Voluntary Advantage’s Post

Today on Top Five with Shaun! Join us as we delve into the insights of one of our exceptional team members! Today, we're thrilled to introduce Ian Timmermann, our esteemed field agent for Knights of Columbus. Let's get to know him better through these five questions: 1. What do you appreciate most about the work you do here? Ian shares, "What I value most is our unwavering dedication to aiding our clients. Unfortunately, I witness clients suffering from other companies with less noble intentions. We're a true nonprofit, driven by our mission." 2. What is one thing people don’t know about you that would surprise them? Ian surprises us by revealing, "I grew up helping on the family farm with my grandfather. Even today, my father cultivates grapes for local wineries." 3.What are your goals over the next 6 to 12 months? Ian's aspirations shine through as he aims to complete Series 65, to stay a well-rounded advisor. Also to become a member of the esteemed Supreme Knights Club. Additionally, he's determined to qualify for the prestigious Million Dollar Roundtable (MDRT) for the fourth consecutive year. 4. What is one thing that you wish people knew about your career? Ian sheds light on the versatility of life insurance, emphasizing its role in wealth accumulation and portfolio diversification. He specializes in taxation, estate planning, and maximizing Social Security and RMD benefits. 5. What are your top three destinations? Ian's wanderlust takes us across the globe! His dream destinations include New Zealand, France, and Germany for a family ancestral trip, with Istanbul rounding out the list. Ian's territory spans Breese, Fairview Heights, Highland, New Athens, O’Fallon, Scott Air Force Base, Smithton, and Vandalia. Let's show Ian some appreciation and support for his impressive contributions!

🗒️ Hey everyone! Derek here, reflecting on 2 and a half years of owning the Derek Jones State Farm office. 🏢 One of the most important lessons I've learned is the value of servant leadership. Putting the needs of my customers and team members above all else has been paramount. 🙏 I can't stress enough how crucial it is to stay humble. While I may be the owner of the agency, it's never about me. It's about the impact my office can have on helping people navigate the challenging insurance market. 🌍 But amidst the hustle, let's not forget about self-care. In these past years, I've realized the importance of prioritizing my mental and physical health. After all, I can only be the leader I strive to be if I'm focusing on my well-being. 💆♂️💪 Lastly, staying grateful is something I practice daily. Owning a business is not a right, it's a privilege. Practicing gratitude helps me stay positive during tough times and focus on what truly matters in my business: human-to-human connection. 🤝 Thank you for being part of this incredible journey with me. If you're in need of insurance guidance or have any questions, reach out to my amazing team. We're here to help! 📞 #BusinessReflections #ServantLeadership #SelfCareMatters #Gratitude #HumanConnections

🌟 Introducing the remarkable Josee Dearborn, our spotlight on this week's Feature Friday! 🎉 Growing up on a Bison farm in LaRochelle, just north of St. Malo, Manitoba, Josee's roots run deep in the country. She's a devoted wife and proud mom to two sons who hold her world together. 👩👦👦 Life for Josee is a whirlwind of joy, with her sons actively involved in hockey and baseball, keeping her on her toes year-round. The family's passion for baseball has even taken them on exciting journeys to places like Nashville, TN, Halifax, NS, and Phoenix, AZ. ⚾🏒 🏠 Beyond the rinks and diamond, Josee unwinds with a creative flair, delving into drawing and small wood projects. A family-oriented soul, she cherishes moments with her large family, recognizing that family is the true heartbeat of her life. Q&A with Josee Dearborn: Which ONE Insurance location do you work at? St Malo How did you get into the insurance industry? Got talking with a friend of mine one day, who was already in the industry and was telling him that I was looking for a new career. He told me that the Brokerage he was working at was hiring. He suggested that I apply. Figured I had nothing to lose and decided to give it a try. And here we are 17 years later. How long have you been working at ONE Insurance? What would your favourite thing about working here be? It will be 13 years in May of this year. My colleagues make it enjoyable to come to work. I like being able to offer a wide variety of insurance needs to our clients. If you were to give advice to a new ONE Insurance employee, what would it be? You won’t learn everything in one day. Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try. What is your dream vacation? Would love to visit Northern and Western Europe. Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Feature Friday! Come back next week to meet another ONE Insurance employee. #FeatureFriday #EmployeeSpotlight #WeAreONE #ONEInsurance

