Today we’d like to introduce you to Dagan Martinez-Vargas.
Dagan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I want to say it started as waiting table in high school and college. Learning how all my tables think and react, taught me a lot about the human brain. At the same time, I was majoring in Biology in college throughly enjoying psychology, genetics, and sociology
My journey really began in high school and college, waiting tables. Learning how to anticipate how each table thought and reacted taught me a lot about human behavior — lessons that stuck with me. At the same time, I was majoring in Biology, and found myself deeply fascinated by psychology, genetics, and sociology.
After graduation, I spent a decade promoting global alcohol brands, networking at bars, restaurants, concerts, and large events. It sharpened my ability to “read the room” and spot opportunities to grow sales through authentic self-promotion. A few years later, I pivoted into the tech scene, promoting a mobile app in downtown Austin’s booming startup world and consulting on digital branding. In under two years, I appeared on local media, became a finalist to pitch at the SXSW Accelerator, and even advanced to the final round of casting for Shark Tank.
In 2017, I decided it was time to build something of my own. I transitioned into the insurance industry, branding myself as the “King of Supplemental,” and making it easier for people to have real conversations about difficult topics like Cancer, Heart Disease, and Death. With my biology background, I brought an extra layer of understanding to the medical conditions and treatments people were facing. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I expanded my services even further to meet the growing needs of my clients.
With all this knowledge I gathered over the years on self-promotion and communication, people around me kept telling me to write a book. “Play The Room” was a success as it hit Amazon best seller on Day 1.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggles I have had is knowing when someone’s product “the koolaid they are drinking” is the best or learning what is great about it. Everyone says “my product is the best” or our “setup is the best”. They are constantly in sales mode. Learning to identify red flags like “everyone can benefit from this” or “this is the best”. It is never the best. I have learned to ask “who is the product not for”, ” what are the hard parts of your business”. I have had people ask me “are you a half empty glass guy”. It is not about being an optimist or pessimist, it is about being a realist. If you are all rainbows and unicorns, then I am going to be very particular on what relationship I will have with you.
Another struggle is knowing when to adjust or pivot. I waited too long to add Health Insurance to my portfolio because it seemed like everyone “hated health insurance”. I also wish I wrote my book earlier, like during Covid when we all had more time.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I like to think of myself as a lifeguard — not for beaches, but for families and small business owners — helping them stay afloat and avoid financial ruin due to unexpected medical events. I often say, “I handle all insurance for humans.” My work covers everything from Health and Dental insurance to Disability and Life policies, for both individuals and groups.
For over seven years, I’ve specialized in Critical Illness coverage — policies designed to protect against major health events like Cancer, Heart Attacks, Strokes, and serious Accidents. (That’s where my CHA designation comes in.) While I represent multiple top-rated carriers, the one most people recognize features the famous quacking duck mascot. One thing many people don’t realize is that you can get affordable, stand-alone protection specifically for illnesses like Cancer — and it’s often much more accessible than they think.
A key difference with me is that I am truly independent: I work with several broker houses, which means I can shop across the market to find the best fit for each client’s needs, not just sell from a single company’s catalog.
Recently, there’s been a surge of interest in Infinite Banking policies — a way to design life insurance so you can build cash value, borrow against it, and minimize taxes and loan interest compared to traditional banks. It’s a strategy that’s especially popular in the real estate world and with savvy investors.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Effective messaging and communication are critical to success in any business. Too often, people either slip into “sales mode” or communicate without truly considering the other person’s perspective. For example, I recently helped a struggling business owner refine the messaging on the main page of their website — and by the very next morning, they had already received a high-quality lead. Messaging is the key component in my book.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://playtheroombook.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dagan512austin
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daganmv99/
