Podcasts about Employee benefits

In this episode of Just Compensation, Jessica I. Kriegsfeld, Amy C. Schwind, and Adam Dickson discuss employment considerations for early-stage companies, including best practices to be compliant with applicable employment laws and to build a strong foundation to grow and attract talent.  Speakers: Adam Dickson, Counsel, Emerging Companies & Venture CapitalAmy C. Schwind, Counsel, EmploymentJessica Kriegsfeld, Associate, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits

In this episode of Remodelers on the Rise, Kyle, Bailey, and Kassi share highlights from the recent Rise Conference. From roundtables that sparked powerful conversations to breakout sessions on AI and marriage, they reflect on moments of learning, laughter, and even tears. You'll hear about community connections, sponsors, standout sessions, and a surprise new employee benefit—plus a big announcement about the 2026 Rise Conference. ----- Thank you to our RISE Conference Sponsors: CGN (Contractor Growth Network) Builder Funnel JobTread DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen Contractor in Charge Squirrel Solutions Seabrook Design Co. ----- Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights! ----- Takeaways The Rise Conference had over a hundred attendees and multiple breakout sessions. The three I's of the conference were Ideas, Inspiration, and Implementation. Engagement during roundtables was high, with attendees sharing valuable insights. Feedback from attendees highlighted the positive energy and collaborative culture. A new employee benefit was introduced: a tattoo stipend for team members. Future events are planned, including an implementation check-in call and another Rise Conference in 2026. The importance of community among remodelers was emphasized throughout the conference. Attendees left with actionable ideas and commitments to implement in their businesses. The hosts shared personal stories and moments that made the conference memorable. The podcast encourages creativity in employee benefits and community building. ----- Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Rise Conference Recap 03:05 Key Themes and Highlights of the Conference 06:11 Standout Moments and Personal Stories 08:57 Engagement and Community Building 12:00 Implementation and Action Plans 15:01 Feedback and Future Directions 22:42 Exploring the Henry Ford Museum and Attendee Feedback 23:59 The Importance of Focus and Implementation 26:00 Positive Energy and Culture at the Conference 27:03 Stepping Out of Comfort Zones 27:52 New Employee Benefits and Team Bonding 29:55 Creative Employee Benefits: The Tattoo Stipend 34:00 Looking Ahead: Future Conferences and Offerings

Jenny Kiesewetter has more than 24 years of experience advising businesses in ERISA, employee benefits, compensation, fiduciary responsibility, and compliance matters.As a member of the firm's Employee Benefits and Tax Practice in Nashville, she advises clients on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation, including qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, health and welfare benefit plans, cafeteria plans, severance plans, and equity-based compensation plans.Jenny has also worked with businesses and investors during mergers and acquisitions, focusing on due diligence and compliance related to employee benefit plans, including retirement, health and welfare, and executive compensation plans. Additionally, she has worked on many post-acquisition employee benefit matters, specifically related to plan compliance and correction.Jenny earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, as well as a master's in communications. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. She has been consistently recognized by U.S. News - Best Lawyers for ERISA Litigation and Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.Jenny is a frequent speaker and author on topics including ERISA, employee benefits, retirement plans, health plans, and statutory and regulatory compliance. To subscribe to her LinkedIn newsletter “ERISA Explained,” please visit - https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/erisa-explained-7083416224222601216/ In this episode, Eric and Jenny Kiesewetter discuss:Fiduciary responsibility in ERISA health plan oversightConducting proper due diligence for health plan service providersSecuring and ensuring access to health plan dataReviewing provider fee disclosuresKey Takeaways:Selecting and monitoring health plan providers is an ongoing fiduciary function. Sponsors must document their decision-making and maintain oversight even after hiring a provider.When choosing a broker or advisor, conduct thorough due diligence. Interview multiple candidates, review their experience, services, and fees, and ensure they fit your organization's needs.Plan sponsors should secure access to all necessary health plan data. Owning and understanding this data is critical for informed fiduciary decisions and compliance with federal laws.Review 408(b)(2) fee disclosures from health plan service providers. Missing or incomplete disclosures can create compliance risks and may be seen as an unreasonable relationship by the Department of Labor.“You can't make fiduciary decisions if you don't know what the data says. That's my opinion. You have to understand what the data says to be able to make the right fiduciary decisions.” - Jenny KiesewetterConnect with Jenny Kiesewetter:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennykiesewetter/ Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information and content of this podcast are general in nature and are provided solely for educational and informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the posting date, but may be subject to changeIt is not intended to provide a specific recommendation for any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, investment advice, financial advice, tax, plan design, or legal advice (unless otherwise specifically indicated). Please consult your own independent advisor as to any investment, tax, or legal statements made.The specific facts and circumstances of all qualified plans can vary, and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan-specific circumstances.

