#RockstarsRocking

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, John Troutman; Director of National Marketing & Business Development at MSEAP, a national EAP firm, based out of Harrisburg, PA.   We delve right into a topic near and dear to my heart this week, talking all about mental health and how important it is for people to prioritize in their lives. John opens our interview detailing how he was a pastor for nearly twenty years before burnout forced him to re-evaluate his situation. He ultimately ended up still fulfilling his calling to help others, but through the lens of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP's), which connect employees with resources they need to help them deal with the tensions and stresses in their lives.   John details why mental health and burnout are such important topics for individuals, employers, and brokers to focus and invest in, overcoming the stigma of reaching out for help, as well as what brokers should be looking for in a good EAP partner.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.     Episode Highlights:   -       How being a pastor lead him to the world of EAPs -       You need to invest in your mental health, or you will be forced to deal with it -       Overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health -       EAPs and what brokers should look for -       What sets MSEAP apart from competitors -       Getting a baseball field built for his community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a rockstar looking to create more holistic corporate cultures; Nikki Fielding, Chief Fairy at Conscious Culture Fairy, out of the Tampa area.   We dive right into our interview this week, exploring how Nikki launched into the healthcare industry with a focus on creating healthier, more holistic corporate cultures, by using her past business experiences and strong branding on social media. This has already brought results, as she describes winning the “Notable Newcomer of the Year” award at the YOU! Powered Symposium this past February, put on by #RockstarsRocking former guests David Contorno (Ep 26 insert link) and Emma Fox (Ep 9 insert link).   Nikki describes how a life-altering accident at age 19 brought a lot into focus for her and crystalized her views on healing and creating healthy people through the mind, body, and spirit. She used that experience to build a life that focuses on empowering other people to take accountability for their health, and through that, inspiring others to do the same. One of the ways she hopes to inspire, is through continuing her podcast, which is focused on changing corporate culture to not strip the “humanity” out of people, but focus on employees as well rounded humans who do their best work when they are happy and healthy.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.     Episode Highlights:   -       Leaning on her background of business operation, strategy, and growth to “come out hot” with her new brand -       Winning “Notable Newcomer of the Year” at the YOU! Powered Symposium -       Empowering people to take accountability for their health -       Bridging the expert, jargon heavy divide to bring employees healthcare breakthroughs -       How a life-threatening accident at 19 changed the course of her life -       Prioritizing self-care to stay healthy and fueled, so you can bring your best self for others Her podcast focusing on corporate culture and changing it to be a healthier environment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my longtime rockstar friend Braden Monaco, Managing Partner of Blue Horizon Benefits, out of the Baaahstin, Massachusetts, area.   We dive right into the deep end with our interview this week, starting with Braden being recognized as a top 5 finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine. From there, we discuss any potential difficulties of being innovative in Massachusetts, which is a ‘healthcare capital of the world' and how to get CEOs to believe that things can be done a different and maybe even, a better way.   The second half of our interview pulls back a bit, with a jump back in time to find out how Braden got into the industry by being “to happy” to work for the FBI, his passion for Cross-Fit, and how a bad leader at a previous company lead him and his colleagues to break away and form their own company. We wrap up with a discussion about accountability and his new project of creating a direct primary care program.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       Being recognized as a top 5 finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine -       Innovating in Massachusetts, which is a ‘healthcare capital of the world' -       “We've trained CEO's to believe better options aren't possible…” -       How he got into the insurance industry after realizing he was “too happy” to work for the FBI -       How a bad leader lead him and his coworkers to form their own company -       Opening his own cross-fit gym -       Finding outlets for his desire to help people get healthy in multiple ways -       Finding accountability through social media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar buddy, Josh Butler, President of Butler Benefits, out of the Amarillo, Texas area.   We open our conversation today recognizing Josh's amazing achievement as one of the Top 5 Finalists in BenefitsPRO magazine for their prestigious Broker of the Year award, and why he thinks he caught the attention of the industry. We then dig right into the details with a discussion about how we bring innovation to insurance, from what causes employers to hesitate on making change, to how we get employees to engage with their benefits in a knowledgeable and effective way.   