Team Business

Mike stopped everything he was doing today to welcome a SPECIAL guest to the show. An expert joins him in small business and insurance - and for those entrepreneurs, you cannot afford to miss this episode! Episode Highlights: Mike's very special guest, daughter, Ava Fusco, introduces herself to the audience, and shares her age and grade level. (3:56) Ava informs everyone in second grade that third grade is fun and encourages them to do well in school. (4:40) Ava shares her understanding of a what a business is. (5:29) Ava discusses some of the good businesses she knows and how they operate. (7:47) Ava explain what insurance means to her and how it can help people. (9:52) Ava shares the advice she gave her dad after watching Mike's latest YouTube video. (11:39) Ava discusses why people who make YouTube videos should not use foul language and provides an alternative method for making videos more entertaining to watch. (12:34) Ava mentions her interest in attending the University of California, Santa Barbara for college and shares which type of business she wants to work in after graduating from college. (18:07) Key Quotes: “I'm going tp let you know everybody out there in second grade, third grade's really fun. But you know, get those good grades, all right? Get some A pluses, people out there.” - Ava Fusco “So basically, what I think a business is as a big group, they work together, and they make a great insurance.” - Ava Fusco “If you are out there and you make YouTube videos, don't cuss. No, do not cuss because all people watch YouTube. Kids… I watch YouTube. I hear cussing. And cussing is not good.” - Ava Fusco Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

On 9/29, we celebrated National Coffee Day. Then, on 10/1, International Coffee Day. What better than to welcome Mark Bell, a coffee entrepreneur, and successful business owner, to the Team Business Podcast? Mark's story about the beginnings of OB BEANS and SUR COFFEE is unique. From humble beginnings in his garage to world travels meeting and supporting coffee farmers, Mark speaks about his mission in supporting non-profits. This is the type of business story that I love to hear! Listen in to learn about Mark's greater good and some interesting facts about the coffee business. And don't forget to stop into one of Mark's OB BEANS of SUR COFFEE locations in Ocean Beach, Linda Vista, San Clemente, or Huntington Beach! Episode Highlights: Mark discusses how he started his coffee business and how they have grown SUR COFFEE and OB Beans to where they are today. (2:25) Mark mentions that their primary goal is to focus on their product and mission, which is to produce as much good as possible. (7:29) Mark explains that their main target is to know all of their farmers and visit the fields of all the coffees they use, and they are working their way around the world to accomplish it. (10:06) Mark discusses their vision of becoming the premier coastal coffee in Southern California and trying to enter that market with quality coffee sourced directly from growers and perfectly roasted for individuals living the coastal lifestyle. (16:03) Mark mentions that one of the wonderful things about what OB Beans does is that they work directly with the growers, allowing them to control the pricing. (17:06) Mark discusses their objectives to build and grow their coffee wholesale business. (20:56) Mark shares his recommendations for customers who are buying coffee for the first time. (21:55) Mark encourages listeners to check out the Sur Coffee website, where customers can see a list of many nonprofit organizations that OB Beans sponsors. (22:52) Key Quotes: “Coffee is one of the only products take a global community to grow, produce, and serve. It's a really unique and cool product.” Mark Bell "We're slowly working our way around the world, sourcing coffee from these countries and building relationships with farmers, because we want to support them. Make that relationship connection...But our goal is eventually to know all of our farmers and to get on the farms of all the coffee that we use." - Mark Bell “Our vision is to be the premier coastal coffee in Southern California. So that's our goal, is to try to step into that space and have quality coffee that comes directly from farmers that's expertly roasted, for those living that coastal lifestyle.” - Mark Bell Resources Mentioned:   Mark Bell LinkedIn OB Beans Sur Coffee Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, Chris Senkbile joins Mike Fusco. Chris speaks about all things entrepreneurship and gives listeners great tips on overcoming challenges associated with starting a business. For those tuning in from the insurance industry, learn about how Chris' company can help deliver a more significant customer experience to your clients! And finally, as a native Nebraskan, what does Chris think about the future of Huskers' football? Episode Highlights: Chris shares his background and how he got started in the insurance industry. (2:06) Chris explains that his company, Ferro, represents a policyholder platform that brings the broker and the company down to their level to collaborate with them in their own environment. (7:50) Chris shares every day is an opportunity to make strategic decisions. (10:08) Chris advises startup companies to think about leverage dynamics and to create leverage that they can sell. (12:13) Chris shares the four quadrants that can help bring value and resources to your service and operation. (16:05) Chris explains that no one entity can solve the whole problem in the industry, and we need to merge technology, people, and processes to make it work. (19:25) Chris shares that most of the top 100 brokerages in the country are building an AMS in the context of a CRM. (23:07) Chris explains that it is important to think and worry more about your customers because they are the ones who have something to say about your process. (27:22) Chris mentions that he used to play football when he was in college in Nebraska and shares his thoughts on the future of Huskers' football. (30:10) Key Quotes: "I think challenges are endless and every day is a new challenge, right? In the startup life, like a day is like 10 years and a, you know, a business has been around for a while the challenges abound. And I think you use every day as an opportunity to just make strategic decisions." - Chris Senkbile "Everybody has to support one another in this process or good change can't happen. And if one person or one entity tries to solve the whole problem, it's impossible. It's too big of an industry, there are too many problems. No one person can do it." - Chris Senkbile "If you have an idea, you don't need to be an expert. You don't need to have every answer solved before you start. It's just taking that step forward and saying, ‘Hey, I'm willing to put it out on the line and start', you're going to learn as you go, you're not going to have everything answered." - Chris Senkbile Resources Mentioned:   Chris Senkbile LinkedIn Ferro Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, host Mike Fusco interviews Rachel Robison, the CEO, and Co-Founder of Siege Technology Solutions and SiegeAOS, an all-in-one operating system for your business! Rachel speaks about the ability to customize Siege to your unique needs and the importance of documented workflows for your business. Learn about all of this and the reasons she chose Zoho as her CRM of choice. Thanks for joining! Episode Highlights: Rachel explains that Seige Technology Solutions approach this business from an agency perspective. (2:19) Rachel mentions that one of their product features is being able to connect to a third-party API. (4:53) Rachel shares that they create custom build outs across different agencies to cater to their automation process. (6:30) Rachel explains the usual step-by-step process a client undergoes for their services, and how they create the customized buildout. (9:14) Rachel discusses how every company can benefit from automation, by being cost-efficient while pushing its people to their highest level of activity. (13:07) Rachel talks about ways to get people to actually use the system, such as embedding the process within the system. (17:55) Rachel shares that, as a growing company, they are still working on developing their own processes as well. (18:55) Rachel discusses how, for her, being a good leader means knowing how to pick great people and also developing them. (20:29) Rachel shares that she is a big hockey fan and enjoys attending games in her spare time. (21:55) Key Quotes: "The hard part is, if you don't start out with those processes, it may not seem like a big deal when you first start with one or two employees. But you get to that point where you have 50 employees, everybody does something differently, then you want to implement processes. Human nature is people typically resist change." - Rachel Robison "Being a leader is being able to build a good team because one person can't do everything, and you're only as good as the people around you." - Rachel Robison "A lot of times when people are starting out in business, you're just trying to make it through the day you're trying to put out fires, you've got one or two people that are doing everything themselves." - Rachel Robison Resources Mentioned:   Rachel Robison LinkedIn Siege Technology Solutions  SiegeAOS Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, hosts Mike Fusco interviews Arian Radmand, CEO at IgnitePOST. IgnitePOST helps brands create magic moments for their customers. The firm's real pen and ink handwritten notes cut through the digital noise to surprise and delight customers exactly where they are in their shopping journeys. Listen to learn how Arian Radmand has scaled his company using robots and automation. Episode Highlights: Arian discusses the two functions of IgnitePOST, which are intelligent software and a fleet of handwriting robots. (1:41) Arian discusses why they chose to launch this sort of service, which assists companies in creating magical moments through the use of real pen and ink handwritten notes. (3:24) Arian mentions that the whole reason they did robotics and used real pens was to add authenticity. (5:16) Arian explains that they began as an Instagram photo printing company before pivoting to ignitePOST. (8:37) Arian explains his day-to-day duty is to make sure his team has the tools they need to meet their goals. (12:03) Arian believes that a strong leader rolls up their sleeves and participates with their team, rather than acting as a director of their teams. (13:49) Arian discusses what IgnitePOST does to ensure that everyone feels like they are a part of the team. (15:01) Arian discusses some of the common things they observe that add value to a business. (18:29) Arian mentions that if he were to categorize their industry, it would be marketing automation. (21:48) Arian explains that the most successful businesses are the best at cultivating and creating the trust and loyalty of customers who walk through the door. (24:18) Arian announces that as a thank you for listening to this episode, he is adding a $100 bonus to anyone who wants to try the service, as well as free credit to anyone who only wants to set up a free account. (26:44) Key Quotes: “Essentially what we do is we help brands create magic moments using real pen and ink handwritten notes.” - Arian Radmand “I didn't want to be just another printed mailer solution, I really want it to be an authentic form of communication. And the only way that we're going to be able to do that was to actually put pen to paper and use real pen and ink.”- Arian Radmand “Our guiding philosophy is meeting people where they are by being really easy to work alongside of whatever suite tool suite it is that they already use, but giving them this much more personal way to reach out to people that really leaves a lasting impression, and creates that trust and loyalty and gets customers to continue coming back again and again.”- Arian Radmand Resources Mentioned:   Arian Radmand LinkedIn IgnitePOST Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, host Mike Fusco interviews Heath Shearon, known in many business circles as "The Mayor," who is a consultant and focuses on helping businesses improve their time management. Although his firm, Agency Performance Partners, serves independent insurance agencies, the skills he speaks about during the discussion can be applied to any business in all industries. Listen to Team Business episode #42 for tips on managing email, blocking time, and eliminating distractions from the workplace. Time equals money, and all businesses need to focus on maximizing productivity through efficiency. Episode Highlights: Heath explains that as long as you're a business owner, saving time is just as good as saving money in a lot of ways. (3:52) Heath shares tips on time management and how to recognize where you are spending the most time in your business. (8:18) Heath advises business owners to monitor employee cell phone use. (11:24) Heath discusses why HubSpot is one app that he could not function without in his business. (14:36) Heath shares that there is nothing better than hard work, hustle, and grit for people starting out in a new business. (17:49) Heath explains that these days, you can have great people even if they don't have a college degree. (21:00) Heath shares that he has never used his degree in Biblical studies in his current career. (23:33)  Mike explains that there are certain industries of business that you can't take your eyes off in terms of management. (25:37) Heath and Mike discuss SEC football games and the teams that they are rooting for. (29:22) Heath talks about Agency Performance Partners and the type of clients that they work with. (36:19) Key Quotes:  "If you're just starting out in business, nothing, in my opinion, is better than good old hard work, hustle, and grit." - Heath Shearon  "I'm not knocking the college degree by any means, but I just think you can't discount, you know, someone just because they don't have one. They could have that grit and determination. You know, that could outplay the degree, in my opinion." - Heath Shearon "When I talk to people about it, as you know, they say, turn your emails off, sometimes take a break from them, and take little time blocks away to work on other things. I think emails are the biggest time suck in your business." - Heath Shearon Resources Mentioned:   Heath Shearon LinkedIn Agency Performance Partners Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