On this episode of "The Founder's Sandbox", Brenda speaks with Donovan Ryckis; CEO of Ethos Benefits, the nation's leading fiduciary benefits consultant in mid- -large market employers. Ethos Benefits was founded in 2016, after a chance request from a client of Donovan when he operated as a financial advisor--the client was faced with an increase in the companies' health insurance bill for the companies' employee plan that would have had a financial burden that threatened the sustainability of the company.   ‘Ethos' represents the guiding principle, character, or spirit of a person or organization. It's the ‘why' that drives decision-making and fuel's purpose.   Through Donovan's origin story we will have our eyes opened as business owners to the potential risks of employer sponsored healthcare plans and how to mitigate these risks. You can find out more about Donovan and Ethos at: www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis Upcoming master class on August 14th https://ethosbenefits.com/ https://businessofbenefitspodcast.com/ For a limited time only access the documentary: It's not personal, it's just  healthcare. https://ethosbenefits.com/documentary/     Transcript:  00:04 Welcome back to the Founder's Sandbox. I am Brenda McCabe, your host on this monthly podcast. It reaches  business owners and entrepreneurs who learn about building resilient, scalable, and 00:32 purpose-driven companies, all with great corporate governance. I am Brenda McCabe, and I am your host. And the guests that come to the podcast are not only those founders and business owners who are sharing their experiences, but also corporate directors,  investors,  and professional service providers who, like me, want to use the power of the private enterprise, small, medium, and large, to create change for a better world. 01:00 Through storytelling here and a recreated  sandbox,  my goal is to equip  one startup founder or one business owner at a time to build a better world through great corporate governance. Today, my guest is Donovan Rikas.  He is joining the podcast as CEO of Ethos Benefits, the nation's leading fiduciary benefits consultant in the mid to large market employer space. 01:29 So I'm absolutely delighted to bring in a professional service provider in  the employer benefits area, which  we're going to  unpeel  this  sector  today in the podcast. it's fascinating. So thank you, Donovan, for joining me today. Thank you, Brenda. Thanks for having me. Excellent. So  the company you and Chelsea, your wife and president of Ethos Benefits, 01:59 was founded in 2016, which wasn't that  long ago.  But it happened serendipitously.  You got a chance request because at that time, you were a financial advisor, right? Yes. When  your client was faced with an increase  in the company's health insurance bill for their employee plan,  pardon me, that would have had such a financial burden,  it would have threatened the sustainability of 02:27 the company and that's your client. So what did you do Donovan? What was the origin  of Ethos Benefits? Thank you. Yeah, so that's exactly right. I started as a financial advisor.  So Ethos Benefits was formerly a registered investment advisory, which was Jay Donovan Financial.  And one of the interesting things that are a little bit different on the security side versus the insurance world is 02:56 the ability to  license and designate yourself as a fiduciary advisor to your clients.  So that's really important and that's kind of where we started as financial advisors. So that essentially means that you're not gonna be commission-based with variable commissions based on what you wanna sell and the client doesn't really understand, right? You're gonna be  transparent with how you earn any compensation. 03:23 and you're not gonna have any conflicts of interest that might change  the recommendations or advice that you're giving them. So it's gonna be flat fee and you get to work with them directly instead of working for the financial institutions and the insurance companies kind of in the background that are actually the ones incentivizing. Cause  it's this odd relationship where it's like you think the financial advisor is working for you but they're actually incentivized by the institutions  that they're representing. Very important clarification because we do have a question 03:53 further on, which is, you know, what, what, how does the 401k management, right about employers 401 plan, mirror that of healthcare benefits? Yeah, for sure. You'll start to see some of those. So that's how we're working as financial advisors. And that's an important distinction as we get into an explanation of 04:22 the whole healthcare industry and how that works. So you're exactly right. I was working as a financial advisor, working with business owners  because they had more kind of complicated planning and tax structures and things that I could do to really make a difference.  And what I realized is when most of them had commission-based advisors, they'd rush to sell a product, mutual funds  with upfront loads and REITs that had  proprietary commissions and all this kind of stuff. And then they would leave without worrying about any of the 04:52 tax consequences,  you know, islets or trusts or even wills, right? Like all these extra things that business owners needed to set up their own personal wealth, but also their company, their 401k, maybe combining a defined benefit plan. So that was kind of the niche I chose.  And it was incredibly lucrative. I loved it.  Was doing exactly what I wanted to do until that client kind of asked me for that help, like you alluded to. 05:21 And it was 40 % increase on his health insurance. He said, my broker says, this is it. There is nothing else. Can you help? And I didn't know any idea. Like I had no idea about health insurance or what I do. But yeah, just- No, no. problem. 05:39 And certainly as a financial advisor, it kind of seemed like going backwards and beneath me. didn't really want to do it, but I was like, I could hear the panic in his voice. And I was like, yeah, absolutely. Just send me everything you have. And after about three weeks, basically making as many connections in the industry and learning as much as I could and trying different things, we basically mitigated that increase entirely. 06:05 And he actually came three points under where he was currently today before that increase. And we didn't take away any benefits from employees. We didn't put them in smaller  HMO networks. We didn't increase deductibles or increase their premiums. None of the usual tricks.  So this was a like for like solution. We actually improved the plan a bit and came in under.  And it really made me realize in that moment, it wasn't my experience or my education or my smarts that 06:34 may be able to do this,  it was a lack of conflicts  in compensation and incentives,  right? Because his broker does about $7 billion a year annually.  I didn't come in with more market knowledge, leverage, or experience. I just didn't have conflicts of interest and compensation. That's what  started me down this path.  And  back then,  you hadn't yet  created Ethos Benefits with that name. 07:03 So when I did a little bit of research,  I couldn't have been more delighted that you actually reached out to to be featured on the founder sandbox because of two reasons, you the word fiduciary, right?  It was in  your basically your call to action, right? Or your or the definition of company. So,  you know, you  are  the governance of a company goes way beyond making a profit for shareholders. 07:32 the duty of care, the duty of loyalty and the duty of obedience is really the underpinning elements of  fiduciary duty. And on your website, you say our ethos is simple fiduciary first. So we're going to appeal that in here in a minute here. So act in the best interest of those we serve,  no matter the cost. You also on the website,  you you had a purpose ethos represents the guiding principle. 08:01 character or spirit of an organization or a person is the why that drives decision making and feels purpose. So I,  I looked like I was reading what next act advisors may consult a firm is about is just really finding those purpose driven. So  with that, I wanted to just, you know, ask you,  what was that you had that first client that first aha moment, and 08:29 How long did it take you and did when did you realize that this could be a a career change for you, right? Rather than a financial advisor, you were actually actually a health care benefits advisor, right? Yeah, I mean, I think I think the first moment is, you know, being being a financial advisor was very lucrative. And I like the people I was working with. I liked working with entrepreneurs and business owners and and, you know, just 08:58 I found them inspiring and I was curious about the things they're doing. And  I think that kind of lifts everybody up when you keep a circle like that, right? Like you  push yourself harder, you learn, educate and do different things.  So I love the clients I was working with. Like I said,  maybe  working on personal wealth for individuals though, isn't the most rewarding thing you could be doing. seeing that... 09:25 Don't get me wrong, I was paid well enough. It would have took me a long time to figure out that it wasn't very personally fulfilling.  But seeing that first case, mean, the first thing I did when I got that successful proposal back, before I presented it to the clients is I was looking at the math  of what does this cost? What difference does this make per paycheck to all the individuals in this planet? And then I'd look at somebody, my God, this person's got a wife and two kids. Look at the difference in premium there. 09:54 I was calculating my work in return to the average American worker and realizing like me putting myself aside to  proactively, strategically go after this problem instead of making a decision for my own personal commission, looking at how much that impacted everybody. And that was powerful. 10:20 I'm going on 20 years in financial services and every aspect of it, I've seen people who prioritize commissions over, you know, a better product, a better outcome for an individual. But the idea that that could be done on scale to where you're now making that decision for yourself over 200, 500, 2000, 3000 employees, like that's pretty disgusting, right? So seeing that that kind of impact could be made. 10:49 I mean, it was  it was really not a question after that I knew I was transitioning my business. Excellent. Excellent. So  my own path  after 25 years in Europe  was quite an eye opening experience when I came back to the United States, I am a US citizen, but I had to get you know, I've been working for myself and I had to get self insured. So  I got back this is like 11:18 12 years ago, I got the Affordable Care Act for dummies from my local library.  I had not yet transferred my tax certification to the United States takes quite a few years when you've been gone so long.  So you because you do have to sub venture tax returns and all that. And then  I ran into I met Marshall Allen, the author of never pay the first bill and the other ways to fight the healthcare system and when 11:46 Marshall Allen actually spoke at  a graduate or alumni event of University Chicago. And  I was, you know, reading these books. And you know, eventually,  I got my own broker to help me get onto the exchange. But it every year has been  an experience.  I'm fortunate to be part of a  membership organization through which  for small  and medium sized businesses and I get  PPO through 12:14 I won't mention names, but  I was  blessed because just  and I'm 12 years in the United States, you have to knock on a lot of doors to actually get health care when you are a small business  owner  and really  understand what  you are paying for,  not only your premiums of what are the services  that are provided. So can you talk about  the average 12:44 premium for a family of four and some of the  numbers that you discovered  and believe  we as a country could actually improve  on the outcomes, healthcare outcomes with the actual spend we have today, right? Yeah, we're getting the numbers are pretty wild. mean, I feel like we're really kind of getting to a breaking point with it.  You know, 13:12 For what I work on, employer-sponsored healthcare, 186 million Americans are covered under employer-sponsored healthcare plan. These plans can average increases anywhere from seven to 10 % annually. We see a lot of reports that come out that kind of measure these things. Kaiser Family Foundation does one, Milliman Index is another one. So there's a lot of studies that kind of measure this annually and changes for employers across the board. 13:41 What we saw this year for 2025 was the average cost for a family of four under employer sponsored health care plan is $35,119, which is just an astonishing number. That is unaffordable for an employer. That's unaffordable for an employee. And it's unaffordable for them to split that cost as well, which is how these, yeah, that's how they're structured in some way or another. 14:11 And another number to know that kind of governs this is the ACA affordability percentage, which is essentially where employers have to contribute, they have to contribute enough to keep the premium under this amount, which is 9.02 % this year. So premium for one of your employees cannot exceed 9.02 % of their take-home pay. 14:39 And this is updated on an annual basis, correct? Correct. Yeah, it fluctuates a little bit, but it's always right at 9, 8.5, 9.2, it's balanced up and down. But that's a pretty astonishing number too. And I see a lot of companies that are basically designing their contribution just to stay under that. it's, obviously they'd love to do more, but with the way these costs increase annually, sooner or later, they get to that point. 15:07 where they're kind of designing it just to be under 9 % of the employee's income. Okay, that's  astonishing.  And I'm happy that you  are working nationwide now with employer benefits with companies that, what's the size of the companies that you typically sell to? So we only work with large employers these days. And if we have somebody come in a little bit under, we have some associate agencies that we can kind of refer them to. 15:36 I'd say our minimum is usually like 250 eligible employees all the way up to 5000. Yeah, so anywhere in that mix. Excellent. So when again, I first met you was unaware because you've basically become nationwide in the last what two, three years, right? I'd say around COVID. Yeah, I took off right. So when I was speaking with you spent some time on the website. 16:06 I was trying to understand the sales alignment. So how you reach customers, those employees that have 250 between 250 and 5,000 employees, right? My first reaction was, OK, Donovan, go in with either of these benefits. You do a cost down, right? You've done, you basically work yourself out of the job. You corrected me. So for my audience, so how? 16:32 does ethos benefits work for a company, right?  What is that?  Is it is it an annual  engagement  talk walk me through the work you Yeah, I mean, things are happening on a daily like when we break down our scope of services, we'll actually show them like,  these are daily, these are weekly tasks, these are monthly, quarterly and annual because there's so much happening.  So  we're talking about the employee benefit space. Yes, it's  the 17:01 kind of designing consulting for the annual premium for a 12 month period. I think that's what people first consider.  But there's also a ton of compliance factors that have to happen throughout the year that that company has to fill out, right? Could be anything from section  125s,  5,500s,  wrap documents, all kinds of notices and disclosures  that need to be done.  Also, you know, we deal with benefits administration. So that's... 17:29 How are the employees making elections, seeing premiums? Is that integrating into payroll?  So functions like that with eligibility in and out of the company  adjusting that.  But also we kind of discussed and talked about the fact that health care is incredibly complex. So all the same market influences, where the market's at, interest rates,  inflation, all that kind of stuff affects  health care rates just like any other company in the market. 17:58 but it also gets as granular as  new medical procedures, new drugs, new generic drugs that are now an option.  It can even go down, you know, locally or regionally to where we get a new CFO in a hospital group and that starts changing the reimbursement rates that they're requesting from the insurance. So we see that where kind of a CFO comes in and they start flexing, making life difficult in a particular region or with a hospital group. 18:28 So all these things are kind of coming together and changing every single day.  Also the fact of the sheer amount of bills,  claims that come through.  So what we see on average,  this is a pretty crazy number, but  what we see on average is 18 claims  per employee per year. Okay, that's a lot.  That's a lot. So if we had just a hundred employees, that'd be 1800. 