Filed under: BenefitsPro, Branding You, Broker Innovation Lab, Charity, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Feature Friday, Giving Back, Health Insurance, Insurance Women, Marketing, Successful Women, Susan L Combs | Tags: Combs & Company, Dawn McFarland, Ellevate Foundation, Feature Friday, Innovative Broker Lab, Nancy Giacolone, Pancakes for Roger, Stephanie Berger, Susan L Combs
“Be teachable. You’re not always right.” – Anonymous This quote got me thinking about all the people I look up to, both inside and outside of our industry.
By Susan L Combs | June 10, 2024 at 08:13 AM
Click here for original article on BenefitsPro!
If you roll in my circle, you know I’m a massive fan of pictorial quotes that catch my eye on social media. I actually have an album on my phone whereI save these nuggets of information for when I need an internal pep talk or see a friend struggling. I was taught by my late father that if you get a good piece of information, it’s your obligation to share it with someone. After all, if it helped you, it will probably help someone else.
So here is one I heard recently that I thought was such a good reminder:
“Be teachable. You’re not always right.” – Anonymous
Talk about taking a little wind out of your sails, huh? The quote got me thinking about all the people I look up to, both inside and outside of our industry. When I started thinking about what they have in common, I realized that they are always open to learning. Whether sharing an article they read, taking on a new designation, or just learning a new product or process, they are open to making themselves better and helping those around them.
I will tell you, starting a non-profit over the last year has definitely been a reminder of this simple phrase. Serving on non-profit boards, even in a national capacity, doesn’t come close to running one. I’m sure my good friend Stephanie Berger would echo this after launching her Ellevate Foundation in recent years. So many different rules and nuances make it as different from running a for-profit company as different as comparing bicycles to oranges.
What do you do?
I often hear my dad in my head when I screw something up: “Suz, this is a teachable moment.” As long as we find lessons along the way, it can soften the blow of feeling like a failure. But we must remain open. Every time I show someone how to do a task, I think it’s important to give them the freedom to shift the process so that it makes sense to them. I typically say something like, “We’ve got to get from A to B; I don’t care how you do it, just get to B.” Then I show them how I do it, and often they come up with a different way and get the same result. It’s important to check your ego at the door and let someone work in a capacity that makes sense to them.
I also think it’s important to surround yourself with people who give you the grace to learn, even when people see you as being at the top of your game. For example, I’m the last person you want handling your Medicare account, but I have friends like Dawn McFarland or Nancy Giacolone, who let me ask what I deem as “stupid questions” and don’t make me feel like an idiot when I do.
Embracing the mindset of being teachable is essential for personal and professional growth — and sometimes, for avoiding epic fails. Whether saving inspirational quotes, running an insurance brokerage consulting firm, or starting a non-profit, life constantly reinforces the value of remaining open to learning and adapting. It’s about recognizing that we don’t have all the answers and that’s perfectly OK.
My dad was great at reminding me of the teachable moments when I would make a mistake, which sounds a lot better than “You really effed that up!” – though I heard that too when I needed a reality check. Whether you learn by feather or by sword, it’s through these moments that we evolve. By surrounding ourselves with supportive people who encourage us to ask questions and explore new ideas, we not only enrich our own lives but also contribute positively to those around us.
What’s something new you learned recently?
Filed under: BenefitsPro, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Happy Holidays, Health Insurance, Innovation Broker Lab, Innovative Broker Lab, Insurance Education, Insurance Women, Marketing, Motivational, Susan L Combs | Tags: BenefitsPro, Chelea Rykis, Cingeworthy Sales Tactics, Colleen Blum, Erika Ensign, Nancy Giacolone, Pancakes for Roger, Paychex, Sales Tactics, Susan L Combs, The Syrup
Original Article on BenefitsPro
It’s 4th Quarter, which means it’s also open enrollment. We are all tired, overworked and keep saying over and over to ourselves, “Just get through it.” But then…as my friend, Allison Cohen De Paoli put it so perfectly, you get “assaulted” by yet another vendor trying to sell you during the absolute busiest time of year, and you just can’t take it anymore.
After sharing some texts with my crew (Erika, Chelsea, Colleen & Nancy), it got me thinking that we can’t be the only ones. This prompted me to send an email to my list of about 300 women who have been featured in the “What’s the Good News, Ladies?” series over the years and see if others had stories to share.
Boy, did they! In less than 48 hours, over 50 women responded back with annoying, rude and downright appalling examples of how salespeople have approached them during this time of year.
