Benefits Influencer: Recent Episodes
Ned Schaut / Agency Leverage
Benefits Influencer highlights the strategists, thought leaders, and operatives who are impacting, innovating, and elevating the Employee Benefits and HR industry. Hosted by benefits industry veteran, entrepreneur, and President of Agency Leverage, Ned Schaut. Each episode delivers actionable insights, tactics and new innovations from employee benefits brokers, benefits advisors, HR professionals, insurance company executives, tech companies and others in the Employee Benefits and Human Resources ecosystem.
In this episode of Benefits Influencer, host Dennis Carlson interviews Steve Santangelo, Chief Revenue Officer at Garner Health, about their unique approach to healthcare cost management through provider quality assessment. The conversation offers benefits brokers and consultants valuable insights into innovative solutions for addressing rising healthcare costs at a time when employers are seeking more effective alternatives to traditional health plans.
------------------------------------------------- Steve Santangelo brings his decade of carrier-side experience to explain how Garner Health uses data analytics to identify high-quality healthcare providers and incentivize employees to choose them, resulting in both better care and lower costs. The discussion explores:
Key Takeaways: 1. Provider Quality Focus: Garner Health analyzes physicians on over 500 metrics using data representing 320 million patients to identify high-performing providers. Their approach connects patients to top doctors within existing networks, finding that higher quality care typically costs less, delivering average savings of 27% per healthcare episode. 2. Market Transformation: We've reached a "tipping point" in healthcare where employers are actively seeking alternatives as costs become unsustainable. CFOs are now directly involved in benefits decisions, and previously "too disruptive" solutions like reference-based pricing are gaining traction as companies face higher healthcare cost increases. 3. Broker Strategy: Successful benefits consultants need to develop multi-year strategies for clients rather than temporary solutions. Vendors should work closely with brokers throughout the client lifecycle, focusing on delivering promised results that help brokers demonstrate value when renewals arrive.
The episode also covers insights on price transparency developments, how self-funded employers can leverage concentrated membership for direct contracting, and why brokers remain essential partners in implementing innovative healthcare solutions.
In this episode of Benefits Influencer, host Dennis Carlson sits down with Sina Chehrazi, founder and CEO of Nayya. Nayya is an AI-powered platform that unlocks the value of Health & Wealth programs for employees in real time. They discuss how Nayya is transforming employee benefits by connecting disparate data points to create a personalized experience throughout the benefits lifecycle - from enrollment decisions to ongoing usage and claims. Sina shares insights about the fragmented benefits ecosystem, the critical role of employee benefits consultants, and the future of benefits technology integration.
Key Takeaways: 1. Personalized data integration is transforming benefits: Nayya connects previously siloed data (prescriptions, HSA, medical claims, financial accounts) to create truly personalized recommendations for employees during enrollment and throughout the year, helping employees make better benefits decisions based on their specific situation. 2. Benefits consultants remain crucial: Far from becoming obsolete, consultants are becoming more important as the benefits ecosystem grows more complex. They serve as trusted advisors to employers navigating point solution fatigue and emerging options like captives that could increase competition in major medical. 3. Integration is the future: The benefits technology market is splitting between closed ecosystems and open integration approaches. Sina predicts that platforms embracing integration will ultimately win, similar to how Salesforce has grown through its integration marketplace, creating value for all stakeholders.
More info at www.nayya.com
In this episode, Dennis Carlson sits down with Kristen Rivers, SVP of Sales at ParetoHealth. They discuss how mission-aligned benefits consultants and employers can access premium healthcare solutions typically reserved for large companies through captive healthcare models, highlighting the limitations of traditional fully-insured and level-funded plans while emphasizing the value of actionable data transparency and stronger contractual protections available through alternative funding approaches.
Key Takeaways 1. The healthcare market is at a watershed moment where employers are seeking alternatives to unsustainable cost increases in traditional fully-insured plans, with many consultants becoming catalysts for this change. 2. Contrary to popular belief, level-funded plans are often "fully insured, repackaged with a little more data" but without the ability to meaningfully act on that data to control costs. 3. Pareto Health's model provides stronger contractual protections (no-new laser provision and 30% rate cap for the entire membership duration) while giving employers access to cost-saving levers like alternative drug sourcing and patient assistance programs.
Contact Information To connect with Kristen Rivers or learn more about Pareto Health, reach out to her directly on LinkedIn or contact any member of the Pareto team in your market.
In this episode of Benefits Influencer, host Dennis Carlson interviews Rachel Schneider, the CEO and founder of Canary, a company revolutionizing how employers support their workforce during times of crisis. Canary manages employee emergency relief funds, allowing companies to formalize a compassionate and equitable response when employees face unexpected hardships. Schneider, drawing from her extensive experience researching the financial well-being of working Americans, shares her journey of creating Canary and its impact on countless lives.
Listeners will gain invaluable insights into:
- The step-by-step process of establishing and implementing an emergency relief fund, ensuring fairness and transparency for all employees.
- Real-world examples of how Canary has been utilized, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters like the recent LA wildfires, underscoring the crucial role of immediate financial support.
- How Canary seamlessly integrates into an employer's benefits program, complementing existing financial wellness and philanthropic initiatives, and potentially aligning with Secure 2.0 provisions.
- Canary's strategic approach to partnering with brokers, empowering them to educate employers on the transformative benefits of incorporating this essential safety net into their benefits strategy.
Tune in to discover how Canary is changing the landscape of employee support and fostering a culture of care within organizations.