If you think the public accounting is too large to disrupt, think again. Chase Birky finds that the accounting space is ripe for disruption with an aging workforce, an archaic structure, and general resistance to new technologies. And he's making it happen. Chase Birky joins Mike Fusco in this episode of the Team Business podcast to talk about his firm, Dark Horse CPAs, and how they're helping CPAs grow and manage their businesses. Dark Horse CPAs will successfully disrupt the accounting space with Chase in the lead. Thank you again for listening! Episode Highlights:  Chase describes Dark Horse CPA as a platform-style accounting firm (1:29) Chase discusses what inspired him to start the Dark Horse CPA. (2:35) Chase mentions that the accounting industry as a whole is in an interesting position because fewer people are getting accounting degrees and CPA license, and those that do have degrees are approaching retirment. (9:21) Chase mentions that they have a great inbound lead funnel which has become much better over time as they've become more sophisticated and committed more deeply to it. (15:12) Chase discusses how he has learned the most by osmosis; from mentors and people he has worked with at a higher level that have allowed him to absorb some of the greatest components of what they do. (17:00) Chase believes that wisdom is not something you can't just hear and understand, it must be experienced in order for the piece of wisdom to sink in. (18:10) Chase highlights the most common misperception in leadership and entrepreneurship. (19:44) According to Chase, the quality and caliber of those you lead is the mark of a good leader. (22:29) Chase talks about being reactive vs. proactive as managers and leaders. (25:39) Chase explains that Dark Horse CPA will soon establish a financial advisory practice because there are several overlaps between CPAs and investment advisory. (27:43) Key Quotes: “Learning by osmosis is really, I think what I have benefited most from I've had some really great mentors, and folks that I've gotten to work with at a higher level that has allowed me to, you know, kind of absorb some of the best parts of what they do, you know, almost in a subconscious way.” - Chase Birky “Wisdom is something that I think is not something you can just hear and learn, you have to go through an experience for that piece of wisdom to actually settle.” - Chase Birky “We had a great inbound lead funnel. And it's gotten a lot better over time, as we've gotten more sophisticated and invested more deeply into that.” - Chase Birky Resources Mentioned:   Chase Birky LinkedIn Dark Horse CPA Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

"We Provide The Light, So You Can Shine." Pro-Cal Lightning, Inc. is an electrical contracting firm in San Diego County. Since we first spoke to Brian Morales at the onset of the COVID pandemic, a lot has changed in the business world, including with his firm. Listen in to learn about Pro-Cal Lightning's slogan, "We Provide The Light, So You Can Shine." Brian provides excellent insight into the ever-changing labor market and economy and where his focus lies when building his team for success. Thank you for listening! Episode Highlights: Brian explains that Pro-Cal is an electrical contracting company at heart and have grown in the industry, taking on EB charging stations and system integrations. (1:24) Brian explains how the slogan "We Provide The Light, So You Can Shine." was created and what it means to them. (3:55) Brian shares how the pandemic, although difficult, led them to find good talent and was a reminder of how we should be treating our employees all of the time. (6:00) Brian explains why he hopes the “great resignation” is followed by the “great realization” of employees realizing that moving to bigger companies may not have been the right decision for them. (8:00) Brian mentions that his favorite time of day was the end of his workday and when their team gets a win. (10:00) Brian discusses the significance of knowing your end goal and the importance of failure. (15:41) Brian believes that they will be the fastest-growing EV charging company in California over the next two or three years. (20:30) Brian discusses his involvement in the National Electrical Contractors Association and the National Small Business Association. (23:03) Brian and Mike sahre their NBA finals predictions. (26:03) Key Quotes: “A big part of our success has been just in being able to pivot and adapt.” - Brian Morales “We're probably going to be the fastest-growing EV charging company in California over the next two or three years, just because of the contacts we're starting to make and the contracts that we're gaining.” - Brian Morales “It's only through failure that you could actually become dominant in your market, you could actually become a great company.” - Brian Morales Resources Mentioned:   Brian Morales LinkedIn Pro-Cal Lightning Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

Tommy Gaffney has served in the benefits industry for several years. His knowledge and passion for the industry led to his current role as Vice President of National Sales at Evolved Benefits. Tommy joins this episode of the Team Business podcast to speak about the employee benefits marketplace. He educates our audience on Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans and the value they add to employees and employers across the nation. Listen in for a fun and informative episode with Tommy Gaffney!  Episode Highlights: Tommy explains what Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) is and what they are doing at Evolved Benefits to bring value and help employers meet that requirement. (02:05) Tommy believes that the focus should always be on the end-user, the employee experience. (5:32) Tommy shares that 4:00 AM is his favorite time of the day. (7:16) Tommy mentions LinkedIn as a platform that should never leave you stating, "I don't have any leads." (9:19) Tommy mentions that in their niche, they work with industries that employ hundreds of people, such as staffing, cannabis, trucking, home, health care, assisted living, and janitorial companies. (14:38) Tommy explains that their products are very lucrative which is a wonderful strategy to boost your agency's revenue. (15:15) Tommy goes over the Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans in greater detail. (16:54) Tommy suggests that everybody who has opted out of the major medical plan be given the opportunity to review the Evolved Benefits plan. (22:18) Tommy explains that one of the most common misconceptions about their sector is that MEC plans are a fraud, as well as the commission. (25:27) Tommy expresses his excitement at the numerous opportunities he has to be of maximum usefulness to people. (30:46) Tommy discusses his favorite sport and the team he supports. (36:19) Key Quotes: “The more successful we can be, the more resources we can bring on and reinvest and bring them back out and add even more value to our current clients and bring more value to our new clients that we're looking to win.” - Tommy Gaffney “Our products are very lucrative. And it's a great way to increase your agency revenue.” - Tommy Gaffney “I think fear is generated from lack of preparation. And I'll tell you, there is such thing as luck and luck happens when you have preparation met with opportunity.” - Tommy Gaffney Resources Mentioned:   Tommy Gaffney LinkedIn Evolved Benefits Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

Dan Kolosowski serves as Regional Vice President of 401(k) Markets for Transamerica.  In this episode of the Team Business podcast, Dan joins the show to speak about ERC (Employee Retention Credit) and provides valuable information that all employers should understand. Episode Highlights: Dan discusses how CalSavers has led to a flood of new business to Transamerica. (2:02) Dan explains the importance of having a top down approach in encouraging employees to save for retirement. (5:27) Dan mentions that he just published a news article on some of the top retirement articles. (6:46) Dan discusses the differences between doing CalSavers versus a traditional plan and the credits that you can get as an employer when choosing a traditional plan. (8:05) Dan explains that if your company has filed for PPP, it is automatically pre-qualified for ERC. (12:37) Dan expresses his desire to learn about and apply everything that will assist a company owner, particularly a small business. (13:58) Dan talks about the ERC tax credits. (16:28) Dan explains that one caveat to the ERC is that not like the PPP where you have to ask for forgiveness, but it is considered earned income. (22:08) Dan mentions that the next time they chat, he will address R&D tax credits, which he thinks is even more exciting. (24:57) Key Quotes: “I always try to stay in the know with anything that's happening in the marketplace…And I just want to get anything that can help a business owner out, especially small businesses” - Dan Kolosowski  “When I start referring clients over and I know they're in good hands, we're good. It just leads to more business.” - Dan Kolosowski “The one thing the one caveat with ERC. It's It is not like PPP where you have to ask for forgiveness. Okay, you don't have to ask for and never apologize for your passion. So you don't have to qualify forgiveness. It is though, considered earned income.” - Dan Kolosowski Resources Mentioned:   Dan Kolosowski LinkedIn Transamerica Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