🌟 Meet Florian Schlak, our featured employee for this week's captivating Feature Friday! 🎉 Florian finds joy in the melodies of life, whether playing the piano or cherishing moments with his beloved family. 🎹 Music fills Florian's heart, with the piano being his instrument of choice. But his true harmony lies in the bonds he shares with his family. Florian embraces every moment from camping adventures to road trips visiting loved ones. 💖 A caring soul at his core, Florian prioritizes the well-being of those around him. He embodies the spirit of optimism and resilience with an unwavering positivity that brightens any setting. Q&A with Florian Schlak: 1) Which ONE Insurance location do you work at? I spend most of my time in Morden, but my role has me traveling to the branches in Manitou, Somerset, Swan Lake, and Winkler. 2) How did you get into the insurance industry? I completed a 2-week practicum at a German insurance agency as a grade 9 student and was interested in working in this field ever since. A year later we migrated to Canada, I graduated high school and applied at BSI Insurance in Winkler and got accepted. I have stuck with it ever since and can’t imagine doing anything else. 3) How long have you been working at ONE Insurance? What would your favorite thing about working here be? I am in my 15th year with the company and my favorite thing is helping people; whether it is to help my colleagues succeed and have a fulfilling career or help and educate customers on coverage they need. 4) If you were to give advice to a new ONE Insurance employee, what would it be? Have at least one goal in life. You are in control of your future and your leader will help you to reach your goal. Take on any position as a career opportunity and do not view it as “just a job”. Intentionally be positive and you’ll succeed as negativity will not bring you far. 5) What is your dream vacation? This might sound boring, but I don’t have a dream vacation place. I am a very family-friendly person and love spending time with them. Whether at home, on the road, visiting family, or camping; if they are all happy and with me that’s my dream vacation! Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Feature Friday! Come back next week to meet another ONE Insurance employee. #FeatureFriday #EmployeeSpotlight #WeAreONE #ONEInsurance

☆☆ 2 BIG takeaways from a very short meeting ▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○▪︎○ It was a meeting in a jiffy. But it was worth it. It's always been like this , whenever I've met Ajay Dubey , a transformational leader & currently Agency Head, Ageas Federal Life Insurance. A short "manthan" (swirl) of experiences & learning, resulting in some great insights. This time the manthan happened in Starbucks , over a cold brew & cappuccino. Here are the 2 BIG takeaways---- 1. Whether you choose to move around different locations, as expected by your company, in pursuit of that promotion , the position , the perks & that package OR You decide to stay put in one place , grow your network & networth -- It's just a personal choice, one has made basis their understanding & need of the situation. In both cases you may grow personally & professionally. However, in both cases , there are few things you have to let go & lose out. 2. Some of the biggest learnings , transformation & significant achievements in life happen when you are pushed to a corner. In those tough, insecure, lows of our life, we are tested & pushed to bring our best to fore. We open new doors We make new acquaintances We are able to sieve & get a clarity on who are "true" friends & who feigned friendship. And we do orbit-shifting , mind-boggling changes to our persona , our learning & personal growth trajectory. Someone's pushing you to an uncomfortable corner right now?? Say thank you, & embrace the opportunity to unravel your hidden potential. Anyone relates to the above points? #embracechallenges #change #growth #comfortzone