Brandy Burch, CEO and founder of benefitbay, joins Dennis to discuss Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs). Brandy shares her expertise on the evolution of the ICHRA market, strategic considerations for brokers, and the importance of a comprehensive technology platform for successful ICHRA implementation. Listen in as we discuss how to go from a defensive ICHRA strategy to playing offense to better serve employer clients. Show Notes (generated using AI) * Brandy's Background and benefitbay (2:00): Brandy discusses her background in accounting and finance and her extensive experience purchasing benefits for businesses. This experience led her to found benefitbay, a SaaS technology platform designed to address the complexities of ICHRAs. benefitbay focuses on partnering with brokers to provide them with the tools they need to be successful in the ICHRA market. * ICHRA Overview and Evolution (6:30): Brandy provides an overview of ICHRAs and their evolution since their introduction in 2020 under the Trump administration. She explains how ICHRAs allow employers to offer pre-tax benefits to employees who purchase individual health insurance plans. The discussion also covers the initial slow adoption by brokers and their shift towards more offensive strategies as employers express interest in ICHRAs * Broker Strategies and the Role of Technology (10:00): The conversation shifts to the importance of brokers in the ICHRA market and the value they bring to employers. Brandy emphasizes the need for brokers to have comprehensive technology platforms that can help them quote, enroll, and administer ICHRAs efficiently. She also highlights the importance of integrating ancillary and voluntary benefits into the ICHRA platform to provide a holistic benefits solution for employers. * Market Trends and Drivers for ICHRA Adoption (18:00): Brandy analyzes market trends in ICHRA adoption, noting the significant growth in the average group size adopting ICHRAs. She discusses the key drivers behind this adoption, including employee choice, cost savings, and the need to address the unique needs of diverse workforces and geographically dispersed employees. She also highlights the impact of M&A activity and the challenges faced by healthcare organizations with limited network plans. * Positioning ICHRAs in the Benefits Landscape (26:00): The discussion focuses on where ICHRAs fit within the broader spectrum of employer-sponsored health insurance options. Brandy advises brokers to position ICHRAs as part of a comprehensive benefits strategy that includes fully insured, self-funded, and alternative financing arrangements. She stresses the importance of having the right tools and partners to effectively present ICHRA options to employers. * benefitbay's Value Proposition (33:00): Brandy outlines benefitbay's value proposition for brokers, emphasizing their focus on the mid-to-large group market and their commitment to broker partnerships. She encourages brokers to proactively explore ICHRAs and utilize benefitbay's platform to stay ahead of market trends and meet the evolving needs of their clients.
Dennis chats with Ryan Koo, an Employee Benefits Consultant who specializes in working with digital health companies.
Ryan has just returned from the HLTH conference and shares his recap of the conference as well as his view on the digital health space.
Tune in to learn about how digital health companies should be thinking about the employer channel as well as the employee benefits consultant channel.
Ryan also shares his view of what's most exciting for the future of digital health.
Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmkoo/
Dennis Carlson and Benefits Influencer return with a recap of InsurTech Connect (ITC) with CEO & Co-Founder of Zoë Foundry, Garrett Viggers.
Check out Zoë Foundry at www.zoefoundry.com
Reach out at hello@zoefoundry.com
Benefits Influencer is the #1 podcast for Employee Benefits Brokers and Advisors.
Dennis chats with Ty Wang, Co-Founder & CEO of Angle Health.
Angle Health wants to make health benefits more accessible by connecting vendors that handle different services like telehealth and health savings accounts on a single platform. That way, employers of all sizes can offer a similar stack to the benefits you’d expect from a Fortune 500, but tailored for small to medium-sized businesses.
Ty Wang is the Co-Founder and CEO of Angle Health, the digital-first, fully-licensed health insurance platform. Before founding Angle Health in 2019, Ty was at Palantir, where he met his co-founder Anirban Gangopadhyay. Before moving into the tech space, he spent seven years working for the US Government in Field Operations and as Foreign Liaison Officer. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, as well as a Bachelor’s in Systems Engineering, from Washington University in St. Louis. He splits his time between Salt Lake City and Denver.
More info at https://www.anglehealth.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyw/
Dennis welcomes SVP & Senior Partner at Burnham Benefits, Chris Krusiewicz back to the podcast.
Chris has been tracking AI as it relates to healthcare and employee benefits for years and brings his latest insights to the benefits community.
Chris and Dennis discuss AI and its impact on the employee benefits and healthcare industries today and what we can expect in the future.
Check out Season 1 Episode 3 for the earlier interview we reference in this episode.
Find Chris on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskrusiewicz/
Check out Burnham Benefits here: https://www.burnhambenefits.com/
This episode originally aired in January 2020
Charles Specht from The Permission Group shares how Benefits Brokers who target a micro niche can grow a massive book of business and better serve their clients.
Connect with Charles at charles@permissiongroup.com
This episode orginally aired in March 2022.
Ned Schaut talks with Becky Patel, CEO at Amwins Connect, about mentorship. Becky has over 35 years of experience in this business and shares the importance of both having a mentor and being a mentor. During the conversation they focus on the need to be authentic and know your secret sauce in the business.
This episode orginally aired in July 2020.
Dennis and Chesley discuss ways to make employee benefits communication meaningful, relevant and timely in order to drive value for employers and employees.
Connect with Chesley:
chesley.gaddis@intrepid7.com
http://intrepid7.com/
Dennis chats with Rachel Rutherford of ArmadaCare about Executive Benefits and how to position Executive Medical reimbursement to attract and retain top talent.
Find Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelgann/
Reach out at rrutherford@aramadacare.com
visit https://armadacare.com/ for more info
Dennis chats with Spencer Smith about how benefits advisors can leverage social media to grow their pipeline and increase sales.
Find Spencer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/
Check out Spencer's podcast here: https://spencerharlansmith.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerSmithSelfFunded
For more info on Plansight visit: https://www.plansight.com/
Dennis chats with Kevin Curran, Founding Partner of Salt Margin a Baldwin Risk Company.
Listen in as they discuss ways Benefits Brokers can win with a too often overlooked part of the benefits package, ancillary.
Kevin outlines three ways brokers and advisors can get started with becoming true consultants on ancillary, just like they already are on medical insurance.
Kevin uncovers some key group life and disability policy provisions that every advisor should be aware of.
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for more content for Benefits Brokers and Advisors visit: benefitsinfluencer.com
Dennis chats with The D.I. Coach, Chris Carlson about how benefits brokers and advisors can better position (or start positioning for the first time) disability insurance with their clients.
Chris began his insurance career as a Brokerage Consultant with Provident Life and Accident in 1984. After working with Provident as a Consultant, District Manager and Branch Manager, he formed his own independent Disability Insurance Marketing Organization in 1995. Chris's organization eventually became the D.I. sales office for Ascensus Insurance Services. When Ascensus was purchased by BISYS, he became the National Sales Manager for the BISYS D.I. Center. Chris founded The D.I. Coach to fill the education void left by the disability insurance carriers. He combines his knowledge of the D.I. industry with his coaching expertise to provide a truly unique perspective in his coaching of producers.