Julie Brown is an experienced business owner of 27 years and serves as a strategic talent advisor to the insurance industry. Whether you're in the insurance industry or not, this is an episode you don't want to miss. Julie provides excellent insight into the ever-changing hiring, recruiting, and talent acquisition landscape. How can your company evolve to meet the growing demands of the remote/hybrid workforce? Listen in to learn! Episode Highlights: Julie believes that being underpaid is not the primary cause for individuals leaving their jobs. (4:15) Julie talks about her favorite time of day as a business owner. (5:49) Julie mentions that the best part of her company is her team. (8:29) Julie shares the best business advice she's ever received. (10:21) Julie discusses what she believes to be the most common misperception regarding the insurance sector. (14:00) Julie explains the process involved in her recruitment. (22:19) Julie gives an explanation of what it takes to be an effective leader. (24:05) Julie mentions that she is now reading the book: Good to Great, which she finds to be quite inspiring. (27:32) Julie discusses her thoughts on the book Crucial Conversation and what she has learned from it. (27:55) Julie points out that they really publish pay information, which is very essential for people to be aware of. (30:58) Key Quotes: “Everybody gets a piece of the business, everybody gets a share in the rewards. And so I definitely think my team is a huge, huge factor for this company.” - Julie Brown “I just hope people start feeling more comfortable and that people are willing to, maybe, as far as candidates are concerned, be a little more open to the hybrid role, a lot of clients really want to kind of push towards that.” - Julie Brown “We're doing ourselves a disservice by not being creative and or training and looking at, you know, bringing people up the up ladder, because that's going to be, if you're going to ask me, what the next challenge is.” - Julie Brown Resources Mentioned:   Julie Brown  LinkedIn SDI Staffing Insurance Book: Good to Great Book: Crucial Conversation Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, host Mike Fusco interviews April Enriquez, an award-winning public relations and brand messaging expert, and WordPop Public Relations founder. April will help you clarify your message so clients can more easily discover, trust, and choose you. A 12-year PR veteran and StoryBrand Certified Guide, April teach companies how to communicate their value to the press and the public. Episode Highlights: April explains how she drinks her coffee and why the mornings are her favorite time of day. (4:44) April talks about how the most important thing she learned was to take the time to readjust now and again. (5:26) April shares that she has always been an entrepreneur. (7:05) April elaborates on her background and how she started in the public relations field. (9:17) April shares a few things she cannot live without. (10:55) April explains that her main responsibility in public relations is to connect the business with its target audience. (13:00) April discusses how working with technology instead of against it is one of the challenges that her industry will be facing in a couple of years. (14:31) April believes that helping your team to unveil their innate strengths, and plugging those strengths into the company is what makes a great leader. (17:53) April shares that she has currently migrated to Google Drive for most of the tasks she is doing. (24:35) April shares her appreciation for the way her daughter is at this stage in her life. (27:27) Key Quotes: "I think that we started our companies with a clear vision, and we're in alignment with what we want to build, and we're in alignment with ourselves, and then you can get into this cycle of grinding it out." - April Enriquez "I think we should work with technology and not against it. There's the human touch, which is undeniable, and so I think there's always going to be space for both." - April Enriquez "There was a point where people wanted to get flowery and creative with messaging, which is okay, but so much so that you lose the audience." - April Enriquez Resources Mentioned:  April Enriquez LinkedIn WordPop Public Relations Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn 

In this episode of the Insurance Haus podcast, host Mike Fusco is joined by Gwendolyn Larkin, Gwendolyn has an extensive and impressive career working in the insurance industry, specifically in carrier claims departments. Gwendolyn currently serves as Enterprise Claims Technical Consulting Director and American Family Insurance. Gwendolyn and Mike discuss the following topics surrounding insurance claims: 1 - Helpful documentation when submitting a claim 2 - Considerations when claims arise 3 - Early reporting of claims Episode Highlights: Gwen shares her background and how she started in the industry. (1:15) Gwen explains the importance of providing the necessary documentation to support a claim. (3:00) Gwen shares the things people should keep in mind when a claim occurs. (5:57) Gwen discusses the importance of early reporting of claims and where people tend to get lost in the process. (10:42) Gwen provides examples of contractor liability claims that she has seen. (15:14)  Gwen explains that situations may differ but that most carriers are looking to protect the insured. (19:00) Gwen shares her advice that can help small business owners deal with a claim. (21:29) Gwen discusses how important subcontractors are for agreements and indemnification. (23:42) Gwen offers her insight into trends that people might want to look out for to protect their business. (25:10) Key Quotes: "Trying to build a rapport and relationship with the adjuster, understanding what they need, what documentation they need, and things of that nature certainly helped to go a long way, when filing a claim and getting a claim paid." - Gwen Larkin “Having the documentation and having all of that information, gathering it on the front end is 1000 times more helpful on the backend when we're having to defend the claim.” - Gwen Larkin “I think one of the key things to understand is that the claims adjuster is really there to help, right? Our job, as the insurance company, is to help the insured in their time of need.” - Gwen Larkin Resources Mentioned:   Gwendolyn Larkin LinkedIn American Family Insurance Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn 

In this solo episode of the Team Business podcast, Mike Fusco provides three quick and easy tips to improve your company culture for remote workers.  Episode Highlights: Mike reveals that some of the people they work with have had a difficult time adapting to this new hybrid, long-term remote type of work. (1:24) Mike mentions that they had people working remotely for a long time prior to the pandemic. (2:34) Mike discusses the advantages of implementing a chat or messaging system to help your team stay connected in a remote/hybrid work environment. (3:02) Mike explains why you should do something fun, do something out of the box with your team. (4:45) Mike mentions that it is also important to hold some get-togethers outside of work. (5:34) Key Quotes: “How do you continue your company culture, your working culture, your camaraderie in the office, your teamwork, you know, getting to know people when you know, maybe half or a third, or maybe nobody is in the same office environment working together on a day to day basis?” - Mike Fusco “Have regular meetings. It helps people feel like they're still connected. It helps those that are not in the office, see people that are in the office or vice versa.” Mike Fusco “Hold some get togethers outside of work, of course if safe for you and comfortable for everybody, for team bonding or team building experiences, even if it's once a quarter, twice a year, or maybe even now during the holidays, something where everyone can get together and feel part of the team.” Mike Fusco Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn 

Mike and Ray are thrilled to welcome Dan Kolosowski, Regional Vice President of Transamerica to The Insurance Haus podcast. Dan brings over 15 years of experience to our show and will discuss retirement planning with our audience. We hope to see you soon! Episode Highlights: Dan starts by explaining what CalSavers is. (2:47) Dan explains the shortfalls of retirement in America. (8:48) Dan provides options for retirement plans and their pros and cons. (11:29) Dan shares what he thinks about a company's liability regarding retirement plans. (18:30)  Dan talks about the employer plans and the innovative exchange that Transamerica has created. (21:01) Dan explains the shift in the marketplace towards pooled employment. (24:33) Dan talks about different PEOs and their differences. (25:55) Dan shares some tips on where to get started and how to get in touch with him. (30:04) Key Quotes: “I'm dealing with hundreds of people throughout the year, I haven't seen one business owner yet that said, I want to go CalSavers. So, I think a lot of it is just education. ​​They just don't know that there's another option.” - Dan Kolosowski “When you take a look at cost and efficiencies and kind of everything with what's happening in this market, the market moves so fast. And if you don't keep pace, you just end up losing.” - Dan Kolosowski “If a company out there has an existing plan, and they haven't looked at the retirement plan in a while, have them reach out to you. That's my first step.” - Dan Kolosowski Resources Mentioned:   Dan Kolosowski LinkedIn Transamerica Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Kevin Snow, Founder and Chief Sales Strategist of Time On Target. Kevin helps businesses close more sales by better understanding their sales process and identifying how to make the process more effective and faster.  If your CRM and Email Automation aren't helping you close more sales or shorten your sales cycle, you need to listen in and connect with Kevin. Episode Highlights: Kevin shares his story and how he started his company. (4:36) Kevin talks about his insights regarding the BNI model and business networking. (8:59) Kevin talks about the reason behind his passion to start his career. (12:00) Mike asks Kevin what his advice would be to people who are always switching to the newest technology. (14:55) Kevin shares his favorite CRM platforms. (16:25) Kevin talks about the industries that he is currently focusing on. (18:22) Kevin explains where he thinks the future of communication is going. (19:53) Kevin talks about the services that he is able to deliver to his clients. (25:09) Kevin shares his thoughts on the development of chatbots. (27:55) Kevin answers the question of what his ideal customer looks like. (32:13) Key Quotes: “I want my marketing automation, my process tool, to be really good at automating processes. Give me cool tools to keep those workflows going.” - Kevin Snow “My ideal client is a business owner that is working 80 hours a week, and needs to figure out how to start offloading stuff.” - Kevin Snow “Start small, just get one thing, you know, a lot of business owners will go and they'll have these grandiose visions of what they're going to do.” - Kevin Snow Resources Mentioned:   Kevin Snow LinkedIn Time On Target Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez discuss the growing trend known as "THE GREAT RESHUFFLE," which is the movement of employees and laborers to new employers. How does a business owner combat this and keep their key people? Listen in for tips! Episode Highlights: Mike and Ray share their experience over the weekend. (0:41) Mike and Ray talk about the struggles that clients are dealing with now as employees and laborers move to new employers. (1:30) Mike talks about working conditions and how they are changing. (3:04) Ray talks about a hybrid work environment. (4:42) Mike talks about Key Performance Indicator (KPI's). (8:16) Mike shares more about Team Business. (12:58) Mike shares the advantage of using LinkedIn to attract new employees. (14:26) Key Quotes: “What we did is I kind of played a reactive role and realized that, hey, we have to give people the option and the opportunity to work where they want to work.” - Mike Fusco “I mean, speaking for myself, as a consultant, and what I do, I've been doing this for a little while, it's like, I guess that I like that little old school method of being in the office, getting up in the morning, getting ready to be somewhere.” - Ray Ramirez Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, Emily Williams joins co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez to speak about her desire to help female entrepreneurs in their business journeys. As a Money Mindset Expert, Emily talks about creating a mindset to make money and not feel guilty about it. Listen to learn more great information from an experienced podcaster, author, CEO, and success coach. Episode Highlights: How did Emily get started as a mindset expert and a success coach? (1:28) What made Emily focus on female entrepreneurship? (6:45) Emily discusses how she identifies a potential client. (9:21) Emily shares how The I Heart My Life Show Podcast turned into a lifestyle. (12:10) Emily explains how she helps her clients overcome some of the challenges from the pandemic. (18:22) Why should you work with Emily? (21:41) Emily shares more about her The I Heart My Life Show Podcast and her book. (23:33) Emily talks about the mindset blocks or limiting beliefs business owners have to move through in order to make money in their business. (26:43) Emily mentions that one of the core concepts that they talk about with their clients is that money is actually the coach. (31:03) Key Quotes: “What I help people do is uncover what's stopping them from creating wealth.” - Emily Williams “Create a life better than your dreams.” - Emily Williams “We always have a choice, and I feel like so often we think we're stuck, but we don't have to be.” - Emily Williams Resources Mentioned:   Emily Williams LinkedIn The I Heart My Life Show Podcast Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Insurance Haus podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez are joined by Natasha Fericelli, HRIS Software Consultant at Paylocity. Natasha discusses how Paylocity is helping business owners streamline their recruiting, onboarding, benefits administration, payroll, timekeeping & scheduling, expense reimbursements, performance, compensation, gathering employee feedback, learning and more.  Episode Highlights: Natasha shares her background story. (2:04) Natasha explains what HCM & HRIS stand for. (4:20) Natasha discusses the benefits of HCM for small businesses. (5:09) Natasha discusses Paylocity's ability to integrate with other platforms that business owners may want to use. (7:00) Nathasha explains how Paylocity helps business owners with their processes. (10:31) Why is it that Paylocity might be a solid fit for those larger clients? (14:34) How does Paylocity handle multi-state clients? (17:50) Natasha explains what PEAK stands for, and how it helps business owners. (19:04) Natasha explains what PEO and ASO stand for. (20:21) How does Paylocity help business owners during Covid? (21:50)  Natasha mentions that some of their competitors don't use their own software. (28:13) Key Quotes: “We really believe in a best of breed model, one system is not always the best fit for every client. And you see that in all different parts of our lives, even grocery shopping” - Natasha Fericelli “We're a single database. So we have everything in one system, but we're not going to box you in and we're going to give you the flexibility to use the vendors and carriers that are the best fit for your organization.” - Natasha Fericelli “Paylocity is not going to be the answer to all your prayers. You've got to have the right leadership in place and culture and all of that. But our engagement tools can play a big part in that.” - Natasha Fericelli Resources Mentioned:   Natasha Fericelli LinkedIn Paylocity Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn 