🌟 Meet Kyle Towerzey, our featured employee this week on Feature Friday! 🎉 When not at work, Kyle treasures time with his wife Ashlee and their two kids, Hailee & Jackson. They're avid campers, with Rushing River already booked for their next adventure. 🏈🏒 Kyle's a devoted fan of the Winnipeg Bombers and Jets, holding season tickets and relishing their recent successes. He enjoys curling in winter, and golfing in summer, and is excited to join ONE Insurance's Manitoba Marathon relay team this June. Q&A with Kyle Towerzey: 1) Which ONE Insurance location do you work at? Selkirk Main & West 2) How did you get into the insurance industry? Kind of fell into it, my dad worked for ONE (McMillan Agencies back then) and told me they were hiring if I was interested in trying insurance out. I sat down with Dale McMillan and felt like it was something I wanted to try. I really enjoyed it and saw I could make a good career out of it. 3) How long have you been working at ONE Insurance? What would your favourite thing about working here be? I just had my 20 years with ONE last September (2023). Favourite thing about working here is the people. The staff makes coming to work every day enjoyable. Selkirk is a great place to work. 4) If you were to give advice to a new ONE Insurance employee, what would it be? I would say ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to try new things. Asking questions of your teammates will help build your relationships with them and strengthen the team overall. I think it is great for team comradery. Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more wide-ranging things you can do will make you more valuable to your team. It shows your commitment to the team and the company as a whole. Before you know it, you will be the go-to person answering questions for newer staff! What a great feeling that is! 5) What is your dream vacation? Anywhere warm when it’s cold here but to be more specific, I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii. Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Feature Friday! Come back next week to meet another ONE Insurance employee. #FeatureFriday #EmployeeSpotlight #WeAreONE #ONEInsurance

We have had the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about health insurance with a small city over the course of this past year. This city has approximately 35 employees plus dependents on their plan with their current carrier. The premium that they are paying is $95,000/month according to their financial director. Not only are they paying $95,000/mo., or over $1,100,000/year, they have absolutely no claims information which means that they have no way of comparing actual cost of services used versus premiums being charged to pay for it with. If they unbundle the premiums and break all this down to their basic fundamental cost components. By doing this, they would lower their cost by well into six figures. The barrier to even evaluating the economic advantages of eliminating middlemen and knowing actual costs is the very city officials charged with this responsibility. This is a very common occurrence. The money that we see wasted on unnecessary bloated premiums to provide a pathway to healthcare for staff is absolutely astonishing. Decisions like this waste their employees’ money also because they have to pay to cover dependents and also pay a percentage of the monthly premium for themselves. We implemented our method for a small city with a similar demographic whose staff was almost double the above and whose benefits were actually better. Their costs are running about half the cost of the above example with almost twice the number of people. Further, they now know to the penny what their costs are. Therefore, oftentimes the biggest barrier to reducing the cost of health insurance plans is the very people being impacted by this runaway system. I am a former employer who got fed up with being exploited by not knowing what our actual costs were that were hidden by insurance premiums. Information unlocks substantial opportunities to identifying wasted expense hidden by the artificial barriers created by the major insurance carriers and PBM’s. Unfortunately, the above-mentioned city paying $95,000/mo for health insurance will continue to be exploited by this system which, in my opinion, is constructed to benefit handsomely due to these decisions of inertia. To learn more, you are invited to join our upcoming information Zoom session. Register now at www.ecchic.com/events/

🌟 Get ready to meet Taylor Broadfoot, our featured employee for this week's captivating Feature Friday! 🎉 When she's not casting a line into tranquil waters or pitching a tent beneath the stars, Taylor can be found indulging in her passion for crocheting. 🎣 With a crochet hook in hand and vibrant skeins of yarn at her disposal, Taylor creates cozy blankets and adorable stuffies, infusing warmth and love into every stitch. But her greatest joy lies in spending quality time with her family, whether they're sharing stories around the campfire or simply enjoying each other's company at home. 🏕️ And no adventure is complete without Taylor's faithful companion: a refreshing Diet Coke, the perfect pick-me-up to fuel her explorations and creative endeavors alike. Q&A with Taylor: 1) Which ONE Insurance location do you work at? Altona mainly, but also Carman, Dominion City, Letellier, and St Jean. 2) How did you get into the insurance industry? I independently took the Fundamentals of Insurance immersion class right out of high school. I was hired at a brokerage in Winnipeg and the rest is history! 3) How long have you been working at ONE Insurance? What's your favourite thing about working here? I’ve been with One Insurance for 7 years. My fav thing about working for One Insurance is the work-life balance. I can have a healthy balance between my work and personal life, giving me time to enjoy time with my family. The flex day, vacation and volunteering time off really helps ensure I am fulfilled outside of work. 4) If you were to give advice to a new ONE Insurance employee, what would it be? Don’t drink my diet cokes. 5) What is your dream vacation? My dream vacation would be to go to space. I can imagine that feeling of no gravity would be hard to top! Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Feature Friday! Come back next week to meet another ONE Insurance employee. #FeatureFriday #EmployeeSpotlight #WeAreONE #ONEInsurance