Chris is the author of six books to include, Prospecting Through Positioning For The Financial Advisor, The Napkin Advisor and The Broker’s Broker. He works with producers to help them fill their pipelines with highly-qualified prospects while establishing themselves as the recognized authority in their market niche.
Reach out to Chris at chris@thedicoach.net
https://www.thedicoach.net/
More great episodes and sponsorship opportunities at: http://benefitsinfluencer.com/
Dennis chats with Executive Benefits expert, Helen Ornellas. Helen is the President and Founder of Ornellas & Associates Insurance Services.
Based in California, Helen Ornellas specializes in Executive Benefits using Life Insurance, Disability, and Long Term Care to provide solutions. With over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, Helen represents many different insurance companies offering a wide variety of coverage options and price points. Her goal is to take the confusion and uncertainty out of buying Life Insurance, Long Term Care, and Medicare, and help you make sense of it all.
She specializes in helping business owners understand their coverage and find the right solutions for the future. Helen is an active member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) and has held various leadership roles at the local and state levels.
More info at https://ornellasinsurance.com/
For more episodes and insights for Employee Benefits Brokers and Advisors, check out http://benefitsinfluencer.com/
Dennis chats with Noyo CEO and Co-Founder, Shannon Goggin.
Listen as they discuss how poor data quality prevents the benefits industry from delivering the modern experiences today’s consumers want. Addressing these challenges at the carrier and ben-admin level with clean, always updated enrollment data lets HR professionals and brokers truly remove friction for members — while paving the way for frictionless benefits that are easy to understand and easy to use. Shannon Goggin is the CEO and co-founder of Noyo. Before starting Noyo, she was a product manager, building benefits software that showed off the powerful role technology can play in improving people's experience with their benefits. Shannon lives in San Francisco, where Noyo is based.
visit https://www.noyo.com/ for more info.
Dennis chats with Kevin Trokey.
Kevin is the Founding Partner of Q4intelligence, a marketing and sales enablement firm committed to the preservation and transformation of the independent agency system. He writes prolifically regarding the many challenges being faced by today’s agencies, providing guidance to overcome those challenges. He is a frequent industry speaker and has been recognized by the National Association of Health Underwriters as their speaker of the year. Kevin is currently serving as the National Chair of the NAHU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. He recently led the NAHU Name Change Task Force, has served as the National Membership Chair, and is a past president of both St. Louis and Missouri chapters.
https://www.q4intel.com/
Q4Live info here: https://q4live.q4intel.com/
Dennis interviews Benefits Advisors Andrew McNeil and Rosario Avila of Arrow Benefits Group. They discuss how winning awards and writing columns contribute to their position as thought leaders in the community and with their clients. They also discuss strategies they've found work well with small group clients in a post-COVID environment.
Find Andrew and Rosario on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-d-mcneil-5a45559/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosarioavila/
For more episodes and information check out http://benefitsinfluencer.com/
Six years ago, Laurel Taylor was on the fast track to reaching her career goals. But the weight of the student debt she and her mother had racked up to fund her education rang in at almost $200,000 — and could have held her back from reaching her full potential. Laurel took matters into her own hands, and in 2016 founded Candidly (formerly FutureFuel.io) to address the unmet and urgent market need for solutions that support other individuals and families through every step of the planning, borrowing, and repayment experience. Before founding Candidly (formerly FutureFuel.io,) Laurel held leadership positions at Google, among other roles.
Reach out to Laurel at laurel@getcandidly.com
Benefits Influencer is the number one podcast for Employee Benefits Brokers & Advisors.
Check out more episodes and get in touch at http://benefitsinfluencer.com/
Dennis chats with CEO of Beneration, Josh Winigrad.
They discuss why every benefits broker should be talking about self-billing with their clients.
Josh shares:
How to master self-bills by learning the COUNTIFS and SUMIFS formulas.
Why you should encourage your clients to use self-bills with carriers rather than EDI feeds.
The danger of self-auditing invoices against payroll deductions.
Connect with Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwinigrad/
Check out Beneration: https://beneration.com/
Benefits Influencer is the #1 podcast for Employee Benefits Advisors. Visit www.benefitsinfluencer.com for additional episodes and to get in touch.
Dennis chats with Jaclyn Chen, Co-Founder & CEO of Benepass. Benepass is a flexible technology platform that allows employers to offer employees robust categories of perks and benefits around things like wellness, mental health, entertainment, and more.
Check out https://www.getbenepass.com/ to learn more.
Benefits Influencer is the #1 highest rated podcast for Employee Benefits Brokers and Advisors. Visit www.benefitsinfluencer for more great episodes and to get in touch.
Dennis interviews Co-Founder & President of SolV Independent Insurance Associates, Brittney Bello.
Employee Benefits Brokers and Advisors will want to listen in as Dennis and Brittney discuss go beyond the buzzword of "transparency" to uncover what it looks like when advisors, employers, and the benefits ecosystem all align around transparency.
Find Brittney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-bello/
Check out SolV here: https://solvins.com/
IncomePro.io has Income Protection solutions for Benefits Brokers. Go to incomepro.io to learn more.
Dennis chats with Advisor, Keynote Speaker, Podcast Host and President & Owner of Olympic Crest Insurance, Nancy Giacolone.
Reach out to Nancy and follow her via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-giacolone/
Check out Olympic Crest Insurance here: https://olympiccrest.com/
Want to fill up your sales pipeline?
Check out heyhunter.io and request a 17-minute demo of the sales automation platform built exclusively for benefits brokers.
Dennis chats with Advisor, Keynote Speaker, Podcast Host and President & Owner of Olympic Crest Insurance, Nancy Giacolone.
Reach out to Nancy and follow her via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-giacolone/
Check out Olympic Crest Insurance here: https://olympiccrest.com/
Want to fill up your sales pipeline?
Check out heyhunter.io and request a 17-minute demo of the sales automation platform built exclusively for benefits brokers.
Dennis sits down with Lewis Mosley, Founder & Director of UK-based BAS to discuss how US-based benefits brokers and advisors can help their clients with global employees.