It's "Business Talk" on the Team Business podcast!  In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez discuss the state of the labor market and trends in hiring for small and medium-sized businesses. They also share valuable information and advice on how to attract top talent to your firm. Listen in for great information. Episode Highlights: Mike mentions that he and Ray talk with small to medium-sized business owners on a daily basis. (1:11) Ray mentions that they have heard a lot of conversations and dialogue about what owners have been experiencing in the market over the last two months. (1:39) What does Ray observe happening in the business's employee benefits side? (2:45) Ray mentions that they always advocate for employers to take care of their employees because they are the business's most valued resource. (3:48) Mike and Ray talk about blue-collar and white-collar businesses. (4:55) What should or might a small business owner feel about folks sitting at home receiving extra unemployment benefits and not going to work when they could? (6:32) Ray discusses what company owners can do to get people back to work. (8:43) Mike adds that on the PNC side of the business industry, keeping employees safe and offering a safe and healthy work environment may help business owners bring people back to work. (9:30) Mike explains that they are leveraging their business knowledge to help others understand what they are doing to enhance the workforce. (11:02) What was Ray's strategy for finding new employees? (11:37) Mike and Ray discuss using LinkedIn and other platforms to find great talent. (12:23) How can a company know if their service and benefits packages for workers are competitive? (13:21) Mike mentions that this is a great time for business owners to attract a skillful workforce who can help fill out the company and organization. (14:09)  Key Quotes: “We're just using our experience in our business to kind of help you and help our audience understand some of the things that we're doing here to enhance our workforce.” - Mike Fusco “Don't try to do everything. Don't try to wear all hats. I think now's the time to really attract some top talent and improve your business.” - Mike Fusco “We're all about cost management. I mean, outside of the traditional market, there's a multitude of funding options to how you fund your claims. And we were able to leverage that, depending on where you are in the admin flow of your business and the size your business. So we have solutions for a small group, mid-market and large group.” - Ray Ramirez Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA, Chief Executive Officer at Aloha Integrative Health. Dr. Sandberg is an experienced Nurse Anesthetist with a demonstrated history of working in the military and Military Executive Medicine. She is highly skilled in customer service, public speaking, simulation education, patient safety, and healthcare information technology (HIT). Dr. Sandberg is a strong healthcare leadership services professional with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Healthcare Leadership. You will learn more about her practice and how they help treat patients with mental health illnesses using treatments that you may not have heard about previously. Episode Highlights: Dr. Kim explains her designations to the listeners. (1:35) Dr. Kim gives insight into her professional background. (3:00) Dr. Kim explains what Aloha Integrative Health is all about. (5:30) What was the biggest impact that the pandemic had on Dr. Kim's practice? (9:51) Dr. Kim shares her thoughts on telehealth. (11:56) Does Dr. Kim think that the pandemic is slowing down? (15:40) Dr. Kim mentions one of the things that some of their patients don't know. (18:31) Dr. Kim shares how she continues to learn and stay updated on the most relevant and beneficial treatments available. (23:30) Dr. Kim gives a piece of advice when it comes to mental health. (26:52) Key Quotes: “Our goal is to provide people with choices, because not everyone will fit into the bill of medication management, or they may have to look for alternative therapies. And so, this is just giving patients options and choices.” - Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA “I don't think everything can be done on telehealth. I think there are still some things that you have to come in and be seen in person. But, I think that there can be a nice balance and I think for the benefit of both the patients as well as the providers that we should continue to be able to have the option to have telehealth.” - Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA “If you're sick, stay home. I think some of those little simple things that we did during the pandemic are really things that we just have to sort of make everyday life.” - Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA Resources Mentioned:   Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA, LinkedIn Aloha Integrative Health Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Johan Eide, Founder and Owner of Region. Sonoma, a company changing how wine is being experienced and shared. Johan joins Team Business to talk about innovation in the wine industry and, like other industries, how he is disrupting the hospitality industry. Episode Highlights: Johan shares some of his background. (2:28) Johan mentions how My Patent Guys started. (4:16) What were some of the bizarre stories that Johan has heard, being a patent agent? (6:56) Johan explains what makes Region. Sonoma different and successful. (9:50) Johan mentions the type of platform they want to achieve. (14:47) What makes innovative startups disruptive? (17:19) Johan shares his thoughts about the word ‘disruption', in general. (20:05) Johan explains what today's consumers are looking for when it comes to hospitality. (22:48) Johan mentions why social authenticity as a brand is so important. (26:46) How does comparing Johan's business to others in the same industry hurt the innovation and growth of the industry itself? (27:49) Key Quotes: “Some folks think that their idea is the best idea since sliced bread, and that's a fine line to walk. Because, it's not my position to tell them that their idea is or isn't going to be successful, or isn't the right thing to do.” - Johan Eide “As long as you give everything 100%, over time, there's a trend line there in the direction you really want to go.” - Johan Eide “We have so many options in front of us and so many things to draw our attention in different directions. If we have to work at it, at all in a certain direction, that's a negative checkmark on our box. We want to discover it on our own and feel like we're a part of it.” - Johan Eide Resources Mentioned:   Johan Eide LinkedIn Region. Sonoma My Patent Guys Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Lucas Caneda, Global Team Lead at Uniqorn Incubator. As the largest rural incubator-accelerator of its kind in the world, UNIQORN features an eclectic team of seasoned professionals with a proven track record in taking technology startups from inception all the way to exit. Episode Highlights: Lucas shares his background. (1:48) Lucas explains his position and what he does at Uniqorn Incubator. (4:00) Lucas shares what Uniqorn Incubator is all about. (5:41) Lucas mentions the focus of their company. (7:11) How does their team go out and find companies that are suitable at Uniqorn Incubator? (8:17) Lucas explains what “sports tech” is. (10:26) Lucas shares the sports platform they built, called Challenger X. (12:23) How does Lucas help scale committee membership and engagement via digital and traditional marketing? (14:11) Is it true that the size of the club's market dictates the amount of revenue they can make? (18:50) Lucas shares what the sport of rugby, has taught him. (24:57) Key Quotes: “What we tell our clients is, you don't need to reinvent the wheel, but, you need to be different from the others. Because if not, there's just thousands of people pitching the same thing, and then you just don't stand out, right?” - Lucas Caneda “There are lots of relationships that you need to be doing and that's one of the things that we also have a nice network of investors for instance, whenever it's important to do so, we can bring to the table whenever we think there's a good fit.” - Lucas Caneda “To finish, you need to be able to take a punch and stand back up. Because that's part of the game. You need to be able to push further, there's always a little bit extra that you can give that can make a difference. Well, it's up to you to do it or not.” - Lucas Caneda Resources Mentioned:   Lucas Caneda LinkedIn Uniqorn Incubator Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

