#RockstarsRocking

This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features rockstar guest Lou Bernardi, Founder and Chief Benefit Optimization Officer of BritePath, out of the Long Island, NY area.

Join us for a great, in-depth conversation about the state of the current healthcare industry. We start our conversation with Lou telling us how he requested to get booed off stage at a recent conference and why that was a great thing, as he wants to lead health insurance change as a Benefit Optimization Officer. From that amusing story, we get right into why we need to optimize benefits, as the healthcare industry is intentionally opaque and does not want informed consumers. Lou talks about having to self-reflect on the change he wanted to make as he left the GA world and lifted the cover on the issues with current insurance industry practices and “hidden profit centers”. He finishes up with ways he’s fighting back, through care options like Direct Primary Care programs and internal education through his show “Benefits With Friends”, live weekly on LinkedIn and podcast platforms.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Getting booed off stage – and why that was a great thing

–       Educating clients to not get sold what they ask for, but what they need

–       The healthcare industry does not want informed consumers

–       Leaving the GA world and realizing there is a better way for employers to find solutions

–       Health carriers must evolve or become obsolete

–       How Direct Primary Care can provide an alternative for better primary care

–       “Benefits With Friends” Show/Podcast live on LinkedIn and podcast platforms

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a rockstar friend, Sims Tillirson, Vice President of Business Development at PERKS, out of the Columbia, SC area.

We have a total rockstar discussion this week, with Sims opening up about how he developed an authentic, up-front approach to social media. We begin with Sims talking about his career change right at the beginning of the pandemic, which lead to quite a bit of trial and error to figure out how to make sales in a field that immediately changed from the status quo.

In discussing how to create those connections, he tells us about how he decided to be very open about is personal life, his struggles with mental health and addiction, and how he made connections with fellow industry professionals who had similar experiences. We then wrap up by talking about where all that has led, with his work for PERKS, creating a “front door to a total employee benefits package” and where they are looking to take that platform as it continues to grow.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Figuring out how to make sales during the pandemic

–       Creating an authentic persona on LinkedIn

–       Being open about his past with substance abuse and mental health struggles

–       Creating bonds through shared interests before ever doing business together

– What he does with PERKS and creating a “front door” for employee benefits packages

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar friend, John Troutman; Director of National Marketing & Business Development at MSEAP, a national EAP firm, based out of Harrisburg, PA.

We delve right into a topic near and dear to my heart this week, talking all about mental health and how important it is for people to prioritize in their lives. John opens our interview detailing how he was a pastor for nearly twenty years before burnout forced him to re-evaluate his situation. He ultimately ended up still fulfilling his calling to help others, but through the lens of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s), which connect employees with resources they need to help them deal with the tensions and stresses in their lives.

John details why mental health and burnout are such important topics for individuals, employers, and brokers to focus and invest in, overcoming the stigma of reaching out for help, as well as what brokers should be looking for in a good EAP partner.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       How being a pastor lead him to the world of EAPs

–       You need to invest in your mental health, or you will be forced to deal with it

–       Overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health

–       EAPs and what brokers should look for

–       What sets MSEAP apart from competitors

–       Getting a baseball field built for his community

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a rockstar looking to create more holistic corporate cultures; Nikki Fielding, Chief Fairy at Conscious Culture Fairy, out of the Tampa area.

We dive right into our interview this week, exploring how Nikki launched into the healthcare industry with a focus on creating healthier, more holistic corporate cultures, by using her past business experiences and strong branding on social media. This has already brought results, as she describes winning the “Notable Newcomer of the Year” award at the YOU! Powered Symposium this past February, put on by #RockstarsRocking former guests David Contorno (Ep 26 insert link) and Emma Fox (Ep 9 insert link).

Nikki describes how a life-altering accident at age 19 brought a lot into focus for her and crystalized her views on healing and creating healthy people through the mind, body, and spirit. She used that experience to build a life that focuses on empowering other people to take accountability for their health, and through that, inspiring others to do the same. One of the ways she hopes to inspire, is through continuing her podcast, which is focused on changing corporate culture to not strip the “humanity” out of people, but focus on employees as well rounded humans who do their best work when they are happy and healthy.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Leaning on her background of business operation, strategy, and growth to “come out hot” with her new brand

–       Winning “Notable Newcomer of the Year” at the YOU! Powered Symposium

–       Empowering people to take accountability for their health

–       Bridging the expert, jargon heavy divide to bring employees healthcare breakthroughs

–       How a life-threatening accident at 19 changed the course of her life

–       Prioritizing self-care to stay healthy and fueled, so you can bring your best self for others

Her podcast focusing on corporate culture and changing it to be a healthier environment

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my longtime rockstar friend Braden Monaco, Managing Partner of Blue Horizon Benefits, out of the Baaahstin, Massachusetts, area.

We dive right into the deep end with our interview this week, starting with Braden being recognized as a top 5 finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine. From there, we discuss any potential difficulties of being innovative in Massachusetts, which is a ‘healthcare capital of the world’ and how to get CEOs to believe that things can be done a different and maybe even, a better way.