Lewis is a Director, Founder and lead Guardian Consultant at BAS
He has over 10 years’ experience working within the global employee benefits space, most of which have been spent advising US multinationals on all aspects of their global benefits, from their first overseas hire’s benefit program in a new country to managing 30+ countries with merger & acquisition heritage.
https://benadvservices.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-mosley-a88bab30/
Want to fill up your sales pipeline?
Check out heyhunter.io and request a 17-minute demo of the sales automation platform built exclusively for benefits brokers.
Dennis sits down with Lewis Mosley, Founder & Director of UK-based BAS to discuss how US-based benefits brokers and advisors can help their clients with global employees.
Lewis is a Director, Founder and lead Guardian Consultant at BAS
He has over 10 years’ experience working within the global employee benefits space, most of which have been spent advising US multinationals on all aspects of their global benefits, from their first overseas hire’s benefit program in a new country to managing 30+ countries with merger & acquisition heritage.
https://benadvservices.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-mosley-a88bab30/
Want to fill up your sales pipeline?
Check out heyhunter.io and request a 17-minute demo of the sales automation platform built exclusively for benefits brokers.
Dennis interviews CEO and Founder of GenuineShift, Jenn Walsh.
Follow Jenn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walshjenn/
About Jenn:
Jenn Walsh is the founder and CEO of GenuineShift, a business consulting company that delivers learning & development programs to fuel growth, optimize profitability and minimize friction for insurance brokerage firms of all sizes. She created the Client Service Academy in 2019 to address our industry's talent crisis when she realized her clients weren't going to have enough people to support their ambitious sales goals.
Jenn has 30+ years of hands-on experience driving organizational growth as a salesperson and business development leader. She developed her expertise in employee benefits within insurance carriers, a full-service brokerage firm, and by holding several national industry association leadership roles.
A sought-after speaker and industry expert, Jenn advocates a Client Service First Framework™ where Sales and Client Service teams align investment, mindset, and work style with a Clients hire you to be led™ focus. The goal of the programs Jenn has created includes onboarding new talent, upskilling junior colleagues, and resetting and recharging veterans - a particular passion for Jenn.
Jenn lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, adult children, and a chihuahua, Lolo, the 39th rescue she accidentally adopted in 2020. #fosterfail #fullnest
Dennis interviews CEO and Founder of GenuineShift, Jenn Walsh.
Follow Jenn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walshjenn/
About Jenn:
Jenn Walsh is the founder and CEO of GenuineShift, a business consulting company that delivers learning & development programs to fuel growth, optimize profitability and minimize friction for insurance brokerage firms of all sizes. She created the Client Service Academy in 2019 to address our industry's talent crisis when she realized her clients weren't going to have enough people to support their ambitious sales goals.
Jenn has 30+ years of hands-on experience driving organizational growth as a salesperson and business development leader. She developed her expertise in employee benefits within insurance carriers, a full-service brokerage firm, and by holding several national industry association leadership roles.
A sought-after speaker and industry expert, Jenn advocates a Client Service First Framework™ where Sales and Client Service teams align investment, mindset, and work style with a Clients hire you to be led™ focus. The goal of the programs Jenn has created includes onboarding new talent, upskilling junior colleagues, and resetting and recharging veterans - a particular passion for Jenn.
Jenn lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, adult children, and a chihuahua, Lolo, the 39th rescue she accidentally adopted in 2020. #fosterfail #fullnest
Dennis interviews ThreeFlow Co-Founder and CEO, Ryan Sachtjen.
Visit https://www.threeflow.com/ to learn more.
Dennis interviews ThreeFlow Co-Founder and CEO, Ryan Sachtjen.
Visit https://www.threeflow.com/ to learn more.
Dennis Carlson returns as host of Benefits Influencer to interview Employee Benefits Broker Vinny Catalano, SVP & Partner at Lockton Insurance Brokers.
Want to increase your sales pipeline on autopilot? Check out heyhunter.io
Dennis Carlson returns as host of Benefits Influencer to interview Employee Benefits Broker Vinny Catalano, SVP & Partner at Lockton Insurance Brokers.
Want to increase your sales pipeline on autopilot? Check out heyhunter.io
Benefits Influencer is taking a short hiatus this summer but will return soon with exciting new guests and topics. Stay tuned!
Want to engage new leads on auto-pilot and increase your benefits revenue? Check out heyhunter.io and schedule a demo today.
Ned talks with Becky Patel, CEO at Amwins Connect, about mentorship. Becky has over 35 years of experience in this business and shares the importance of both having a mentor and being a mentor. During the conversation they focus on the need to be authentic and know your secret sauce in the business.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned interviews Josh Butler, President of Butler Benefits in Amarillo Texas. Josh has been in the industry for 15 years solving increasingly complex problems for clients. Josh shares his passion to help solve the America’s healthcare cost crisis.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Cory discuss the massive success and recognition Cory has experienced through focusing his efforts on a very specific niche. Cory shares how to have a niche and how to provide a depth of value to ensure you become a needed resource. Cory is passionate about what he does and believes other Benefits Consultants can find success by focussing on a niche as well.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Alex Frommeyer, CEO of Beam Dental about benefit trends for 2022. They discuss employees' increased desire for holistic benefits, the growing demand for a quality digital user experience, and the big shift from office-centric benefits to person-centric benefits.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned brings on Hoy Kim, the operations guru from Ned’s very own employee benefits agency. Eight years ago Ned found himself working way more hours than he wanted and going home worn out for his family. He went on a journey to find a solution. Over the past 7 years Hoy has created systems and processes that have helped their team become more effective, efficient, and energized both in and out of the business.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned reflects on what he learned from 2021 and how he will implement it in 2022.
Helpful links:
The One Thing - https://the1thing.com/
Atomic Habits - https://jamesclear.com/
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership - https://conscious.is/
EOS and Traction - https://www.eosworldwide.com/
The Core Value Equation - https://therealdarius.com/book/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned interviews benefits leader Jessica Du Bois as she shares how any agency can build a successful marketing strategy. She emphasizes building solid connections with clients based on relationship, expertise, and technology.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Jeff Grocky about basic marketing every benefits broker should be doing. Jeff works with many benefits brokers and consults/supports them in having an online presence. In this conversation you will discover some helpful hacks to simplify your marketing process.