Success-driven visionaries don't want their goals to be held back by physical and emotional limitations. They want to strive for and achieve their biggest stretch goals. In this episode of the Team Business podcast, hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome James Williams, CHPC™ of The Growth Edge. Since 2016, James has been a Certified High-Performance Coach, and worked with hundreds of driven entrepreneurs to become who they need to be to succeed in their business and life goals. Episode Highlights: James shares what leadership and ‘team performance expert' means. (1:27) James explains what the CHPC after his name means. (3:19) James gives the five key pillars of a high performer. (4:38) James shares his background with the listeners. (6:16) James mentions the difference between being an entrepreneur, a business owner, and a person working for a company. (10:42) James explains what The Growth Edge is all about. (11:43) James gives his thoughts about the saying, ‘Putting others first and not paying attention to yourself is selfish.' (14:03) James shares the concept he wanted to create for business owners. (17:40) What can people do to show up and consistently deliver at a higher level? (20:58) James explains what business owners are thinking about. (25:33) Key Quotes: “The leader in a company has an influential role across the entire company, and I think there are a lot of companies big or small, who have forgotten what that word means... leadership. It's not a dictatorship, it's not my way or the highway. It's a collaborative, influential position, and inspiring position.” - James Williams, CHPC “There's that point where you want to turn around, you want to give up, but, you also know that's like an edge, it's a growth edge. You get the opportunity at that edge to turn back, and say, I gave it a go, but, I don't want this enough. Or, you go over the edge and you just give it everything because the dominant force is your purpose, your goal, to get to that destination.” - James Williams, CHPC “What people fail to recognize is that the only reason you don't have time is you're working inefficiently, because you're not giving quality output, right? Being a high performer is that you get to work less, achieve more, and be happier, and have more energy, and not be stressed.” - James Williams, CHPC Resources Mentioned:   James Williams, CHPC LinkedIn The Growth Edge Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Insurance Haus podcast, host Mike Fusco is joined by Drew Youpel, CRIS, STSC, Head of Safety Success at Safesite. Proven to reduce incidents by up to 57%, Safesite is a powerful, easy-to-use safety management solution used by over 18,000 companies of all sizes and industries. Safesite's intuitive platform helps companies get results and demonstrate safety performance. Access the platform on any device, run your safety program digitally, save hours each week, and cut safety-related expenses by as much as 20% annually! Episode Highlights: Drew shares his background. (2:29) Drew explains how strict OSHA can be. (3:49) What type of things does Drew enjoy outside of his work? (5:38) Drew explains what Safesite is all about. (6:40) Drew shares how Safesite helps companies get better loss controls in place and improve safety. (12:21) Drew shares how the pandemic has affected their company. (15:34) Did Drew see growth at Safesite during the pandemic? (17:03) Drew explains how Safesite could change the landscape of work comp. (19:05) Can companies nationwide work with Safesite? (22:31) Key Quotes: “The first thing is, Safesite is completely tailor-made for the organization. And, that's just changed the way employees look at using a digital application for safety software.” - Drew Youpel “We provide onboarding training. We'll go out in the field and help those organizations use the application. There's a bunch of different ways to try to help companies utilize that tech in the field to give them a better advantage.” - Drew Youpel “The larger organizations are, the harder it is to reach all the employees. By giving them that application tool, that really helps push that safety message.” - Drew Youpel Resources Mentioned:   Drew Youpel, CRIS, STSC LinkedIn Safesite Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn 

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Greg Hasty. Greg, a market research video strategist joins Team Business from his creative media production agency, Hasty Storytelling. With over 10 years of research experience, Greg has worked closely with several Fortune 500 clients including Facebook, Toyota, and Amazon to define and further develop studies for a wide range of brand developments. Episode Highlights: Greg shares his background and how his business got started. (1:36) Greg mentions the concept he pitched to his first client. (4:14) How did Greg come up with the name for his agency? (6:07) Greg shares the types of industries and businesses Hasting Storytelling serves. (7:22) What's one of the most valuable things Greg can receive from his client? (9:26) Greg mentions why he hires people with better skills than him. (11:38) Greg shares how the pandemic changed his business. (13:20) Greg explains why he does his market research in different countries. (18:05) What does Greg think is the future of qualitative storytelling? (19:53) Greg explains the importance of having someone with research expertise on your creative team. (25:22) Key Quotes: “You can get lost if you don't have your niche or know the right people. I was just lucky enough to find a market that needed it and still uses it.” - Greg Hasty “It only gets better as technology gets better, things get faster. We could do a lot more with just two people, one person, than 10 years ago when I needed multiple people to help out and figure things out.” - Greg Hasty “Despite the hurdles of the pandemic and the disappointment of not being able to be in a bunch of different countries, something kind of beautiful came out of it and I've got to be happy about that.” - Greg Hasty. Resources Mentioned:   Greg Hasty LinkedIn Hasty Storytelling Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

Ladies and gentlemen, please do not miss this podcast episode. With businesses facing the increased threat of cyber-attacks, Mike Fusco welcomes Beau Bechelli to The Insurance Haus. Beau is a production underwriter with Evolve MGA, Advisen's® 2020 Cyber MGA of the year! Join us to learn about the current state of the cyber market, hacking trends, the types of businesses that should be most concerned with cyber risk, and best practices to reduce cyber risk. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL BUSINESSES CAN FALL VICTIM TO CYBERCRIMES! LISTEN IN TO LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURS! Episode Highlights: Beau shares his background. (3:41) Beau explains what makes Evolve MGA unique from the other competitors. (5:46) Beau mentions the two pillars that every business should look at, aside from coverage. (6:35) What is the current state of the cyber market? (11:10) Beau gives his thoughts about ransomware. (14:00) How many businesses does Evolve MGA insure? (20:07) Beau explains where cyber attacks usually happen. (21:36) Beau explains why employee awareness and training are significant in reducing cyber risk. (26:20) Beau shares the importance of utilizing a password manager. (28:32) What does Beau think is the number one cyber threat to businesses today? (32:04) Key Quotes: “Our whole focus is to provide our clients with a very comprehensive cyber insurance program that is going to actually protect them.” - Beau Bechelli “Cyber is definitely a very interesting space because we're seeing these attacks change every six to twelve months, where hackers are finding new ways to either steal funds, illegally acquire funds, or steal data from companies.” - Beau Bechelli “Technology is never going to be 100% effective. And so, that's where having a cyber policy will really be that last line of defense and will help protect the business if they still get hit, even though they invest in state of the art security.” - Beau Bechelli Resources Mentioned:   Beau Bechelli LinkedIn Evolve MGA Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn

For many employers, self-funded (or partially self-funded) health insurance plans are a great option to utilize as part of a benefits offering.  In this episode of The Insurance Haus, insurance brokers Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome Jason Youngs, President of OneSource Stop Loss Insurance Marketing, and a self-funded health plan insurance guru. Jason answers several critical questions about self-funded plans and clears up lots of confusion surrounding them.  If you're a Chief Financial Officer or Human Resource partner looking for a solution to help gain more control over your group medical program, this episode is for you! Resources Mentioned: Fusco Orsini & Associates Risk and Insurance Services Follow Fusco Orsini & Associates on Instagram Follow Fusco Orsini & Associates on Twitter

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Travis Bottoms, owner of Polite Pest. Travis started his business at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but still found great success and growth through hard times. Listen as he explains how and gives some great tips on Team Business! Episode Highlights: Travis discusses different aspects of his job. (1:36) Travis explains how he and his business partner, Eric, feel about working in confined spaces. (2:10) Travis shares a bit of his background. (3:01) Travis shares stories about some of the pests he's come up against. (4:11) Travis explains how Polite Pest started. (7:37) How did they come up with the name, Polite Pest? (9:38) Travis shares some of the tactics they've used to grow the business. (12:07) Travis gives us a piece of advice when it comes to starting a business. (19:39) Where does Travis envision the company going? (15:37) Key Quotes: “The most humane way to kill a rodent is quick and easy, and most people don't want to hear that to be honest...because you are killing something. But, the most humane way is quick so that they don't obviously suffer.” - Travis Bottoms “My business partner and I have legitimately become friends with a dozen of our customers...where I go out to dinner, and hang out on a regular basis. That's kind of the connection that we wanted to bring to the service company. Because, you want to feel comfortable with the person that's inside your house. You don't ever want to feel uncomfortable with them.” - Travis Bottoms “You never take advantage. If somebody has any issue whatsoever, we made sure that it was right. Because, at the end of the day, that's all we can kind of live up to is our work at that point. So, it's always just doing the small things.” - Travis Bottoms Resources Mentioned:   Travis Bottoms LinkedIn Polite Pest Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

"Are you confident in your company's safety policies and procedures? Do you sometimes think your industry is exempt because you hold office jobs and “the worst thing that can happen is a paper cut”? Does everyone on your staff know what IIPP is? In the latest episode of The Insurance Haus, we dive into a very important discussion: risk management and safety during a global pandemic. Hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome to the show esteemed guest Steve Thompson, senior vice president of Aspen Risk Management and ERGOhealthy."

In our latest episode of The Insurance Haus, Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome special guest Michael Payton, senior vice president of sales and account management at Choice Administrators, the nation's leading developer and administrator of private health insurance exchanges. If you're asking yourself, ‘what is a private health insurance exchange?', we've got you covered!

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Tim Fitzpatrick, President of Rialto Marketing. At Rialto Marketing, they help businesses simplify marketing so they can grow with less stress. They do this by creating and implementing a plan to communicate the right message to the right people. Episode Highlights: What surprised Tim when he decided to major in math? (8:51) Tim gives us insight into his background. (10:11) Tim shares how Rialto Marketing got started. (11:25) Tim mentions the primary goal of their company. (12:57) Who are Tim's ideal clients? (14:15) Tim shares their team-building process in hiring people. (15:22) Tim explains how he's able to communicate with his employees from different countries. (17:53) Tim shares how the pandemic affected their company. (19:48) Tim mentions the project management software and communication systems they utilize on a daily basis. (21:29) How does Tim help businesses track the results of their marketing plan? (25:15) Key Quotes: “If you really want to look at the data from a marketing standpoint, to determine what's working and what's not... you need to be able to understand numbers and interpret what the numbers are telling you.” - Tim Fitzpatrick “If you don't have the fundamentals in place, which lay that foundation, you're going to waste time and you're going to waste money.” - Tim Fitzpatrick “What creates stress for people in their marketing, and frankly in anything, is planning. When we do not have plans, we do not have our priorities outlined. And, when we don't have our priorities, we have no clarity. And, when we don't have clarity, our stress goes through the roof.” - Tim Fitzpatrick Resources Mentioned:   Tim Fitzpatrick LinkedIn Rialto Marketing Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

We're pleased to announce the launch of The Insurance Haus with Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez, a new podcast focused on dispelling myths and providing information related to wellness and insurance decisions. On this first episode, Mike and Ray had the honor of hosting Sharp, a not-for-profit health organization that delivers patient care and health insurance within San Diego and Riverside Counties. During the one-hour conversation, Sharp representatives dispelled misconceptions about COVID-19 and shared what they are doing to innovate and build upon the Sharp Experience.

