Suzilla: Family Insurance Solutions

How do you determine that you are being overwhelmed and how do you not overwhelm others. How does love bombing someone work and what is it's reverse? How do you set boundaries to keep yourself whole and moving forward during challenging times.

Yeah, I heard about a Cheese Rave today. There is a wonderful skill about pairing two separate ideas and having them come together like peanut butter and jelly. We are going to talk about some of our favorite fusions and what it takes to bring things together. It does take work and effort when done correctly. 

As Insurance Agents, most of our business is not shared on group chats with a stranger present. We have held confidential information our entire lives. It impacts trust from our associates, the companies that we work with and most important our clients. We get into protocols and secrets and why they are important for everyone. 

When folks drive by our little insurance office one of the first things they see is the sign. When they encounter us on the web or social media there are also signs. It's spring time so we look at are signs. Do they sparkle enough for the new year. Do we need to update. Here are some things that we do to make us stand out and welcoming.

When setting up an office for Wenatchee Insurance. We have done our best to use micro validations to make it welcoming and not boring. We are going to get into methods that keep your space interesting while moving people through and conducting business. Life doesn't happen in a bland space so how do you introduce difference with out being outrageous?

One of those issues that is popular is what do you wear to the office? How important is what you wear to your job? Are you a for show kind of person or a for function kind? How important is it in today's work environment to own a suit and tie? What about personal protection equipment including sensible shoes? Is it appropriate to berate a guest or employee publicly for their costume?

Tomorrow is one of the big boycott days for the big box stores. As a bonus, a bunch of the organizers are starting to mention using small businesses. I have ran a small insurance business for years.  What would have happened if you were using small businesses before? If businesses that you know and respect thrive then does it improve your community? A diverse market is a thriving market so let's get there.

When was the last time that you tried something new. Personally, a couple or a business? Spring is a great time to get out and discover your community. Set up new processes to improve your business and prepare for Summer. We have been trying new things with great success. Let's get into the importance of new. 

Every day, every week, every month we vote with our wallets the businesses that we support. At a certain point, those businesses and business owners support politics. Like it or not yes money is attached to politics. One of the top questions that I was asked last week on one of the platforms is there any lists of businesses that don't support MAGA. Yes, people are waking up that their wallets can make a difference. Let's talk about the secret life of politics of business. 

We have been running an inclusive insurance business so long, we just shrug when people say it's bad practice. Say the words Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It's an action which leads to thought and conversation.  What do you object to it and why is Target shareholders suing the company for dropping their DEI program? What do we look for in business as we hire. Lets fill in the gaps and build a better future.

Who was surprised by the Federal Freeze? It was a quick flash that highlighted more than I expected as a small business owner. Funding is critically important. It's why our Founding Fathers selected Congress for that power. The Spending Clause is Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1. We have seen it before, have conversations about it, and inventory our resources.  Now is the time to prepare.

If you ever been to our office, you will see that we don't use the traditional uniform of an Insurance Agency. It can make a lot of people uncomfortable so we put in markers that were friendlier to more people. Uniform is important as it is a visual marker to identify if something is a friend or foe. A green flag or a red flag. You might have to wear something for a job or to fit in. Uniqueness is the personal touch the pledge pin. It is how you hold a conversation and the thoughts behind it. We are talking about the big U's today on Suzilla.

We are seeing time and time again people getting burned because they are running an expectation that it is business as usual. It is strange because it is an attempt to defy the one universal constant that is change. We have had to work with it firsthand this year as we had a local Medicare Advantage plan leave our area with thousands of clients. Some quickly found assistance, some did it themselves and some are still finding out months later that their Medicare plan left. We saw it with Covid and the businesses that failed to adapt quick enough. We saw it when the real estate market collapsed. We saw it when the savings and loan's collapsed. Today's Suzilla, we talk about ending the Set it and Forget it lifestyle. 

Have you ever wondered why you hated the person who talked poorly to the receptionist? Had your car in the repair shop and got a upcharge of a couple of hundred dollars. Watched someone cut in line. Didn't use someone's correct Pronouns,. It is all about consent. Suzie and Matt have been running their business on consent for years and it creates referrals like no other. 