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Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Jessica discuss the importance of employers supporting their employees who are parents. Employers are impacted when employees can't come into work due to lack of childcare. Jessica is CEO and Co-Founder of WeeCare which provides concierge service to help employees find childcare that meets their needs.
---------------------------------------------- Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with BenTech leader David Bryant. David shares how he and his small team utilized technology to quickly grow his benefits agency. David built many of the tech tools he needed and eventually started MonarkHQ to make these tools available to other benefits brokers.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned Schaut takes a minute to reflect on the past year as new host of Benefits Influencer. The number one question he gets is, “how do I find more leads?” As a benefits broker and marketing agency owner, Ned shares personal insight on how to continue building a book of business once you have reached a level of success.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
In this episode, Dawn McFarland, the VP of Legislation on the board of the California Association of Health Underwriters, and Faith Borges, the Lobbyist for CAHU, join Ned Schaut to give a legislative update for California and Nationally. We discuss what is happening in the market and what to pay attention to over the coming months. We also dive into the importance of being involved in your industry and how benefits professionals can support legislative efforts.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned sits down with Mike Zarrillo, Chief Revenue Officer of Brella to dig into insurance technology and innovation. They discuss opportunities to utilize cutting edge technology, not only for ease of use, but to provide a better user experience as well.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Brad Davis returns for his third time on the show to share more secrets of successful brokers. Connect with Brad at linkedin.com/in/braddavisremade and learn more about California Association of Health Underwriters at cahu.org/home.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Scott discuss ideas from his book, The Whole Person Workplace. In Scott's journey of writing the book he discovered that employers who focus on putting the HUMAN back into HUMAN RESOURCES find growth and stability they may not have known were there. Learn more at scottbehson.com.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned welcomes Tom Avery, Founder, President, CEO at Innovative Broker Services and Founder, CEO at Signal Sync. Tom shares how brokers can innovate their process to provide each client a personalized experience and customizable options.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Rene Zamora, President at Sales Manager Now & Author of Part-Time Sales Management. They discuss the pros, and not so many cons, of utilizing a part-time person instead of hiring full-time for this role. Learn more about Rene, his company, and services at salesmanagernow.com and find his book on Amazon.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Geoff Woods, Co-Founder & President at ProduKtive, VP at The ONE Thing, and host of The One Thing podcast. They discuss maximizing time management and productivity with extraordinary results.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Shawn Blofsky, Owner & Broker/Consultant at EVO Insurance Services, Inc. about buying his first book of business.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Eddie Murphy & Philip Cannon, founders of Evolved Benefits about solutions for specific niches to help brokers provide the best offerings for their clients.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Thomas Blackwell, inspirational speaker, author, and peak performing coach about many of the ideas from his book, The Liberty Of Our Language Revealed – We Bring About What We Talk About.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Rachel Rouleau, VP, Compliance at Heath-E Commerce, the parent brand of FSAstore.com, HSAstore.com, and more as she breaks down health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts. Rachel shares just how advantageous these can be for both employees and employers.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned talks with Gary Ashley, Executive Vice President at Allied National, about building and sustaining a lasting company before digging into the nuts and bolts of level funded health plans.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to agencyleverage.com/pipeline to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Brandon discuss the strategies he used to gain success in growing his agency. Brandon shares the power of focusing on a niche and becoming a true expert in a particular field.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Dr. Frumi became fast friends in 2020 over their shared love of the book Big Five for Life by John Strelecky. In this episode Ned and Frumi share the work they did together over the past year to prepare Ned's employee benefits agency to scale. This is a powerful conversation.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Christine discuss her unique story of transitioning from 20+ years on the broker side of employee benefits to becoming an attorney. Christine shares insight on how brokers should establish partnerships to fill in the gaps of their expertise. It is important for brokers to understand their role and not put themselves or their clients in a jeopardizing situation.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
In his return to the show, Brad shares valuable insights to consider when weighing options for future business decisions.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
With so many products available for businesses to promote a healthy lifestyle to their employees, how does one decipher what will be best for their team? Ned and Lara discuss how to know which tools will work and which ones will not, along with what a broker should look for when implementing one of the healthy worksite benefits.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned digs into the process Raul and Lauren recently went through as they took the leap to leave the big corporation and start their own Employee Benefits Agency. Many of us have the grand idea that we would like to do it our way, we see a hole in the marketplace and want to fill it, but we don't know how to take the leap. Raul and Lauren share the ups and downs of the process.
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Jeff discuss the process of having discernment when you make decisions. Jeff has years of experience in business and has created an incredible book called Discernment. Ned and Jeff dig into the meat of the content.
Connect with Jeff:
Jeff@dudan.me
linkedin.com/in/jeffdudan/
More about Benefits Influencer:
Facebook: @agencyleverage
agencyleverage.com
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Joe discuss an approach that many agency's talk about but don't actually deliver on the back end. Joe has created a culture of service and advisors. He shares some of the ways his agency under promises and over delivers to create long term happy clients.
Connect with Joe:
jdelucchi@mycalteam.com
linkedin.com/in/joedelucchi/
More about Benefits Influencer:
Facebook: @agencyleverage
agencyleverage.com
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and the founders of PTO Genius, Adam and Uli discuss the often overlooked employee benefit - Vacation - and how employers can get more value out of a benefit they are already offering. This is a powerful conversation as many employees are burned out and tired, yet they have a benefit that can allow them to find joy and rest...they just need to be shown and reminded how to use it.
Connect with PTO Genius:
linkedin.com/in/adamgpordon/
linkedin.com/in/ulisesorozco/
More about Benefits Influencer:
Facebook: @agencyleverage
agencyleverage.com
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Nathan discuss the power of leading your organization from the stance of who you are. Many lead by what they do, or why they do it; but there is great power in leading from who you are. We discuss the incredible opportunity one has to build their personal brand or agency from the Core of Who they are.
