Ep. 8 | What if your MGA was built like a Silicon Valley tech company? feat. Jacob Landman, Co-Founder, Carma Cannabis Insurance

Age of the MGA Podcast

Would you trust a frustrated cannabis operator to disrupt the insurance space?
Jacob Landman did more than just trust—he became the operator-turned-MGA-founder who’s taking on the outdated, exclusion-ridden mess that defines most cannabis insurance programs. And in this episode, he breaks down exactly how he’s doing it.
From building proprietary underwriting tech in-house…
To deploying real AI use cases (not vaporware)…
To launching Carma Insurance as a cannabis MGA platform that's ready to scale into psychedelics and beyond…
🔥 This episode is for any founder, operator, underwriter, or tech builder who wants to see what real execution looks like in niche specialty lines.
We get into:
✅ Why most cannabis insurance programs are DOA (and how Carma is different)
✅ The power of building tech natively, instead of duct-taping legacy software
✅ How underwriting, data, and brand converge for lasting MGA value
✅ Why claims and product development must be connected
✅ A masterclass in raising capital and building teams as a first-time founder
✅ How AI and LLMs are giving Jacob a 10X underwriting edge
✅ What other industries can learn from cannabis—and vice versa
👉 Whether you’re launching your first MGA or scaling a $100M+ program, this conversation is a playbook in operator-led execution, vertical focus, and building an uncopyable advantage.
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🔥 Sponsored by Typhon Risk — The MGA’s Strategic Growth Partner
Most MGAs don’t fail because of ambition—they fail because of broken back-end operations.
Typhon Risk solves that.
From vendor selection and management to claims, distribution, and underwriting operations—Typhon Risk helps MGAs scale smarter, faster, and leaner.
🔹 Learn more: https://www.typhonrisk.com
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🔗 Stay Connected & Follow the Movement:
🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube
📲 Follow the Age of the MGA on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/age-of-the-mga/
🧠 Connect with the Hosts:
Doug Ver Mulm: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasvermulm/
Dylan Brand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanbrand/
Peter Tilbrook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-tilbrook-50832336/
🧠 Connect with our special Guest at Carma Cannabis Insurance:
Guest: Jacob Landman, Co-Founder
Company: Carma Cannabis Insurance
Website: carma365.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-landman/
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00:10:00 – From Cannabis Operator to Insurance Disruptor — Jacob’s journey from patient to MGA founder
00:14:30 – "We're Building the MGA of the Future" — Why Carma is going all-in on proprietary tech and AI
00:17:00 – The Real Tech Stack Behind an MGA — LLMs, submission intake, and underwriting automation
00:20:10 – Why Cannabis Requires a Whole New Underwriting Philosophy — Throw out the black-and-white rules
00:25:10 – Data is King—And This MGA is Built Around It — How Carma's data edge unlocks better pricing and risk segmentation
00:28:00 – Raising Capital Without the VC Drama — Why family offices were the smart play for Jacob
00:31:40 – Boring, Profitable, Unsexy MGAs — And why that’s the billion-dollar opportunity
00:35:30 – How to Build a Killer MGA Team from Scratch — Jacob's playbook for hiring and culture
00:45:00 – Why Insurance Is Still 20 Years Behind—and How to Fix It — The candid tech take no one else is saying out loud