So maybe this is a little bit of a public service announcement; maybe it’s a little eff you; or maybe it’s a little “how to sell to a woman 101.” Because people, you are missing it, and you are missing it big! You know why? I’m dropping some knowledge on you right here in case you didn’t know: According to American Express and the SBA, over 42% of businesses in the U.S. are owned by women and women make up over 51% of the U.S. population! And according to Forbes, 85% of women control or influence consumer spending. That means there are over 330 MILLION women who will sing your praises if you get it right, but they will run the bus right over you, hit reverse and do it again if you get it wrong. We will screenshot your email, text, LinkedIn DM or forward the voicemail to each other and we will remember to avoid you and your company’s services at all costs, because what’s the rule you should never forget?
Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Buckle up and take note, because you are getting a golden list that is the compilation of many uber successful women in our industry, including award winners, top producers, business owners and badasses. If you are in sales, print this out and put it where you can see it and then never do these things.
- The Gift Givers: Not the ones who are sending you a thank you for the business; we mean the ones who are trying to bribe you for a meeting. Gift cards and even shoes were offered to some of these women. What’s wrong with this? It can be looked at as rebating in some states and if you are a vendor with a license, you can lose it. And just as importantly, you make us feel gross.
- Bate and Switch – Recruiting: More than one woman emailed and said she had recruiters pose as a potential client. The meeting is booked, but once on the call, they realized it was a recruiter trying to hire them away. Do you really think someone worth their salt is going to come work for you when you have basically lied your way into a meeting and showed your ethical character?
- Bate and Switch – “I’m Interested in Your Services”: I’ve heard a few people bring this one up: Someone reaches out to you via email or social media, saying they’re interested in your services, so you set up a meeting. But once you get on the meeting, they have a full PowerPoint presentation on selling THEIR services. So not only did the vendor waste the person’s time as they prepared for what they thought was their own prospect meeting, they completely disrespected them by pushing the vendor’s agenda over theirs.
- Beauty and the Beast: I know you have all gotten this one, if you take a second to think about it. A breath of fresh air enters your inbox: finally, a well thought out email or message from someone that has done their homework! You accept the connection, but five seconds later, you get a spam sales pitch message and a link to set up a meeting. I had this happen recently and ignored it two times. By the third one, I was a little less than nice and said, “Dude, read the room. It’s open enrollment and if you really work with brokers, you’d know asking for a meeting right now is the kiss of death.” His response was basically that OE ends in 2 weeks (is he out of his mind?) and he wants to be one of the first people I reach out to. My response? I deleted the connection, took a screenshot and sent it to my friends, who won’t ever meet with him. Bravo.
- Badmouthing: You know how your gramma always told you, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”? If the only way you feel that you can get business is by throwing others under the bus, are you really that good of a salesperson? One guy basically told one of woman that she was dumb because of the software she was using!
- Spam: “Hi…your profile looks interesting…” Raise your hand if you get 10 of these a week. Do you really feel like this is a differentiator? If someone makes me laugh, I always accept, even if I have never met them. But if it’s the same canned outreach, I delete it. And most others do, too!
- Not Knowing Your Audience: Man, this one came up a lot. Salespeople basically throwing spaghetti to the wall and hoping it sticks, but missing the mark because they didn’t take any time to really look at who you are as a professional. The sad thing with this one is, that they probably could have gotten a meeting if they did a little homework.
- Lying: I have to give a big shout out to the sales training I got from Paychex (I know my girl Rachel McLauchlin will echo this) as I really feel like it was some of the best. Two things I always remember: 1. If you sell on price, you’ll lose on price. 2. Never lie. One example I got of this was someone basically swiping a mutual connections LinkedIn list and pretending that the mutual connection recommended that they connect. When she called the mutual connection to see what was up, she discovered the deception and said, “I will not do business with him now.” So, this guy not only burned one bridge, he burned two, along with all the other people they will tell! (Gas up the bus, girls!)
- Did you Get My Email?: This one came up like 10 times. It can also be worded as “Let me bump this up to the top.” Most don’t get the hint that you didn’t respond for a reason and so keep on sending. Or they get a read receipt when you open the email, so then they have someone else who is supposed to be higher up in the firm reach out to you and say they know “you’ve been talking with their colleague.” So many of these do not have an “unsubscribe” feature, so you just end up blocking them.