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Andrea Yoder Clark, CEO of Predictive Portfolios and professor at the University of San Diego. Andrea joins Team Business to discuss how to use data in business. Want to start becoming more data-driven, but not sure where to start? Join us for the first of three segments relating to this important topic! Episode Highlights: How do business owners utilize data across their business? (1:52) Andrea shares common problems that their clients have. (3:31) Andrea mentions why most companies are struggling with shipping, at present. (4:16) How has Andrea had to adapt during the peak of COVID, up until now? (6:24) Andrea explains the four stages of how to respond to a crisis environment. (6:45) What platforms does Andrea suggest to help businesses create a solid roadmap? (10:12) Andrea shares what KPI is all about. (12:25) Andrea mentions the case study that she has had on sales. (15:20) Andrea explains the importance of data. (23:02) Key Quotes: “Each business is unique. You have your own customers, you have your own imprint in your industry, your own niche of organizations that you sell to. And, it's really important to combine your own historical data with market research to be able to give you a good blueprint around where to go next.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “Regardless of what area of the business we're looking at, there's going to be a system that you're using to track what you're doing. And, we'll be able to pull data out of that system to give you what you need.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “Regardless of whether that's an up or down spike, you need to be ready for it. And, if you can look and analyze your data, slice it, and dice it in all these different ways, whether it be by product, by a customer, by distribution site... then, that gives you the tools you need to plan ahead and prepare.” - Andrea Yoder Clark Resources Mentioned: Andrea Yoder Clark LinkedIn Predictive Portfolios Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Ruth King of Business Ventures Corporation. Ruth King is a profitability master, giving businesses the processes and tools to get and stay profitable, and build wealth. Ruth joins Team Business and provides lots of excellent tips to small business owners. Episode Highlights: Ruth shares her career background. (1:23) Ruth mentions how she got the name, profitability master. (2:36) Ruth shares what HVACChannel.tv is all about. (2:59) Ruth explains her target markets. (3:45) Ruth mentions her book called, The Ugly Truth about Small Business. (4:15) Ruth gives us the three types of business she works with. (5:09) Did the pandemic affect Ruth's business model? (7:30) Ruth shares what she focuses on in her business. (10:15) Ruth mentions why she's a total believer in direct mail and direct mail marketing. (14:01) Key Quotes: “My goal has always been to help customers or help you know, business owners get and stay profitable... give them the tools and processes to do that, so that they build profitability, then build wealth, and then give back.” - Ruth King “My favorite arena to work in is what I call the ‘tool businesses.' You started a business, you want to grow it, you want to grow profitably, and you want an exit plan.” - Ruth King “I am a total believer in direct mail and direct mail marketing simply because social media is great. It's part of a marketing plan, but so is direct mail because nobody's doing it these days. And if you do it right, it will get noticed and people will pay attention.” - Ruth King Resources Mentioned:   Ruth King LinkedIn Business Ventures Corporation HVACChannel.tv Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome Dr. Charles Redd, D. Min to the show. Dr. Charles is a Fortune 500 executive, life coach, professor, speaker, mentor, and transformational leader. He has over 30 years of experience in his field and brings a wealth of knowledge to our audience.  Episode Highlights: Dr. Charles shares his career background. (8:50) Dr. Charles mentions his book entitled, Don't Stop Now. (9:20) What type of clients does Dr. Charles serve? (10:36) What molded Dr. Charles to get to the career path he's currently in? (12:31) Dr. Charles shares his podcast called, Dr. Charles Speaks. (16:06) Dr. Charles shares the challenges he faced in setting up his company. (19:41) Dr. Charles mentions one of the valuable lessons he learned. (20:50) Dr. Charles explains the acronym called MVP. (22:48) Key Quotes: “What I'm really passionate about is life coaching and mentoring. The life coach piece...It really is a focus on helping people really uncover their purpose for life and their passion. We all have something of value to offer.” - Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min “I served as an adjunct professor, as well as teaching business subjects, teaching salesmanship...And so, teaching is my heart. And so, I have this tendency of wanting to give back and help grow. And, that's really the essence of what I've been doing my whole career.” - Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min “I believe in everybody's life, we should always be looking up to somebody that has more insight, is smarter, more experienced than us. And, then someone who's on a more horizontal plane that can help encourage us and work with us along the side.” - Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min Resources Mentioned:   Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min LinkedIn Dr. Charles Redd Website Dr. Charles Speaks Don't Stop Now Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Matthew Parvis, Co-Founder, and CEO of Fresh Clean Tees. Mike and Ray urge their listeners to enjoy this episode with Matthew as he drops major knowledge on us as a successful entrepreneur. If you want tips on running a business with your spouse, on what it takes to win online sales, and on never quitting when facing challenges, you must spend the next 30 minutes listening in. Episode Highlights: Matthew shares his background and how Fresh Clean Tees started. (2:21) Matthew shares the products they have in the business. (7:36) Does Matthew's company have a 100% e-commerce business? (9:24) Matthew shares the challenges they faced during the first year of their business. (10:52) Matthew explains how he was able to build a team within his company. (14:46) Matthew mentions the two key components in building a team. (16:12) How did the pandemic affect Matthew's business? (18:52) Matthew shares their upcoming plans for Fresh Clean Tees. (22:29) Key Quotes: “I'm just so fortunate to not only have been working on something that I love to work on, but to be working on it with my wife. We can kind of share that side, our business side, and the personal side... which does get a little complicated from time to time, I'm not gonna lie. At the same time, it's something that we're both very, very proud of, and I think that our relationship as a couple has really been the catalyst for a lot of our success.” - Matthew Parvis “Things sometimes don't always work out long term, and that's okay. Because, it probably was the right decision when we made that decision a year and a half ago, when the business was a certain size. And, now the business is a different size and has different needs. And so, I do think it's really, really imperative to always be flexible and kind of look at those issues as positives versus negatives.” - Matthew Parvis “I think you can have someone that is like, extremely skilled, but if they don't have a lot of will to get better or to learn, they're going to be stuck in a spot where they're like, okay, you're good at your job but, you might not be the perfect fit for our brand.” - Matthew Parvis Resources Mentioned:   Matthew Parvis LinkedIn Fresh Clean Tees Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Andrew Bartlow, growth company advisor, a chief people officer, an author, and advisor. He joins us from the mecca of company startups in California's Bay Area. Andrew speaks about his vast experience, in addition to his focus on helping high-growth startups scale for success. Episode Highlights: Andrew shares his career background. (6:22) Andrew shares the services he brings to the clients. (7:40) What made Andrew pursue his career as a Chief People Officer? (8:42) Andrew mentions how he came up with the name, Series B Consulting. (10:14) What made Andrew decide to write a book? (11:15) Andrew mentions the publisher of his book. (12:51) Andrew shares the issues when prioritizing high-growth organizations. (13:46) Andrew gives a couple of tips on how to promote a high-growth business. (15:05) How does Andrew leverage data to get the company from point A to point B? (17:36) Andrew shares the strategy he changed for the company due to the pandemic. (19:20) Key Quotes: “The HR piece was always really awkward, and so that's where I've put a lot of my attention, and where this exact development program came from. I'm trying to help up-level the function trying to help people understand what the real opportunity is in the work.” - Andrew Bartlow “You're not so big that you already have somebody with my experience onboard full time. You're not ready for that, yet. But, you probably want somebody more than running payroll, and delivering benefits to think about how you operate your organization.” - Andrew Bartlow “You can certainly appreciate and think fondly of the past, but you've got to be willing to evolve along with your business. Otherwise, you're apt to get in your own way.” - Andrew Bartlow Resources Mentioned: Andrew Bartlow LinkedIn Series B Consulting Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High-Growth Organizations Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Jackson Dalton, MPH, CSP, and President of Black Box Safety. Jackson speaks about his career in occupational safety. His company, Black Box Safety, started in 2017, and he now has 14 years of experience in the field. In 2020, he worked with several First Responders and essential workers to keep them safe from COVID-19. Episode Highlights: Jackson shares how he got into the insurance industry. (4:56) Jackson mentions the services they offer at Black Box Safety. (8:05) What made Jackson decide to build his own company? (10:21) Jackson mentions how he came up with the name for his company. (12:02) Jackson shares how the pandemic increased their sales. (15:30) Jackson shares the type of culture they have at Black Box Safety. (18:22) What were the challenges that Jackson experienced during the pandemic? (20:42) Jackson shares his plans for Black Box Safety this year. (24:02) Key Quotes: “The traits that we look for are someone that is driven, outspoken, competitive, confident. But, those are all the ‘nice to haves'. The ‘need to have'...the most important trait, that is an absolute non-negotiable, ‘need to have', is a high level of figure it out factor.” - Jackson Dalton “I'm a perfectionist. So, there's always going to be that. Don't show it to me because if you do, I'm going to find some ways that we can improve it. But, the overall arching mission is to take the hill, get it done, figure it out. You have the autonomy to figure out how it is that you're going to do that.” - Jackson Dalton “My love language is words of affirmation. I'm a cheerleader. I like to encourage them, prop them up. My other love language is constructive criticism.” - Jackson Dalton Resources Mentioned: Jackson Dalton LinkedIn Black Box Safety Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Andrea Yoder Clark, CEO of Predictive Portfolios. Mike and Ray speak to Andrea about her path to becoming a data scientist. They discuss her new firm, her clients, and the creation of her team. Episode Highlights: Andrea shares her background. (5:28) Andrea shares what their typical client profile looks like. (7:03) Does Andrea utilize her own tools to analyze other company's data? (8:13) What inspired Andrea to start her own business? (9:44) Andrea shares the challenges she had when she started her firm. (11:07) Does Andrea think that biotech is a natural fit? (12:02) Andrea shares the innovations and workflows she changed during the pandemic. (14:11) Andrea describes her workflow at Predictive Portfolio. (19:31) How does Andrea keep her new hires complete? (21:13) Andrea shares the technology she implemented when the pandemic happened. (23:15) Key Quotes: “I felt like I could add more value if I was on my own, getting to work with more companies. I also just get bored a little easier. So, it's more fun for me to have different projects happening ongoing, versus kind of working on the same thing all the time.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “I actually got to apply what I was learning into the world in a way that was really making a difference. And, that to me, was super powerful to be able to see the impact of how these skills could be used to generate interest in a company, and/or impact in a community if I'm working with a nonprofit.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “What I did as the CEO, was really make an effort to be understanding and compassionate with all my employees. Now, we all have life interfering in a way that we had to separate a little bit differently in the past.” - Andrea Yoder Clark Resources Mentioned: Andrea Yoder Clark LinkedIn Predictive Portfolios Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome Brett Putter, a leading expert on startup and high-growth company culture. Brett is also the author of 'Culture Decks Decoded' and 'Own Your Culture.' Episode Highlights: Brett gives a little background on the Culture Gene platform. (6:27) Brett explains what got him into talent acquisition and culture building. (8:05) Brett shares what makes company culture significant. (9:44) Does explains how emotional intelligence ties into culture building. (10:54) Brett mentions his first book, entitled, Culture Decks Decoded. (12:40) Brett tells us about his second book, entitled, Own Your Culture. (13:18) Does Brett think that remote work is here to stay? (18:16) Brett mentions huge issues associated with post-COVID work. (20:05) Brett shares the advice he gives to his clients. (23:35) Key Quotes: “I set up Culture Gene to focus on company culture because I'd seen the light. The penny had dropped. And, I realized that culture was the missing link for most companies. I was really fortunate to get that opportunity to step out and work on my passion.” - Brett Putter “The thing about company culture is it's largely invisible, subconscious, and intangible. So, you know, people don't get it. They can't touch it, they can't feel it often. The best leaders make it visible, conscious, and tangible. - Brett Putter “If I'm working remotely, I don't want to feel not included. I don't want to feel like I have to advocate for myself and my work. I don't want to feel like I experience a different work culture, I don't want to feel like my promotion opportunities are hampered. So, if you're going to run a hybrid business, you've got to work this out. Because, the people who feel like second-class citizens are going to go to a company, where they can feel like first-class citizens.” - Brett Putter Resources Mentioned: Bretton Putter LinkedIn Culture Gene Own Your Culture Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez are joined by Marc DeLeonibus, Co-Founder and Director of Bold Penguin. Marc chats about the history of his company, the reason for the name, his background, and the team. Episode Highlights: Marc tells us the history of Bold Penguin and what they do. (6:15) Marc shares where the name Bold Penguin originated. (9:02) Marc shares his background. (11:09) Why did Marc choose the insurance industry? (14:05) How did Marc find the right people to advance the technological side of his business? (15:44) Marc shares how the pandemic has affected his agency. (17:25) What does Bold Penguin's work culture look like in the wake of COVID-19? (19:40) What's next for Bold Penguin? (2:42) Key Quotes: “Penguins, they work together as a team. You always see them in their colonies. They might look slow on the surface, but under the water, they're incredibly fast. And, that's everything that our technology is built around... being fast, efficient, to the point.” - Marc DeLeonibus “I think insurance is absolute. In my opinion, the best business to be in… particularly commercial insurance, because there's so much ability for agents. I can leverage technology now to really get an edge and grow quickly.” - Marc DeLeonibus “Understanding what I think we all understood from early on, is we need to look at what the seats are on the bus, and figure out how to put those people in those right places. Don't sacrifice ever, on people. Make sure every single person is truly an A player that brings a complementary skill set to the team.” - Marc DeLeonibus Resources Mentioned: Marc DeLeonibus LinkedIn Bold Penguin Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Jon Diamond. He started, grew, and exited an extremely successful HVAC company in Northern California. It took lots of great people to propel Moore HVAC forward, and Jon was the glue that kept it all together. Now, Jon has a new passion for teaming up with operators to help them advance their businesses and careers. Learn more by tuning into Team Business! Episode Highlights: Jon shares his background. (4:52) Jon's process for choosing the perfect employee. (8:18) Jon discusses what's important to prospective employees.  (10:08) What motivated Jon to start over again? (13:05) Jon shares valuable lessons he learned in team building. (13:33) Why are many business owners afraid to train their talent? (16:14) What are Jon's future goals? (19:36) How did the pandemic affect Jon's business? (23:13) Key Quotes: “I just love the challenge that business brings. Every day, it's something new. Even though we've been doing this a long time, I still learn new things every day. It's been a really good experience to be able to surround myself with people smarter than I am.” - Jon Diamond “I love finding people better than I am. Because, I feel like it does nothing but elevate my talent and my ability... and make me have to work to be better.” - Jon Diamond “If I don't have value to bring I don't want to partner with them. But, if I have value to bring, then that's what excites me.” - Jon Diamond Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Todd Cooper, the owner and founder of Waxelene. Todd discusses how he operates and grows his business with the help of outsourcing. Episode Highlights: Mike and Ray discuss the types of things Todd outsources in his business. (2:49) Todd talks about the history of his company, the services he offers, and the type of clients he serves. (4:21) What are the challenges Todd faces as he builds his team? (7:54) Todd shares how he manages to keep the momentum and progress going within his work structure, as a CEO during Covid. (11:36) Todd talks about the big transition of their digital presence about five years ago. (14:58) If Todd wasn't an entrepreneur, what would he be pursuing? (16:00) Todd shares where to find Waxelene natural personal care products. (24:41) Todd talks about the importance of supporting local businesses. (25:45) Key Quotes: “The main thing for team building is having a clear plan and setting it out.” - Todd Cooper “The take-home message is that the business model works really well because it's very plastic...You know, it's very flexible. You can mold it to whatever it needs to be” - Todd Cooper “Instead of bringing everyone in, you can just outsource what you need. They have all the professionals that you need right there. They say, it's really all about the relationships. You're still establishing those relationships with them...But, they're not your employees, you know?” - Todd Cooper. Resources Mentioned: Todd Cooper LinkedIn Waxelene Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Daniel Seong, the Owner and Founder of Great Park Insurance. Daniel talks about his journey in the insurance industry and the factors that have led to his success.   Episode Highlights: Daniel shares a little bit about his childhood and time in the Marine Corps. (6:38) How did Daniel get into the insurance industry? (7:31) Daniel shares how he started his own agency. (7:45) What is Daniel most proud of? (11:41) How did the Marine Corps impact who Daniel is today? (13:08) What's the main element that got Daniel through his journey? (17:23) Daniel explains why he always teaches people to operate with the end in mind. (21:10) Daniel mentions the most important part of a person's life. (22:43) The perfect transition that happened two weeks before the pandemic hit. (34:14) Key Quotes: “I tell everybody in the business, or just in anything, stay faithful to yourself, stay true to yourself and carry yourself with dignity.” - Daniel Seong “The mirror doesn't lie. So you can lie to everybody else, to your boss, your team members to your clients, you can tell them that you're trying and doing everything you can right to hit your goals. But when you go home, and you look in that mirror, the mirror doesn't lie.” - Daniel Seong “I believe salespeople are King in any organization. I love sales. I just love it. Because it's just like sports, right? It's great analogies, examples, and it really tells me who you are and how tough you are mentally.” - Daniel Seong  Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Daniel Seong LinkedIn Great Park Insurance