There are people that treat insurance and other services as a transactional model. Pull a lever and coverage comes out. Suzie and I have always treated it as a wild river process. Where clients move from pool to pool, lingering where they need more and moving quickly to the next process when needed. Today, we are looking at flow and how quickly things can jam up if we were just focused on a single transaction.

After seeing that Fyre 2 is being worked on, Bridgerton Ball, the Wonka experience. It is time to talk about events. We love events from working on theatre to hosting festivals. We are getting into constructing an event to what to look for to avoid being scammed. Events are not a cash cow banking experience and we need to stop treating them as such.

Do you have a long term mindset or short term mindset. We work with Insurance which involves long term planning. There are little steps that you can do that a little bit of planning smooths out problems before they occur. This week we get into little steps that we have done over the year that have allowed us to do better this year despite financial disaster. 

How do you stay in business for years in the insurance industry that is ripe with change? We are going to talk about the myth of the old reliable. As businesses, we hear managers use the phrase find out what works and do that. Well what happens when it get's old? I read another story of a church that has been around for years closing it's doors same issue. The reliance on the old reliable does not promote growth and relevance. So how do you do it. We are going talk about how we continue to refresh and prevent from getting stale.

We have done insurance for years and to ignore the politics of it then we would be doing a disservice to our clients. Yes, they can lose their insurance at a politicians whim so we better speak up. We fight day in and day out to put food on our table and if we are good our coworkers and employees. We talk about enrichment of our customer's experience and yes that means we do our best to promote good policies that will continue prosperity for our community. When a business person says that they stay clear of politics then it just means they are concealing what they are doing. Let's get into our woke experience.   

After all these years of working insurance in Washington State. I can say without a doubt, I will pick flexibility over strength. It has lead to creativity, connecting with our community, growth, and duration. There are moments in the year that are natural flexibility points personally and for our business. We are going to talk about the small business superpower of flexibility. 

Yes, we run a little Insurance Office in Wenatchee where our Washington State find us from all over because of Social Media. We don't live in the hills and come down for an annual gathering to get updates on the neighbors and supplies. Since the 80's there has been methods to go online and exchange information and connect to people. We are going to talk about some of our successes and failures along the way. To ignore social media and it's influence in 2024, not everyone has that hermit lifestyle.

Most people struggle with staying current and forget about the past. However if you want to be unstoppable in business then you need to understand what is current and what will come. Because there are steps that you can do in business that will fall into good timing in the future. We are talking about being prepared.

Courage is the most important of the virtues, because without it, no other virtue can be practiced consistently, said Maya Angelou. Sometimes it is tough putting that foot forward to a new life. To tell someone the truth. To just say no. How do you spot the lack of courage?

Very few of us are blessed with the ability to do everything perfectly the first time out. New experiences are a challenge. We fail, adjust and try again. It's awkward learning and perhaps it gets more difficult as we age because we are afraid of looking foolish. Failure is how we gain skills and friendships. We are going to embrace failure today. Hug it and keep going.

Have you checked your foundation recently? Stepped back and took a look to see if you are on sound principles. Back in the day, we called it keeping it real. It doesn't mean that you have to be a jerk. It means that do not be surprised if someone uses you to set the tone. If you do not understand your foundation then it will hurt if someone turns you into an example. Let's look for some red flags and open some doors on today's Suzilla.

If it wasn't for another person asking a question and me caring about them, Suzie and I wouldn't have an insurance business. With all of the shouting and division going on there is a push to forget that If you want to connect with people that you have to do more than outrage. You have to value other people's opinions. We are going to tackle other people opinion and even advise on today's Suzilla.

We have been running a small insurance office for over a decade. One of the biggest concerns with summer is what about the kids? Childcare is expensive and this is opportunity to do family bonding and larger gatherings. There is camping and spending time in the outdoors. Fruit is harvested and put up for the winter. We even get into cook-outs as there are rules. There is definitely a seasonal change in our office. Make the most of it. 