- The Unapproved Meeting Request: Nothing grates on me more, and this was brought up by over half of the women who responded. If you are doing this, stop. Just stop. I don’t know who taught you this, but it’s wrong. It’s intrusive. It conveys that you think their time and schedule should be controlled by you. It’s dishonest. Think of the other person. Would you be thrilled if someone you had never met walked into your house, sat down at your dinner table and said, “Oh, is now a bad time?” I generally have a “three strikes and you’re out” rule, but this one is an immediate banishment in my book. I will never take a meeting from them and everyone I have talked to has similar feelings. Especially this time of year, we are all tired and overworked. When a funny meeting appears on our schedule that we don’t know anything about and we respond to the sender to get a little more information and find out it’s a sales pitch,, queue explosion. Hell, hath no fury….
If you couldn’t tell, I had a lot of time writing this and I hope you had fun reading it. I know we are all running on empty right now, so hopefully this gave you a little reprieve from the stress we all have this time of year. Maybe you got a little insight into how to sell to a woman and realized you might be doing some of these things in one way or another. Or maybe you just nodded your head throughout because you felt a connection to others in our industry. My hope is that it gave you a few laughs, headshakes and maybe a face palm, too.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank those who helped with this article; the emails that came in were just so much fun to read! Hang in there, ladies, and if you need a bus driver, I got you!
Filed under: BenefitsPro, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Giving Back, Happy Holidays, Insurance Women, Susan L Combs, Women in Insurance | Tags: Be Of Service, BenefitsPro, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Loneliness, Nancy Giacolone, Susan L Combs
This month, 2023 BenefitsPRO Broker of the Year, Nancy Giacolone, shares her thoughts on coping with loneliness during the holiday season and beyond.
By Susan L Combs and Nancy Giacolone | November 21, 2023 at 08:21 AM
Original Article on BenefitsPro
This month’s edition of “The Syrup” has a special ingredient! It’s our current Broker of the Year and my dear friend, Nancy Giacolone. Nancy and I have been peer mentors to each other for a number of years and we recently had a conversation about loneliness. It’s a topic that we have seen come up with our own families, as our mothers are both widows. We have also witnessed it with colleagues and clients in our industry. Our discussion led to a guest authorship for this month’s article to tackle this topic and shine some light on some of the things we don’t always think about as the holidays roll around.
And with that, I’ll turn things over to Nancy.
The festive music, twinkling lights, and cheer that fill the air as the holiday season approaches are often thought of as universal markers of joy and togetherness.
Yet, for a growing number of people, this time of year may amplify feelings of isolation, highlighting the stark contrast between societal expectations of warmth and camaraderie and their own personal experiences of solitude.
The “loneliness epidemic,” as health professionals and social scientists have termed it, is an increasingly recognized public health concern that does not pause for the holidays. In fact, it often intensifies during this time of year.
A recent Gallup Poll found that loneliness is not confined to the elderly. They reported that nearly 25% of adults feel very lonely, and younger people feel significantly lonelier, with the loneliest group being between the ages of 19-20.
Loneliness has been linked to a myriad of health issues, both mental and physical. The risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, depression, anxiety, and a weakened immune system is higher among those who experience chronic loneliness.
Alarmingly, some studies have equated the health risks of prolonged loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Furthermore, loneliness can lead to a vicious cycle, where the lonelier one feels, the less they engage socially, exacerbating one’s isolation.
Gatherings, family traditions, and social festivities typically characterize the holidays. However, they can also serve as a magnifying glass for one’s social situation, illuminating the quality and quantity of our relationships.
For those who are estranged from family, have recently lost loved ones, or are far from home, the season can be a reminder of what — or who — is missing.
The proliferation of social media adds another layer, as idealized depictions of holiday happiness can deepen the sense of exclusion for those who feel their reality doesn’t measure up.
So, what can you do if you are experiencing feelings of loneliness this time of the year?
- Frequent “third places.” These places are not home or work, but locations where people gather socially. Think parks, coffee shops, libraries, churches, or sporting events. Meeting people in places where you share a common interest will help foster connections.
- Volunteer. Volunteering takes the focus off of yourself and puts it on others, which can foster a sense of purpose and community.
- Community events. Holiday concerts, festivals, or bazaars are great places to meet and connect with others. Not to mention, they usually have some good music and tasty treats!
- Visit someone you know may be lonely as well. Maybe you have an elderly neighbor who lives alone. Dropping by with a plate of cookies to check on them may be just the lifeline you are both looking for!