18:56 basically accounts payable  into the company. And that's part of our job too, because as you might imagine, hospitals make tons of mistakes on the bills, about 80 % of the bills have mistakes.  And then we also have to make sure that those are coming in at fair reimbursement rates to the company, because what hospitals bill is a spectrum for the exact same procedure. And the only difference is the payer. It's not the patient, it's not the complexity, it's not the physician, like it's literally 19:25 just the insurance card that can affect that difference in reimbursement rates. So all these things kind of come together where, yes, it  very much is a daily  task for me and my team on different things that we're working on. And- Are you an advocate in any way for the employees? Yes,  very much. So, you know, it's two, there's two complicated ecosystems at the same time that we're trying to navigate. 19:52 One is certainly the healthcare finance, which is what we're working with the company. But healthcare delivery for employees and members is just as complicated and confusing as far as where do I go? What is this gonna cost? What's the next step? Can I get a second opinion? How would that work? Right? And also helping navigate them to their highest cost or their lowest cost, highest quality and understanding what that is and giving them options to seek care at. 20:21 at lower prices if that's available. Excellent.  So your  delivery platform, is it like a customer success team  that  is assigned solely to that client? How does it work? Yeah, so it's kind of different. every employer is starting at a different place. They also have different ideas of where their end place or where their goal is. 20:49 healthcare delivery, kind of working on some things like that, there might be a couple of different ways we handle it. One might be having a direct  primary care provider. So the idea of a direct  primary care provider is basically same day, next day appointments with your primary care physician  and 30 to 60 minute visit times, not the average, which is seven minutes with a PCP, which is what most people get across the country.  And  with that DPC provider, you can also do things like 21:18 stitches,  blood work, get generic meds. So we're talking about more of a comprehensive service when you actually need it, not  the 14, 18 day  primary care. So that might be one of the ways we help with healthcare delivery.  It might be a nurse concierge where they have a nurse that they can help find providers,  navigate them. That might be a part of it.  So it kind of depends. then also  a lot of the times are 21:47 Our team will basically act as a care coach, where if they have anything going on, they can just call us. We'll help them set appointments, navigate them towards care, help them with their ID problems. Fantastic. Anything else you'd like to share or shed some light on the service offering of ETHOS benefits? So we're going to jump into a legal question in a minute here. 22:13 Yeah, I mean, it always just depends on the employer.  what I would say is generally they find everything we do to be  more comprehensive. And I think that's just the nature of the fact that we're not seeking compensation from the insurance providers or working with the client, because  it's my belief that we don't have a single thing to sell to an employer.  Employers have a health care problem. And we're here to solve that and work through that in any 22:42 way that they need at that given time.  So we're not,  you know, pushing those solutions are having those conflicts.  It's an excellent segue down into  current lawsuits  that are popping up with respect to,  first of all 401k, lawyer, and now healthcare benefits. So before we jump into that some specific cases, you know, for my listeners, what does fiduciary mean? 23:12 in your business model, right? Please. Yeah. So fiduciary for us is certainly always acting in the best interest of those that you represent. It's the highest standard of care.  So you mentioned a couple of things  earlier, loyalty, obedience. I think the biggest thing where companies may think they're acting as a fiduciary and they're not, because while we carry that duty to our employers and our clients, 23:40 Employers have that duty to all of their employees. And that's something that are kind of educating them because a lot of them don't realize it. But  I think the big duty that is  left out or misunderstood is the duty of prudence.  Okay. So did they go far enough in investigating solutions and understanding the problem and working through it and having a committee within the company to kind of help go through that? Because what I mean, in a compensation package, there is nothing more important 24:10 than the cost of health care and the options in health care, right? And how those decisions are being made.  So I see the duty of  prudence being the kind of  most 24:23 I, the duty with the most opportunity, let's say, maybe, maybe the most misunderstood because  the employer sometimes think, well, you know, the broker came in and he showed me one or two other options.  This is the least worst option. Therefore that's what we're doing. And I think that's enough. Right.  And that is not the case.  And it's only until there's a 40 % increase due, right. It doesn't employer say  my business is not sustainable. 24:51 So actually healthcare is what not the number two or number three expense  in the company's PNL today. Correct. Right. So walk me through some of these  recent lawsuits.  Yeah, I think we have companies like J &J and JP Morgan. Speak to me about that. 25:14 Yeah, J. J. J. P. Morgan, Wells Fargo. A lot of them are almost they're copied and in some parts of the complaint,  because it's very much the same thing. the first one we saw was  Lewandowski versus Johnson and Johnson. And this is for their health care plan. You know, they're a Fortune 50 company.  I think they somewhere around 160,000 employees. 25:42 and they have a benefits committee and a benefits team of 16 or 18 people. So a big team of people to help make these decisions, understand them and vet them. And the lawsuit is basically for their decision of pharmacy benefit manager. So a pharmacy benefit manager essentially sets the price for any drugs that employees could get within the plan. And it lays out 35 or so specific examples of drugs 26:12 but basically they agreed to pay  up to  13,000 times  the cost of the drug that's available, just cash pay.  employee and employer funds are agreeing to pay that kind of multiple on a drug that's available without insurance, much, much cheaper.  And the  lawsuit is brought by the plaintiffs, who are they? 26:40 am Lewandowski. So she's she's the plaintiff. And then I believe as it's developed, other employees have kind of came on. So 13,000 was it do you know, I know that you're not directly involved in this case. Nor should you speak to it if that is the case. But is the transparency of the data? Can you get that data if you were an employee to then understand the 27:09 multiples that your employer plan has agreed to pay to the pharmacy benefit. I'm aghast. 13, I think the number is 13,226. So when this came out last January, the first thing I did is I read through the whole complaint. It was like 130 pages went through all these. So for all the drugs that were mentioned, I ran 27:40 J &J's prices, again, Fortune 50, 150, 160,000 employees. So you would assume they're getting leveraged prices, they're making great decisions, all those kinds of things. I ran those prices against what my clients were paying. And in the smallest, like I think our smallest in my book of business, like 100 insured employees somewhere around there, they were paying 94 % less. 28:06 for the same, for one fill of all the same drugs. So the math worked out to be like 135,000 for J &J for one fill of each of those. And my clients were like 3000 or 4000, don't know, it's all my LinkedIn. posted the public letter as soon as it came out. But I basically price referenced them. So it's not a question of leverage or buying power, know, all the ridiculous things you hear. 28:34 when you're talking to  an insurance broker for these types of decisions,  it's literally, it comes down to that question of prudence. Like,  how did you vet these decisions?  Do you know how the pharmacy benefit manager is getting paid? Do you know what these drug benchmarks are against the cash price?  And that's  where I think this lawsuit is gonna be a slam dunk. Like, there is no reason for a company that size with that big of a benefits committee to hire such a conflicted PBM, is what they call it. 29:04 You heard it here on the founder sandbox. So stay tuned for  any other  lawsuits that are  worthy of mention. Do all of them? Are they all related to the pharmacy benefit manager conundrum?  There's there's all kinds of lawsuits. I think the PBMs are the lowest hanging fruit because it's so easy to benchmark. But certainly the same arguments exist with  hospital reimbursement rates. 29:33 And we're starting to see those as well. Excellent. Well, thank you  for sharing  a bit more  details on  the  recent,  I guess,  health care benefits in the news, right? Lawsuits.  Going to get a little bit technical here. 29:57 because you allowed me to.  the framework of the CAA of 2020 and 2021, that's the minimum set of standards for activities to benchmark health care plans.  And so  what are they?  Because it then leads into  some of the common sense strategies  that employers can deploy immediately.  So can you walk? Because this is just as yesterday, it's actually during the pandemic. What's the CAA? 30:27 of 2020, 2021. Thank you. Yeah. So that's the interesting part of this. So the reason I said a decade ago, over a decade ago, I was waiting for these health care lawsuits to happen. It's because Arissa has always stated that  employers have this fiduciary responsibility, just like they had with  401k. The problem has been, and the reason these lawsuits didn't come sooner, is that health insurance companies  make this data hard to access. 30:56 different carriers were released different amounts.  And there was no set of compliance standards for employers to understand this is how I go about making it, making these decisions and benchmarking these decisions, right? Like  it was all just too vague, too opaque. The data was too gagged and withheld from the employers.  So the starting point of how do I know I'm being prudent or not, that's kind of what wasn't known prior to the  CAA of 2021. 31:27 So  the CAA  basically defined a set of minimum standards  that you have to do to even pretend like you're being a prudent fiduciary for your healthcare plan. So there's four things, but there's three main things. I'll mention the fourth thing as well, because there's funny stuff about that.  So the first one  should be the most obvious, and  it's kind of our founding story, which is understanding 31:53 your broker compensation before you enter into any arrangement or agreement for your upcoming plan. So that should not only be how much,  it should be when, what type of bonus is there. If you're looking at carrier A, B, and C, really what it says is you should know what is their compensation for carrier A, B, and C before you make an arrangement, because they will be different. And that will change the recommendation, the advice, the conversation that you're having with that broker. 32:23 is critical. That is so critical. And  in reading these transparency commission  disclosures from  brokers, it is wild, the stuff that they put in there and how conflicted their advice is.  One of them that I looked at last week said, broker acknowledges that their parent company has equity in the insurance carriers that they're recommending. Oh my gosh. So they're essentially saying, 32:52 We are an insurance company that's going to bias our recommendations to the own companies we have equity in. It's like, that's no longer a party you should take advice from, right? 33:07 Okay, so that's part one.  Yeah, no, this is this is  and you know,  I without it's gonna get too technical because the gag clause and  the prescription DC reporting so that you know, basically CAA has provided the set of benchmarks, right, which  you need to at least checkmark right before you actually do. 33:35 engage or decide on your employer benefit plan.  Yeah. To be in compliance with your fiduciary duty, particularly that of prudence. Yeah.  Yeah. And I think companies shouldn't look at as a checkmark. I think if they apply it with a good faith effort, they'll see like, oh,  it's not compliance. This is a framework  for making better decisions.  Right.  And that's what it's meant to do. It's meant to say, 34:05 Know your compensation, know your drug benchmarks,  and  eliminate any gag clauses to your data because you need your data to make decisions. So I think if companies make a faith effort, they'll automatically get better outcomes. That's the way here. Excellent. Well, thank you, Donovan. I want to give me this time to actually  speak about  how to contact you,  your company. But more importantly, 34:34 There is  you're hosting a webinar on August 14, which is right around the corner. Can you  give us some more details?  The details will be in the show notes,  but speak to the event that ethos benefits is hosting on August 14 2025. Thanks. Yeah, thank  you.  Yeah. So on the 14th, we're doing a fiduciary workshop masterclass, which is basically understanding what your 35:03 what your duties are, how to get through them, how to navigate them, how to have this framework for decision making and document that process as well. And it's all geared towards just achieving those better outcomes for your company, eliminating any of these risks and really creating positive results for your people. Excellent. And any information with respect to how to reach out to you beyond the- Yeah, sorry. the registration is on a banner on the top of our 35:33 on our homepage. So ethos benefits.com. If you connect with me on LinkedIn, LinkedIn,  Donovan, ragas, you can find it there as well.  Great. Well, I'm coming to the  part of my podcast, which  brings us back to the sandbox.  In my work, I'm all about working with purpose driven, scalable, and resilient companies. 36:00 And so I ask my guest, what is the meaning of each of those terms? What does purpose mean to you? 36:08 Purpose, what does it mean to you? That's such a big question that you can go a lot away from. You know, I feel like purpose should be almost like a hidden driver. It's almost not like a well-considered thing. It's just kind of driving you forward.  I think our purpose  is progress,  right? Like if something can be done better, it should be and just kind of moving forward with that. 36:35 We're trying to move one company at a time, but also the industry and better outcomes  for the country. 36:43 And that good feel factor when you get up in the morning and know that you're doing good, right? Yeah, absolutely. Let's just sleep well at night. Right? Yes. Amazing. How about resilience? You did share with me off  camera that yeah, while you abandoned the financials,  advisory role, it took almost five years, right to really find product market fit, right  and build this because it's a very unknown right industry. 37:12 unknown service within a very, very  complex industry, right? Yeah. So resilience for you, what does that mean?  Yeah, I think you're right. You know, it took us a while because we were sharing such a wildly different message than what people were hearing from their brokers. And sometimes they look at you and be like, well, you're small, they're big, that must mean they're right, right.  So I think resilience is being able to go from 37:42 failure to failure without any loss in energy, right? So when something doesn't go your way and you have an obstacle, an outcome that is less than desired, it's about being able to push on still without losing any of your optimism or energy. And that's all we do. So. Thank you for what you do. And scalable. What does scalable mean? 38:07 Scalable is certainly about having an actual documented process. I think when you're getting into something new as a company or a new system or procedure process, if it's not something that everybody in the company could repeat in the same way that I do, just inherently the way I do it because of my background and education, if it's not repeatable for everybody and everybody doesn't understand the purpose for those steps, 38:36 the outcomes from those steps, like the end result, it's definitely not gonna be scalable. Thank you. Final question. Did you have fun on the sandbox today? I did. Thank you so much for having  me. Thank you, Donovan.  So to my listeners, if you liked this episode with Donovan Rikas from Ethos Benefits,  sign up for the monthly release of founders, business owners, corporate directors, and professional service providers that share their experiences. 39:06 and how to build with strong governance a resilient, scalable, and purpose-driven company to make profits for good. Signing off for this month, thank you very much. Have a great day.  

