The Freedom to Broker Your Way
Since joining Konsileo from a large international broker, Josh Bedford has grown his revenue every year while building a thriving client base across the South West, specialising in food and drink businesses.
More importantly, he says he’s able to do the kind of broking he always wanted to do.
Direct relationships with insurers
“I had next to no influence where the risk was placed,” says Josh of past employers. “I’d speak to the insurers – but which insurers I spoke to was quite often managed by where the company wanted the placement to go.
“That felt unnatural to me and I didn’t feel like the client was always placed with the best insurer for them.
“There were some benefits for the client such as broad wordings negotiated centrally – but it just felt a bit off that I was so far removed from a massive part of broking.”
At Konsileo, brokers decide where risks are placed. The insurer relations team exists to open doors and support trading, not dictate where business goes.
For Josh that means more underwriters to speak to when representing clients.
“There’s no restraint whatsoever as to where that customer is insured. We have more agencies than anyone I’ve come across and there are many risks that I would have struggled to get any cover for in previous roles.”
Josh regularly attends insurer events – including KonsileoCon which brings brokers and underwriters together.
“It is so much easier than dealing with a person you’ve never met,” Josh adds. “Having a direct relationship definitely helps if I need to pick up the phone, even if it’s months after meeting at an event.”
“I always try to have with a straight conversation. I hope I’ve got a good reputation with most insurers by doing so.”
“I’m not necessarily quoting for more cases – but I am winning more.”
Choosing your colleagues
“Everyone has different strengths and styles of working. Most workplaces push people together according to their role and region and expect them to get on with it. At Konsileo employees are encouraged to play to their strengths, and build a team around them accordingly.
“You can agree on case by case basis who is doing what and divide the commission accordingly. I work with two specific people on the day to day and another colleague on claims. We all work really well together and can pick up where the other left off.
“Every year at Konsileo has been better than every other year I’ve had at other business,” Josh says.
Outside of his core team, Josh can also bring in experts on specialist cover.
“In the past I thought ‘I’ll give it a go’ and do an alright job. But when I choose to partner with someone who is a genuine specialist in something like cyber or professional indemnity it makes getting quotes a doddle. And if a customer wants to talk through the detail my colleagues will dazzle them with their knowledge – which is much better than me going away to check something.”
Conscious of the changing nature of risks, Josh makes a point of presenting three optional extras clients may not have thought of at renewals, such as Directors & Officers cover, increased indemnity levels or trade credit.
“I’d always rather give them the option to consider and have a discussion,” says Josh. “I think that is part of doing the job properly.”
No client is too small
“It’s really important to me to be able to service any client,” says Josh.
Some brokers set a threshold under which cases are turned away or referred to a contact centre.
“That model of turning things away just wouldn’t suit me. Being able to look after the smallest business gives me as much pride as the largest
“And in this part of the world everyone is connected. One of my largest referrals came from a word of mouth recommendation from one of my smallest clients.
“If I’d have been working in one of the national firms that simply wouldn’t have happened as the small client would have been funneled off and spoken to a different person every time they needed to discuss their insurance.”
“At Konsileo I’m working with a wide market base, with the right colleagues, on the right cases. It’s doing broking properly.”
Konsileo was named the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 Industry Award winner in Financial Services.
If you’re an experienced broker who wants greater autonomy, stronger insurer relationships and the opportunity to build your own business, we’d love to have a confidential conversation.
Please reach out to Prina Mashru for a confidential discussion about joining us, or start your application here.
