Ed Ligonde is a benefit consultant with Nielsen Benefits Group based in Southern California. Ed leads a team committed to innovative and cutting edge solutions for clients and enhancing the employee experience.

Paul Wilson: How did you get your start in the benefits industry?

I started off in an internship program at Northwestern Mutual to be a financial representative. I did pretty well, so I decided to check it out as a full-time gig once I graduated from UCLA. Within the first year, I realized it wasn't for me. While I did fairly well, I was finding it really hard to ask for referrals; it always felt like I was hounding people.

Related: Referrals: You've got a lot going for you, so just keep in mind these tips

I considered medical device sales because I had titanium rods placed into my tibias due to a Vitamin D deficiency. But to get into that field, you needed two years of B2B sales, and my experience was in business-to-consumer. I told a friend I planned to sell payroll for a few years to get the B2B experience, and he said, "Since you already have an insurance license, why don't you just come over to our firm and do some benefits consulting?"

PW: How has your background so far shaped your mindset and the way you do your job today?

I've had a unique experience because I started as a salesperson and then went into account management. Because I started in that hybrid role, I learned the lifecycle of a client and then transitioned into a leadership role. As the years went by, I learned about technology and became more of a solutions leader. I felt like I was touching every single aspect that a client needed from an advisor. In late 2017, I transitioned to my new firm, and our CEO, Craig Nielsen, asked, "What do you want to do?" Because of those different experiences, I realized that I wanted to be a consultant and build a team to help with analysis, with wellness, with technology.

PW: What skills and other factors do you look for when building a team?

You need to figure out where there are gaps in workflow or people who are feeling overwhelmed. When looking for new talent, I don't want a Band-Aid solution. I want someone who thinks of it as a career and not a job. If we can find people who love what they do that fit well with the business, it's the perfect marriage.

PW: How are you adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic? How has it affected your business and your life?

We actually had a bit of a dress rehearsal for the pandemic. We were remodeling our office and had sent everyone home to work, so we were used to virtual meetings. When the pandemic happened, we just kept doing what we were doing. We have a client success manager who was able to help research different virtual technology platforms and put together a recommendation sheet for clients. How can we still deliver all these things virtually so employers can find ways to engage their employees?