In this episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm, Roger Knecht interviews David Podell about defined benefit plans and tax strategies for business owners. They explore how accounting professionals can better advise clients on tax planning beyo†nd basic preparation, focusing on strategies to maximize tax benefits through retirement plans. In This Episode: 00:00 Welcome to Building the Premier Accounting Firm 00:54 Introducing David Pudel 02:05 The Journey into Tax Strategies 04:02 Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning 05:42 Strategies for Business Owners 07:05 Maximizing Deductions with Defined Benefit Plans 09:06 The Accountant's Role in Tax Planning 11:10 Balancing Profitability and Tax Mitigation 12:37 Effective Personal Tax Strategies for Business Owners 15:40 Compensation Strategies Beyond W2 17:23 Understanding Defined Benefit Plans 20:20 Flexibility in Funding Defined Benefit Plans 23:01 Employee Benefits and Vesting 26:05 Identifying Candidates for Defined Benefit Plans 30:14 Understanding Tax Mitigation Strategies 32:36 401(k) vs. Defined Benefit Plans 34:18 Key Differences with Key Man Insurance 36:41 Income Qualifications for Pension Plans 39:12 Identifying Suitable Clients for Tax Strategies 41:25 The Role of Accountants in Tax Planning Key Takeaways:

In this episode of Portfolio Pulse, host Steven sits down with Scott Zimmerman, entrepreneur at Corporate Strategies (CorpStrat) one of Los Angeles' top employee benefits brokers. With 35 years in the industry, Scott shares how he found his way to a boutique agency serving over 500 companies by prioritizing relationships, strategic partnerships, and exceptional client service over flashy marketing. From his humble start buying his own life insurance policy at 19 to leading a 22-person team, Scott discusses the mindset shift that transformed his career, the challenges of breaking into the industry, and why helping people—not chasing commissions—is the true key to longevity.

In this episode Stacey Richter speaks with Jonathan Baran, CEO of Self Fund Health in a detailed exploration of what they term the 'Flywheel Downward Spiral' of American healthcare costs. The conversation delves into how electronic health records (EHR) and the incentives driving insurers, brokers, and hospital systems contribute to consistently rising healthcare premiums.  Key points include how insurers profit from high premiums, the misleading marketing focus on discounts rather than actual costs, and the role of EHR systems in maximizing hospital profits rather than improving patient care. The episode sets the stage for a subsequent discussion on reversing these trends, aiming to align healthcare outcomes with cost reductions. Self Fund Health, I am so pleased to tell you, as I am always so pleased to tell you, did make such a kind offer to help out Relentless Health Value financially. You and the tribe here are really, really great folks who I truly appreciate. Please support Self Fund Health if you are in Wisconsin. This episode is sponsored by Self Fund Health. === LINKS ===

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and the high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) associated with them, still constitute a minority share of all employer-provided health offerings in the United States. But they probably also represent the most fertile area of employer innovations to reduce cost and improve health care value. That is why the American Benefits Council included in DESTINATION 2030, its long-term public policy strategic plan, one of its 20 goals (“Preserve access to defined contribution health programs and enhance consumer-directed health plans”) and an entire section of policy recommendations (Section N) devoted to consumer-directed health. On this episode of the podcast, Katy Spangler, the Council's senior advisor, health policy, "nerds out" with host Jason Hammersla about the past, present and future of HSA policy.  

Prescription drug costs are rising, and employers are feeling the pressure. In this episode of The Moneyball Podcast, Scott Wham and Richard Lo, Director of Clinical Services, tackle the complex world of prescription drug pricing, pharmacy benefit management, and healthcare policy. With Richard's background as a community pharmacist and Scott's strategic insights, they explore how employers can navigate rising costs, ensure ethical practices, and prepare for future growth.

Der Podcast mit Tricks, Tipps und Hilfe für Ihre Herausforderungen und HR Strategien. Experten und spannende Persönlichkeiten aus der HR Branche verraten Euch Ihre Hacks aus den Bereichen: Recruiting, Talentmanagement, Employer Branding, Staffing, Personalwesen, HR Tech [HR Technologie und HR Innovationen], Personalführung, Weiterbildung, eLearning, Leadership & HR Management, internationales Human Resource Management, Learning & Development, Retention [Mitarbeiterbindung & Employee Benefits], Leadership. Payroll, Lohn & Gehalt, Entgeltabrechnung, Corporate Health, Arbeitsrecht.

Gene Marks sits down with Senior Benefits Manager at Paychex, Tami Tillery, to answer the top questions from a recent webinar on the evolving landscape of employee benefits. They discuss how businesses, particularly in rural and underserved areas, can creatively manage healthcare costs while providing robust employee benefits. A major focus is on leveraging technology and innovative solutions such as telehealth, mobile health units, and AI to enhance employee well-being in a cost-effective manner. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, understanding how to effectively manage benefits and costs is crucial. Watch the on-demand webinar, Sustainable Benefit Strategies for Every Business Stage, at: https://bit.ly/4mt98uO Have a question for upcoming episodes or a topic you want covered? Let us know: https://payx.me/thrivetopics Topics include: 00:00: Episode preview 00:41: Overview of the "Sustainable Benefit Strategies" webinar 01:28: Rising healthcare costs insights 02:27: Strategies for rural employers 05:19: Healthcare costs and age groups 07:10: How to pick insurance plan designs from different carriers 10:21: Feasibility and advice for small businesses to offer group insurance 14:33: Getting the right benefits support 20:25: Strategies for rural employers balancing costs and quality 23:50: Predictions on future benefits trends 30:17: Wrap up and thank you DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

Der Podcast mit Tricks, Tipps und Hilfe für Ihre Herausforderungen und HR Strategien. Experten und spannende Persönlichkeiten aus der HR Branche verraten Euch Ihre Hacks aus den Bereichen: Recruiting, Talentmanagement, Employer Branding, Staffing, Personalwesen, HR Tech [HR Technologie und HR Innovationen], Personalführung, Weiterbildung, eLearning, Leadership & HR Management, internationales Human Resource Management, Learning & Development, Retention [Mitarbeiterbindung & Employee Benefits], Leadership. Payroll, Lohn & Gehalt, Entgeltabrechnung, Corporate Health, Arbeitsrecht.

Der Podcast mit Tricks, Tipps und Hilfe für Ihre Herausforderungen und HR Strategien. Experten und spannende Persönlichkeiten aus der HR Branche verraten Euch Ihre Hacks aus den Bereichen: Recruiting, Talentmanagement, Employer Branding, Staffing, Personalwesen, HR Tech [HR Technologie und HR Innovationen], Personalführung, Weiterbildung, eLearning, Leadership & HR Management, internationales Human Resource Management, Learning & Development, Retention [Mitarbeiterbindung & Employee Benefits], Leadership. Payroll, Lohn & Gehalt, Entgeltabrechnung, Corporate Health, Arbeitsrecht.

#thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables companies to support their frontline workers from job application to departure. Fountain elevates the hiring, management, and retention of frontline workers at scale.To learn more, please visit: https://www.fountain.com/?utm_source=shrm-2024&utm_medium=event&utm_campaign=shrm-2024-podcast-adam-posner.Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcastFor all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com Summary:In this episode of #thePOZcast Adam Posner interviews Jon Cooper, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Overalls, a company focused on simplifying life for employees through innovative benefits. Jon shares his journey from a corporate background to entrepreneurship, discussing the lessons learned from his parents, the challenges faced while building Life.io, and the emotional transition during acquisitions. He elaborates on the mission of Overalls, the unique service model, and the importance of technology and AI in enhancing user experience. The conversation also touches on leadership in a remote work environment, hiring practices, and the evolving definition of success.Takeaways - John's parents were both small business owners, influencing his entrepreneurial spirit.- He initially struggled with understanding the corporate world and sought practical experience.- Life.io aimed to create a financial incentive for healthy living, akin to carbon credits.- The acquisition process can be complex and emotionally challenging for founders.- Overalls was born from the need to address everyday life challenges for employees.- The service model of Overalls allows employees to send any problem for assistance.- High adoption rates are achieved through simple messaging and user education.- Real-life impact stories highlight the emotional connection and trust built with users.- Navigating challenges in the business landscape requires flexibility and adaptability.- AI enhances efficiency but should not replace the human element in service delivery. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to John Cooper and His Journey02:56 Early Influences and Entrepreneurial Spirit05:46 Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship08:45 The Concept Behind Life.io and Its Impact11:44 The Acquisition Process and Emotional Transition14:48 The Birth of Overalls and Its Mission17:45 Understanding the Service Model of Overalls20:54 Adoption Rates and User Experience23:51 Real-Life Impact Stories and Trust Building26:47 Navigating Challenges in the Business Landscape30:00 The Role of Technology and AI in Overalls33:00 Leadership in a Remote Work Environment35:53 Hiring Practices and Team Dynamics38:52 Future Challenges and Growth Opportunities41:45 Defining Success and Personal Values44:02 Conclusion and Future Connections   

What does it take to attract and retain top talent? Find out how the holistic, people-first employee benefits packages and wellness programs at global customer experience (CX) technology and services company TTEC are shaping engagement, performance, and long-term loyalty. Learn more at https://www.ttecjobs.com/en/us-employee-benefits TTEC City: Austin Address: 100 Congress Avenue Website: https://www.ttecjobs.com/en

In this episode of Just Compensation, Megan Monson, Julie Levinson Werner, and Jessica I. Kriegsfeld delve into considerations associated with engaging temporary workers, particularly through a staffing agency. They discuss the benefits of engaging temporary workers, pitfalls to avoid, and best practices.  Speakers: Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation and Employee BenefitsJulie Levinson Werner, Partner, Vice Chair, EmploymentJessica Kriegsfeld, Associate, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits

The OBBBA introduces major shifts for employers, transforming employee benefits, executive compensation, and workforce compliance. Are you prepared to adapt? Essential Impacts for Employers Dependent care and education benefits—higher flexible spending account limits and tax-favored student loan repayment programs Health savings accounts—expanded eligibility and coverage options for employees Executive compensation rules—new tax implications for public companies and nonprofits Epstein Becker Green attorneys Elliot Katz and Lucas Peterhans break down these updates in this episode of Employment Law This Week®. Get the insights you need to stay ahead of these sweeping changes. Read more insights on the OBBBA from our benefits team: https://www.workforcebulletin.com/hot-dogs-fireworks-and-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-what-employers-need-to-know-about-the-employee-benefits-and-executive-compensation-changes Visit our site for this week's Other Highlights and links: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw396 Subscribe to #WorkforceWednesday: https://www.ebglaw.com/subscribe/ Visit http://www.EmploymentLawThisWeek.com This podcast is presented by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. All rights are reserved. This audio recording includes information about legal issues and legal developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances, and these materials are not a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. The content reflects the personal views and opinions of the participants. No attorney-client relationship has been created by this audio recording. This audio recording may be considered attorney advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. The determination of the need for legal services and the choice of a lawyer are extremely important decisions and should not be based solely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.