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview David Munoz, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Mission Legal Center. David talks about their goals and services, and how they pivoted with COVID, and how he manages his team. Episode Highlights: David shares his background story and how he got into his career. (7:05) David mentions that he started off working at a bigger firm. (8:37) David shares how he started his own company in California. (8:53) David shares that one of the things he learned from his parents is to not give off the importance of education and just continuing on. (10:46) David talks about what Mission Legal Center specializes in and what services they offer. (12:48) David mentions that they have other attorneys that work within their office that do other types of law. (13:13) After the initial foundation was built, how did David start to elevate his team? (14:18) David says that the most significant thing to do before anything else is to build a reputation. (15:02) David says that he's thankful that they haven't had to lay anybody off in 2020. (15:36) David shares that his goal for his team is to grow all together. (16:25) David shares that he's doing his best to try and guide his team in a way that shows the importance of things and the reason why they do it that way. (18:32) What has David been doing to pivot because of COVID? (19:15) David mentions that their goal is to take all the stress away from their customers. (20:53) David mentions that he is thankful because they've implemented cloud computing, zoom meetings, and teleconferences in 2018. (21:56) David thinks that social media and commercials are probably the best way to get a lot of visibility nowadays. (24:12) Key Quotes: “You can't always make the perfect hire, but you do your best.” - David Munoz “There are no bad students, there are only bad teachers. And so, I kind of take that to mind when I have employees.” - David Munoz “The number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States is medical bills, So we want to make sure their medical bills are paid, and then make sure that they're compensated for aspects of their life that might never be the same.” - David Munoz “Small businesses need to help each other… I'd love to find ways to collaborate and work together. And I'm sure that there's a way we can find a way to do that.” - David Munoz Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Reach out to: David Munoz Mission Legal Center