The second half of our interview focuses on how the healthcare system is set up and how brokers can set themselves up with the right tools to make sure they are servicing their clients the best way they can. Josh stresses the importance of making sure brokers have the right tools in their “toolbox”, even if they don't use every single tool in every case. Once that toolbox is in place, he says brokers then need to give employers a roadmap to success, so they see where they are going without surprises. We wrap up with a look ahead, and how he's creating his own community owned health plan.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       Being recognized as a Top 5 Finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine -       What stops employers from making a change? -       Making benefits innovation as easy as the status quo -       Is our national healthcare system broken? -       The usefulness of medical tourism -       Having the right tools in your toolbox -       Give employers a roadmap forward, so they understand where they are going Looking ahead, starting his own COHP – Community Owned Health Plan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my good friend, rockstar Kim Eckelbarger, Founder and President of Tropical Benefits, out of the Tampa, Florida area.   We open up our conversation today celebrating Kim's amazing recognition as one of the five finalists for Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO magazine and recognizing how and why she caught the eye of the industry. One of the ways she did this is through empowering HR Managers. From creating an HR roadshow to teach prospects how to be more effective in their duties and responsibilities, to teaching them how to communicate better with the C-Suite, to becoming an essential member of the decision-making team.   Beyond the day-to-day processes she puts into place, we also discuss the larger picture of her ethos and legacy. We talk about getting more women into the industry, how the industry needs to empower consumers to take charge of their healthcare and taking the step to sell her agency to focus on growing her legacy, while making sure her people were taken care of. Beyond her agency, she's also putting together a local healthcare network to get employees quality care at little to no out-of-pocket cost.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.     Episode Highlights:   -       Being recognized as a top 5 finalist for Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO magazine -       Teaching HR Managers how to be better communicators with their C-Suite -       How to get more women and younger people into the industry -       Creating an HR roadshow to turn competitors into collaborators -       Making sure her people were taken care of when she sold her agency Creating a bigger legacy by creating a local healthcare network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features 1 of the Top 5 BenefitsPRO Broker of the Year finalists for 2022 – Elsa Glorioso, Vice President of Insurance Services at People Strategy, out of the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area.   Elsa starts our interview off with an incredible story of beginning her career in nursing, being at a crossroads of what she wanted out of her personal and professional life, and the incredible cancer patient who encouraged her to figure out what she wanted and helped her to achieve her dreams. From that starting point, she details how she moved from there to finding her niche in the insurance world, the mentors who helped her get there, and the detractors who tried to minimize and trivialize her.   The second half of our discussion gets more into how she has built herself into one of the top five finalists for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine. We dig into her favorite strategies for building an engaged and successful open enrollment, from using in person enrollments to constantly learning about the needs of her clients, to social media marketing as a way of reaching employees who may not have or check emails.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       Being recognized as a Top 5 Finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine -       The cancer patient who encouraged her to quit nursing and completely change careers -       The great mentors, as well as the folks who tried to pigeonhole her as a Latina woman in this industry -       Doing right by employees, even if it's outside employer plans -       Marketing to employees who don't have or check email -       The importance of social media marketing and how it can be a win-win for recruitment of employees and customers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a young rockstar taking the benefits industry by storm – Jessica Du Bois, Vice President of Business Development at Risk Strategies Company, out of the Northern Virginia area, is going to blow your mind!   We launch right into our interview today with a discussion of how you create your perception or brand on social media, from sticking with a schedule to generate results, to making sure you're not putting out negativity, especially on posts that aren't meant for you. We then take a quick jump back to go through how she got her start in the industry, and her journey from being a “glorified account manager”, to really recognizing her own voice and brand.   The second half of our interview explores how marketing can make or break an employer's benefits strategy, not only during open enrollment, but also throughout the year with attracting potential employees. We then finish up with a teaser of what to expect with her upcoming talk at the next BenefitsPRO Broker Expo.   So, are you ready for more? Grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and get comfortable as you tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.     