On this episode of The Edge, host Tim Leman sits down with Robert (Bob) Klonk, Chairman & CEO of Unison Risk Advisors (URA) and Oswald Companies.

Bob shares his 40-year journey in the insurance industry, from building Oswald's benefits practice from scratch to co-founding URA with Bob Cawley. They explore the vision behind creating a "forever independent firm." Bob opens up about his leadership philosophy, the importance of mutual respect in partnerships, and his commitment to giving others the same opportunities he had to build equity and create wealth.

Connect with Bob on LinkedIn. Learn more about Unison Risk Advisors.

Key Takeaways:

Bob's early days building Oswald's benefits practice (1:06)
The decision to choose the harder path of independence over selling (4:17)
Creating an alternative for independent agencies (6:20)
The power of employee ownership (11:14)
Empowering independence in practice (14:44)
In this business for the right reasons (18:35)
Building for the future: developing next-generation leadership (20:16)
Bob's edge and philosophy of constant improvement (24:35)
Make the time to support your community (28:23)
The best teams: small unit cohesion and shared ownership (31:27)
Advice for young salespeople (36:50)
Looking ahead: what success looks like five years from now (40:56)

Bob Klonk on building the forever independent firm