Dairyland Insurance Celebrates Success and Looks To the Future

When Erik Gabrovic started his career in the insurance industry, he had expected to use his marketing degree to grow his book of business. However, Erik quickly found out that it wasn’t clever pitches that brought customers in the door.

“You have to get out and knock on doors and get in front of people. Success in this business comes from making connections with customers, asking for referrals, and building a reputation that gets you business through word-of-mouth,” says Erik, Owner/Producer at Dairyland Insurance in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. 

The agency’s reputation is built on the strength of its staff. “Our people are known for their willingness to help,” Erik says. “No matter what happens or what type of claim it is, they are more than eager to help customers and go out of their way to do that.”

Growing a Business 

After working his way through college selling supplemental disability insurance, Erik joined what was then the Sheldon Ladysmith Agency after graduating. He had the opportunity to buy the agency in 2012—at the young age of 25—and took the leap. In 2014, he acquired the Dairyland Insurance agency and transitioned the business to that name. That same year, the agency opened an office in Chetek that is managed by Erik’s brother, Dave Gabrovic. 

Over the past 10 years, Dairyland Insurance has doubled in size. It’s also shifted focus from being primarily a personal lines agency to having a nearly even split between personal and commercial lines. In commercial lines, the agency specializes in agribusiness as well as contracting risks, focusing on referrals and account rounding to grow its book. 

“When we write a general contractor, we do very well at writing their subcontractors as well and vice-versa,” Erik says. “When we build one relationship, our team does an excellent job at leveraging that into other relationships.”

Geographic Goals

With its headquarters in the small town of Ladysmith, Dairyland will focus on expanding its geographic reach in order to continue growing its business. The agency is also looking for acquisition opportunities that are a good fit for its hardworking, knocking-on-doors approach to business. 

“We are somewhat saturated in this area, so we’re looking to grow by many different means. We have a young staff of people who have the energy and appetite to keep moving forward,” says Erik, adding that the agency won’t lose sight of what has propelled its growth and success. 

“What I consistently hear from customers is that they trust us to put the right coverages in place and know we will take care of them,” he says. “We are more than just an insurance agency to them—we are trusted advisors.”