Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chrisian Dysart, Combs & Company, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Sean O'Rourke
“You can be a career professional as a judge, a prosecutor, sometimes as a defense attorney, and never insist on fairness and justice. That’s tragic and that’s what we have to change.” Bryan Stevenson
Episode 2021:10
When you read the term defense attorney, what or who springs to mind? Hold that image in your mind until you meet my next guest on Did You Know That?
Christian Dysart probably doesn’t fit the narrative in your head as to what or who a defense attorney should be. But he has all the traits you’d want in the person fighting for your freedom/life. This is a conversation about the role of a defense attorney, criminal law, and how the system works (or doesn’t work) for those accused of a crime.
You can find out more about Christian and his work at:
Website: https://www.dysartwillis.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-e-dysart-9b412a4/
Twitter: @dysartwillis
Instagram: @dysartwillis
Music: “Taurus” by Ace via Artlist
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Kat Thomas, Sean C O'Rourke
“I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.” Maya Angelou
Took me a long time to write this video description. Went through numerous drafts talking about the courage of sexual violence survivors, the evil of the perpetrators, and many other aspects of this topic. None of them felt right, so I thought it best to let the video speak for itself.
Kat Thomas is an attorney and advocate for survivors of sexual violence. Her job is to work in the darkest recesses of humanity, and her gift is that you would never know it if you simply talked to her. That takes a special strength, that comes through loud and clear on this episode.
To learn more about Kat and her practice, visit her firm’s website.
Website: https://tlcpc.law/
Music: “Normalize” by Stanley Gurvich via Artlist
Filed under: Combs & Company, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Sean ORourke | Tags: Combs & Company, Cybersecurity, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Sean O'Rourke, Traci Carnes
Host: Sean O’Rourke
Guest: Traci Carnes
Title: Are Your Confident In Your Cybersecurity?
“The hacker didn’t succeed through sophistication. Rather he poked at obvious places, trying to enter through unlocked doors. Persistence, not wizardry, let him through.” Clifford Stoll, “The Cuckoo’s Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage”
“The Cuckoo’s Egg” was published in 1989; I first read it in 1995. You know what’s amazing/annoying/frustrating/unsurprising? Not much has changed in the intervening 30+ years when it comes to hacking. Sure, the systems and tools have gotten more sophisticated, but persistence and unlocked doors remain the key hallmarks of most hacks.
Cybersecurity, especially for small- and mid-sized businesses, remains a hazy priority that seems to fall down the to-do list every time a company runs out of coffee or snacks. That’s just playing with gasoline and matches, and my next guest on Did You Know That? knows this firsthand. Traci Carnes has worn many a technology hat in her career, so she’s seen cybersecurity from all sides. Her thoughts and processes should inspire businesses to take a more proactive approach to minimizing the damage from a cyber event. Remember, it’s not if but when you’ll experience one.
Want to learn more about Traci and her extensive background? Check out her LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracicarnes/
Music: “Broken Radios” by Stanley Gurvich via Artlist
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Combs & Company, Cory Allison, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, KelCor, Sean O'Rourke, The JumpFund
Host: Sean C O’Rourke
Guest: Cory Allison
“Money, it’s a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash” Pink Floyd
You have a killer idea. It appeals to a broad market. And your strategy to bring it to life is rock solid. All you need is a few more dollars than you have now to make it a reality. What path should you choose? Bootstrap? Friends and family? Angel? Venture capital? Family office? Maybe even private equity?
How you fund a business may be just as important as what you’re selling. Going it alone leaves all the decisions in your hands, but you’re gambling all your resources. Taking money from others limits your own exposure, but now you have potential “partners” who may weigh in on crucial decisions or not agree with the ones you make.
Cory Allison is an experienced entrepreneur, especially in the startup world. She’s also a partner in a fund that focuses on female-led businesses. So she knows the funding game from both sides of the table. Her insights on the topic may help guide you on your quest to launch the next unicorn.
You can discover much more about Cory at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-allison-30a73025/
KelCor: https://www.kelcortape.com/
The JumpFund: https://www.thejumpfund.com/about
Music: “Having a Good Day – Instrumental” by Benj Heard via Artlist
Filed under: Combs & Company, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Marketing, Marketing Yourself, Sean ORourke | Tags: Adrian Miller, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Sean O'Rourke
We all pretty much know the names and stories of the entrepreneurs who made it big (just check the list of the world’s richest people). But do you know the story of the person who started that dry cleaner’s down the block? How about your favorite non-chain coffee shop? That pub you frequent way too often? The graphic designer for the at-home workout app you’ve been frequenting?
If you think about it, entrepreneurship has been around since that first multi-cellular organism ventured off on its own to find a better source of food. Not much has changed in the intervening few billion years. (OK, maybe a few things.) Being an entrepreneur is still a risky, fulfilling, exhausting, invigorating, difficult, inspiring way of life, and my next guest on Did You Know That? has experienced it more than most.
Adrian Miller has been a successful entrepreneur – many times over – for 30+ years. She’s juggled multiple businesses for more than a decade now, all while being a mom, wife, world traveler, and fount of knowledge. If you’re thinking of taking the leap, or are struggling to keep your fire going, then this is the episode you don’t want to miss.
To learn more about Adrian’s fascinating history, check out her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amillersalestraining/.
Music: “DuDa” by Ian Post via Artlist
Filed under: Combs & Company, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Marketing, Sean ORourke | Tags: Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Hi-Tech Resource Recovery Inc, Mr. T Carting, Paul Zambrotta, Sean O'Rourke
Host: Sean C O’Rourke
Guest: Paul Zambrotta
“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.” Annie Leonard
I’m not a terribly nostalgic person, but have to admit, this episode took me back to show and tell in grammar school.