For the last twelve years, we have been raising our kid while working our small insurance business. Tomorrow is graduation. We are going to talk about some of the ups and downs in what we have done. Education is important and we are ready to hand them off to the next phase of their lives. If you want to prepare yourself either for raising a kid or a long project then this is the episode for you.   #suzilla

We have been advocating human rights, LBBTQIA+rights, etc some time. ( It was when I was looking at annuities and rights surrounding gay marriage. )Last year our office received a couple of threats and we keep going because it is important. As a younger office, who are our kids and peers? Where does the law support? Where do dollars support? Is putting rainbow t-shirts up important? Let's get into it on Suzilla.

Suzie & Matt have been running a small insurance business for over a decade through financial tough times and good times. We just had a rival insurance agency issue that they were closing in seven days. The market isn't easier this year. How is a small business used to build safety nets for our communities? Why, we have no problem promoting other rivals in good standing and up and new business development.

We run a small insurance agency in Central Washington. There are two different cultures when it comes to sales. One is the use of scripts. You go through a script and then at the end respond to any objections and you close. The other requires a little more work. We are going to talk about the importance of buy ins.  This is something that you want to pay attention to.

It's how Matt got Suzie to start working with insurance at Wenatchee Insurance. It's not in a book, it's not in a school, it's not some old grey haired wisdom. It requires answering a couple of questions to find your genuine path to your yellow brick road. Sometimes they are together and sometimes they branch off. We are going to get into finding success in the modern world on today's Suzilla. #smallbusiness #wenatcheeinsurance #suzilla

When you go out do you find the beigest of restaurants, order a factory-assembled burger with no salt on the fries? We prefer to find a mom-and-pop stand where a person named Jo assembles something that would make a nutritionist cringe. Last week one of our partners was dropping off supplies for an event notice that Suzie and I sell from who we are and that is what they liked about us. Insurance can be boring and our customers are not so we have to do it differently. It's what our clients like about us and how we have built a referral network that cares about the community. We are getting real today.

We have held another record month with writing insurance policies from our office in Wenatchee. We use a very natural method of understanding what makes it attractive to do business. It is not a sale for sales numbers. In fact some of the best policies that we write, we receive zero commision.  If you are in sales, then you better know. If you value relationships, then you have to figure it out. We are going to talk about attraction and how to develop it and what not to confuse it because it is more than just looks and free stuff. A deep dive into draw on today's Suzilla.

Straight out of Wenatchee Insurance, we had to talk about inflation this week. As parents with a Senior getting ready to graduate and small business owners, we feel the pinch.  With Car insurance prices hitting 22% and articles talking about groceries as a splurge item, it's time to talk about saving money. As small business owners, this is not our first time around for finding places to save money. We have been getting a lot of quotes that by the way that they are pitched show that they have bought into some myths and they are spending more money around their policies. Tips on how to thrive in tough times.  #wenatcheeinsurance 

We have people who come to our Insurance office for the first time filled with dread. Grey-skinned, grim looks focused on the task of diving into insurance through their beliefs. (Seriously, we are going to do an insurance myth episode because someone is telling fibs). When they leave are radiant, expressive and confident. Smiles are something that you cannot measure but you can see the results. This week's Suzilla is about building smiles with your business. 

We have done business for over a decade currently we are working with Wenatchee Insurance.  One of the biggest principles in presenting an offer is that it has to have value to the other person. Walking around there are some clear examples of this basic principle not being followed. There is a group of people that present an offer in terms that only value their position. This selfish behavior doesn't build good relationships/ communities.  So today's Suzilla is about presenting offers for other people to accept.   

The day that we did this episode was a day that I had a person using Tiktok contact me for insurance help. Since the days of the farm line, there has been some form of social communication over distances using technology. We are going to get into the bill even though we have a very small footprint on there as we recognize its value to the First Amendment and the marketplace. The Grapevine is important and it looks like politicians are attempting to kill it before the election. So let's talk about social media.

There is a battle today about Education. How much should we spend? How much improvement are we getting out of it? How much should we spend on bonds? As insurance Agents we have continuing education regularly and not everyone pushes for improvement. Let's talk about Education versus improvement on today's Suzilla.