In this Business Matters episode we discuss employee benefits and their importance in employee retention.

In the latest episode of HR Benecast host Mike Stull and Brandee Bell, senior benefits specialist at Designer Brands, discuss the importance of a clear, engaging and effective year-round benefits communication strategy. She shares insights on engaging employees using creative techniques and measuring results. She also provides real examples her team has used to improve open enrollment through effective communication. Register for upcoming Employers Health webinars or watch on demand at Events - Employers Health. Sign up for our monthly newsletter here. Find additional helpful benefits strategies and resources at Articles | Employers Health.

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Wagner, AIF®, Henssler Financial's Director of Business Development, to explore the real value of offering—and participating in—a 401(k) plan. For employers, we discuss the end of traditional pensions and why the shift toward defined contribution plans like the 401(k) makes sense today. Justin explains how company contributions are tax deductible, how a strong plan can enhance your ability to attract and retain top talent, and how it can make your company more appealing by demonstrating a commitment to employees' long-term financial wellness.On the employee side, we break down how contributions can reduce taxable income, the benefits of employer matching, the advantages of tax-deferred growth, and current annual contribution limits. Plus, we address some of the most common myths and misconceptions that prevent people from fully maximizing this powerful retirement tool.Whether you're an employer considering a plan or an employee looking to make smarter retirement decisions, this episode has something for you.Join hosts Nick Antonucci, CVA, CEPA, Director of Research, and Managing Associates K.C. Smith, CFP®, CEPA, and D.J. Barker, CWS®, and Kelly-Lynne Scalice, a seasoned communicator and host, on Henssler Money Talks as they explore key financial strategies to help investors navigate market uncertainty.Henssler Money Talks — July 5, 2025  |  Season 39, Episode 27Follow Henssler:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HensslerFinancial/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/HensslerFinancial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/henssler-financial/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hensslerfinancial/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hensslerfinancial?lang=en X: https://www.x.com/hensslergroup  “Henssler Money Talks” is brought to you by Henssler Financial. Sign up for the Money Talks Newsletter: https://www.henssler.com/newsletters/ 

Join Certified Financial Planners Greg Cooley and Bubba Labas on another episode of Advisors' RoundTable to discuss confusion about employee benefits!

Small businesses offering 401(k) plans see 40% lower employee turnover in the first year, yet only 10% receive benefits guidance from their accountants. Justin Kurn explains how Dark Horse CPAs identifies the right triggers, such as growing staff or high turnover, to initiate benefits conversations. Meanwhile, Julia Miller from Gusto breaks down how accountants can help clients navigate the cost and complexity of offering health insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits. The conversation reveals how positioning yourself as a benefits advisor can double or triple your fees while helping clients attract better talent and reduce costly employee churn.Learn more about Gusto https://gusto.com/product/benefitsChapters(00:56) - Meet Our Guests (01:26) - The Growth Story: Dark Horse CPAs' Success (02:04) - Advisory First Approach: Transforming Client Relationships (03:38) - Gusto's Role in Benefits: An Overview (07:37) - Challenges and Solutions: Small Businesses Offering Benefits (10:25) - The Cost and Complexity of Benefits: Breaking It Down (15:00) - Advisory Conversations: Identifying Client Needs (19:23) - Gusto's Support for Accountants: Tools and Resources (25:43) - Affordability and Competitive Advantage (26:40) - Partnering with Gusto for Benefits (28:19) - Gusto's Software Solutions (29:12) - Client Experiences with Gusto (29:52) - Gusto's User-Friendly Platform (39:10) - Implementation and Timeline (47:42) - Increasing Revenue through Advisory Services (49:52) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests:Julia MillerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-g-millerJustin KurnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinkurnWebsite: https://darkhorse.cpa/justin-kurn-cro/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Ryan Sachtjen is the Co-founder and CEO of Threeflow, building software for employee benefits brokers and insurance carriers.We start with a deep dive into the nearly $2 trillion dollar employee benefits market, including the structural issues that actually give the smallest companies the most leverage.We also talk about insurance more broadly, AI opportunities in insurance, lessons from kickstarting a marketplace doing nearly $3B in volume, when his wife got cancer two months after closing Threeflow's seed round, and how his co-founders adjusted to support him.Special thanks to Bolt for supporting this episode! Join the world's largest hackathon - up to $1m in prizes. Sign-up here.Timestamps:(3:57) Threeflow: B2B benefits marketplace(5:50) How the benefits industry works(9:20) The importance of brokers in insurance(12:32) Benefits broker software stack(15:36) How to make money in employee benefits(21:11) Ways to compete in insurance(26:34) How AI is changing insurance(31:01) What its like to be an insurance broker(35:37) Starting ThreeFlow in 2016 pre-LLMs(40:13) The 128 day walk through Europe before Threeflow(44:47) When his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer(50:23) Advice for founders on surviving large personal events(52:46) Threeflow's unorthodox Seed round(59:46) How to vet your investors(1:04:14) Why insurance brokers exist(1:05:08) How to build a marketplace on top of Vertical SaaS(1:10:53) Choosing a marketplace entry point(1:15:05) $2.5B in premium volume on Threeflow workflows(1:26:39) Importance of supply side volume in a marketplace(1:31:21) Fundraising without a formal process(1:33:03) Hiring for “just get stuff done”(1:36:22) AI opportunities in insurance(1:41:05) Building software in insurance(1:44:56) Tactics for running a distributed team(1:49:04) Creating your own playbooksReferencedTry ThreeflowCareers at ThreeflowFollow RyanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansachtjen/Follow TurnerTwitter: https://twitter.com/TurnerNovakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turnernovakSubscribe to my newsletter to get every episode + the transcript in your inbox every week: https://www.thespl.it/

Find out what this company did to their employees!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Essential employee benefits for working caregivers. In this insightful episode, we explore into the critical intersection of caregiving responsibilities and career management. With a staggering 73% of employees juggling work and caregiving, it's essential to explore how workplaces can better support this significant portion of their workforce. We discuss leveraging Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as valuable tools for both employers and employees. For organizations, ERGs provide crucial insights into the needs of working caregivers, informing the development of relevant employee benefits and fostering a supportive company culture. We explore which employee benefits are most valued by caregivers. Furthermore, we address the challenges faced by individuals who have stepped away from their careers to provide care. We offer practical advice on effectively positioning oneself for re-entry into the workforce, emphasizing how to highlight the valuable skills acquired through caregiving. This episode provides essential guidance for both employers seeking to support their caregiving employees and individuals navigating the complexities of balancing career and care. Our Guest: Zack Demploplous, author Working Caregivers - The Invisible Employees Zack Demopoulos has over 36 years of diverse experience working in the corporate and small business environments. His expertise spans across sales management; executive leadership; human resources; diversity, equity, and inclusion; small business; board leadership; and caregiving. Zack was drafted into a long distance caregiver for his father when he had a stroke and needed help with activities of daily living for six years until he passed away in 2011. During this time Zack traveled back and forth to North Carolina while holding down a full-time high-level leadership role for his organization. Today, Zack does the same for his mother who also lives in North Carolina.

Today, we are dropping a special episode in the Invest Like the Best Feed. 50X is back, a fan favorite series from Will Thorndike and the team at Compounding Labs. Will's book, "The Outsiders," is one of the best business and investing books that you'll find. You'll hear him continuing his work in the hosting chair as he looks in detail at investments that have appreciated at least 50-fold.Season two features Asurion. Colossus is excited to partner with Will as he sits down with the management and investors behind this legendary investment. We kick off this special drop with a short interview that I did with Will on everything he learned studying this business, followed by the full three-part series. Learn more and dive into our research at ⁠50xpodcast.com⁠ —- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠ Ramp.com/invest⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. — This episode is brought to you by ⁠Oberle⁠. Oberle is a specialty insurance brokerage providing insurance services to search funds, independent sponsors, family offices, and private equity firms. Oberle supports its clients with a comprehensive insurance due diligence covering a wide range of items, including commercial insurance, Employee Benefits, key person life insurance, and reps and warranty coverage. Additionally, Oberle has a thriving personal lines practice, designed for entrepreneurs seeking a higher-level service and expertise when it comes to insuring one's home, vehicles, and valuables. If you're interested in connecting with the Oberle team:  ⁠https://oberle-risk.com/50x⁠ — This episode is brought to you by ⁠System Six⁠, a searcher-owned outsourced bookkeeping and accounting services firm that has been a great partner to us at Compounding Labs.  With the right modern tools and a strong team, System Six will eliminate headache for you and give you time back so you can focus on growing your business. Whether you're a CEO or CFO stuck in the weeds, or an investor trying to support your CEOs and portfolio companies, reach out to hello@systemsix.comand mention the podcast for your first month of ongoing bookkeeping free. —- 50X is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of 50X, visit⁠⁠⁠ joincolossus.com/episodes⁠⁠⁠. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠). Follow us on Twitter: @50Xpodcast | @joincolossus Show Notes (00:00:00) Welcome to 50X (00:04:52) Patrick interviews Will Thorndike (00:18:16) The Early Days (‘95-‘01) with Kevin Taweel (01:24:44) The Flywheel Era (‘01-‘07) with Kevin Taweel (02:24:32) Retracing the Path to 100 times 50x with Irv Grousbeck

Stacey Richter has a second take on the original episode 433 since it is so relevant right now. Stacey engages in a compelling conversation with Justin Leader, CEO of BenefitsDNA, about the opaque practices of third-party administrators (TPAs) and their impact on healthcare costs.  They discuss the hidden fees tucked into weekly claims wires, including shared savings fees, prior authorization fees, prepayment integrity fees, pay and chase fees, and TPA adjudication fees.  The episode emphasizes the need for transparency, understanding hidden costs, and ensuring fiduciary responsibility for self-funded employers. Additionally, Leader shares insights from a Health Affairs article and mentions ongoing legal cases that highlight the financial discrepancies in TPA practices. === LINKS ===