Episode Highlights:   -       Creating the perception of yourself on social media -       How doing a ‘Study Abroad' program in college put her on the path to insurance -       Recognizing her value and opportunity in being a young, female broker to find her niche -       Helping employers' market to prospective employees, and get engagement out of existing employees -       Jessica's go to strategies and technology for getting great employee engagement Getting to speak at the upcoming BenefitsPRO Broker Expo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the rockstar leader of the band, Tim Arnold, President of Colonial Life and Executive VP of Voluntary Benefits at Unum, out of South Carolina.   Our conversation today dives deep into the inner workings of Colonial Life and Unum, sister companies that have increasingly begun to partner together to cover all the benefits needs of employers and their employees. We begin with Tim talking about how he came into the dual roles he has with the two companies, and how he's worked hard to get them in sync, as well as partnering with other organizations who can help build a better claims and user experience.   We also discuss where Colonial and Unum are going in the future, from making changes when brokers and field agents brought up systems and processes that weren't working, to the growing recognition of employer funded benefits in the face of the Great Resignation and inflation. We round out the interview with a discussion of how employees still want help deciding which benefits they want and need, and how changing technology means we should enhance the ability for enrollment education, rather than take it away.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       The creative thing Colonial did to reduce processing time for Disability claims -       Creating the best customer experience -       Building out Colonial's Dental product -       The growing recognition of the value of employer funded benefits -       Becoming Executive VP of Sales with little to no sales experience -       Perception equals reality -       People still want help deciding which benefits to enroll in -       The future of the changing workforce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a first for the show – rockstar, John David Mann is back again, only this time, alongside his better half, Ana Gabriel Mann – Co-Authors of The Go-Giver Marriage, out of the Tampa, Florida area.   Our guests today, talk about their new book focused on the 5 secrets to creating a lasting marriage. Written within the “Go Giver” series, it fuses parables featuring recognizable characters from previous books, with Ana's in-depth explanations of the lessons and theories from her background as a psychotherapist. We go in depth of how they got the idea to write the book, the lessons that they expound upon within the book, as well as what's coming up next for them both.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       Deciding to write a book about marriage together under the “Go-Giver” name -       Telling the lessons of strengthening a marriage through parable -       Learning to throw out the scorecard, without becoming a doormat -       Marriage is not fair -       Appreciating differences with your partner -       Making sure your mature enough to enter into a relationship -       Ana's refusal to write a book about marriage without talking about the dark parts of marriage -       The deep need for appreciation and recognition -       What's the next step? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Kevin Curran, Founding Partner at Salt Margin, out of the Baltimore/DC area in Maryland.   Kevin joins us to talk about one of the biggest oversights he sees in the benefits industry, which is status quo approaches to non-medical benefits which cause employees to be under insured and employers to overpay. He discusses the “responsibility creep” happening, where brokers feel the need to be comprehensive experts in so many areas that they don't actually have an expertise in any. Throughout the interview, he discusses how best to solve these problems by refocusing on the benefits that matter most and finding the value in the margins.   So, are you ready for more? Grab your favorite beverage of choice and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       His path to get out of the status quo carrier rep career path -       Changing from a “brand killer” to Salt Margin -       If you take the commission, you owe the client to bring them value -       We need to challenge people on how they prioritize benefits -       Negligence in the ancillary industry is widespread -       Responsibility creep in broker “expertise” -       The best things are always in the margins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features one of my long-time benefits rockstar friend, Adam Michaels, Founder and CEO of Enrollify, out of Southern California.   Our guest today digs into the rapidly changing world of benefits technology. From bad technology which ‘helps people make bad decisions, quicker' and uses outdated data, to the good technology which can save clients and brokers money, and give better advice to employees, and can reduce friction points for enrollers.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       His path from carrier rep to founding Enrollify -       The “hack” to quickly establishing credibility -       Keeping clients from making bad decisions faster with AI technology -       The rapid adoption of new technology -       Are enrollment firms dead? -       Overcoming confirmation bias -       Virtual Enrollers – stop paying enrollers to sit and do nothing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Allison De Paoli, Founder of Altiqe, out of the San Antonio, Texas area. Allison opens our interview with a hilarious story of being shocked about winning “Most Innovative Healthcare Consultant” at the YOU Powered Symposium, which she won despite only returning to the major medical side of the insurance industry a few years ago. She also talks about how she grew up in a family of insurance consultants, striking her own path, and