- Although technology is no substitute for in-person interaction, sometimes it can help bridge the gap! Does your family live across the country? Have a Zoom holiday party or create a new tradition where you decorate your trees together virtually.
The holiday season should be a time of joy and connection, but for those experiencing loneliness, it can be particularly challenging. By acknowledging this reality and taking proactive steps to address the loneliness epidemic, we can extend the spirit of the holidays to include compassion, inclusivity, and community. The gift of connection might be the most precious one we can offer in a season marked by giving.
Filed under: BenefitsPro, Branding You, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Insurance Women, Motivational, Successful Women, Women in Insurance | Tags: BenefitsPro, Broker Innovation Lab, Business Owner, Colleen Blum, Combs & Company, Eric Silverman, Insurance Consulting, Susan L Combs, Working On Your Business
Original Article on BenefitsPro
By Susan L Combs | November 01, 2023 at 07:38 AM
Before we dive into our next topic, I want to just say “thank you”. I received countless emails, texts, direct messages and comments on the last edition, The Syrup – Mental Illness and Seeing the Unseen, from people who felt brave enough to share their own stories with me. It deeply touched me and as a contributor to this publication for over a decade, I can honestly say this is the most feedback I have ever received on an article. I’m glad it struck a chord with some and hope you felt a little more “seen” in this crazy thing called life.
Our next topic was brought up by the legendary Eric Silverman, who is also a frequent BenefitsPRO contributor, podcast host and enhanced benefits guru. He brought up the age-old topic of working on your business versus working in your business, something I think many entrepreneurs and business owners struggle with.
Before we tackle this, let’s first define and clarify so we are all on the same page. I think of working “in your business” as more about managing the immediate tasks and responsibilities necessary to keep the wheels on the bus, while working “on your business” involves strategic thinking and planning to ensure its long-term success and growth.
Some examples that might make it easier to think about would be:
- Working In Your Business: The hands-on stuff like selling or consulting on insurance, customer service, admin work and managing the day-to-day operations.
- Working On Your Business: The big picture work that looks more at the future, both near and far. Things like strategic planning, market research for opening a new office location, business development strategy, marketing, and long-term goal setting.
Some of the most successful people in our industry have found a way to balance these two approaches or to bring someone in to help. Because let’s face it, not all of us are good at doing both. If you are a person that is a bit of a dreamer and known to say things like “What would it look like if…”, then you are probably good with working on your business. But you also need to have people in your company that who keep the wheels on the bus while you have your head in the clouds, or you won’t have the revenue coming in to implement your dreams and reach your goals. These are the “In Your Business” people. Typically, your Type A’s that have to-do lists are the ones that are great on implementation and structure to hit your dreamer goals and can pull you back down to earth when you need a healthy dose of reality.
Honestly, I can be a bit of both when I’m in the right environment and surrounded by the right people. I love dreaming and I’m a taskmaster and a freaking machine when it comes to work, but I need the balance of others to run a successful company. When we brought in Sean O’Rourke as CFO over seven years ago, it became a gamechanger for the company. He has a much different approach, comes from outside the industry and was exactly what we needed to get us to the next level. Our revenue has grown steadily year after year since I opened the doors in 2005, but his strategic approach and high-level thinking put us in a financial position where we didn’t even blink when a national pandemic hit.Andhe has pushed my business Partner, Colleen Blum and myself to think about taking on new opportunities, to grow our consulting arm and to become one of the leading expert witness firms in the area we practice. All because we have an internal balance within the company.
One of my favorite things is when the three of us are brainstorming, because you get the logic, the passion and the money aspects looked at and it makes for a better way to set and accomplish goals, both short and long term.
I know many readers are sole props who are struggling with doing it all and figuring out how to take things to the next level. To be honest, you probably can’t do it alone. Eric and I talked about this recently and discussed how many business owners talk about not being about to afford bringing someone in. We both remembered when we made the decision. Eric said he had the same mindset 20 years ago, but “Once I finally made the leap of faith to hire someone to help, my business took off like a rocket. Making the decision was the hardest part. But once the decision was made, the ‘doing’ became effortless.”
As I close out this edition of The Syrup, I’d like you to think about when Eric made his leap. Very rarely does an entrepreneur have someone come up to them and hand them a few million dollars to start a company. Most of us started our businesses on sweat equity and the change from our couch cushions. And while moxie and grit can get you far in this industry, also remind yourself to be smart enough to know what you know, and to know what you don’t know. Check your ego and bring in people who aren’t just like you, but can help you soar; most successful business owners find a balance between working In and on their business, as both are crucial for the overall health and sustainability of a business. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all strive for?