Sponsor de la tertulia: GuruSupAutomatiza el 90 % de tus consultas de atención al cliente (WhatsApp, email y chat) en cualquier idioma con IA. Integra Gurusup en tus apps y mejora tus flujos. Más información en https://gurusup.com/es/En esta tertulia en directo desde Barcelona, el equipo de Itnig recibe a Álvaro Falcones, cofundador de TaxDown, para una conversación cargada de visión empresarial, tecnología aplicada a la fiscalidad e inteligencia artificial.Álvaro comparte cómo han escalado TaxDown hasta gestionar más de un millón de declaraciones en España y su expansión en México, donde han tenido que adaptarse al contexto local de desconfianza fiscal. También se analizan sus campañas de marketing con figuras como David Bustamante y el papel de la IA en la automatización del asesoramiento fiscal.Factorial, por su parte, anuncia su nuevo producto de Employee Benefits, explicando su integración nativa con nómina, infraestructura fintech y deducciones automáticas.Se comentan los movimientos de OpenAI, la competencia entre open source y modelos cerrados, y cómo la inversión en infraestructura para IA (como data centers) está reconfigurando la economía digital. Una tertulia imprescindible para entender cómo la IA se cruza con la fiscalidad, el producto digital y el futuro del trabajo.Sigue a los "tertulianos" en Twitter:• Bernat Farrero: @bernatfarrero• Jordi Romero: @jordiromero• César Migueláñez: @heycesrSOBRE ITNIG

On this episode of Engage, host First Officer Ryan Argenta discusses how Delta is actively opposing state laws that were enacted to provide employees with an enhanced sick leave benefit. Specifically, the Company is attempting to circumvent, ignore or litigate state sick laws that provide employees who live or work in that state with benefits more generous than those offered by their employers. Pilots based in LAX, MSP, DTW, SEA and NYC are familiar with Delta's ongoing efforts to prevent them from using their state sick benefit in order to care for themselves and their families. Those attempting to use their sick leave are often meet with resistance, have their sick claims denied or receive “counseling” from Chief Pilots. Special guests David Martin, Senior Legislative Rep, and Jeff Pavlak, Manager of Policy and Legislation for ALPA National, discuss this concerning problem and address how ALPA is aggressively fighting for Delta's compliance. The group talks about what pilots can do to affect change on a broader level and specifically what pilots can do who need to use their state sick enhanced benefits or have been denied by Delta. (Recorded May 22, 2025)

Essential employee benefits for working caregivers. In this insightful episode, we explore into the critical intersection of caregiving responsibilities and career management. With a staggering 73% of employees juggling work and caregiving, it's essential to explore how workplaces can better support this significant portion of their workforce. We discuss leveraging Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as valuable tools for both employers and employees. For organizations, ERGs provide crucial insights into the needs of working caregivers, informing the development of relevant employee benefits and fostering a supportive company culture. We explore which employee benefits are most valued by caregivers. Furthermore, we address the challenges faced by individuals who have stepped away from their careers to provide care. We offer practical advice on effectively positioning oneself for re-entry into the workforce, emphasizing how to highlight the valuable skills acquired through caregiving. This episode provides essential guidance for both employers seeking to support their caregiving employees and individuals navigating the complexities of balancing career and care. Our Guest: Zack Demploplous, author Working Caregivers - The Invisible Employees Zack Demopoulos has over 36 years of diverse experience working in the corporate and small business environments. His expertise spans across sales management; executive leadership; human resources; diversity, equity, and inclusion; small business; board leadership; and caregiving. Zack was drafted into a long distance caregiver for his father when he had a stroke and needed help with activities of daily living for six years until he passed away in 2011. During this time Zack traveled back and forth to North Carolina while holding down a full-time high-level leadership role for his organization. Today, Zack does the same for his mother who also lives in North Carolina. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Related Episodes: Surprise! Your Employer Has Benefits to Help With Caregiving Money Talk: How to "Have the Talk" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sign Up for more Advice & Wisdom - email newsletter. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Please help us keep our show going by supporting our sponsors. Thank you. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan Relevate from NeuroReserve With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Feeling overwhelmed? HelpTexts can be your pocket therapist. Going through a tough time? HelpTexts offers confidential support delivered straight to your phone via text message. Whether you're dealing with grief, caregiving stress, or just need a mental health boost, their expert-guided texts provide personalized tips and advice. Sign up for a year of support and get: Daily or twice-weekly texts tailored to your situation Actionable strategies to cope and move forward Support for those who care about you (optional) HelpTexts makes getting help easy and convenient. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ List of the Top 20 Alzheimer's Podcasts via FeedSpot! See where we rank. Join Fading Memories On Social Media! If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links. Instagram LinkedIn  Facebook Contact Jen at hello@fadingmemoriespodcast.com Or learn more at Our Website

In this episode of Troutman Pepper Locke's Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation podcast, hosts Lydia Parker and Lynne Wakefield explore the complex legal landscape surrounding the coverage of GLP-1s prescribed for weight loss purposes within self-insured medical plans. As these medications gain popularity, plan sponsors face the challenge of controlling costs while meeting participant demand and maintaining legal compliance. The discussion covers various design alternatives, including cost-sharing strategies, waiting periods, and wellness program rewards, while addressing potential legal risks under HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Tune in to explore how plan sponsors can navigate these issues effectively as a means to attract and retain employees, while mitigating financial exposure.

Mathias Lemos Castillo (He/Him/El), Founder / CEO, MLC Consulting, and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week, our conversation is about keeping hands off our brain data, the ultimate retention hack, accessibility at first swipe, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Accessibility at First SwipeQueer Cover Breakthrough!Hands Off Our Brain DataFree Childcare: The Ultimate Retention HackFreedom UnlockedGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette's GVTG: Yesterday was Global Accessibility Awareness Day aka GAAD. It's amazing how much we don't know. My firm has strived to follow best practices for digital inclusion, but we're not perfect. Here's a great checklist from Meryl Evans.Mattias' GVTG: Turn challenges into opportunities. Identify ways to transform road blocks into an opportunity for growth, then not just internally, but in our community settings and our organizations and lean into the curiosity of what is possible for us.Read the Stories.Connect with Mathias Lemos Castillo.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes in DEI every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this episode of Benefits Influencer, host Dennis Carlson interviews Steve Santangelo, Chief Revenue Officer at Garner Health, about their unique approach to healthcare cost management through provider quality assessment. The conversation offers benefits brokers and consultants valuable insights into innovative solutions for addressing rising healthcare costs at a time when employers are seeking more effective alternatives to traditional health plans. ------------------------------------------------- Steve Santangelo brings his decade of carrier-side experience to explain how Garner Health uses data analytics to identify high-quality healthcare providers and incentivize employees to choose them, resulting in both better care and lower costs. The discussion explores: Key Takeaways: Provider Quality Focus: Garner Health analyzes physicians on over 500 metrics using data representing 320 million patients to identify high-performing providers. Their approach connects patients to top doctors within existing networks, finding that higher quality care typically costs less, delivering average savings of 27% per healthcare episode. Market Transformation: We've reached a "tipping point" in healthcare where employers are actively seeking alternatives as costs become unsustainable. CFOs are now directly involved in benefits decisions, and previously "too disruptive" solutions like reference-based pricing are gaining traction as companies face higher healthcare cost increases. Broker Strategy: Successful benefits consultants need to develop multi-year strategies for clients rather than temporary solutions. Vendors should work closely with brokers throughout the client lifecycle, focusing on delivering promised results that help brokers demonstrate value when renewals arrive. The episode also covers insights on price transparency developments, how self-funded employers can leverage concentrated membership for direct contracting, and why brokers remain essential partners in implementing innovative healthcare solutions.

Today's episode is the finale of our season on Asurion, the world's leading tech care company with more than 300 million customers. In an interview with legendary long-time director, Irv Grousbeck, we discuss Irv's path to investing in Asurion, his stewardship across several cohorts of PE ownership, and compare Asurion to Irv's previous power law experience at Continental Cable. Learn more and dive into our research at⁠ ⁠50xpodcast.com⁠⁠   For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page⁠⁠ here.⁠⁠ —- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠⁠ Ramp.com/invest⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. — This episode is brought to you by ⁠Oberle⁠. Oberle is a specialty insurance brokerage providing insurance services to search funds, independent sponsors, family offices, and private equity firms. Oberle supports its clients with a comprehensive insurance due diligence covering a wide range of items, including commercial insurance, Employee Benefits, key person life insurance, and reps and warranty coverage. Additionally, Oberle has a thriving personal lines practice, designed for entrepreneurs seeking a higher-level service and expertise when it comes to insuring one's home, vehicles, and valuables. If you're interested in connecting with the Oberle team:  ⁠https://oberle-risk.com/50x⁠ —- 50X is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of 50X, visit⁠⁠ joincolossus.com/episodes⁠⁠. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠). Follow us on Twitter: @50Xpodcast | @joincolossus Show Notes (00:00:00) Welcome to 50X (00:01:19) Sponsorship: Ramp (00:02:36) Sponsorship: Oberle (00:04:08) Irv Grousbeck Introduction (00:06:53) Irv's Background with Continental Cablevision (00:12:39) Meeting Kevin and Jim (00:16:52) Investing in Road Rescue (00:23:06) Early Success: Hold or Sell — Pivotal Moment? (00:27:30) TA Investment (00:30:29) Building the Team (00:35:49) Capital Allocation in the Search Fund Period (00:38:53) The Lock/line Acquisition (00:45:07) 2007 Equity Recap (00:47:22) Board Dynamics (00:52:23) Irv's Asurion Investment (00:53:43) Lessons in Management (00:55:28) Comparing Continental and Asurion

Stephen Snyder joined me this week for a wide-ranging discussion on Kentucky, college baseball, transitioning from voluntary to employee benefits, and bourbon.Stephen made the shift a few years ago and shares some of the key differences, such as the different volume in sales, completely unique sales cycles, and the need to think differently when selling employee benefits. He also shared how content has allowed him to build a brand for himself, both in the VB and EB worlds. If you're currently in voluntary benefits and looking to switch, or have just made that transition, you'll get a lot out of this episode of the Accelerate Your Insurance Sales Podcast.▶▶ Sign Up For Our Social Media Sales Seminar:https://www.completegameu.com/registration-SMSSKEY MOMENTS(00:00:00) From Voluntary Benefits To Employee Benefits | with Stephen Snyder(00:00:24) Growing Up In Kentucky(00:05:15) Juco Baseball(00:13:23) Career Shift from Voluntary Benefits to Employee Benefits(00:19:22) Why Employee Benefits Is So Different(00:36:12) Networking and Growth Through Content CreationCONNECT WITH ANDY NEARY

In the latest episode of Ask Michelle, Michelle shared key compliance updates, including the upcoming April Supreme Court ruling on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's (USPSTF) authority over preventive care recommendations, the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO) annual reporting deadline on May 2, 2025, and President Trump's recent Executive Order aimed at lowering drug costs. Michelle also highlighted the upcoming Fisher Phillips webinar on April 30, 2025, covering the latest in labor and employment law.Michelle addressed several listener questions, such as whether beneficiaries are taxed if an employer fails to impute income on excess group term life insurance, the requirement to issue a Summary of Material Modifications (SMM) after a plan and carrier change on January 1, 2025, and if fully insured group health plans must conduct a Non-Quantitative Treatment Limitation (NQTL) analysis for Mental Health Parity compliance.She also discussed the rise in class action lawsuits against employer wellness programs related to tobacco surcharges and reminded listeners about the BCBS Provider Settlement Fund claims deadline of July 29, 2025. Are you curious about a compliance issue? Please submit your questions to AskMichelle@imacorp.com, and Michelle will answer them in the next episode. 

