Kurt Carlson, President, Propel Insurance

You grew up in the Seattle area. Can I assume you’re a Seahawks fan?
I am a Seahawks fan. I went to the first regular season game the Seahawks played in Seattle. We went to the Kingdome, and I remember thinking, These are the worst seats I could imagine. This place went absolutely nuts over the Seahawks this year. People think Seattle is a nice, docile city. I think we’re inwardly repressed and the Super Bowl parade was the time to get it all out.

Tell me about your business.
We have offices in Tacoma, Seattle, Portland and three other, smaller cities. We have about 240 employees. We’re putting a lot of energy and money into hiring people for our sales training program. We put them through a 38-week plan that teaches them insurance basics and offers mentorship, then we ship them to the jungle and say, “Eat.”

Thirty-eight weeks? That sounds like graduate school.
The education is very formal. It’s comprehensive, and exams must be passed. They’re going to understand property-casualty insurance. We’re not going to send people to the jungle unprepared.

What’s kept you in the business?
I love the business. I love coming to work. I love the excitement of Propel being known in our communities. In 2008 we didn’t have a Seattle office. Now we have 73 people in Seattle. In 2010 we didn’t have a Portland office. Now we have 38 people in Portland. We want three things: careers for our people, creative solutions for customers and we want to make a profit to reinvest in the business.

Sounds like culture is king at Propel.
I think it’s got to be there. That’s how we hire and retain people. We look at all our staff in years two and three—what we are doing to show them where they can advance to and how we can help get them there. Every year we buy Propel umbrellas and stick them by the elevator, and by the end of the rainy season they’re all stolen. And it’s great. That means there are all kinds of people walking around Tacoma with Propel umbrellas.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I like driving cars. I love to be out there on the road. I’m also a huge music fanatic.

What’s your favorite rock concert?
Bruce Springsteen, “The River” tour, Rocktober 1980, the old Seattle Coliseum. That concert was unbelievable. It was an awesome crowd experience. I was so depressed when it was over.

What kind of cars do you own?
I have a Porsche Carrera C4S. It’s so much fun. And then I have a Ferrari—a 458 Spider. For my 50th birthday I ordered one from the factory. I’m driving it to Montana, driving it right to the fishing lodge. We are going to have so many dead bugs on the front of the car. My wife is like, “We are not taking this car.” And I said, “We are so taking this car.”

Do you do a lot of traveling?
My dad was an airline pilot. When my sister and I were growing up, we’d say, “Hey, all our friends get to go to Disneyland. When do we get to go to Disneyland?” He said, “Disneyland is too expensive. We’re going to China.” I’ve made sure to take my daughter to these kinds of places. Last summer we went on a safari to Tanzania. I took my daughter to China when she was in eighth grade. I always remembered, when I was a little kid, what it felt like to look different than everyone else when traveling around the Far East. I’ve never forgotten the incredible experiences we had in new cultures.

What have you learned that you could pass on to others?
Listen, learn and deliver. There are so many smart people, and they love to share what they have learned. Educational opportunities never stop. Never be so blind that you can’t incorporate new things into your worldview.

Last question: What gives you your leader’s edge in this industry?
I haven’t built Propel on my own. Our people are great, and I just know who I am and who I’m not. This is nothing but a concert in several different offices where everybody’s coming together and trying to make life better. It’s music when it all works out.