Connect with Nathan:
linkedin.com/in/nathanbourne
More about Benefits Influencer:
Facebook: @agencyleverage
agencyleverage.com
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned welcomes Darius Mirshahzadeh, Founder of The Real Darius, as they discuss the impact a company's core values have on both customers and employees.
Connect with Darius:
darius@therealdarius.com
therealdarius.com
More about Benefits Influencer:
Facebook: @agencyleverage
agencyleverage.com
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Ned and Scott talk about the value and importance of building an agency around transparency. This industry can be complicated and convoluted. Scott shares his inside secrets on how he has built a culture of transparency in his agency.
Connect with Scott:
linkedin.com/in/scott-kelley
In this episode, Dennis Carlson welcomes new host, Ned Schaut as they discuss this transition with the podcast and what lies ahead for Agency Leverage.
Facebook: @agencyleverage
agencyleverage.com
More about Ned:
linkedin.com/in/nedschaut
rebelandcreate.com
Dennis and Chesley discuss ways to make employee benefits communication meaningful, relevant and timely in order to drive value for employers and employees.
Connect with Chesley:
chesley.gaddis@intrepid7.com
http://intrepid7.com/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis and Chris talk about how benefits advisors can help employers transition to work from home by meeting employees where they are. They also discuss how an employer can create a marketing strategy for their benefits program to engage employees.
Connect with Chris:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-wolpert/
https://gbsbenefitsgroup.com/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis talks candidly with Ned Schaut, President of Eureka Insurance Solutions, about how to embrace the lifestyle you want as an Employee Benefits Broker and how this career allows you to pursue your passions and side-hustles. They also discuss Ned’s Rebel & Create project for men who want to be more engaged and fulfilled as fathers.
Connect with Ned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nedschaut/
https://www.eurekains.com/
https://www.rebelandcreate.com/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis chats with Jessica Du Bois from Business Benefits Group. They discuss how benefits agencies can propel growth with marketing and how to get started.
Connect with Jessica:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesdubois/
https://jessicadubois.co/
https://www.instagram.com/jesdubois/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis chats with David Reid, CEO of Ease, about how benefits brokers and their clients are dealing with increasing premiums by utilizing technology. They dive into Ease’s recent 2020 SMB Benefits & Employee Insights Report and discuss how increasing choice and engagement is imperative in this market.
Connect with Ease:
ease.com
Find the 2020 SMB Benefits & Employee Insights Report here:
https://hr.ease.com/Download-2020-SMB-Insights-Report.html?
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis chats with Colin Royster from Integrum Advisors about how employers in a niche like the auto industry can use a Candidate Persona to attract the best employees.
Connect with Colin:
croyster@integrumadvisors.com
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis chats with Scott Smith, President and CEO of TRUE Network Advisors. They discuss how TRUE Network Advisors creates amazing experiences for brokers using: Experience, Kindness, and Live Events. Scott also shares how an informal eight agency “study group” became a diverse 39 member agency growth and development company.
Connect with Scott:
scott@truenetworkadvisors.com
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis chats with Nick Limneos VP, National Sales at ArmadaCare. They discuss how brokers can position medical reimbursement plans as keys to a robust recruitment and retention strategy and why they aren’t just for ‘executives’ anymore.
Connect with Nick:
nlimneos@armadacare.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-limneos-8194896/
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how Hunter can work for you.
Dennis chats with Prem Kumar of Humanly, an AI platform that qualifies job candidates and answers their questions. They discuss the massive impact Employee Benefits can have on culture and brand.
Connect with Prem:
prem@humanly.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/premskumar/
Twitter: @premkumartweets
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how he can work for you.
Dennis chats with Benefits Advisor Tom DiLiegro, President of Benefit Advisors of Charleston. They discuss what it means to be an “independent” benefits broker and why finding a network of abundance-minded colleagues is good business for brokers and their clients.
Connect with Tom:
https://benefitadvisorsofcharleston.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdiliegro/
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how he can work for you.
Charles Specht from The Permission Group shares how Benefits Brokers who target a micro niche can grow a massive book of business and better serve their clients.
Connect with Charles at charles@permissiongroup.com
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how he can work for you.
Dennis chats with Steve Smith, Partner & Chief Marketing Officer of The Starr Conspiracy about the massive $7.2B investment made in 2019 in Work Technology and its impact on Employee Benefits.
Check out The Starr Conspiracy’s most recent Brandscape™ on Employee Engagement
Connect with Steve at steve@thestarrconspiracy.com
This episode is sponsored by ArmadaCare – Want to exceed your client’s expectations? Check out the Broker Playbook at https://armadacare.com/playbook/
Hunter! Is the Automated Sales Assistant for Benefits Brokers. Go to https://heyhunter.io/ to see how he can work for you.
Dennis chats with Andy Hutter, Director of Partnerships at InsurTech start-up Beam Dental.
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
Benefits Technology expert, Frank Mengert shares how benefits brokers and employers can avoid regret when making decisions about Employee Benefits and HR technology platforms.
Connect at frank@getebm.com
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
In this episode, Dennis chats with Senior Benefits Advisors Andrew McNeil and Rosario Avila of Arrow Benefits. Andrew and Rosario recently won EBA’s Advisor of the Year. They are the first duo to receive the distinction.
We discuss how the pair use the “Power of 2” to collaborate and how industry collaboration goes well beyond the walls of their agency.
In the spirit of “Community over Competition”, Andrew and Rosario candidly share some of the innovations that have helped grow Arrow Benefits.
Connect at AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
In the conclusion of this two-part episode, Dennis Carlson chats with David Contorno, CEO of E Powered Benefits and a Founding Advisor at Health Rosetta. They discuss how brokers can exit the traditional carrier and network-driven models of employer-based healthcare and provide better care at lower costs to their clients.
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
In part one of this two-part episode, Dennis Carlson chats with David Contorno, CEO of E Powered Benefits and a Founding Advisor at Health Rosetta. They discuss how brokers can exit the traditional carrier and network-driven models of employer-based healthcare and provide better care at lower costs to their clients.
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Mark Rieder, Head of Innovation at NFP, about purposeful innovation strategies. Contact NFP's Innovation team at nfpinnovation@nfp.com for more information.
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
Dennis Carlson talks to CFO and HR pro Steve Watson about how benefits brokers can engage the C-Suite more effectively.
