February 12, 2025 - Altamonte Springs, FL insurance agent Juan Calix built his agency from the ground up during one of the most uncertain times — June 2020, in the middle of the COVID pandemic. But instead of seeing obstacles, he saw opportunity. With a mindset rooted in growth and an unwavering commitment to his community, Juan quickly turned challenges into wins, proving that success is about perspective and persistence.
Five years later, Juan’s agency is thriving, fueled in part by his strategic approach and a marketing partner that truly understands his business — Melon Local.
We caught up with Juan to hear the five things he loves most about our fruitful partnership!
I’m Getting Fresher Leads
I used to have a higher budget for leads in the past, but now with Melon, I’m spending less and getting better quality leads. For example, we recently got three leads and from those three leads, I was able to get 20 autos. So why is that huge? Because now my team and I are able to create a structured plan — an actual strategy that can be implemented on a daily basis — where they can work the book of business even more since time spent dialing isn’t eight hours. We’ve also been able to reach the Spanish community, which is huge because we have a large Hispanic population here. The opportunities for growth here have been tremendous thanks to Melon Local!
Communication is Prioritized
Communication is key in a relationship. It’s the same thing with my relationship with Melon — very transparent. It’s great. Our communication is fantastic. Just being able to have a monthly meeting is a big deal for me. Plus, I get follow-up messages checking if we’re still good for our meetings or need to reschedule. With the prior company I was dealing with, they’d be like, ‘yeah, you miss your meeting, you miss your meeting,’ and then I’d have to wait until next quarter.
Changes on the Fly
Melon Local is able to adapt quickly and is always ahead of the game. So, for example, last year, our rates went up, right? And here in Florida, it’s a very tough state to be an insurance agent. Thankfully, my Client Success Manager was able to help navigate my agency through this challenging journey. She knew my rates were increasing, making it tougher to close leads. Melon Local isn’t like a huge company that just collects a check and that’s it. The fact that we’re so connected, able to adapt together and go through the growing pains is huge.
Continued Education for My Agency
One of the other things that I love about Melon is their Melon University workshops — which reinforces how connected Melon is to the insurance world — they truly understand my industry and our culture. Being able to have my team learn from life insurance expert Blair McDonald and from Perry Olson was especially beneficial for my team. In fact, we actually closed four life policies based on a pivot point we learned from one of his life insurance refresher courses.
Melon’s Business is Relationships Too
If you really think about it, I don’t sell insurance. I sell relationships. With Melon Local, it’s the same thing. What Melon really is selling is relationship building. Melon Local has quality employees that really know your business and you as a person. Not only does Melon Local really care about helping agents grow their business, they also care about personal details — like when I had heart surgery and my Client Success Manager emailed me asking how I was doing and if there was anything she could do to help. That’s something I didn’t see with other companies I’ve dealt with. It’s been a great journey where we’re both growing together. I know we do business but at the same time I see Melon Local as family.
Looking for a more personal touch to your marketing? Let’s grow together — schedule a demo today!