Have you ever heard the term wish-cycling? No, not the practice of wishing for the same thing each time you blow out birthday candles. This is the practice of throwing an item into a recycling bin in the hopes it can be recycled. While the intention may be good, in practice, this act of hope has real negative consequences – it can turn good recyclables into trash.
My next guest on Did You Know That? is Paul Zambrotta, Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Hi-Tech Resource Recovery, Inc. & Scholes Street Recycling Corp., and Director of Safety at Mr. T Carting. Paul’s grandfather, Tom Toscano (aka, Pop), started Mr. T Carting with one truck in 1947 and the family of companies has grown with the city to better address waste and recycling efforts.
The chat with Paul is broken into two segments. First, we discuss the overall status of the recycling business and market, with an emphasis on where we, the consumers, are falling short on proper recycling. The real fun begins with part two, where Paul and I go through many common household items to determine what can go into the recycling containers and what should hit the trash. I think you may be surprised by some of his answers.
To learn more about Paul and his work, check out his LinkedIn profile, CLICK HERE
To learn more about plastic recycling, visit Waste4Change by CLICKING HERE
Music: “Urban Drummers” by Mike Kirin via. Artlist
Filed under: Combs & Company, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Sean O'Rourke, Successful Women | Tags: 5 Under Forty, American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Morgan Mitchell, Sean O'Rourke
Host: Sean C O’Rourke
“It’s about focusing on the fight and not the fright.” Robin Roberts
In 2019, two scientists presented evidence of a malignant tumor in a turtle bone that was 240 million years old. In 2016, a published paper identified cancer in a hominid – one of our ancestors – toe bone from 1.7 million years ago. An ancient Egyptian medical text, dating back at least 3,600 years, details cancer and removal procedures for breast tumors.
So what’s this have to do with anything? Well, first, it helps explain why cancer remains such an intractable disease, even with $200 billion spent in the last 50 years (in the U.S. alone). Second, it provides context as to why I think my next guest is such an inspiring badass.
Not to give too much away, but what should have been one of the happiest days of Morgan Mitchell’s life was overshadowed by a lump she found in her breast. A couple weeks later, at 28, Morgan was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.
If this interview was about Morgan’s work, or our previous exploits on the football field, or a hike she just finished, you’d never know she was being treated for anything other than being too positive. It’s this strength of character I wanted to bring out during our conversation, in the hopes it might inspire others, and kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month on a positive message.
Morgan’s professional side is highlighted HERE
If you’d like to learn more about the organizations Morgan mentions, visit:
5 Under Forty: https://5under40.org/
American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/
Music “Early Morning” by Borrtx via Artlist
Per Angusta Ad Augusta translates to “Through difficulties to honors.”
Filed under: Branding You, Combs & Company Blog, Did You Know That?, Exciting News, Feature Friday, Get Creative, Marketing | Tags: Feature Friday, Knowinnovation, Sean O'Rourke, Stavros Michailidis
Host: Sean O’Rourke
Guest: Stavros Michailidis
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
I’ve always loved this quote. To me, it speaks volumes about how difficult it is to be “creative.” I actually referenced this quote during my very first conversation with Stavros Michailidis, my guest on this edition of Did You Know That? While my point was one of doubt that creativity could be learned, you’ll discover during this discussion that it was more my definition of creativity was too limited. Humans demonstrate creativity everyday – usually without all the blood – we just have a tendency to not recognize it, and thus, not apply it to future endeavors.
Music: “Naked Memories” by Assaf Ayalon via Artlist
About Stavros Michailidis:
Stavros has been facilitating KI events since 2009 and today he focuses on leading KI’s operations. He brings to KI his experience as an entrepreneur, having co-founded a design build firm, a disaster recovery not-for-profit and an eco-friendly dry cleaning business. Despite his business background, Stavros knew Science had captured his heart when he found himself preferring to read Science News over Harvard Business Review while stuck at airports between flights.
To learn more about his company, Knowinnovation, CLICK HERE
#didyouknowthat #youtube #creativity
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!
Filed under: Combs & Company, Cyber Liability, Feature Friday, Insurance 101 | Tags: Combs & Company, Cyber Liability, Feature Friday, Insurance 101, Mitchell Ledven
By: Mitchell R Ledven, Insurance Advisor, Combs & Company, LLC
The current landscape of the U.S. workforce is quite different than it was six months ago. In a world once consumed by daily human interaction, we now find ourselves spending most of our days sitting in front of a screen and talking behind a keyboard. Some may say that this is just a short-term solution to the problem at hand, while others say it will be the way of life moving forward. While we don’t know for certain which answer is correct, we can agree that one thing is for sure and that is every day you log into a computer, there is a risk that someone is out there trying to take advantage of you. That person could be your next door neighbor or a 12-year-old hacker sitting in their parent’s basement on the other side of the globe. The point of this blog isn’t to shake you out of your boots, but it is to inform you about a way to protect your business and its assets. Enter Cyber Liability Insurance, a coverage that helps protect data and operations of your business if you find yourself the victim of a cyber related attack. Here’s how it works:
Cyber Liability Insurance helps protect your business from losses resulting from online threats. These breaches can be suffered on a 1st and/or 3rd party basis. This is a responsive coverage to help soften the blow due to a cyber-attack.
What it Protects Against:
- Username and password theft
- Phishing emails
- Ransomware/cyber extorsion
- Defense costs, fines, and penalties
- Business interruption after a cyber related incident
- Breach response
- Funds transfer fraud
- Crisis management/PR
- Website is hacked
In a Nutshell: If you store data or have systems connected to the internet, you are exposed to cyber threats.
Is it required?: No. However, all states have laws regarding breach notification. Some states have laws dictating cyber protocols. For example, NY has DFS rule 500 and the SHIELD Act, while California has the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA).
combsandco 