Redefine What's Impossible with The Iron Cowboy, James Lawrence
Release Date: 06/30/2025
Developing an Emerging Insurance Market with Paul Dumitru
IN-the-Know
Paul Dumitru is an Insurance Specialist at the Financial Supervisory Authority of Romania, President of the CPCU Romanian Chapter, and 2025 CPCU Society International Ambassador, where he will represent the CPCU Society and continue fostering international connections and awareness of the CPCU designation and the CPCU Society. A CPCU Society member since 2013, Paul earned his CPCU designation in 2017. He is a member of the Europe Chapter, serves as the acting President of the newly forming Romania Chapter, and is a committee member on the Global Virtual Community Steering Committee....
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Strategic Operations Support in Modern Insurance with Brian Schmidt
IN-the-Know
Brian Schmidt is a senior insurance executive with more than two decades of experience across primary insurance, reinsurance, data and analytics, and consulting. At Xceedance, Brian leads the Strategic Accounts division as Senior Vice President and Business Leader, overseeing global teams that deliver operational excellence across the insurance policy lifecycle. Brian holds several industry designations, including CPCU, CIC, and ASLI, and earned both his BBA in Marketing and MBA from the University of Cincinnati’s Lindner College of Business. Brian has served as Chair of the Underwriting...
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The Go-Getter Mindset with Janice Romero
IN-the-Know
Janice Romero is Home Office Manager at ICW Group Insurance Companies and the CPCU Society's inaugural Go-Getter of the Year Award winner. This new award recognizes a CPCU Society member whose professional growth and active engagement best exemplify the spirit of the organization. With over three decades in workers' compensation underwriting, Janice has witnessed the insurance industry's transformation from a traditionally male-dominated field to today's more inclusive and diverse landscape. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation and encouraging young people to consider...
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From Panic to Purpose in a Changing Industry with Amy Waninger
IN-the-Know
Amy Waninger is the Founder & CEO of Lead at Any Level, where she helps organizations transform their STEM professionals from reclusive nerds into inclusive leaders. Amy offers assessments, advisory services, and training on essential skills for inclusive leaders. She is the author of eight books, including Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career. Amy spent twelve years working in the insurance industry, where she achieved the CPCU designation in 2016 and the Certified Insurance Data Manager (CIDM) designation in 2018. She also holds associate...
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Innovation and Ecosystems in Insurance with Rose Hall
IN-the-Know
Rose Hall is a visionary innovation strategist and risk management expert with 25 years of experience. She leverages innovation to solve complex business problems and create unique growth opportunities at the intersection of technology and risk. Her unique expertise spans the insurance, construction, and technology industries, and was cultivated in senior leader roles at global organizations such as AXA XL and Turner Construction. As CEO of RH Business Ventures, she advises the insurance, technology, and construction industries, focusing on transforming risk management through innovation and...
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The Changing World of Workers’ Compensation with Mark Walls
IN-the-Know
Mark Walls is the Chief Marketing Officer at Safety National, a multi-line specialty insurance and reinsurance carrier and member of the Tokio Marine Group. With over 30 years of workers’ compensation and risk management experience, Mark’s career spans claims management, client engagement, strategic analysis, and market research. He previously served as VP Client Engagement at Safety National and as Senior VP at Marsh’s Workers’ Compensation Center of Excellence. Mark is the founder of the Work Comp Analysis Group on LinkedIn, the largest online discussion group dedicated exclusively...
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The Evolution of the Legacy Sector with Katie Reynolds
IN-the-Know
Katie Reynolds is the Executive Director of AIRROC, the Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Run-Off Companies, the only U.S. nonprofit dedicated to promoting the interests of the legacy insurance and reinsurance community. She brings nearly a decade of experience in the legacy sector from claims leadership roles at RiverStone and The Hartford. An active AIRROC member since 2020, Katie has served on committees, the NextGen Council, and the Board of Directors. She holds a B.A. from the University of Rochester and a J.D. from the University of New Hampshire School of Law. On this episode of...