Filed under: Affordable Care Act, BenefitsPro, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Health Insurance, Insurance Women, Mental Health, Pancakes for Roger, Susan L Combs, Women in Insurance, Women's Health | Tags: Addiction, Breaking Point, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Family, Mental Health, Susan L Combs
By Susan L Combs | October 04, 2023 at 07:19 AM
Original Article on BenefitsPro
I’ve struggled with even starting this article, but this topic has been weighing on my mind for well over a year. In our industry, we talk so much about mental health and wellness, which is great. And as those of us in the industry know, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we now have Mental Health Parity. And in some places like New York, even before the ACA we had things like Timothy’s Law that gave New Yorkers access to unlimited mental health sessions in network years prior. This is all incredible.
But you know what we haven’t talked about?
The family of the mentally ill or person struggling with addiction. The people who are showing up as caregivers time and time again only to have their hearts broken for the umpteenth time.
I know I live a pretty open life and many of you reading this probably know that I have been sober for over two decades. I’ve chosen a path for myself that has led me to have an incredible life, and I am grateful that I learned at an early age what a degree from the School of Hard Knocks had to offer by making some pretty big mistakes for myself prior to the age of 23. But I know I put my family through a lot and I own it. I have gone on to make my amends and mend the fences that were damaged but not broken. I have worked hard to try and make the right choice each day for myself and others. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m perfect or that I don’t blunder and step in it from time to time.
I’m not a big one for having regrets, because I truly feel that you are denying yourself your place in the world right now when you say you have them. I choose to not regret the things I have done because I know that they shaped me as the person I am today and as a result, I have been able to help others. But I broke my parents’ hearts. I made the General cry…
Until recently, I don’t think I realized what it was like being in my parents’ shoes. Dealing with someone who is being irrational when you are trying to be logical can be the definition of frustrating. But about a year and a half ago, I got a major life lesson that I didn’t want and certainly didn’t need. This all comes back to a promise I made to my dad before he passed. My dad and I were “Team Type A” in our family, and I knew that when he was dying, he needed to take comfort in knowing that everything would be OK within our family unit. I promised my dad that “I got this” and that I’d look after my mom and my brothers. The year before my dad passed, “Team Type A” got together and we spreadsheeted, we had all the information organized, I knew who to call if a pipe burst in our little apartment building, I knew who to call to sell the Winnebago, I knew who to talk to about VA benefits that passed to my mom, I had all the passwords, we had everything mapped out. But we didn’t talk about my oldest brother, who has dealt with severe mental illness for well over three decades. We just missed it.
Eighteen months ago, I had my ass handed to me. I had never dealt with a mentally ill person who had gone off their meds. It’s uncomfortable; it’s hard. Everything logical doesn’t work. It reminded me about being around someone who is highly intoxicated, which as a sober person, feels unsafe. It was triggering. He ended up getting arrested and then things really got tough. I’m in NYC, he’s in Kansas; there is so much I can do from here….but I promised my dad. This was a dance I had to make up as I went along. A legal eviction led us to have to purchase a home for him to live in, because no rentals would take him with a felony record, a legal eviction, and other charges. I lost a lot of sleep, but ultimately, I felt that I “fixed” the problem, because I am nothing if not tenacious and can basically figure out any problem you give me. But you can’t fix mental illness. You can’t throw money at it and hope it goes away. You can’t pray it away. You can’t act like it doesn’t exist. Because guess what? When you think things are fine, when you start sleeping soundly and things feel back to normal, it breaks again. And it did. It broke again a few months ago, which led to an involuntary commitment into a state hospital. I don’t think it’s necessary to give you a play by play of what happened, but when death threats are happening and you are being told by your brother that he, “Just got off the phone with Dad” (our father passed away in 2018) it’s rough. It makes you want to run away from the situation and never look back.
But I promised.But what did I promise? Did I promise I would put my own health on the line at the sacrifice of someone else? No. Did I promise I would be a horrible boss and a shit wife because I didn’t have the capacity to show up in the world for the people who depend on me? No. Did I promise to put so much stress on myself that I would have chronic diarrhea for 6 weeks straight because I carry my stress in my stomach? No. Would my father want me to work so hard at fixing an unfixable problem for someone who doesn’t put the work in for themselves? Absolutely not. But I did and I have.