Get in touch with Steve at stevew@trendbreakers.com
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Amy Spurling, Co-Founder & CEO of Compt, about HR and benefits tools to help drive diversity.
Benefits Brokers, meet Hunter! your Revenue Acceleration Assistant – say Hey! at heyhunter.io
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Sam Siders, Regional Sales Manager at LISI, about engaging millennials to help build a successful agency.
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Nancy Sansom, Chief Commercial Officer at PlanSource about how technology can help create a better benefits experience.
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Amy Evans, President of Colibri Insurance Services, about being a broker preparing for exit.
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Andy Neary, Healthcare Strategist at The Olson Group, about why mindset matters for benefits decision makers.
Links:
andyneary.com
In this episode, Dennis Carlson speaks with Adam Moise, Principal, Employee Health and Benefits at Marsh & McLennan Agency, about alternative funding strategies for employer healthcare.
Tune in to find out about how:
- Alternative funding is a smart way for companies to reduce benefits costs while delivering a richer package to employees
- Many employers are missing opportunity to significantly reduce pharmacy costs, but can dramatically cut that expense by engaging with experts who understand the complexity of pharmacy contracts.
- Employers have an opportunity to utilize big data to identify the most cost-effective network with the least employee disruption.
Dennis Carlson gets tactical and actionable insight from Jennifer Benz, SVP Communications Leader at Segal Benz, about how to successfully communicate employee benefits.
Jen is a leader in the Employee Benefits Communication space. As the founder of Benz Communications, which merged with The Segal Group in 2019 to create Segal Benz, Jen led one of the largest women-owned firms in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This ideas shared in this episode are applicable to any Benefits Advisor, employer, or HR/Benefits professional that is looking for a framework to better engage their employees and improve the overall health of the population they manage.
Jen will be presenting her employee engagement and communication strategies at the HR Executive Health Benefits & Leadership Conference April 24-26, 2019 in Las Vegas.
Dennis Carlson speaks with Eric Silverman, founder of Voluntary Disruption.
Eric shares why employee benefits brokers should begin using 'enhanced benefits' instead of 'voluntary benefits'. This isn't simply a change in vocabulary, but rather a change in mindset.
We also discuss how brokers can expand their services and offering by partnering with a carrier and platform agnostic firm.
Eric shares some great strategies for getting employer buy-in when it comes to enhanced benefits.
Books you should read:
Breaking the Status Quo featuring Eric Silverman
Giftology by John Ruhlin
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
Get in touch with Eric:
Voluntary Disruption
Eric Silverman on LinkedIn
This season is sponsored by PlanSource.
For a free Benefits Trends white paper visit: https://plansource.com/pod
Everyone in employee benefits and HR knows that data matters. On this episode, we talk with insurtech leader and President of Selerix, Lyle Griffin.
Lyle shares why the move from legacy EDI feeds to plug-and-play API technology is the future of insurance benefits enrollment and eligibility data.
This move helps employers and brokers go from a weekly "fire and forget" model of data exchange to a real-time data synchronization model. Reducing errors and saving time.
Lyle also unveils a new data standard known as WBEDX that he has been working on with LIMRA that will be rolled out in early 2020 to the entire industry.
To keep up with the WBEDX LIMRA standards progress visit:
limra.com
For more info on Selerix and to connect with Lyle Griffin visit:
https://www.selerix.com/
Lyle Griffin - LinkedIn
What does the employee benefits agency of the future look like?
Mike Sullivan, as Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of One Digital -the largest company focused exclusively on benefits and HR - considers this question.
He shares what One Digital looks for when acquiring agencies as well as how to separate fact from fiction in terms of what success looks like.
We also discuss strategic partnerships and what they can mean for any size agency.
In this episode, Jenn Walsh, Founder at GenuineShift tells employee benefits brokers, benefits advisors, practice leaders, and agency owners how to get 'unstuck'.
With her background as not only a producing broker herself but also a benefits practice leader for a large insurance brokerage, Jenn brings firsthand experience in what it takes to run a successful and revenue-driven employee benefits division.
Jenn shares what to measure and assess and which metrics to use to gauge success.
She also provides invaluable insight as a consultant who helps organizations choose their next benefits broker.
Find Jenn on LinkedIn here.
For more information on GenuineShift click here.
For the Broker Selection Case Study Jenn refers to, click here.
Cerrina Jensen is an AVP in the Employee Benefits division at CoreMark Insurance Services in Sacramento, California.
In this episode, Cerrina shares how understanding that there is a human on the other side of that benefits enrollment form can make all the difference in how you approach your role as a benefits advisor and broker.
To get in touch with Cerrina or to learn more about CoreMark visit:
LinkedIn - Cerrina Jensen
CoreMark Insurance Services
Melissa Burkhart, President of Futuro Solido USA, shares best practices for benefits communication, education and enrollment for Spanish-speaking populations at US companies.
She shares why professional translation is a must and will save you time and money, how to get Spanish-speaking advocates in employer groups to assist, and the best way to assure that benefits education materials work for everyone.
For more info connect with Melissa on LinkedIn or visit the Futuro Solido USA website:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-burkhart-52b6949/
http://www.futurosolidousa.com/
So much of HR and Employee Benefits is about managing change for employees. But for employee engagement platform Glint this is more relevant than ever given that they were recently acquired by LinkedIn.
In this episode, Dennis chats with Alex Coonce, Glint's VP of People & Culture.
Alex shares some practical advice on how to manage change (both big & small) in an organization.
We talk about the importance of understanding what's important to the people impacted by the change, how to get champions involved early, when and how to communicate change, and how to define goals that lead to success.
And we talk about how to do it all while remaining human . . . even with a distributed workforce.
For more on Glint go to https://www.glintinc.com/
To connect with Alex Coonce go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexcoonce/
Ryan Miller is a speaker, coach, consultant, and former successful employee benefits broker.
He shares his insights into how he leverages his knowledge and experience to help agencies develop both their overall marketing strategy and coach their sales leaders to create a framework to develop future sales rockstars.
We talk about how having "great salespeople" isn't enough to grow an agency in this current environment.
Ryan shares some practical ideas on how to develop and enhance the "personal brand" of Employee Benefits leaders - starting with being who you were created to be.
