To the Dreamers, Innovators and Doers

For the last six and a half months I have been on a quest for knowledge like no other. This past week was the crescendo to this point. However, I know for sure, I am only scratching the surface of what is possible in this marketplace.

• I have spent countless hours consuming articles and content created by the top minds in benefits.
• There have been hundreds of one off meetings with vendors and partners.
• I completed dozens of training courses related to varying aspects of benefit plan design.
• I expanded my network with hundreds of like minded advisors, consultants and strategists.
• I have reached out to and connected with CFOs and HR executives all over the country.

While at the same time focusing on growing the Benesmart Agency. Servicing our clients and helping new clients achieve success with their benefit plan design. Bringing on new partners that will assist with the coordination and service of our clients as we continue to grow.

It has almost been an entirely virtual effort. Give or take 10% of the time where I have been able to get to an occasional in person meeting, lunch or coffee.

These are all tasks that have happened regularly over the last 10 years of my career in the insurance industry. But not at this level, with this amount of speed and frequency. At times I find myself on information overload. When I find myself here I have come to lean on a new best practice that I added to the mix.

This is to write and create content myself.

Six and a half months ago while listening to an audio book titled "Unscripted" by MJ Demarco something he said stuck out to me. He said to be a producer and not a consumer.

“Every man is a consumer, and ought to be a producer. He fails to make his place good in the world, unless he not only pays his debt, but also adds something to the common?wealth” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have not forgotten these words and I remind myself of them daily.

When I am consuming content that I find useful and insightful to the mission I am on I will often share that content. I share it in hopes that it helps others. Taking it a step further, creating content and writing about what I learn, I am able to retain even more of it.

This past week my quest for knowledge was taken to a new level at the Ascend Conference in New Orleans, hosted by NextGen Benefits. It was a full circle moment. I was able to put some of the pieces together, the names to the faces, the vendors to their company, the strategy behind the change.

The belief that there is a better way to do benefits was cemented and fuel was poured on the fire.

For decades companies have looked at their benefits as a commodity. One that is the same no matter who they purchase it from. So they make business decisions for their benefits based on things like price and who they like better.

It is long past the time of looking at a benefit offering as a commodity or a product of the market conditions we have become accustomed to.

It is time for a change.

The crazy thing is, the change is already here. The better way to design and implement a health plan is working. For hundreds of advisors and thousands upon thousands of their clients across the country.

The dreamers that I was fortunate to spend time with this past week asked themselves a question long ago....they said things like...

"What if we focused on the quality of healthcare instead of the name of the network?"

"How can we reduce the frequency and severity of claims in a health plan?"

"How can we help our clients and their employees get better care at a lower cost?"

"What levers can we pull to contain the high cost drivers of claims?"

"How can we fix healthcare?"

Then they went to work, innovating and executing.

It is time for me to do the same.

To all who attended Ascend 2023, thank you for your knowledge, words of wisdom and for your connection. I appreciate the friendships built and the encouragement that I received.

As Nelson would say,

Onward and Upward!

Rich