eventually returning to her roots and founding Altiqe – modernizing her approach by focusing on teaching clients to be better consumers healthcare. We continue the conversation of modernizing processes with the changes she's made to enrollment and servicing strategies, the importance of electronic enrollment, and getting clients to recognize that they need to be involved with their money. She also touches on moving away from clients who can't or won't buy into her processes. We round out our interview with the idea that when you are making big changes, the best way to get everyone on board is to create a “shared common enemy”, rather than having the management and workers locked against each other. So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite warm beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast. Episode Highlights: - Winning “Most Innovative Healthcare Consultant” at the YOU Powered Symposium - Growing up in the healthcare and employee benefits industry - Having a year-round strategy to teach clients to be better healthcare consumers - Modernizing enrollment strategies - Creating a shared common enemy - Social media marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a rockstar killing the game with her marketing strategies, Nancy Giacolone, President and Owner of Olympic Crest Insurance out of the Pacific Northwest area.   We dive right into our interview with Nancy, getting into her marketing strategies and how she created her “2 Minute Tuesday” videos. With the Covid shutdown giving her the time to take courses, build a strategy, and implement the change, Nancy, along with her son, did all their production in house to find their style, create a library of content, and control production costs. She also stressed the need to understand that marketing is about playing the long game, fostering relationships so that they bring opportunities organically.   The second half of our interview focuses on building an authentic and mutually beneficial relationship with client groups. From making sure each side understands how their business and compensation works, to making sure your service and culture needs match up. From walking away from “sure” sales, to naming the questions that she thinks employers should be asking their brokers.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite beverage of choice and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights:   -       “2-Minute Tuesday” video marketing -       Be consistent, be brief, and get personal -       Playing the long game and ignoring stats -       Create a library of content for future use and repurposing -       Being transparent with clients about business processes -       Walking away from a sale Finding the true pain points and why companies offer benefits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my good friend and closet Oriole's fan, Lester Morales, Founder and CEO, Next Impact, out of the Puerto Rico.   We dive directly into the deep end, as Lester opens our podcast with a discussion of how he knew he actually WANTED to go into insurance from a fairly young age, which stemmed from heartbreaking health issues within his family during his teenage years. He gets into the stark statistic of how 67% of all bankruptcies are due to medical and health issues and how that touched his own family. This led him to working to change the health industry and bring transparency to the industry, to save people money and lower that alarming bankruptcy statistic.   Lester then digs into how and why he founded Next Impact from the idea of increasing transparency and education of employees, employers, and healthcare consumers in general. We talk about how he's grown his business using frequent and regular webinars to further industry education and then we get into his Michael Jordan Theory, which is that while Jordan is the GOAT, it wasn't necessarily for just being the best singular player, but by making those around him great.   We round out our interview with a discussion of the importance of sales leadership and business mentoring. Lester espouses the importance of ‘jumping in the pool and seeing if there's water' and taking a chance on going for what you want. He closes us out with a synopsis of his podcast, which is aimed at those who are working to change the healthcare industry.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Gary Becker, CEO of ScriptSourcing out of Baltimore, MD and Naples, Florida.   Gary opens our podcast with a discussion about how he got a firsthand view of how cost mitigation strategies in the healthcare field, which didn't save costs by shorting customers, was sorely needed. He founded his own brokerage, Becker Benefits, but ultimately spends more of his time with ScriptSourcing, a company he created that allows customers to source their prescriptions directly for a $0 co-pay while saving money for their employer's insurance costs.   We dig into the reasons why folks might push back on using ScriptSourcing, from carriers and partners with misaligned priorities, to TPAs with hidden revenue streams, to brokers with ‘big box' carriers who want to create shareholder value. We also discuss how a service like ScriptSourcing makes money, which is mainly accomplished through performance-based compensation based on how much savings they deliver, which he admits meant little to no client revenue for ScriptSourcing in the beginning.   The back half of our interview brought up a discussion on technology changes, and how PBMs went from not wanting to share any data about what they were paying, to realizing that they have to share data or risk being fired. He's also invested in salesforce data to be up to date as soon as a medication becomes available.   