We also discuss how important having a content strategy is if you want to elevate your profile as a benefits broker.
The book Ryan recommends everyone check out: Grit - Angela Duckworth
website: Ryan James Miller
LinkedIn: Ryan Miller
Jellyvision CEO Amanda Lannert has been leading the organization since 2000. ALEX, Jellyvision's primary product, is a fun, smart, and empathetic employee communication platform used by over 1,000 companies including many of the Fortune 500. ALEX helps over 17 million employees understand and enroll in their employee benefits (amongst other things).
In this interview, Amanda shares how culture is not only at the core of the company but how it bleeds into the products Jellyvision creates and how those products are delivered.
Listen in for unique and truly groundbreaking insights on how to make your next meeting amazing, what a "humanistic selling experience" looks like, and what the single most forgotten truth in business is.
Shout outs to Daniel Pink and Chip Conley
Resources mentioned:
Optimize Me
The Culture Code - by Daniel Coyle
The CEO Next Door - by Elena Botelho & Kim Powell
Find Amanda Lannert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandalannert/
Visit Jellyvision and ALEX: https://www.jellyvision.com/
Dr. Josh Luke is a Futurist who teaches at the University of Southern California and the author of Health-Wealth: Is Healthcare bankrupting your business? 9 Steps to Financial Recovery.
We discuss what it means to be an engaged healthcare consumer, why it's important and how to do it. Starting with three P's
Planning, Personalization, Prevention
Employee Benefits Brokers can find the assessment Dr. Luke mentions that you can use for your clients here: https://www.health-wealth.com/assessment/
Find Dr. Luke and his book using the links below:
Dr. Josh Luke - LinkedIn
Health-Wealth - speaking, podcast, assessments, certification
Health-Wealth Book - Amazon
Jim Morrison is the President and Founder of Morrison Insurance Services in Carlsbad, CA.
After 29 years in the Employee Benefits industry, Jim has honed how he works with referral partners in order to grow his agency year after year.
Appearing on the Inc. 5000 list two years in a row, Jim knows a thing or two about growing an insurance agency, the right way.
We discuss how he's been able to build a referral network of what is now 22 referral partners to consistently add new clients.
We also discuss his role as VP of Legislation with the California Association of Health Underwriters (CAHU) and how it helps the broker community as well as the clients they serve.
For more information on Jim, Morrison Insurance Services and CAHU go to:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/morrisoninsurance/
https://misbenefits.com/
http://cahu.org/
Our guest on this episode is Dave Chase, the Co-Founder of the Health Rosetta. The Health Rosetta an open-source blueprint for the next generation’s health ecosystem that is focused on replacing our current system’s flawed practices and reversing the health care status quo.
Dave’s first book, “The CEO's Guide to Restoring the American Dream: How to Deliver World Class Healthcare to Your Employees at Half the Cost" became a Kindle #1 bestseller. His latest book -- "The Opioid Crisis Wake-up Call" outlines how the opioid crisis isn't an anomaly, but rather a logical (and tragic) byproduct of our catastrophically dysfunctional healthcare system.
In Dennis Carlson's interview with Dave Chase we discuss:
- How healthcare is already fixed and how we can replicate the fixes.
- Why the opioid crisis isn't an anomaly but rather IS our healthcare system.
- How employee benefits brokers and advisors can help.
Listeners of Benefits Influencer can get a free copy of Dave's latest book, The Opioid Crisis Wake-Up Call here.
Connect with Dave Chase and Health Rosetta:
https://twitter.com/chasedave
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/
https://healthrosetta.org/
In this Benefits Industry Executive interview, we talk to Kevin Timone, the Senior Vice President of Sales at LISI, one of the largest general agencies for employee benefits in the state of California.
Kevin shares his ideas on what separates the good from the great in small group benefits brokers.
His 17 years running the state's only small group private exchange, CaliforniaChoice, gives him a distinct point of view on how brokers market, sell and service their small group clients.
It all starts with mindset . . .
For more information on Kevin and LISI visit:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-timone-b145897/
LISI: https://lisibroker.com/
In this Agency Executive interview, we chat with Erik Hansen, President of Silicon Valley-based employee benefits brokerage, The Vita Companies.
We discuss why Employee Engagement is at the heart of what The Vita Companies brings to their employer clients.
We dive into how Erik and his team raise employee comprehension of the benefits program and how Vita helps employees adopt existing health and wellness tools that are built into health plans but often overlooked.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhhansen/
http://www.vitacompanies.com/
Dr. Kristin Kahle, known by her friends and colleagues simply as Dr. K., joins us to talk about the what Employee Benefits compliance issues employers and brokers are facing in 2018.
Dr. K is the CEO and Founder of NavigateHCR, which is focused on "Making Health Care Reform Compliance easy for employers."
We discuss why it's not too late to get compliance for 2018 and some simple and actionable steps that both brokers and HR professionals can take.
In particular, Dr. K shares how Q4 reporting to the IRS can be simplified for employers.
https://navigatehcr.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigatehcr/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kristin-kahle-615a2316/
This week Chris Krusiewicz, VP at Burnham Benefits joins us as we focus on the idea of Exponential Healtcare and why employers should have a Digital Healthcare Strategy.
Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, and genetics may be buzzwords that get people to click headlines but when it comes to healthcare they have a lot to offer.
In this episode, we scratch the surface of how these and other new technologies are helping employers "skate to where the puck is going", as Wayne Gretzky put it.
We also discuss the Exponential Healthcare Conference, coming up in Orange County on Oct. 10, 2018. The conference will be a deep dive on the topics we discuss in this episode.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskrusiewicz/
https://exponential.healthcare/
http://www.burnhambenefits.com/
In this, the pilot episode of Benefits Influencer, we talk with Brad Davis, Partner and VP Employee Benefits at WSR.
Brad tells us about his first day on the job as a broker and how that set him on a trajectory to make education at the center of how he approaches employee benefits.
In this episode we talk with Garrett Viggers, Co-Founder and Sr. Enterprise Sales and Strategy Executive at Limelight Health.
We discuss the role of technology and how it can improve the employer and benefits broker experience. We also talk about the future of employee benefits technology and AI.