We have been running a small insurance office for years. We talk about the importance of the customer experience and tearing down 'no soliciting' signs in other podcasts. We have even talked about how to do creative outreach and events. It boils down to the idea around comfort.     How are you projecting comfort to clients, friends, and strangers? 

Around Wenatchee Insurance we are.  Yes, the Lunar New Year occurs on Saturday. We have gone through the fires of 2023 and are looking forward to the New Year and the prosperity that comes with it. We have been laying the groundwork for the last couple of weeks to begin hatching. New Year, New us. It takes time for renewal. What have you set up for prosperity in 2024?

As insurance professionals, we work with trust. Customers have to recognize that you have a product that will work in their darkest hours. We build trust just the same way that we tear it down. Here comes an exercise in trust.

We are going to talk about being a Veteran in America on Veterans Day. There is predatory marketing that takes place, an IG moment or two and then we are used as political talking points to take away helping others. We are getting real with our office Veteran.

After running the enrollment center with the Washington Healthplanfinder for the last six years, we know a little about giving back. In the age of people running to jury duty, maybe we need to make a 180 and run to it. Instead of making a difference one day a year how about making a difference a week or daily? Community engagement goes beyond Instagram moments. It's why animal clubs are dwindling or don't maintain beyond social commitments. Let's add community meaning.

While STEM gets a lot of play, what doesn't get enough talk is supporting the arts in school. We use a heck of a lot of art and we run an insurance agency. My hands are bricks and it doesn't stop me from supporting and appreciating art. This is where kids get to explore their creativity which drives genius and empathy. As business owners our next partner, employee, or client will probably come from the arts.

Fall is an exciting time of the year around here. Kids in school, Football, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Black Friday Specials, Dances, Open Enrollment, Halloween. Setting up for winter We are going to talk about energizing your life, your family, and your business during this episode.

After 12 years of running an insurance business, I can say one thing. There is no perfect customer, employee, or business model. Every year I set a plan and make adjustments. We are going to get into making adjustments so that you can fly.  The first rule that we work with is to get out of your business and do events. 

Scheduling is critical when you do Health Insurance and you are looking at hundreds of appointments in a few weeks. We just dropped a little over $500 for our Calendar program for the year and it is worth every penny.  In the last couple of years, we have heard complaints about supply chain shortages. Some of that comes from scheduling. I went to see three different tattoo artists.  I literally spent four days tracking down artists and attempting to schedule a new piece with cash in hand.  How many hours have you spent waiting on your doctor for an appointment?  All businesses rely on scheduling. Some are for clients and some are for resources for your business.  If you rely on booking appointments, then you want to dial in.

We have been assisting with health insurance since the beginning of the ACA. The first year I had a ton of people with ITINs and tax returns seeking to purchase health insurance. Because of how the ACA was written they were eventually denied coverage. Later in 2017 during a rules change the Dreamers were also denied using the Healthplanfinder for coverage. It all changes on November 1,2023, when we began enrolling immigrants regardless of status on the Healthplanfinder. They may be eligible for state credits and not federal however it is a start. The plans will start on January 1, 2024. The information stays in the state system, so in-person assistors will be working hard to verify applications. This will keep the information private however it does mean that enrollments will take longer.  July 1, 2024, those making less than 138% of poverty will be eligible for Apple Health on a first come first serve basis. We are recommending that everyone interested in selecting appointments early as the enrollment period ends January 15, 2024. 

It is an important time to talk about the three big mechanics of delayed gratification. This is how you build teams and experiences. These are powerful building tools when used correctly. When mishandled then it becomes destructive. 

Our insurance business has been experiencing massive growth. It took us five months and seven days to write as many policies as the entire 2022. So when someone told me that the economy was slowing down, I had to take a deeper look. It seems like the media is in cruise control. One group talks about how bad the Democrats do for the economy and then the other side of the news says how bad the incumbent party is doing for the economy. They are not talking about policy shifts like the 32,000 job sites. They are not talking about the small business growth with the Economic Development Districts. The Biden Economy is hot and we can see small businesses continue growing in the next couple of years with this plan.  The economy has shifted whether the media is talking about it or not.