We finish up with a debate about being a business owner vs. a business operator, and how he's taking steps to become more of an owner, by hiring key people to operate the business for him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features one of my favorite human beings – my rockstar friend and everyone's favorite benefits compliance expert, Jennifer Berman, out of the Greater Baltimore area. Jen opens our podcast with the rockstar dream of wanting to be a Supreme Court Justice and talking about how she ended up in the legal compliance side of employee benefits right before the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) completely changed the industry. After founding her own practice, she went back to school to get her MBA to learn to be a better leader for her firm. This helped her to learn the difference between management and leadership, which she gets into during our show. We then get into how she stays ahead of the game in an ever-changing industry that can change literally by the day. Getting more in depth, she talked about her diagnosis with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, how it has caused her to change both her physical and mental approach to business, and how it has been helpful to get her to recognize the need for a healthy balance to work and her personal life. We round out the interview talking about how Jennifer figured out her own business style to be more authentically herself. Once she got that down, she was able to use her personality to make compliance fun (yes, I said “fun”) and accessible to her clients. So, are you ready for more? Then grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar benefits friend, Eugene Starks, President of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) and Principal of Acuity Group, out of the Jackson, Mississippi area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the rockstar of all rockstars, my close friend, Nelson Griswold, Success Coach, Best-Selling Author, and Chairman of the NextGen Benefits Network, out of the Nashville, TN area. Our guest is a Master of Marketing and finding success in the insurance industry. After working for years as a top producer in the benefits industry, he transitioned into coaching other business leaders and becoming a bestselling author of three books. Based on the “DO or DIE” model he outlined in his first best-seller by the same name, he helped form and is the Managing Director of the NextGen Benefits Network, which brings together industry leaders together to collaborate in peer-exchange programing. In this week's episode, we begin by discussing his 3 bestselling books and then get into the importance of standing out in marketing, and how writing a book takes you from a cold-calling salesperson to an industry expert. Nelson also discusses how coaches and mentors help you hone your business and marketing skills and mindset, and how mentors are an opportunity to foster relationships which open you up to a diversity of perspectives and life experiences to help you see your blind spots. We round it out by talking about the NextGen Benefits upcoming annual ASCEND conference which always takes place in January, which brings together peers within the employee benefits industry in a unique, fun, interactive and collaborative environment. So, are you ready for straight fire? Go ahead and grab your favorite hot beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the rockstar duo Reid and Heidi and Reid Rasmussen, Co-Founders of freshbenies, out of the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area.   Today's guests are a husband-and-wife duo; Reid with a background in benefits, and Heidi, who worked her way up the J.C. Penny chain from the sales floor to VP. They decided to take a shot at creating their own company after they found a hole in the benefit programs that Reid had been working with. This ‘hole' helped to birth ‘freshbenies', which combines telehealth, mental health, savings networks, and more, in one simple membership. In just a few short years, they've risen to National prominence and recognition, being named four times to the Inc5000 list of fastest growing companies.   In this week's episode, we begin by discussing how they decided to form their own company, Heidi taking the risk to join Reid as the second employee after the J.C. Penny restructure made her redundant, and rebranding their company using the one name that 100% of their market research participants hated. We get into the explosive growth of telehealth, bundled services, and how having a concierge partner can act as a “travel agent” for your health, leading you to deals, and steering you away from bad providers. Reid and Heidi also discuss building a company to work remotely from the beginning and how to keep everyone focused on their goals, as well as being an “employer of choice” in the current talent war following the large ‘Great Resignation' that has definitely become the hot topic over the last many months. We round it out by talking about their clever “Brokers In Cars Getting Coffee” media segment, modeled after the famous Seinfeld series; “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee”.   So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the rockstar duo Reid and Heidi and Reid Rasmussen, Co-Founders of freshbenies, out of the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area.  