When most of us hear the word “evolution,” we think of the classic image showing a transition from ape to modern Homo sapiens, often depicted in five or six rough caricatures—you know the one. While this picture has become ubiquitous with the idea of adaptation, the reality, of course, is much more subtle and complicated.

Maybe the most famous example of the more understated reality is the group of finches scattered across the Galapagos Islands that helped initiate Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection and have since become a classic example of adaptive radiation. In the roughly two million years since their common ancestor arrived on the islands, the finches have evolved into 15 recognized separate species, varying in body size, beak shape, song and feeding behavior. Changes in the size and form of their beaks have allowed the different species to specialize in various food sources, including insects, seeds, nectar from cactus flowers and even blood from iguanas, depending on their island.

I am fascinated by how, to quote Jeff Goldblum, “life, uh, finds a way.” (I highly recommend “The Beak of the Finch” by Jonathan Weiner, “Your Inner Fish” by Neil Shubin and Richard Dawkins' “The Greatest Show on Earth.”) In fact, this drive for survival in the face of all odds is one of the things I find most compelling about our industry, as well.

As in the natural world, there are a multitude of approaches brokers can take to ensure survival and success—although the evolution is taking place at a far faster clip. Some advisors, like Darwin's finches, opt for specialization, focusing on niches as various as industry, product, location or client size. Others opt for a more generalist approach. For example, in this month's feature, “A House United?” Dave Evans of Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America says he's seeing a growing number of agencies “that are either very good at a niche market, or they have really leveraged a holistic approach between the P&C and the benefits world.”

And there's a similar division occurring even within the benefits space. Whether your focus is broad or narrow—and let's be honest, there's a huge spectrum in between—you'll want to check out this month's cover story, which spotlights a number of “breakaway brokers” who either specialize in a certain market (region, industry, or type of care), or focus on “comprehensive health insurance coverage for their clientele.”

Yes, it's survival of the fittest, but there's a whole lot of opportunity out there. What are you going to do about it?

Read more about the next evolution of brokers:

Instant Insights /

Adapting on the fly

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