When is it time to walk away?
When is it time to put your own mental health and wellbeing first?
I honestly can’t answer those questions for you, because I’m still figuring that out for myself. But I can tell you what I have done. I have shared about it in my 12-step program, I have shared about it with my therapist, and I’ve shared about it with my tight crew. But you know where I’ve gotten the most support? Just like there is a “Dead Dad’s Club” that you never know about until you are indoctrinated into it, there is the “Mental Illness Family Club” and those are the people who have really helped during this time. Those who have it in their families know how hard it can be. How thankless it can be. How “I’ll never get an apology” it can be. How unaccountable it can be. How abusive it can be. To my Superman fans, it’s what I picture Bizarro World to be. And it sucks.
This article isn’t meant to be a “poor me” piece; like I said before, I have a big beautiful life and I was given so many tools and lessons in my life that have prepared me for this … kinda. This article is meant to see the unseen. For those of you who are in this boat, please know that you aren’t alone. I encourage you to share your stories and find support where you can get it. It’s up to you what that looks like.
Don’t ever apologize for putting your wellbeing first when someone is making you the price of admission.
Be brave.
Filed under: BenefitsPro, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Innovative Broker Lab, Insurance Women, Mental Health, Pancakes for Roger | Tags: Combs & Company, Feature Friday, Innovative Broker Lab, Susan L Combs
We work in a people-facing business and don’t have the luxury of burying our heads in the sand. But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when we’d love to do just that.
By Susan L Combs | August 03, 2023 at 07:29 AM
Original Article on BenefitsPro
I can’t tell you how many people I have encountered over the past few months who have talked about how burnt out they are. Let’s face it, we work in a people-facing business and don’t have the luxury of burying our heads in the sand. But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when we’d love to do just that. I know there are days when my business partner Colleen Blum and I look at each other and say “When are we buying that ice cream truck?” We laugh and get back to the grind, but that 30 second check-in with someone else who “gets it” is sometimes all you need.
But what if you don’t have someone to do that with? Or at least you don’t think you do.
“How do you motivate yourself when you just aren’t feeling it?” was a question asked by one of our readers.
I started thinking a lot about what I do to stay motivated and when I asked myself this question, the first thing that came to mind is: I reach out.
To be honest, this is not something that I’ve always done; during my first 5-10 years in business, I carried the load along. I internalized and just kept grinding. But after 18 years as a business owner, I’ve learned better.
You aren’t a snowflake; feeling unmotivated is a common challenge that many people face. However, with the right strategies, you can regain your motivation. Here are some things I do to keep marching when I’m running on empty:
1. Move a muscle, change a thought: I know this might sound a little dumb, but when you get stuck, sometimes you just need to move. If you follow me on social media, you know I’m into CrossFit and start most days by working out. This lays the groundwork for me to take on the day, but if I feel unmotivated during other times, I walk around the block, walk down the hall or go check mail. Sometimes, just a little movement is all you need to shift things and get back at it.
2. Gratitude and goals: I have a girlfriend who owns her own law firm and Monday through Friday, we send each other a list of things that we are grateful for, followed by a list of what we want to accomplish for the day. We have been doing this for over two years and it’s a great way to start the workday in a good frame of mind—with gratitude and a list of goals for the day. I take the “goals” list and drop them into my “to do” list in Outlook and then check them off as I accomplish them. Nothing motivates me more than checking things off a list! (#loser)
3. The power of anticipation: It’s so important to look forward to something, whether this be a gift to yourself, a vacation, a conference, a random day off or a freakin’ popsicle. Have something in the distance that you know is coming when you get to that date on the calendar, land that client or hit a revenue goal.
4. Do something that has nothing to do with your business: This is something I learned from my dad. He was a Major General in the Air Force and a civilian judge, so he was on the road a lot. But one of the first things he would do within 24 hours of getting home was to go out to our farm and be a farm boy. I have a very analytical brain; I like math and I love me some spreadsheets. But during open enrollment, when the work increases and I need to give my brain a break or use it in a different way, I always have a creative project to work on when I get home so I can put my phone away and just focus. One year, it was making, bottling and labeling vanilla extract; another time, it was making Christmas ornaments. Currently, it’s knitting temperature blankets for my nieces. We all deserve to shut down, and this has been a perfect way for me to recharge for the next day.