In talking to various employer groups, we often are told that they have “cadillac” plans, and they are quite satisfied. This perspective and commentary often comes from middle level management such as office administrators , HR directors, department managers, etc. and as a result the discussion seldom gets beyond that point in order to reach the actual decision maker level. The issue, however, is really not how good the benefits are, but how they are paid for. The health insurance system has masterfully indoctrinated and hypnotized so many into perceiving and believing that their “benefits” come from an insurance company like Blue Cross or United Healthcare. Few realize that their benefits actually come from themselves. It’s the very dollars that these groups provide to the insurance companies to pay their medical bills. They don’t realize how much the cost of their healthcare and related services which these people view as “benefits” is increased by these blindly bundled insurance premiums. In reality, the cost for the same benefits decreases by unbundling the components of a health benefit plan. Most groups have little or no information about what their actual costs of services used is. The unfortunate result of creating barriers to information ends up costing group plans and their participants - an inordinate amount of money that they don’t have to spend. I am astonished at the amount of money employers are wasting on inflated premiums and overpriced middlemen like PBM’s that can easily be eliminated, resulting in lower costs to everyone without affecting benefits at all. Rising health insurance premiums are a concern for most employers, however lack of detailed, in-depth information should also be of significant concern.   To learn more, you are invited to join our next informational webinar on June 19th. Registration is free.

New Beginnings with The Bedle Agency After much contemplation and 3.5 years, I’ve decided to embark on a new chapter in my career journey. This decision wasn’t easy, but it feels incredibly right at this moment. After taking off my blinders, I realized that staying put wasn’t aligned with my core values, integrity, or professional aspirations. I’m thrilled to announce that The Bedle Agency has joined a new IMO where transparency, honesty, and integrity are paramount. We’ve found a place where we truly own our book of business, receive fair compensation for our hard work, and where our voices are heard and valued. This transition is not solely about myself; it’s about safeguarding our clients. With efficient processes and a strong emphasis on client relationships, I am committed to managing your policies with the highest level of care and attention, as I always have. I will be reaching out to my clients to reassure them that their existing policies are secure and will initiate any necessary due diligence reviews without delay. The decision to leave my previous IMO was fueled by a multitude of factors: lack of transparency in compensation, unrealistic expectations for lead costs, and ultimately a disconnect in values and integrity following an incident where I could no longer trust . It’s time for a fresh start where we can provide our clients with the service they deserve, free from unnecessary constraints and uncertainties. I’m incredibly grateful for the support and encouragement from those who’ve stood by me during this transition. Here’s to new beginnings, learning opportunities, and building something truly remarkable together! I am thrilled to join the Cintron Insurance Agency as a Vice President and to collaborate closely with Misty , my direct upline Kim Nixon and the entire team. The support and feedback have been amazing, and our team is overflowing with excitement. At our agency, we prioritize relationships and our people above all else. If my story resonates with you, and you too are staying where you are because of the same fears, please feel free to reach out. You don’t have to feel or be stuck! Put YOU first! #NewChapter #TheBedleAgency #LifeInsurance #NewBeginnings #CareerChange #ExcitingTimes #GrowthMindset