What’s the good news, ladies? January edition

So … I missed December. But I feel like most of you in the industry probably understand why. This was a brutal open enrollment; it just felt never ending and then the holidays hit and I was having to make appointments with myself just to remember what my name was! I’ve talked to so many brokers who felt the same way, so I know I’m not alone on this.

Now we’re closing our first month of the year and it’s still feeling a little insane, but in a good way. We had our best year in business ever in 2022 and we also hit some personal goals in our office, so we’re excited to see what 2023 brings our way. I know I’m excited to be heading to Miami for the You Powered Symposium in February, followed by Vegas for the Ellevate Women’s Leadership Summit in March and of course, coming up in May, we have the BenefitsPRO Broker Expo where you can come and hang out with me on my birthday in Atlanta!

The three ladies featured this time around are some of my favorites.  We are very fortunate in our industry to be able to meet incredible people all across the country and connect on a much deeper and personal level when we allow ourselves to be open. I’m excited to introduce you to Jessica, Crystal and Jessica as they share the shifts they have made along the way that are making big impacts in our industry as well as their own lives.

Jessica Eskew, Unum Large Case Voluntary Benefits Specialist

“I believe that change equals growth. Over the last couple of years, most of us in the insurance industry have faced nothing but change. Whether changing regulations, or changes in plan designs or enrollment solutions, or changes brought on by the Great Resignation, most of us reading this article have experienced change in the last 12-18 months. Instead of shying away from this change, I doubled down and decided to step away from a career path that was no longer serving me or aligned with my personal and professional goals. I stepped into a role that gave me more control over my growth and skillset, as well as my calendar. In doing so, I was able to create more time to pursue a passion of mine, and built a “side hustle” coaching and mentoring executive women.

Yes, change is hard, but it has so much upside. If you’re reading this, it’s your reminder to take the leap, make the jump, and do the hard thing. Growth awaits you!”

Crystal Lewis, VB Regional Practice Leader, Guardian Life

“I started my career as a teacher. I taught English in China and taughtmyself Mandarin Chinese. After returning to the U.S., I fell into an insurance job educating employees about their supplemental health benefits. I quickly realized it was just like teaching but more personal in some ways, because I was helping people offset major financial burdens. I decided to use my education and put my background in teaching to use. I personally identified with the importance of these issues after losing my dad when I was young to cancer (he was in the same industry). I saw firsthand how impactful the proper education can be in supplemental health as he made sure his family was taken care of. When I moved over to the broker side, I saw such a giant need for these products, but it all came back to education.

My colleague and I took a $500K practice and grew it to $2.5 million in four years. Now, I have taken on the same role on the carrier side with Guardian Life as the West Supplemental Health Regional Practice Leader, overseeing sales for eight states.  I have been here a year; we have almost sold what we sold in 2022 and its only January! But to me, it’s not all about the money. When I see this growth, I feel proud, I think of my dad and the families we have helped by simple education.”

Jessica Lea, Pharm.D., EMBA, Tria Health

“As a pharmacist and business leader, I am passionate about educating and advocating for healthier outcomes for all. As a health care professional, I value the role that pharmacists can play as an ally for people with chronic conditions who are struggling to navigate complex health care systems. Pharmacists have the unique ability to understand each condition and how medications and non-medications contribute to a person’s health and happiness. As a business leader, I enjoy working with employers because I get to help them with the development and implementation of new programs within the clinical realm. Being a resource to my clients and helping people with complex health problems manage their health costs and make better health decisions taps into my passion around health care and wellness.”

And don’t forget….our annual Pancakes for Roger campaign kicks off on February 1^st.  For the entire month of February, for every pancake loving pic we get on public-facing social media accounts using the hashtag, #PancakesForRoger, Combs & Co will make a donation to the University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic, which provides free legal services for veterans and their families navigating the VA claims and appeals process and more.  Would love for you all to enjoy some pancakes and get your state on our Pancake Map next month — and help our some of our Veterans in the process.

As always, if you know of any incredible women in our industry, I’d like to know them too.  Please help with this effort and shoot an email to scombs@combsandco.com, as I’d love to connect and bring them into my circle and share their successes with our followers!