5. Celebrate the wins: I made a reference earlier to sharing burnout with someone who gets it. And while some people might think they don’t have someone like that in their life, I promise that you do. There are things related to my business that I’m not going to pick up the phone and talk about with my mom or siblings, because they don’t know this part of my world. But my tribe is vast and strong. Having people in your corner who you can reach out and celebrate things with is crucial—especially if you are a one-person shop. When you land that big client, call a colleague in the business:, I promise that we will help you celebrate!
6. Take care of you. My close friend, Mike Veny, is a mental health motivational speaker. In an era where the topic of self care is coming at us from so many angles, he really simplified things for me. He said, “Self care is what you do for your health when you aren’t in the presence of a medical professional.” All of the suggestions in this article can be looked at as a form of self care, but sometimes the most important thing to do is say no to someone else so you can say yes to yourself. Don’t feel guilty about that.
I asked a few members of my crew to share what they do to motivate themselves when they are running on empty. Check these out!
Nancy Giacolone: “One of my favorite tricks is to work out in the morning, as it increases my dopamine and endorphins, and I am automatically more energized and motivated. The other trick I use is to rearrange my day. What gives me energy? Do that thing first! Then I can carry that positivity and energy into other tasks or parts of my day.”
Eugene Starks: “ I always find I recharge when I spend time with family and friends. Another big way I avoid burnout is by working-out. Setting aside time to work on myself in this way puts me in the right frame of mind for the challenges I face weekly. Another rule I have is that I never drink alone to relieve stress. I find drinking alone never reduces stress. I enjoy drinking in fellowship with friends because the fellowship brings down my stress.”
Erin Issac: “The most powerful thing I do is remember what I’m working towards and what I want the future to be. That moment ahead of me can help me take one step closer, or it might just be part of the motivation for change. Either way, taking action is what’s going to eventually get me there. Take the suck and let it inspire you to do more. That’s one thing, but it’s usually coupled with a few others: take a break, move your body, don’t try to soothe with social media or sweets. The other thing I always have is a lifeline — that friend, mentor, cheerleader who can remind you who you are and what you’re doing this for.”
Lester Morales: “By having a strong external “why” and an internal look in the mirror, I force myself to be accountable. Knowing the purpose of what I am doing, whether it be an internal or external driving force, moves me forward. I get up every morning and think, ‘Today, I’m going to make my parents proud.’ When I think of doing anything that is hard during the day, that is my motivation. My parents instilled in me my strong internal drive. I promised myself long ago that the person I have to be most accountable to is myself. For example, if I tell myself that I’m going to get up and work out, the only person I am cheating is myself if I don’t do it. How are you accountable to other people if you don’t start with yourself? You can’t pour from an empty cup, so if you are taking care of you, your ability to take care of others magnifies.”
What do you do to motivate yourself when you’re running on empty?
Filed under: Branding You, Combs & Company, Insurance Women, Mizzou, Purple Foxes, Roger E Combs, Susan L Combs | Tags: Combs & Company, Eric Silverman, Mizzou Law, Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic, Rockstars Rocking, Rockstars Rocking Podcast, Roger E Combs, Susan L Combs
Absolutely thrilled to be featured this week on Eric Silverman‘s Rockstars Rocking podcast!
Thank you so much Eric, for giving me a platform to share about my journey and my passion for the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic at the University of Missouri!
Click below to watch the episode!
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Filed under: Colleen Blum, Combs & Company, Insurance Women, Marketing Yourself, Mental Health, Motivational, Tenacious Tuesday, Try and Stop Me Podcast | Tags: Colleen Blum, Combs & Company, Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Mike Veny, Self Employed Momentum, Tenacious Tuesday, Transforming Stigma, Try and Stop Me Podcast
Episode 6 Mental Health Is An Asset, So Let’s Talk About It
Host: Colleen Blum
Guest: Mike Veny
Mental Health is something society still struggles to talk about or address, the one good thing about COVID is that problem seems to be slowly changing.
Mike Veny is one of the Top Mental Health Speakers in the US talking about just that. Listen as he shares his story through his mental own health journey, how is mother helped him find an outlet and how he is using his mental health as an asset to help change lives all across the country.
Curious for a preview of the episode? Take a listen below!
To be able to listen or download the full episode, click below!
