Suzilla: Family Business Podcast

Do you run a community business or are you running a selective business? There are a lot of people that are running businesses for a niche group that don’t know it. They could be setting up gatekeepers that are driving away new customers. If the growth is stagnating it might be time to look at your regulars and your practices to see what keeps your business from growing.

The Medicare and Healthcare Enrollment are almost upon us, so I get to hear all the woes of the insurance industry. It is our 13th Open Enrollment so we have seen a few things.  This is despite it being one of the most heavily regulated industries out there. We are going to peal back some of the myths and look at what makes up a insurance professional.

Way too many people are looking for that single solution to solve all their problems. It could be a preacher calling for the Rapture to the Robber trying to do that one last score.  While we can’t go back to the past and fix that one thing, we can make tiny steps so that the future ends up better. It takes hard work.

We had a dry lightning storm roll through our state and we went from two big fires to twelve. During the dry season it can occur that quick. There are things that you can do to prepare such as preparing to evacuate to how do make breathing easier when there is smoke everywhere. Let’s take care of smoke season on today’s Suzilla.

What are you doing right now to relax and be unique? What makes you special, people nod their head when they listen to you and allow you to find others. It is what makes you exciting and vibrant because you are more than just a cog in a machine. It is your key to escaping loneliness.

One of the biggest questions that is being asked after the OBBB is what is healthcare going to look like. This is our 13th year of Open Enrollment. We helped run the Enrollment Center located in Wenatchee for years. So buckle up, this is a ground floor look at Healthcare, Medicare, Single Payer, Medicaid and even a little VA coverage in WA state.

Do you travel? What are your adventures and perspectives are you able to bring home after exploring. Have you or your office carved out time to be away from work? We were able to shut down the office for a week and let everyone scatter with personal explorations in mind. We saw a lot of things that we would have missed if we didn’t travel to a border town and visit with a Co-op that I have have be...

Those little things that everyone has to do to keep things running smoothly. It could be filing a business license to doing laundry at home. These are support structure things that can turn lives upside down quickly. Today we get into building the systems that keep lives moving forward.  

OK, has red, white and blue run it’s course for color use In a friendly manner? Has it been over used beyond the flag code. How do I show my love of country without scaring employees?    What do colors signal for your business? How powerful is purple and green? How about as a consumer? How to break traditions and still express yourself.

We have built a couple of brands, what does optics do for your message? Do you need them? What is the balance between form and function? It pays an important roll in your business and even employment. There are a lot of visually learners so what are they learning about you. Sometimes a little bit of grit is a good thing.

Pride has been big business for years. Is it rainbow washing or is a business working on being inclusive year round? Is it good for business or is it being abandoned? While we are a little insurance agency, we have been having a blast for years supporting inclusive events around Washington state. This is what we have seen this first week of Pride Month 2025

How do you determine that you are being overwhelmed and how do you not overwhelm others. How does love bombing someone work and what is it’s reverse? How do you set boundaries to keep yourself whole and moving forward during challenging times.

Yeah, I heard about a Cheese Rave today. There is a wonderful skill about pairing two separate ideas and having them come together like peanut butter and jelly. We are going to talk about some of our favorite fusions and what it takes to bring things together. It does take work and effort when done correctly. 

As Insurance Agents , most of our business is not shared on group chats with a stranger present. We have held confidential information our entire lives. It impacts trust from our associates, the companies that we work with and most important our clients. We get into protocols and secrets and why they are important for everyone. 

When folks drive by our little insurance office one of the first things they see is the sign. When they encounter us on the web or social media there are also signs. It’s spring time so we look at are signs. Do they sparkle enough for the new year. Do we need to update. Here are some things that we do to make us stand out and welcoming.

When setting up an office for Wenatchee Insurance . We have done our best to use micro validations to make it welcoming and not boring. We are going to get into methods that keep your space interesting while moving people through and conducting business. Life doesn't happen in a bland space so how do you introduce difference with out being outrageous?

One of those issues that is popular is what do you wear to the office? How important is what you wear to your job? Are you a for show kind of person or a for function kind? How important is it in today’s work environment to own a suit and tie? What about personal protection equipment including sensible shoes? Is it appropriate to berate a guest or employee publicly for their costume?

Tomorrow is one of the big boycott days for the big box stores. As a bonus, a bunch of the organizers are starting to mention using small businesses. I have ran a small insurance business for years.  What would have happened if you were using small businesses before? If businesses that you know and respect thrive then does it improve your community? A diverse market is a thriving market so let’s g...

When was the last time that you tried something new. Personally, a couple or a business? Spring is a great time to get out and discover your community. Set up new processes to improve your business and prepare for Summer. We have been trying new things with great success. Let’s get into the importance of new. 

Every day, every week, every month we vote with our wallets the businesses that we support. At a certain point, those businesses and business owners support politics. Like it or not yes money is attached to politics. One of the top questions that I was asked last week on one of the platforms is there any lists of businesses that don’t support MAGA. Yes, people are waking up that their wallets can...

We have been running an inclusive insurance business so long, we just shrug when people say it's bad practice. Say the words Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It’s an action which leads to thought and conversation.  What do you object to it and why is Target shareholders suing the company for dropping their DEI program? What do we look for in business as we hire. Lets fill in the gaps and build a b...

Who was surprised by the Federal Freeze? It was a quick flash that highlighted more than I expected as a small business owner. Funding is critically important. It’s why our Founding Fathers selected Congress for that power. The Spending Clause is Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1. We have seen it before, have conversations about it, and inventory our resources.  Now is the time to prepare.

If you ever been to our office, you will see that we don't use the traditional uniform of an Insurance Agency. It can make a lot of people uncomfortable so we put in markers that were friendlier to more people. Uniform is important as it is a visual marker to identify if something is a friend or foe. A green flag or a red flag. You might have to wear something for a job or to fit in. Uniqueness is...

We are seeing time and time again people getting burned because they are running an expectation that it is business as usual. It is strange because it is an attempt to defy the one universal constant that is change. We have had to work with it firsthand this year as we had a local Medicare Advantage plan leave our area with thousands of clients. Some quickly found assistance, some did it themselve...

Have you ever wondered why you hated the person who talked poorly to the receptionist? Had your car in the repair shop and got a upcharge of a couple of hundred dollars. Watched someone cut in line. Didn't use someone's correct Pronouns,. It is all about consent. Suzie and Matt have been running their business on consent for years and it creates referrals like no other.