Today's guests are a husband-and-wife duo; Reid with a background in benefits, and Heidi, who worked her way up the J.C. Penny chain from the sales floor to VP. They decided to take a shot at creating their own company after they found a hole in the benefit programs that Reid had been working with. This ‘hole' helped to birth ‘freshbenies', which combines telehealth, mental health, savings networks, and more, in one simple membership. In just a few short years, they've risen to National prominence and recognition, being named four times to the Inc5000 list of fastest growing companies. In this week's episode, we begin by discussing how they decided to form their own company, Heidi taking the risk to join Reid as the second employee after the J.C. Penny restructure made her redundant, and rebranding their company using the one name that 100% of their market research participants hated. We get into the explosive growth of telehealth, bundled services, and how having a concierge partner can act as a “travel agent” for your health, leading you to deals, and steering you away from bad providers. Reid and Heidi also discuss building a company to work remotely from the beginning and how to keep everyone focused on their goals, as well as being an “employer of choice” in the current talent war following the large ‘Great Resignation' that has definitely become the hot topic over the last many months. We round it out by talking about their clever “Brokers In Cars Getting Coffee” media segment, modeled after the famous Seinfeld series; “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee”. So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week's edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.   Episode Highlights: -       How seeing a need to bundle health services lead to the creation of freshbenies -       Rebranding their company with the name 100% of people polled didn't like -       “Get it installed and stay quiet” – advice they were originally given -       ‘Medical Advocacy' is like having a travel agent for your health -       Telemedicine as a way to access mental health services -       Building a culture of remote workers -       Being an employer of choice in a talent war -       “Brokers In Cars Getting Coffee” So, I only have one question for you...? Are you ready to rock...?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features rockstar media marketing guru Michael David Chapman, Co-Founder of LeadIn Social, out of Durham, New Hampshire. Michael has gone on quite the journey in both his professional and personal life, working for 26 years across multiple industries, before taking a leap of faith and leaving his #2 position in the company without another ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features rockstar media marketing guru Michael David Chapman, Co-Founder of LeadIn Social, out of Durham, New Hampshire. Michael has gone on quite the journey in both his professional and personal life, working for 26 years across multiple industries, before taking a leap of faith and leaving his #2 position in the company without another ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend and broker client partner, Bret Brummitt, Founder, Generous Benefits, out of the Coppell, Texas area. I was fortunate enough to meet Bret a few years ago and because we're both huge baseball fans and avid car lovers – we hit it off immediately. Bret describes himself as being lucky to ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend and broker client partner, Bret Brummitt, Founder, Generous Benefits, out of the Coppell, Texas area. I was fortunate enough to meet Bret a few years ago and because we're both huge baseball fans and avid car lovers – we hit it off immediately. Bret describes himself as being lucky to ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Jessica Brooks Woods, CEO, Pittsburgh Business Group on Health and Founder, US Health Desk, out of the Pittsburgh, PA area. Jessica prides herself on doing whatever it takes to do the right thing. Her current mission is to drive positive change in the health sector, an industry that she has ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Jessica Brooks Woods, CEO, Pittsburgh Business Group on Health and Founder, US Health Desk, out of the Pittsburgh, PA area. Jessica prides herself on doing whatever it takes to do the right thing. Her current mission is to drive positive change in the health sector, an industry that she has ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Mark Metry, TED Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Coach, and Podcaster, out of the Boston, MA area.  “I help shy, stressed, and anxious people be themselves confidently in front of anyone.”  In a nutshell, that's how Mark describes himself… let me tell you something though – Mark does far more than that.  ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Mark Metry, TED Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Coach, and Podcaster, out of the Boston, MA area.  “I help shy, stressed, and anxious people be themselves confidently in front of anyone.”  In a nutshell, that's how Mark describes himself… let me tell you something though – Mark does far more than that.  ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Trey Taylor, Managing Director, Trinity Blue Consulting, CEO, Taylor Insurance Services, and Best-Selling Author, A CEO Only Does Three Things, out of Valdosta, Georgia. “Trey's the smartest guy in the room…” ~ Grant Cardone Trey has spent his entire career in the finance, insurance, and technology industries where he has ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Trey Taylor, Managing Director, Trinity Blue Consulting, CEO, Taylor Insurance Services, and Best-Selling Author, A CEO Only Does Three Things, out of Valdosta, Georgia. “Trey's the smartest guy in the room…” ~ Grant Cardone Trey has spent his entire career in the finance, insurance, and technology industries where he has ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the one and only legendary rockstar herself, Heather Monahan, CEO, Boss In Heels, Keynote Speaker and Ted Speaker, Best Selling Author, and Podcast Host, out of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL area.  With more than 175,000 Linkedin followers at the time these show-notes are being written – Heather Monahan has quickly become one of ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the one and only legendary rockstar herself, Heather Monahan, CEO, Boss In Heels, Keynote Speaker and Ted Speaker, Best Selling Author, and Podcast Host, out of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL area.  