Guest Contact Information:
Mike Veny: LinkedIn
Website: https://www.mikeveny.com/
Author of: Transforming Stigma: How to Become a Mental Wellness Superhero
Podcast: MXV Self Employed Momentum
Follow us on the @tryandstopmepodcast Instagram page
Filed under: Branding You, Colleen Blum, Combs & Company, Exciting News, Insurance Women, Marketing, Marketing Yourself, Motivational, Try and Stop Me Podcast | Tags: Colleen Blum, Combs & Company, Sebastian Rusk, Try and Stop Me Podcast, Want to Start a Podcast?
Host: Colleen M Blum
Guest: Sebastian Rusk
Have You Ever Wanted To Start A Podcast?! All Of The Who/What/Why I Wish I Knew Before Starting A Podcast! check out what the Expert himself, Sebastian Rusk has to say about it!
Have you ever dreamed about starting YOUR OWN podcast but you have used ANY & EVERY excuse under the sun to just push it to the “one day” plan?? Well then THIS EPISODE is all for YOU!!
Sebastian Rusk is the go to man for all of the how to when creating a podcast from idea to inception. Sebastian is the Founder of the Podcast Launch Lab, he is also a kick ass Social Media Speaker, Author and Digital Story Teller. – guys if I knew Sebastian before I started this all I could have saved a good 3 weeks of my life from the countless YouTube clips I watched. Listen along to today conversation about all the questions I had when debating whether to start this show or not.
BTW: Secret for you! For 2 years I pushed down this idea of actually getting my show started because I just didn’t even know where to start. It’s time to put your fears aside & just make the jump! You can do this, I believe in YOU!
Guest Instagram: @podcastlaunchguy
Host: @tryandstopmepodcast
Filed under: BenefitsPro, Combs & Company, Feature Friday, Innovation Broker Lab, Insurance Women, Motivational, Successful Women, What's the Good News, Ladies?, Women in Insurance | Tags: Benekiva, Bobbie Shrivastav, Broker Innovation Lab, Combs & Company, Deidre Wright, Feature Friday, Strategic Stories, What's the Good News, Ladies?
Original Post: BenefitsPro Broker Innovation Lab
By Susan L Combs | August 14, 2020 at 06:58 AM
Guess what’s next week?! It’s BenefitsPRO Broker Expo time! This is one of my favorite conferences every year and this year we are doing the Fast & Furious Session from the main stage! So if you haven’t already registered, make sure you handle that ASAP! Since it is virtual this year, if you are a broker or agent, you can get in on the fun for no charge and learn what the rest of us already know about this great show!
In July, we kicked off our Wonder Woman Mastermind group, which was the brainchild of this series. We had a wonderful first meeting, where we shared some excellent marketing ideas with each other. If you are looking to be inspired by more women in our industry, please meet Bobbie and Deidre. Both women are breaking down barriers for women in our industry with personal impact and mentorship.
“The past 12 months have been focused on growth, speaking and mentoring! Due to all of our recent exposure and hard work, Benekiva was invited to participate in Mass Challenge FinTech Accelerator. We were selected out of over 300 applications globally and are proud of this recognition! Our impact in the industry has also increased as we’ve grown the number of carriers we work with from three to nine over the past 12 months. Personally, I was invited to speak at over 25 events in the last year, on topics such as InsurTech, innovation, customer experience, digital transformation, Blockchain, startups, women in tech, and diversity and inclusion. I’ve meet so many dynamic people along the way. Lastly, we have been able to mentor many startups and logged over 250 hours to help the startup community nationally.”
Deidre Wright, Strategic Stories
“I constantly think about the legacy I want to leave. My goal is to diversify the C-Suite and change the image of what a leader “looks like.” While companies promote diversity and inclusion, data shows the existence of pay disparities and glass ceilings amongst employees. Last December, I took the leap to become a full-time entrepreneur, providing personal brand coaching to ambitious but undervalued diverse talent. Nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. The biggest surprise has been, that in the midst of a global pandemic, unstable economy, and racial unrest, my clients are winning. For example, Uche, a first-generation African American woman, just landed a new job making 20% more pay and with the dream title we planned together. Why am I celebrating this as a personal win? It debunks the myth that top-notch diverse talent doesn’t exist. So. I encourage us all to mentor, hire and promote diverse talent.”
Know a great rockstar woman in our industry who’s doing amazing things? If so, I’d love to connect! You can just shoot me over an email with their information or feel free to make a virtual introduction to me at scombs@combsandco.com. Stay safe and mask up my friends. Hope to see you August 18th-20th at the BenefitsPRO BrokerExpo!
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