In the second part of the two-part Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2025 podcast series on changes employers can expect from the new administration, Jim Plunkett (shareholder, Washington, D.C.) continues his discussion on post-election policy changes with three additional panelists. Stacy Bunck (shareholder, Kansas City) covers the recent changes at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), including the Commission's new makeup, its impact on the agency's priorities and actions, and how employers can comply with recent EEOC guidance on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Next, Tina Ho (shareholder, Washington, D.C.) discusses the new administration's immigration policy actions, which include increased vetting procedures and secondary inspections, delays in processing times for visa and green card applications, revocations in visa status and visa stamps, and employee reporting obligations. Stephanie Smithey, a shareholder in the firm's Indianapolis office and co-chair of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group, wraps up the discussion by focusing on the new administration's goal to deregulate and streamline rules. She covers topics such as mental health parity compliance, HIPAA privacy regulations, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing rules, cryptocurrency, and more.

Today's episode is the second in a series of three on Asurion, the world's leading tech care company with more than 300 million customers. In an interview with Co-Founder and Chairman Kevin Taweel, we dive deep into Asurion's divinely discontent culture, hyper-rational approach to talent management, growth over $1 billion in sales, and transformational acquisition of Lock/line.  Learn more and dive into our research at ⁠50xpodcast.com⁠   For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page⁠ here.⁠ —- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠ Ramp.com/invest⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. — This episode is brought to you by Oberle Risk Strategies. Oberle is a specialty insurance brokerage providing insurance services to search funds, independent sponsors, family offices, and private equity firms. Oberle supports its clients with a comprehensive insurance due diligence covering a wide range of items, including commercial insurance, Employee Benefits, key person life insurance, and reps and warranty coverage. Additionally, Oberle has a thriving personal lines practice, designed for entrepreneurs seeking a higher-level service and expertise when it comes to insuring one's home, vehicles, and valuables. If you're interested in connecting with the Oberle team:  https://oberle-risk.com/50x —- 50X is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of 50X, visit⁠ joincolossus.com/episodes⁠. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠). Follow us on Twitter: @50Xpodcast | @joincolossus Show Notes (00:00:00) Welcome to 50X (00:01:19) Sponsorship: Ramp (00:02:36) Sponsorship: Oberle Risk Strategies 00:04:08) Asurion Rebranding (00:05:58) Building the Team (00:15:39) Building the Culture (00:23:04) Talent and Compensation (00:31:51) Giving Back: Compassion Forward Program (00:36:26) Customer Concentration (00:41:07) Crisis Management (00:42:56) Strategy by Experimentation (00:43:08) Acquiring Lock/line (00:51:44) Integrating Lock/line (00:54:12) Capital Allocation in the TA Period (00:59:11) 2007 Equity Recap

This podcast is brought to you by Outcomes Rocket, your exclusive healthcare marketing agency. Learn how to accelerate your growth by going to outcomesrocket.com Mental health startups targeting employers need to understand employer challenges, build relationships, and innovate to make care accessible, affordable, and integrated. In this episode, Ryan Koo, Employee Benefits Consultant at Marsh McLennan Agency, talks about critical challenges and opportunities in the mental health landscape. Ryan highlights actionable insights for startups aiming to succeed in employer markets. He discusses the vital role of community and relationships in the healthcare ecosystem. Ryan also discusses emerging trends like integrated mental health solutions addressing acute and chronic needs. Tune in to discover how to bridge gaps in mental health care, foster innovation, and navigate the complex employer ecosystem with actionable strategies and expert insights! Resources: Connect with and follow Ryan Koo on LinkedIn. Follow Marsh McLennan Agency on LinkedIn and visit their website.

Like the show? Show your support by using our sponsors. Promotive can help you find your dream job. Touch HERE to see open jobs. Need to update your shop systems and software? Try Tekmetric HEREIn this episode, Jeff is joined by Lisa Coyle and Joelle Pollak from Promotive! Lisa emphasizes the importance of choosing a workplace based on people and culture, not just pay, while Joel shares insights on the multi-step vetting and placement process Promotive uses to ensure strong fits between shops and technicians. Jeff also reflects on his career journey, highlighting how finding the right shop culture made all the difference in his job satisfaction and performance.We're so thankful for the support of Promotive as a sponsor of the podcast! Show your support for this show by thanking them for their sponsorship. And use them if you're looking for a job!00:00 Work's Impact on Personal Life06:09 Discover Interests Beyond Resume11:20 "Impact of Declining Practical Skills"19:47 "Challenges in Attracting Talent"25:58 "Unicorns: The Elite Problem Solvers"27:31 Value Beyond the Job37:11 Rejecting the Flat Rate Work Model39:03 Unicorn Diagnostic Tech Traits47:07 "Work Boot Replacement Benefits"49:54 Beer Exchange Rumor at Shops56:31 "Challenges of Working Interviews"01:00:53 "Honeymoon Phase in Dealerships"01:07:17 "Quirky Industry Changes"01:09:09 Consider Job Fit Before Switching01:17:30 "Tire Tech Job Dilemma"01:19:42 Mechanic's Seasonal Job Struggle Follow/Subscribe to the show on social media! TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffcompton7YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheJadedMechanicFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091347564232

Guest Bio This episode featured the co-founders of a first-of-its-kind fertility insurance solution called Flora Fertility. Dr. Christy Lane, President and Co-Founder Dr. Christy Lane is global leader of InsurTech, an investor, founder and award-winning health scientist with expertise in AI, digital health, and wearable devices. Dr. Lane is the Co-Founder of Flora Fertility, the Stanford Wearable Health Lab, as well as Founder and former CEO of Vivametrica. Dr. Lane is also a Venture Partner with IA Capital, an InsurTech/fintech venture firm in New York. Dr. Lane has built her career in women's health research since the 90's, and is blazing a new path forward to combine critical components of wearable tech to help inform insurance policy to make fertility treatments more accessible. As a mom of 3, Dr. Lane has gone through IVF herself and deeply understands the emotional and financial challenges of treatment. She has been recognized as Top 40 Under 40 in Calgary, Female Founders of Insuretech Winner and Top 20 Women in Tech. Laura McDonald, CEO and Co-Founder Laura McDonald is the Co-Founder of Flora Fertility, the first individually-owned insurance solution for fertility and women's health. She formerly founded, scaled, and sold Canada's largest financial media company focused on women and wealth and is passionate about educating women about financial freedom and helping them achieve those goals. She has guided product wholesaling for a major insurance company and helped scale a DTC AI model in the e-commerce space to have global market adoption across 100+ countries. She is a mother of four and the author of two best-selling personal finance books and a former media personality in the financial sector.  Highlights from the Show The interview discusses the innovative approach of Flora Fertility, a company co-founded by Christy Lane and Laura McDonald. The company focuses on providing individually owned private insurance coverage for fertility, aiming to address the high demand and financial burden associated with fertility treatments. The discussion highlights the prevalence of fertility issues, with statistics indicating that one in six people may require fertility treatment, a figure recognized by the World Health Organization as a global health issue in 2023. Flora Fertility's insurance product is designed to be accessible and affordable, targeting women aged 20 to 34 with policies ranging from $15 to $70 per month, offering up to $50,000 in coverage for fertility treatments. The founders emphasize the importance of community and education, aiming to create a supportive environment for policyholders that includes perks, benefits, and educational resources. The episode also touches on the broader implications of women's health and the need for more investment and innovation in this area. It highlights the potential for Flora Fertility to change perceptions of insurance among younger generations and to serve as a gateway for other insurance products. The founders' personal experiences with infertility and their professional backgrounds in healthcare and entrepreneurship are key drivers behind the company's mission. Key Points: Innovative Insurance Solution: Flora Fertility offers a unique insurance product specifically for fertility treatments, addressing a significant gap in the market. Global Health Issue: Fertility issues affect one in six people globally, as recognized by the World Health Organization in 2023, highlighting the importance of accessible fertility treatment options. Affordable Coverage: The insurance policies are designed to be affordable, with monthly premiums ranging from $15 to $70, providing up to $50,000 in coverage. Target Demographic: The primary target audience for these policies is women aged 20 to 34, a demographic that can greatly benefit from early and proactive fertility planning. Community and Education: Flora Fertility emphasizes the importance of building a supportive community for policyholders, offering educational resources and additional benefits. Broader Implications for Women's Health: The initiative underscores the need for more investment and innovation in women's health, potentially reshaping perceptions of insurance among younger generations. Founders' Motivation: The personal experiences of the founders with infertility, combined with their professional expertise in healthcare and entrepreneurship, drive the mission and vision of Flora Fertility. This episode is brought to you by The Future of Insurance book series (future-of-insurance.com) from Bryan Falchuk. Follow the podcast at future-of-insurance.com/podcast for more details and other episodes. Music courtesy of Hyperbeat Music, available to stream or download on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music and more.

