Pros
Following the acquisition of the smaller MGA I worked for, there were a number of positive changes announced that initially gave many employees optimism about the future of the company. While there were certainly improvements in some areas, ongoing issues with middle management accountability, inconsistent leadership, and repeated unfulfilled promises ultimately made the environment difficult to remain in long term. Pros - Positive and energetic overall company culture - Strong opportunities for relationship-building with agents and carrier partners - Competitive benefits package with lower employee costs than many comparable companies - Standard but solid 401(k) match - Plenty of available work and opportunity for self-starters - Good environment for employees who thrive in competitive settings - Strong potential for professional development depending on the team and leadership - Many talented and supportive coworkers throughout the organization
Cons
Cons - The employee experience varies dramatically depending on the office, team, and direct leadership structure. In my experience, there was very little oversight or accountability for middle management, and concerns escalated to upper management often resulted in promises of improvement without meaningful long-term follow through. - Prior to structural changes following the acquisition, managers primarily focused on leading teams and office operations. Under the newer structure, Team Leads were often also the highest-producing underwriters, creating situations where managerial responsibilities and individual production goals conflicted with one another. - I consistently performed as one of the top producers on my team, maintained a large and growing book of business, had strong retention and bind rates, and developed excellent relationships with both agents and carrier partners. I was frequently relied upon as a resource by colleagues across multiple teams. Despite this, after the restructuring, workflow processes and responsibilities were repeatedly changed in ways that negatively impacted efficiency and productivity. Concerns raised about these operational changes were often dismissed despite measurable downstream impacts. - Attempts to seek additional support; including requests for training and opportunities to transfer to another team where I had previously collaborated successfully, were denied. - Compensation-related conversations were similarly frustrating. Repeated assurances regarding market alignment of salary, bonus structure adjustments, and recognition of production results were delayed repeatedly over many review cycles without meaningful resolution. - At the same time, feedback from leadership became increasingly inconsistent with the results I was producing and the positive feedback I continued receiving from colleagues, clients, and other teams I partnered with successfully. - Over time, it became increasingly clear that internal perception was being shaped more by management politics than by measurable performance metrics. - Unfortunately, this did not appear to be an isolated experience. During my time on the team of approximately 12; 9 teammates, as well as another 2 employees on partnering teams, left citing concerns related to leadership and team management practices of my team. - Despite parting ways on good terms, I have been made aware that my former direct manager continues to speak unkindly about me to my former clients and has admitted to taking action to get me to leave. Overall Impression That said, I do not believe this experience reflects the company as a whole. Because Ryan Specialty is such a large organization, experiences can vary greatly by department and leadership team. I had several very positive experiences collaborating with other groups and managers within the company. As largely my work speaks for itself, this has not caused any significant damage to these relationship, however it is frustrating the antagonism can follow you even after you separate from the situation. My advice to prospective employees would be to pay very close attention to the specific Team Lead and management structure during the interview process. Ask detailed questions about leadership style, training, workload expectations, advancement opportunities, and how employee concerns are handled. The right team could provide an excellent opportunity, while the wrong leadership environment may significantly impact your experience.