:55|🌟 Revisiting One of Our Most Insightful Episodes with Maria Coko 🌟This Monday, we’re bringing back one of our most-watched and most-loved episodes of the year! 🎙️ Maria Coko, COO at Insurtech Gateway, joined The Leadership in Insurance Podcast to share her invaluable insights into the world of incubation, investment, and innovation in insurtech.Maria’s episode struck a chord with so many of you because of her candid discussion about:💡 What makes Insurtech Gateway unique in its structure and approach.🚀 How they maintain a high deal velocity while supporting their portfolio companies.🎨 The creative side of being a COO, and how that shapes their strategy.🌍 The importance of local market insights and LP relationships in their success.If you missed it the first time or want to revisit the wisdom Maria shared, now’s your chance! Join us as we spotlight this standout conversation again—perfect for anyone eager to understand how insurtech innovation is nurtured and scaled.🎧 Tune in Monday to revisit this must-listen episode! #LeadershipInInsurance #Insurtech #Innovation #Investment #Incubation #BusinessLeadership #MariaCoko #PodcastRevisiting Favourites: CEO & Founder, Alex Hearn, Dives Into Insurance Innovation.
25:31|Revisiting One of Our Most-Viewed and Favorite Episodes of the Year👏🏼We’re excited to re-upload one of our most-viewed and favorite episodes from The Leadership in Insurance Podcast, now live!Alex Hearn, CEO and Founder of Slipcase, shares the incredible story behind the platform’s evolution from a social tool to a powerhouse for curated content in the insurance and reinsurance industries. This episode has been one of the top performers of the year, offering unique insights that continue to resonate with our audience.💡What you’ll hear in this episode:💫Slipcase’s journey from a social tool to a leading industry platform.💫The rise of data-driven content and its pivotal role in insurance marketing.💫Exciting growth plans, including a major platform upgrade and strategic acquisition.If you haven’t listened yet, now is the perfect time to dive in. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving insurance space!#LeadershipInInsurance #PodcastRevisit #MostViewedEpisode #Slipcase #Innovation #ContentMarketingRevisiting Favourites: CCO Tom Spier on Transforming Reinsurance with Supercede | The Reinsurance Platform
38:21|🌟 Revisiting One of Our Favorites! 🌟As we approach the end of the year, we're taking a moment to reflect on some of the standout conversations from The Leadership in Insurance Podcast. One episode that continues to resonate is our deep dive with Tom Spier, Chief Commercial Officer at Supercede.Tom joined us to discuss:✨ The future of reinsurance platforms and how Supercede is transforming the landscape.✨ The importance of technology in simplifying complex processes.✨ His insights into building partnerships, driving innovation, and navigating the insurance industry's challenges.Whether you’re new to this episode or revisiting it with us, it’s packed with actionable insights and thought-provoking discussions that are as relevant today as they were when we first released it.Let us know your key takeaways in the comments! 👇#InsuranceInnovation #Leadership #Podcast #Reinsurance #SupercedeDynamic Risks, Dynamic Solutions,: A Conversation with Rachel Olney from EarthDaily Analytics.
32:25|🎙️ New Episode Alert: The Leadership in Insurance Podcast 🎙️This week, we’re excited to welcome Rachel Olney, GM of the Insurance Line of Business at EarthDaily Analytics, to the show! 🚀From founder to innovator, Rachel has navigated two acquisitions and now leads groundbreaking work in geospatial analytics for the insurance industry. 🌍💡In this episode, Rachel shares:🌐 The transformative power of geospatial data in risk modeling.💡 How dynamic risk insights are reshaping insurance strategies.🤝 The importance of building strong, mission-driven teams.🎯 Her candid experiences navigating leadership and industry challenges.Whether you’re a fan of innovation, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about how cutting-edge data is driving real-world change, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss!👉 Drop your thoughts in the comments and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!#LeadershipInInsurance #Podcast #GeospatialAnalytics #InsuranceInnovation #RiskManagement