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Last year was a big one for us. Tank Insurance grew faster than we expected, and honestly? It’s been a lot to take in.
But here’s the thing. Growth for the sake of growth has never been what we’re chasing. The goal has always been to build something that genuinely serves our clients. And to do that well, we need to be thoughtful about what comes next.
So as we head kick off the new year, I wanted to share what’s on our mind. What we’re building toward. And why it matters.
Here’s Jack, Brady and I with Jake (partner of ours) at a Christmas lunch before we signed off for 2025!
Growing the Right Way
When you’re a smaller brokerage with momentum, there’s a temptation to just hire fast and figure it out later. We’re not doing that.
The people we bring into Tank Insurance need to be here for the right reasons. Not just to fill a seat, but because they actually care about helping clients navigate something that can be confusing, stressful, and often ignored until it’s too late. Insurance isn’t glamorous. But it matters. And the people on our team need to feel that in their bones.
What we’re building is a premium, mid-market brokerage experience. The kind of service and attention you’d expect from the bigger players, but without the hefty price tag and without the bureaucracy. We want to stay boutique enough that we can move quickly, answer questions directly, and actually know who our clients are.
That’s the balance we’re protecting as we grow. It would be easy to lose it. We won’t.
A Team of Generalist-Specialists
There’s an old saying that gets thrown around a lot
“Jack of all trades, master of none.”
I heard it plenty growing up. I was always more of a generalist, and people made it sound like that was a bad thing. Stick to one thing. Specialise. Go deep.
But here’s what I found out recently. That’s only half the quote.
The full saying is:
“Jack of all trades, master of none, but often better than a master of one.”
That hit different.
What I want at Tank Insurance is a team of generalist-specialists. People who have depth in their area, yes, but who also understand the broader picture. People who can talk about different facets of insurance, who get how businesses actually operate, and who can connect the dots for clients rather than just reciting policy wording at them.
I don’t want a team of cogs in a wheel. I want people who understand the whole business.
One business that does this really well is Macquarie Bank. Every time I call them, whoever answers the phone can actually help me. They don’t transfer me three times only to land on someone who’s still not sure what’s going on. They’re empowered. They’re informed. They solve problems on the spot.
Meanwhile, I’ve had experiences with some of the big four banks where I’ve been passed around like a hot potato and still walked away without an answer. We’ve all been there.
That’s the standard we’re building toward at Tank. When a client calls us, they shouldn’t have to navigate a maze. They should get answers.
Where We’re Heading
On the growth side, property continues to be a major focus.
We’ve seen strong demand in a few key areas:
- Blocks of units (non-strata residential)
- Commercial property
- ISR (industrial special risks)
Our referral network in the property space keeps growing, and clients have been coming to us consistently. That tells me we’re doing something right.
The ISR and commercial property enquiries have been picking up too. These aren’t simple policies. Clients in this space need a broker who can guide them through the complexity, not just send a quote and disappear. That’s where we add value.
So expect to see us doing more there.
Making Things Easier with Tech
One of the bigger projects on our roadmap this year is a customer portal.
And look, I want to be clear about the intent here. The goal isn’t to be flashy or gimmicky. The goal is to make things easy. That’s it.
We want our clients to be able to log in and see everything they have with us in one place. Their policies. Their renewal dates. Certificates of currency. All accessible without having to call or email and wait for someone to get back to them.
This is especially useful for our corporate clients. Some of them have dozens of policies with us across different parts of their business. Keeping track of all that can be a juggle. A portal changes that. Everything in one spot, organised, accessible.
But it’s not just for the bigger clients. For SMEs, for sole traders, for anyone who just wants a simple way to stay on top of their insurance, this is for them too.
- Technology should reduce friction, not create it. If it doesn’t make life easier, what’s the point?
Building in Public
This post is the first of what I hope will be many.
I’ve always believed in transparency. With clients, with our team, and now with anyone who’s curious about what we’re doing. Building in public means sharing not just the wins, but the thinking behind the decisions. What we’re working on. Where we’re headed. What we’re learning along the way.
Insurance isn’t exactly known for being an open book. Policies are dense, pricing can feel like a mystery, and the whole thing can seem like a black box. Part of what we’re trying to do at Tank Insurance is change that. Starting with how we communicate.
So if you’re a client, a referral partner, or just someone curious about what it looks like to build an insurance brokerage that actually puts people first, stick around.
There’s more to come. And probably a few lessons learned the hard way. That’s how it goes.
Marel Pencev Director and Principal Insurance Broker, Tank Insurance