The second half of our interview pulls back a bit, with a jump back in time to find out how Braden got into the industry by being “to happy” to work for the FBI, his passion for Cross-Fit, and how a bad leader at a previous company lead him and his colleagues to break away and form their own company. We wrap up with a discussion about accountability and his new project of creating a direct primary care program.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Being recognized as a top 5 finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine

–       Innovating in Massachusetts, which is a ‘healthcare capital of the world’

–       “We’ve trained CEO’s to believe better options aren’t possible…”

–       How he got into the insurance industry after realizing he was “too happy” to work for the FBI

–       How a bad leader lead him and his coworkers to form their own company

–       Opening his own cross-fit gym

–       Finding outlets for his desire to help people get healthy in multiple ways

–       Finding accountability through social media

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my rockstar buddy, Josh Butler, President of Butler Benefits, out of the Amarillo, Texas area.

We open our conversation today recognizing Josh’s amazing achievement as one of the Top 5 Finalists in BenefitsPRO magazine for their prestigious Broker of the Year award, and why he thinks he caught the attention of the industry. We then dig right into the details with a discussion about how we bring innovation to insurance, from what causes employers to hesitate on making change, to how we get employees to engage with their benefits in a knowledgeable and effective way.

The second half of our interview focuses on how the healthcare system is set up and how brokers can set themselves up with the right tools to make sure they are servicing their clients the best way they can. Josh stresses the importance of making sure brokers have the right tools in their “toolbox”, even if they don’t use every single tool in every case. Once that toolbox is in place, he says brokers then need to give employers a roadmap to success, so they see where they are going without surprises. We wrap up with a look ahead, and how he’s creating his own community owned health plan.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Being recognized as a Top 5 Finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine

–       What stops employers from making a change?

–       Making benefits innovation as easy as the status quo

–       Is our national healthcare system broken?

–       The usefulness of medical tourism

–       Having the right tools in your toolbox

–       Give employers a roadmap forward, so they understand where they are going

Looking ahead, starting his own COHP – Community Owned Health Plan

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features my good friend, rockstar Kim Eckelbarger, Founder and President of Tropical Benefits, out of the Tampa, Florida area.

We open up our conversation today celebrating Kim’s amazing recognition as one of the five finalists for Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO magazine and recognizing how and why she caught the eye of the industry. One of the ways she did this is through empowering HR Managers. From creating an HR roadshow to teach prospects how to be more effective in their duties and responsibilities, to teaching them how to communicate better with the C-Suite, to becoming an essential member of the decision-making team.

Beyond the day-to-day processes she puts into place, we also discuss the larger picture of her ethos and legacy. We talk about getting more women into the industry, how the industry needs to empower consumers to take charge of their healthcare and taking the step to sell her agency to focus on growing her legacy, while making sure her people were taken care of. Beyond her agency, she’s also putting together a local healthcare network to get employees quality care at little to no out-of-pocket cost.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Being recognized as a top 5 finalist for Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO magazine

–       Teaching HR Managers how to be better communicators with their C-Suite

–       How to get more women and younger people into the industry

–       Creating an HR roadshow to turn competitors into collaborators

–       Making sure her people were taken care of when she sold her agency

Creating a bigger legacy by creating a local healthcare network

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features 1 of the Top 5 BenefitsPRO Broker of the Year finalists for 2022 – Elsa Glorioso, Vice President of Insurance Services at People Strategy, out of the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area.

Elsa starts our interview off with an incredible story of beginning her career in nursing, being at a crossroads of what she wanted out of her personal and professional life, and the incredible cancer patient who encouraged her to figure out what she wanted and helped her to achieve her dreams. From that starting point, she details how she moved from there to finding her niche in the insurance world, the mentors who helped her get there, and the detractors who tried to minimize and trivialize her.

The second half of our discussion gets more into how she has built herself into one of the top five finalists for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine. We dig into her favorite strategies for building an engaged and successful open enrollment, from using in person enrollments to constantly learning about the needs of her clients, to social media marketing as a way of reaching employees who may not have or check emails.

So, are you ready for more? Go ahead and grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Being recognized as a Top 5 Finalist for Benefits Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO Magazine

–       The cancer patient who encouraged her to quit nursing and completely change careers

–       The great mentors, as well as the folks who tried to pigeonhole her as a Latina woman in this industry

–       Doing right by employees, even if it’s outside employer plans

–       Marketing to employees who don’t have or check email

–       The importance of social media marketing and how it can be a win-win for recruitment of employees and customers

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This episode of the #RockstarsRocking podcast features a young rockstar taking the benefits industry by storm – Jessica Du Bois, Vice President of Business Development at Risk Strategies Company, out of the Northern Virginia area, is going to blow your mind!

We launch right into our interview today with a discussion of how you create your perception or brand on social media, from sticking with a schedule to generate results, to making sure you’re not putting out negativity, especially on posts that aren’t meant for you. We then take a quick jump back to go through how she got her start in the industry, and her journey from being a “glorified account manager”, to really recognizing her own voice and brand.

The second half of our interview explores how marketing can make or break an employer’s benefits strategy, not only during open enrollment, but also throughout the year with attracting potential employees. We then finish up with a teaser of what to expect with her upcoming talk at the next BenefitsPRO Broker Expo.

So, are you ready for more? Grab your favorite ice-cold beverage and get comfortable as you tap that play button, to tune in to this week’s edition of the #RockstarsRocking podcast.

Episode Highlights:

–       Creating the perception of yourself on social media

–       How doing a ‘Study Abroad’ program in college put her on the path to insurance

–       Recognizing her value and opportunity in being a young, female broker to find her niche

–       Helping employers’ market to prospective employees, and get engagement out of existing employees

–       Jessica’s go to strategies and technology for getting great employee engagement

Getting to speak at the upcoming BenefitsPRO Broker Expo

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