John Uhas and Larry Small/Benalytics Benalytics Consulting Group, LLC, offers an alternate approach to helping employers address human resource and benefit challenges. After 20 years as a Principal and Consultant with leading global HR and benefit firms, their founder recognized the need for a different type of service model. Since their inception in 2005, Benalytics […] The post John Uhas and Larry Small with Benalytics appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Gina Alsdorf has more than 15 years of experience in employee benefits, working on complex issues involving ERISA, employee benefit plans, and related laws. Her past clients include trustees, plan committees, plan sponsors, consultants, registered investment advisors, broker-dealers, banks, insurance companies, third-party administrators, and recordkeepers for retirement plans and individual retirement accounts. Gina received her JD, cum laude from University of Georgia Law School and was awarded an LLM in Employee Benefits with honors, from the University of Illinois, Chicago Law School.In this episode, Eric and Gina Alsdorf discuss:Evaluating PBM contracts with expert oversightPrioritizing transparency in pricing modelsAlign PBM incentives with participant outcomes, if possibleInvest in education and oversight for long-term successKey Takeaways:Engage legal and consulting professionals to analyze contract terms, ensuring alignment with fiduciary responsibilities and plan objectives.Understand the financial structure of PBM arrangements, favoring models that clearly show how costs and profits are distributed.Select partners and structures that place plan participant benefit above corporate profit, especially in vertically integrated PBM organizations.Encourage continuous learning and mentorship among benefit managers to adapt to a complex and evolving pharmacy benefits landscape.“ERISA does not give you the duty to go for the cheapest price. You're supposed to get the best service for the money for your people.” - Gina AlsdorfConnect with Gina Alsdorf:Website: https://www.carltonfields.com/team/a/gina-alsdorf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-alsdorf/ Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information and content of this podcast is general in nature and is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the posting date, but may be subject to change.It is not intended to provide a specific recommendation for any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, investment advice, financial advice, tax, plan design, or legal advice (unless otherwise specifically indicated). Please consult your own independent advisor as to any investment, tax, or legal statements made.The specific facts and circumstances of all qualified plans can vary, and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan-specific circumstances.

Like the show? Show your support by using our sponsors.Promotive can help you find your dream job. Touch HERE to see open jobs.Need to update your shop systems and software? Try Tekmetric HEREIn this episode, Jeff is joined by Tom Schearer of Schearer Sales and Service. Tom talks about the complexities of used car sales, emphasizing the importance of honest communication with customers and building long-term relationships over short-term profits. The conversation also touches on investing in specialized tools and training to stay competitive, and the value of strong shop culture and effective team collaboration.Want to go to TOOLS? Register HERE00:00 Challenges in Used Car Dealership08:34 "Dealers Prefer Used OEM Brands"12:13 Limited Used Car Warranty Realities19:53 "Tackling Car Repairs Holistically"22:58 "Leadership Transition and Delegation"26:16 Inconsistent Terminology Causes Confusion35:17 Post-Warranty Car Maintenance Shift38:33 Dealerships: Balancing Sales and Relations45:36 Employee Transition Concerns47:25 Chrysler Dealers' Hiring Agreement56:23 Recognition Over Pay: Valuing Appreciation01:01:36 Overcoming Fear: Embrace Collaboration01:06:14 "Collaborative Collision Repair Insights"01:12:32 "Importance of Knowledge Sharing"01:14:50 Retirement and Mentorship Goals01:18:49 Apology and Anticipation Follow/Subscribe to the show on social media! TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffcompton7YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheJadedMechanicFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091347564232

In episode 198, Coffey talks with Kelly Baringer about 2025 trends in employee health benefits and strategies for reducing healthcare costs. They discuss value-based care and directed networks that steer patients to providers with better outcomes; consumer-driven healthcare plans with transparent pricing and no balance billing; the rising costs of pharmacy benefits and hidden broker compensation; and fiduciary responsibilities of HR professionals when managing employee healthcare plans. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  About our Guest: Kelley Barringer is a Vice President of Employee Benefits Consulting, with the Employee Benefits team located in Dallas, Texas. She serves as a senior client executive, client advocate, and key liaison with our clients' executive teams, human resources, benefits, finance, and operations contacts. She provides oversight of the USI service team including overseeing the day-to-day needs of clients and is responsible for conducting periodic dialogue with key client contacts to assume overall satisfaction with the USI team. She joined USI in 2022 and has been in the insurance industry since 2015.  Prior to USI, Kelley worked at Ardent Solutions/Alera Group for 6.5 years in employee benefits. Before that, she worked in technology sales and services at Canon USA. Kelley spent time in the medical device industry working with physical therapists and in operating rooms with implants.  She has her B.S. in Exercise Science from (UTA) The University of Texas at Arlington and achieved her M.B.A. through (SMU) Southern Methodist University's executive program. She was a Specialist in the US Army Reserve's 441st Ambulance Unit, deployed to Camp Buehring, Kuwait as a medic.    Kelley is involved in her local SHRM chapter, DallasHR, as a board member, and is a Tri-chair for the Richardson Chamber of Commerce's Women in Leadership Committee. She and her oldest daughter are involved with their local National Charity League chapter. She also sits on the City of Richardson's Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Board.  Kelley was raised in Garland, TX and resides in Richardson, TX.  She and her husband have three school-aged children. Kelley Barringer can be reached athttps://www.usi.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleybarringer/  About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community.Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee.Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week.Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: 1.       Investigate value-based care options like UHC's app-based plans that use provider ratings and incentivized co-pays to guide employees toward higher quality care while reducing costs.2.       Identify and understand broker compensation structures within your healthcare plans to fulfill fiduciary responsibilities and ensure transparency in benefit costs.3.       Evaluate personal and company liability protection needs regarding employee benefits decisions, including whether HR professionals need to be covered under errors and omissions policies.

Motheo Khoaripe speaks to Andrew Levy, Labour economist on the role of unions in South Africa's socio-economic landscape and to Blessing Utete, Managing Executive of Old Mutual Corporate Consultants about on how employee benefits are driving the talent war. In other interviews, Grant Nader, Portfolio Manager at Benguela Global Fund Managers chats about assisting a young build and investment portfolio and long-term wealth The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.Thank you for listening to The Money Show podcast.Listen live - The Money Show with Stephen Grootes is broadcast weekdays between 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) on 702 and CapeTalk. There’s more from the show at www.themoneyshow.co.za Subscribe to the Money Show daily and weekly newslettersThe Money Show is brought to you by Absa. Follow us on:702 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702702 on Instagram: www.instagram.com/talkradio702702 on X: www.x.com/Radio702702 on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@radio702CapeTalk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: www.instagram.com/capetalkzaCapeTalk on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567CapeTalk on X: www.x.com/CapeTalk See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Dennis Carlson sits down with Kristen Rivers, SVP of Sales at ParetoHealth. They discuss how mission-aligned benefits consultants and employers can access premium healthcare solutions typically reserved for large companies through captive healthcare models, highlighting the limitations of traditional fully-insured and level-funded plans while emphasizing the value of actionable data transparency and stronger contractual protections available through alternative funding approaches. Key Takeaways The healthcare market is at a watershed moment where employers are seeking alternatives to unsustainable cost increases in traditional fully-insured plans, with many consultants becoming catalysts for this change. Contrary to popular belief, level-funded plans are often "fully insured, repackaged with a little more data" but without the ability to meaningfully act on that data to control costs. Pareto Health's model provides stronger contractual protections (no-new laser provision and 30% rate cap for the entire membership duration) while giving employers access to cost-saving levers like alternative drug sourcing and patient assistance programs. Contact Information To connect with Kristen Rivers or learn more about Pareto Health, reach out to her directly on LinkedIn or contact any member of the Pareto team in your market.

Terry Crocker, CEO of Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, holds master's degrees in psychology and business. Since 2003, Terry has led the agency's growth into one of Texas's largest community centers, now serving 34,000 people annually with a $123M budget and 1,400 staff. Honors include Behavioral Healthcare Champion (2013), the National Council's Visionary Leadership Award (2018), and appointment as an inaugural Commissioner on the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health.Scott Hayes is President and CEO of ISC Group, Inc., based in Dallas. With 30 years of industry experience, he joined ISC in 1997. Scott is a past president of the American Retirement Association and NTSAA, and served on the ASPPA Board. He's a founding member and contributor to 403(b) Advisor magazine and currently serves on the board of the Texas Public Plan Coalition.Mannix Smith brings 28 years of experience in defined contribution, ESOP, and executive benefit plans, including 27 years with ISC Group. For the past decade, Mannix has led retirement plan strategy, compliance, and relationship management at ISC, overseeing key programs and client partnerships.In this episode, Eric, Terry, Scott, and Mannix discuss:Engaging employees about company benefits and earning their trustMaximizing retirement optionsEngage through presence and educationLeverage plan design for growthUphold fiduciary and financial excellenceKey Takeaways:For eligible government entities, contribute fully to both 457(b) and 403(b) plans. Take advantage of unique plan features that are part of a 457(b). Understand the strategic layering of 401(a), 457(b), and 403(b) plans for greater retirement flexibility.Promote benefits actively. Offer regular communication and face-to-face consultations. Build trust and increase participation through consistent, visible leadership.Encourage enrollment through generous matching programs. Consider the best use of forfeitures to support benefit enhancements. Structure plans to drive long-term participation and asset growth.Conduct quarterly investment reviews. Monitor advisor performance carefully. Maintain adequate reserves and use professional strategies focused on liquidity, safety, and return.“Take the time out to listen to the client's needs, to understand exactly what they are asking of you” - Mannix SmithConnect with Mannix Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannix-o-smith-5802b728/Connect with Scott Hayes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotthayescfa/Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information and content of this podcast is general in nature and is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the posting date but may be subject to changeIt is not intended to provide a specific recommendation for any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, investment advice, financial advice, tax, plan design or legal advice (unless otherwise specifically indicated). Please consult your own independent advisor as to any investment, tax, or legal statements made.The specific facts and circumstances of all qualified plans can vary and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan-specific circumstances.

Recently on Relentless Health Value, we've been tinkering around with a few recurring themes—recurring through lines—that are just true about American healthcare these days. In this episode of Relentless Health Value, host Stacey Richter speaks with Dr. Christine Hale about high cost claimants and the implications for healthcare plans in 2025 and beyond. They discuss the importance of trust in patient care, the financial incentives behind patient steering, and the critical role of timely and comprehensive data analysis. Dr. Hale emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to medical and pharmacy claims data to avoid expensive consequences and improve patient outcomes. She also shares strategies for plan sponsors to effectively manage high cost claimants through evidence-based care, appropriate treatment settings, and creative problem-solving, while underlining the importance of patient engagement and satisfaction. Don't miss next week's episode with Dr. Eric Bricker for a deeper dive into these topics. === LINKS ===

In this episode, we ask: Would you like to meet with Mark? What are the challenges for small businesses? What's wrong with a small business's 401(k) offering? What is the problem with fees? What is the problem with liquidity? What are the penalties? What about the severe loss of control? What about forced participation? Why,...