Get to know the individuals that ignite the insurance industry as they answer our icebreaker questions. 

As the chief solutions officer of Kite Technology Group, Jason Gobbel is an expert at one thing: helping small to midsized businesses take advantage of technology. A 20-year veteran of the field, Jason leverages a unique blend of insurance and technology expertise to help business owners develop and implement strategies for cloud adoption, increasing security posture and managing a remote workforce.

Hi, Jason, glad you could join us. We met in Nashville, Music City, so our first two questions are music-related. If you had to do karaoke, what song would you sing?
“Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. If I have to sing in front of a crowd, I'm gonna “Rickroll" the whole room.

Love it! Secondly, if you could travel back in time to see a band play live, who would it be and why?
Pink Floyd in the “Brick in the Wall" and “The Dark Side of the Moon" era. Their music has always spoken to me. I had an opportunity to see them during the “Pulse" tour, but an illness canceled my plans.

So, what film have you watched the most times and will probably keep watching over and over again?
“Pump Up The Volume." Even at 46 years old, that movie feeds my teen angst and encourages me to think for myself. My business partner accuses me of being a contrarian, but I think it's important to always leave room for competing ideas. When we lose that, we lose our edge.

Nice. Sticking with pop culture, if you could appear on any game show, which one would you choose?
“Wheel Of Fortune." I think I'd do quite well. My brain is full of random words and phrases that no one really cares about.

And they come in handy in the insurance biz too! On to food and drink—what is your coffee order?
Just cream. Very simple.

OK. Moving on. Where would you go during a zombie apocalypse?
A large sailboat. It's the easiest way to secure your immediate space and allows for flexibility in destinations.

And a lot more sensible than rocking up to Starbucks and ordering “Just cream." What's your biggest pet peeve?
Salespeople who don't accept “no." When I say I'm not interested, no amount of Sales Tactics 101 is going to change my mind. Respect my decision, and part ways as friends.

Same! Although to be fair, I'm equally annoyed by people who can't take 'yes' for an answer. Like, let me buy this! Which website do you most often defer to when procrastinating?
Reddit. It's where productivity goes to die.

One second you're reading useful advice, the next you're knee-deep in a thread about how to escape a moose attack. What's the best phrase or slang people use in your hometown or family?
“Bless your heart."

And in the right context, it's a very polite insult. Do you have any fears or phobias?
Submechanophobia is the fear of submerged man-made objects. I learned of this fear while kayaking over a submerged pier during a tropical storm. The paddle kept hitting the wooden pier.

Yikes! Do you have any tattoos?
Both arms are tattooed with Dire Straits sheet music. Two of the greatest songs that younger me couldn't stand. They serve as a reminder to always keep what you think you know in check.

Who has had the biggest influence on your professional career?
Jeff Kite and Greg DiDio, founders of Kite Technology Group. Jeff inspired me to do it simply because it needs to be done. Greg taught me to be aware of the cost of doing it. Between the two, I learned to lead with my heart, but not at my expense. This has served me incredibly well.

What one piece of advice would you give to your great-grandchildren?
Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. If you're inspired to do it, go for it!

This is a monthly column for Independent Agent magazine and iamagazine.com. To be featured, email hello@agencynation.com.