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Removing Friction for Growth in Wholesale Specialty with Leah Ohodnicki
IN-the-Know
This episode of In The Know features host Chris Hampshire and Leah Ohodnicki, Executive Vice President of Carrier Relations at RT Specialty. Leah leads strategic initiatives to strengthen trading partnerships and drive growth across the wholesale insurance landscape, and brings two decades of experience spanning retail brokerage, E&S carriers, MGUs, and program business. Leah began her career at Marsh in 2006, advancing through leadership roles in marketing and business development. In 2015, she joined Argo Group, where she led distribution for the group and later led Specialty Programs....
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Flipping the Script on Host Chris Hampshire
IN-the-Know
In this special episode of In The Know, our podcast host Chris Hampshire takes on the role of guest when he is interviewed by Spenser Villwock, Executive Director of the CPCU Society and President of Associations at The Institutes. Chris works with leading P&C carriers and program administrators to design impactful claims management programs as a Vice President of Sales in Gallagher Bassett’s Carrier Practice. He was elected as the Global CPCU Society President in 2022, served as the President-Elect in 2021, began a three-year term on the National CPCU Society's Leadership Council in...
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Building a Culture of Innovation with Rob Galbraith
IN-the-Know
In this 5th anniversary episode of In the Know, one of our earliest podcast guests returns to help us celebrate and to determine which of his 2020 predictions have come true. Rob Galbraith is the founder and CEO of Forestview Insights, an independent consulting, research, and training company focused on enabling organizations to create and build a lasting culture of innovation. Rob has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry in various leadership positions, and is the author of the international best-selling book The End Of Insurance As We Know It. He is a recognized...
info_outlineJames Lawrence, better known as The Iron Cowboy, is a world-renowned keynote speaker, bestselling author, and endurance athlete who redefined human potential by completing 50 Ironmans in 50 days across all 50 states — and then doing the unthinkable — 100 full-distance triathlons in 100 consecutive days. Before becoming the greatest endurance athlete in history, James was a successful entrepreneur, running a thriving mortgage company and helping hundreds of clients build wealth through homeownership and strategic refinancing. That same relentless mindset that powered him through thousands of miles now fuels his ventures in multi-family real estate and ownership of Crumbl Cookie franchises. He’s been named one of Sports Illustrated’s “Fittest 50,” featured in two acclaimed documentaries, and honored alongside icons like LeBron James and Conor McGregor. But James’s story isn’t just about athletic records — it’s about purpose, resilience, and refusing to settle for average. In this episode of In the Know, Chris Hampshire and James examine the importance of risk-taking in any successful career, techniques for transferring fear to excitement, and the possibilities that are available to those who are brave enough to tackle the unknown.
James will be the closing keynote and conferment speaker at this year’s In2Risk event, taking place November 3‒5 in New Orleans. For more information and to register, visit In2Risk.org. Register by Sept. 5 to take advantage of early bird rates.
Key Takeaways
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James’s pivot from the mortgage industry to extreme sports.
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The importance of risk-taking in any successful career.
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Calculating which risks bring the greatest rewards.
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The suffering is worth it when you show up prepared.
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The future is filled with possibilities for those who are willing to take risks.
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AI leverage has the potential to bring greater joy to the workforce.
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Techniques for transferring fear to excitement.
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Breaking monumental accomplishments down into manageable tasks.
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Personal development and risk-taking.
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Staying healthy while achieving incredible goals.
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What to expect from James’s keynote presentation at In2Risk.
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A five-year look at the rapidly changing future.
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James’s encouraging advice to his early career self.
In the Know podcast theme music written and performed by James Jones, CPCU, and Kole Shuda of the band If-Then.
To learn more about the CPCU Society, its membership, and educational offerings, tools, and programs, please visit CPCUSociety.org.
Follow the CPCU Society on social media:
X (Twitter): @CPCUSociety
Facebook: @CPCUSociety
LinkedIn: @The Institutes CPCU Society
Instagram: @the_cpcu_society
Quotes
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“Sometimes hitting rock bottom can be the greatest gift.”
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“What is the risk that I have to take? And what is the benefit to myself, my family, my community?”
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“The suffering is always worth it if you show up prepared.”
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“For people who understand and leverage AI, it’s going to bring a lot of joy and happiness in their lives.”
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“Am I going to allow fear to dictate my decisions, or am I going to continue to chase my dreams?”
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“Taking risks and personal development go hand in hand.”