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Michelle Flores-Gonzales, COO & VP at Flores Financial Services. Michelle talks about the financial services that they offer, the dynamics of working in a family business, and the importance of their company culture. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Michelle Flores-Gonzales. (7:53) Michelle mentions that Flores Financial Services is a family business, and she has been working there since 2002 when her father acquired and took over the company. (8:24) Michelle shares that they're an outsourcing company that specializes in accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, human resources, and they recently added consulting services to their business portfolio. (8:34) Michelle mentions that they have a high focus on the hospitality industry. Therefore, most of their clients are the restaurant business with a high focus in the San Diego markets, and grocery stores as well. (8:46) Michelle shares that what kept her to continue working in the company was her passion to continue the family business and build upon what her father has started, and also the entrepreneurial side of it. (10:43) Michelle shares that over the past few years, she tried to hire team members that would fit in their core culture, have a passion and drive to partner with their clients, and to be a valuable part of their team members. (12:11) Michelle thinks that they have a passionate investment in the services that they offer to their clients, and making sure that they're doing a good job. (12:29) Michelle mentions that finding the dynamic with her father and making sure its balance, is something that they're working on. (13:10) Michelle mentions that their main focus was on finding the resources that were available to help their clients. (14:30) Michelle mentions that this year, they focused on and pivoted to consulting services. (15:10) Michelle shares that they developed the HR COVID handbooks to help employers get back to business, and ensure their employee's safety in the workplace. (16:11) Michelle mentions that today is a great time for new clients to reach out. Because it's time to start preparing, advising, and planning for the next year. (25:03)   Key Quotes: “We have a core focus, we are a family business. But no matter how big we grow, we don't want to go to that corporate mentality. So we try and treat all of our employees as family members, that's one of our core values.” - Michelle Flores-Gonzales “So, just making sure that we're available and letting our clients know that we're there to support them, and get through this with each other. So, that was the big portion of our services.” - Michelle Flores-Gonzales “I'm in this, and I enjoy the entrepreneurial side of it, as hard as it is. There's also something very rewarding, and you guys know this as well, of owning your own business and being part of something and being able to provide for team members.” - Michelle Flores-Gonzales Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Michelle Flores-Gonzales Flores Financial Services, Inc

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Brad Wise, the Executive Chef and Owner of Trust Restaurant Group. San Diego's Chef of the year in 2019, Brad talks about his journey in the culinary industry, how their company survived amidst the pandemic, and how their campaign has helped small businesses and the local economy. Episode Highlights:   Mike introduces Brad Wise. (7:20) Brad shares that when he finished culinary school, he moved out to San Diego in 2006 and worked at Eat, Drink, Sleep Hospitality Group for 10 years. (8:18) Brad mentions that when he decided to step up his career, he partnered with Steve Schwab and built the Trust Restaurant Group. (8:45) Brad mentions that they opened Cardellino on February 7, six weeks before the shutdown. (10:24) Brad shares that he's a risk-taker and he always encourages his team to try new things and new projects. (11:29) Brad shares that his job is to bring out the best in every employee and let their talents be recognized, and make them successful. (12:02) Brad mentions that in this industry, everyone has an opinion, and if you hire the right people, they're going to have educated opinions. (14:21) Brad shares that gathering ideas and information from his team is where a lot of inspiration and creativity comes from, and they make sure that each dish hits all the elements. 14:45) Brad shares that when they reopened due to the shutdown, they followed the necessary guidelines and put measures in place that they felt comfortable doing to make their workflow easier. (19:22) Brad mentions the biggest element that helped them is their teamwork. (24:31) Brad shares that they try to be optimistic as much as possible, and complain as little as possible because everyone is in their worse positions than they were. (25:23) Brad explains how they created the event with the help of their wine director and how he became a huge part of the team. (26:06) Brad shares that Trust Restaurant Group was built off of industry people that are near and dear to their hearts. (28:17) Brad explains how the Rare Society Industry steak night donations have been helping a lot of people amidst the pandemic. (29:49)   Key Quotes:   “I can't do anything without the people that are working for me. But with me there, everyone is individually talented in their own ways. They all have great strengths, trustworthiness, and the name of why we got into this.” - Brad Wise “My job is solely to extract the best in everybody, recognize their talents, and try to use that as best as I can to make them successful, and we always like to use your success as our success. So, a lot of times people don't even know their strengths until they're shown what they are.” - Brad Wise “If you put the time and effort, I'm going to let you work on ownership, I'm going to let you work on all these things that are going to eventually make you successful. So, we kind of have that common goal and it's a two-way road, people want to be here, as much as we want and need them to be here.” - Brad Wise “I always say, this is the best. The best way of creativity is when your back is up against the wall, right? Oh, yeah, you have to fight your way out to make sure you survive.” - Brad Wise   Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Brad Wise Instagram Trust Restaurant Group  

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Ryan Sisson, the CEO of Moniker Group. Ryan talks about his role in the company, and how his leadership approach in business gives an opportunity for impact. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Ryan Sisson. (8:48) Ryan mentions that he studied at San Diego State University and earned a business degree. (10:04) Ryan shares that Moniker Group has been in the industry for about 10 years, and they have 7 different business units. (10:26) Ryan shares that what they do is to bring people together because that's what's valuable and vital to them. But unfortunately, due to the pandemic, everything has been challenging. (12:36) Ryan mentions that their company is run by 50 employees and they have a total of 6 physical locations, with different types of products and concepts. (13:10) Ryan shares that the businesses work together when they need to, but they all have their own story. (16:36) Ryan mentions that its structure as the parent company holds the key to all the back end operations. (16:55) Ryan shares that he sees size as an opportunity to find ways and to grow, without him as the producer. (18:54) Ryan shares that they have intentionally invested in culture with the team and care about each other's success and well-being in life. (21:04) Ryan mentions that the key elements of success are seeing individuals that are willing to stick with you, through thick and thin. (23:04) Ryan mentions that they're not a technology-driven business because most of their team requires physical interaction to function. (26:49) Key Quotes: “My job is to make sure that the people that are great at what they do have everything they need to be successful. So I compare my leadership approach to that of a bulldozer driver. I don't make things pretty, I just get stuff out of the way.” - Ryan Sisson “As a generalist, like you kind of want it, you just have this innate desire to have your hands in everything, because there's nothing that you're specifically passionate about enough to just be focused on that.” - Ryan Sisson “There's a realization that everyone that works for you is never going to work for you forever, is a big one, and I think what that does is it releases the pressure to make this person, the person. So, we've always kind of had open hands with the way that we brought people on.” - Ryan Sisson “I think just not putting too much pressure on certain people to be the end all be all for your company and, championing them over the long haul to do what is it that they're bes att, and if that's not within your business, that's okay.” - Ryan Sisson “Look around your neighborhood and find those businesses that are trying to make it to that finish line and go and figure out what you can do for them. That would be a huge lift for us as a company as well.” - Ryan Sisson Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Ryan Sisson LinkedIn Moniker Group

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Matt Sedlock, the Owner of Western Lighting & Energy Control Solutions. Matt talks about his knowledge and expertise in the lighting industry and how the culture they've created has made an impact on their business. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Matt Sedlock. (3:32) Matt shares that he graduated from Central Michigan University in 1988, with a degree in Marketing and Sales Management. (8:54) Matt mentions that his first job was in Cooper Lighting as an outside sales representative, focused on the electrical distribution channel. (9:22) Matt mentions that working in the lighting industry was his dream job since childhood. (9:52) Matt shares that he was challenged by not having any experience and minimal training, but he realized that it was an opportunity for him to educate himself and learn the industry. (11:01) Matt mentions that he's looking for individuals that have a strong work ethic, individuals that can work efficiently with others and they must be willing to be part of the team. (13:33) Matt thinks that their employees enjoy working at Western because of their culture, and the transparency that they manage. (13:57) Matt shares that they want their employees to learn the financial side of the business, to understand the inner workings, and not only about going out and acquiring the next sale. (13:46) Matt shares that the biggest product on the market right now is a product by Lutron, called Ketra, and it's currently the most advanced lighting product on the market. (20:52) Matt mentions that they're currently focusing on adding more structure to the company, and it takes every individual to speak up and share their ideas about how they can be better at what they're doing. (27:08) Key Quotes: “We learned a lot through this COVID situation, and we hope to be a better company coming out of it than when we went into it, we found efficiencies and some of those efficiencies will forever remain part of our company moving forward. We learned how to run the business differently, and better.” - Matt Sedlock Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Matt Sedlock LinkedIn Western Lighting & Energy Control Solutions

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Paolo Pirjanian, the Founder and CEO at Embodied, Inc. Paolo talks about his passion and love for technology and how he developed a robot called Moxie that helps children promote their social, emotional and cognitive skills. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Paolo Pirjanian. (9:12) Paolo mentions that he studied in Denmark, got his master's degree, then got a Ph.D. in computer vision and robotics. (10:06) Paolo shares that he moved to the US 20 years ago, to achieve his dream job, which was working for NASA JPL. (10:16) Paolo mentions that in 2012, they got acquired by iRobot, which is a company that created a robotic vacuum cleaner. (11:48) Paolo thinks that he's always been driven by his curiosity for the unknown. (12:30) Paolo shares that they have a culture document in their company which has become the foundation for everyone in the company. (18:04) Paolo mentions that the trust between the team members is significant. (19:49) Paolo shares that Moxie is an animated companion robot that can interact with you, using eye contact when you sit in front of it. (20:34) Paolo shares that Moxie's core purpose is to help children promote their social, emotional, and cognitive skills. (21:40) Paolo mentions that Moxie's other feature is their companion app for the parents that runs on a smartphone, which enables the parents to keep track of how their child is doing, on various metrics that they're measuring. (27:47) Paolo mentions that they're still currently doing the beta testing with families. (29:29) Paolo shares that they have been developing Moxie for the last five years, and having the ability to share what they have built is exciting. (39:06) Key Quotes: “I think that core talent required by anyone wanting to build a company is team building. It starts and ends with a team, the success of a company, I believe. So, over the years I have developed a lot of my skills around understanding how to build a motivated team and expand the team to grow, to thrive together, to pursue missions that seem impossible.” - Paolo Pirjanian “What brings success in life is having those soft skills. So, we are trying to help children with promoting those social, emotional cognitive skills that are essential for having a successful personal life, as well as successful career life.” - Paolo Pirjanian “I love technology. That's the muscle I've trained myself on over the years. But also, it combines with the fact that we can have an impact on many children. And beyond that other parts, our society can benefit from the technology we have developed as well.” - Paolo Pirjanian Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Paolo Pirjanian LinkedIn Embodied, Inc. Moxie