With more than 175,000 Linkedin followers at the time these show-notes are being written – Heather Monahan has quickly become one of ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Chris Wolpert, Founder, Group Benefit Solutions, and Best-Selling Author, NextGeneration Healthcare, out of the Greater Seattle, WA area.  I've known Chris for many years now and he's on a mission to eliminate employee out-of-pocket costs while guiding them to the highest quality healthcare.  I love how Chris asks the following ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Chris Wolpert, Founder, Group Benefit Solutions, and Best-Selling Author, NextGeneration Healthcare, out of the Greater Seattle, WA area.  I've known Chris for many years now and he's on a mission to eliminate employee out-of-pocket costs while guiding them to the highest quality healthcare.  I love how Chris asks the following ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Kevin Trokey, Founding Partner and Coach, Q4intellignce, out of the Greater St. Louis, Missouri area.  I met Kevin many years ago and have been fascinated with his marketing mind and how he applies it to the exciting world of insurance and employee benefits.  Kevin believes deeply that when employee benefit ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Kevin Trokey, Founding Partner and Coach, Q4intellignce, out of the Greater St. Louis, Missouri area.  I met Kevin many years ago and have been fascinated with his marketing mind and how he applies it to the exciting world of insurance and employee benefits.  Kevin believes deeply that when employee benefit ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Dale Scott, Former 32 Year Major League Baseball (MLB) Professional Umpire, out of Eugene, Oregon.  It all started with a “Cameo” request I made to have Dale cheer up my father who was diagnosed with C19. Dale was kind enough to send an incredible get well soon video to my ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Dale Scott, Former 32 Year Major League Baseball (MLB) Professional Umpire, out of Eugene, Oregon.  It all started with a “Cameo” request I made to have Dale cheer up my father who was diagnosed with C19. Dale was kind enough to send an incredible get well soon video to my ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, John David Mann, Multi-time International Best-Selling Author, out of the Zephyrhills, Florida area.  There would be no ‘Go-Giver' series of international best-selling books without John David Mann and his equally brilliant co-Author, Bob Burg. I, and millions of other loyal fans around the world, are so grateful to both rockstars ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, John David Mann, Multi-time International Best-Selling Author, out of the Zephyrhills, Florida area.  There would be no ‘Go-Giver' series of international best-selling books without John David Mann and his equally brilliant co-Author, Bob Burg. I, and millions of other loyal fans around the world, are so grateful to both rockstars ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Marshall Allen, Author, Never Pay The First Bill, and Healthcare Reporter, ProPublica, out of the New York, New York area. This week, I'm excited to have Marshall Allen talk all about his new, soon-to-be best-selling book (in my opinion) – “Never Pay The First Bill: and Other Ways to Fight ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Marshall Allen, Author, Never Pay The First Bill, and Healthcare Reporter, ProPublica, out of the New York, New York area. This week, I'm excited to have Marshall Allen talk all about his new, soon-to-be best-selling book (in my opinion) – “Never Pay The First Bill: and Other Ways to Fight ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Brian Covey, VP, loanDepot, Olympic Soccer Pro, Best Selling Author, and Podcast Host, out of the Nashville Metro area. How do you go from pro soccer player to VP of one of the largest mortgage companies in America – more importantly what did Brian learn along the way, the answer ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Andrew McNeil, Principal at Arrow Benefits Group and Founder of BenefitsTV, out of the San Francisco Bay area. I first met Andrew at one of the largest employee benefits industry conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference is hosted annually by EBA (Employee Benefit Adviser) magazine and there, Andrew was ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend and podcast mentor from afar, David Saltzman, Host of the ShiftShapers Podcast and Chief Transformation Strategist at ShiftShapers Strategies, out of Knoxville, TN.  David’s podcast, ShiftShapers, was the very first podcast I ever listened to and really gave me the thought that I may want to start my own podcast ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, Ed Ligonde, Executive Vice President, Nielsen Benefits Group, out of the Westlake Village, CA.  I first met Ed a few years ago at one of the largest conferences in the country that focuses on the employee benefits and insurance industry. Ed was receiving the prestigious “Rising Star” award in the ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the ‘Sales Rebellion’ himself, Dale Dupree, Founder and CEO, The Sales Rebellion and Host of the Selling Local Podcast, out of the Orlando, Florida area. I first learned of Dale Dupree and his rebellious ways via his thought provoking long form post messages on Linkedin. From there, I had the opportunity to hear ...

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features the video rockstar himself, Trevor Houston, Talk Show Host at the ‘Who Ya Know’ Job Networking Show, and a Financial Services Professional with NY Life Securities, out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  Like many of Trevor’s raving fans, I first discovered him via his daily video clips he pushes out on Linkedin. If ...