How to Sell an Insurtech Startup in a Down Market with Daniel Metcalf

Insurtechs.io

In this episode, we sit down with Daniel Metcalf, co-founder of Smart Harbor, to explore the complete lifecycle of building and exiting an insurtech business. Daniel shares the origin story of Smart Harbor, a company born out of the belief that independent insurance agents needed modern digital tools to compete with direct writers. He talks about the company's evolution from its startup days to a strategic acquisition by Vertafore, revealing hard-earned insights into timing the market, building valuable tech for a niche audience, and navigating a sale in a down market. Daniel also reflects on what founders often get wrong about exits, how M&A differs when strategic buyers are involved, and what he would do differently if he started again today. This episode is a must-listen for insurtech founders, operators, and investors who want a clear-eyed view of what it really takes to succeed and exit in today's market.

-----------------------------

Thank you to our sponsors:

Traq AI!

To schedule a demo with Traq AI today -- https://calendly.com/traq/traq-ai-introduction-for-insuretechs-io

Mav

Sign up today to claim your exclusive offer: https://hiremav.com/insurtechs

Who said insurance isn’t sexy? Prove ‘em wrong – grab your merch today!

https://insurtechs-2.creator-spring.com

Follow Insurtechs.io :

https://www.linkedin.com/company/insurtechs/

https://www.youtube.com/@insurtechs

https://x.com/Insurtechs_io

https://www.instagram.com/insurtechs/

https://www.facebook.com/Insurtechs/

https://www.tiktok.com/@insurtechs

Listen to the Pod :

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insurtechs-io/id1775588982

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2jAGcKCT2v6rdWea3nvrYh

Pandora - https://www.pandora.com/podcast/insurtechsio/PC:1001094614

Jeff Shi :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffshiva/

Daniel Metcalf :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmetcalf/

-----------------------------

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this video description are affiliate links. This means that if you click on one of the links and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support helps us create more content, and we truly appreciate it! Thank you for watching!