In this episode of Benefits Broker Boost, Adam Smith sits down with Justin Burgess, founder of Arete and a longtime benefits advisor who recently launched his own agency after more than a decade in the industry. Justin shares his journey from working at a local agency and navigating an acquisition to striking out on his own with a clear mission centered on excellence, strategy, and authenticity.

The conversation opens with why personal brand has become one of the most important differentiators for brokers today. Justin explains how many advisors hide behind their agency’s name and why that approach eventually hits a ceiling. Instead, he argues that brokers who build trust through visibility, consistency, and real opinions create stronger, longer-lasting relationships with employers.

Adam and Justin explore how social media has become a powerful extension of relationship building, not just a marketing channel. Justin walks through how he uses everyday moments, pricing decisions at the grocery store, conversations with clients, fitness and health journeys, to educate employers on the real cost drivers in healthcare. Rather than posting generic industry updates, he focuses on storytelling that connects personal behavior with benefits strategy.

The episode also dives deep into what “strategic benefits planning” actually looks like in practice. Justin breaks down the difference between reactive quoting and proactive planning, explaining how access to data transforms decision-making. From drug pricing and site-of-care optimization to auditing claims for errors, fraud, and waste, he outlines how brokers can create real savings and better outcomes by understanding where money is actually being spent.

Adam and Justin discuss the broken incentives in healthcare, the confusion between health insurance and healthcare itself, and why employers are increasingly frustrated with rising premiums that offer no transparency. Justin shares why he believes many groups are ready to rethink traditional networks, embrace cash-pay strategies, and prioritize direct access to care.

The conversation wraps with a forward-looking discussion on what makes the benefits space exciting heading into 2025. From direct primary care and simpler plan designs to the ability to truly help employees keep more of their money, Justin explains why this moment represents a major inflection point for advisors willing to challenge the status quo.

If you’re a benefits broker looking to stand out, build trust through personal brand, and deliver real strategic value to employers, this episode offers a candid look at what it takes to succeed in a rapidly changing industry.

In this episode of Benefits Broker Boost, Adam Smith is joined by Sims Tillirson, one of the most recognizable voices in benefits sales coaching and social selling. Sims brings over a decade of experience across the carrier, broker, enrollment, and benefits tech sides of the industry and shares a practical, no-fluff approach to building pipeline in today’s crowded market.

The conversation goes far beyond generic “post more on LinkedIn” advice. Sims walks through how his social selling journey started during COVID out of necessity, the mistakes he made early on, and the lessons that ultimately led to a repeatable, high-conversion outbound framework built around trust, relevance, and effort.

Adam and Sims dig into why mass outreach no longer works, why personalization at scale is largely a myth, and how brokers can dramatically improve results by narrowing their focus and using higher-effort first-touch strategies. From video DMs to provocative direct mail, Sims explains how pattern disruption helps brokers break through the noise and lower buyer defenses before a sales conversation ever begins.

The episode also delivers a clear, actionable framework for using LinkedIn effectively today. Sims outlines the four core pillars brokers should focus on daily: building the right network, engaging thoughtfully, creating content that educates and entertains, and intentionally moving conversations off the platform. He also explains why many brokers post consistently but never see inbound leads — and exactly what needs to change.

Beyond tactics, Adam and Sims discuss how to measure real ROI from LinkedIn, why impressions and virality don’t equal revenue, and which engagement signals actually correlate with closed business. The conversation wraps with a forward-looking discussion on industry consolidation, increasing competition, and why brokers who fail to differentiate themselves personally risk being commoditized.

If you’re a benefits broker looking to book more meetings, stand out in a saturated market, and build a durable pipeline using modern outbound strategies, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can start applying immediately.

In this episode of Benefits Broker Boost, Adam Smith sits down with Chris Pierron, a 15-year benefits veteran with over two decades in the health and fitness industry, to explore a radically different approach to winning and retaining employer relationships.

Chris shares the origin story behind The Conscious Bite, a new venture that blends nutrition education, employee wellness, and benefits strategy. Rather than leading with cold calls, rate comparisons, or plan design jargon, Chris explains how he is using value-first education to build trust, create authentic relationships, and organically differentiate himself in a crowded benefits market 

The conversation dives deep into why traditional broker outreach often fails, how HR leaders are overwhelmed and burned out, and why adding genuine value to employees’ lives is the fastest path to credibility. Chris draws powerful parallels from his time running gyms, where giving away education and training led to exponential growth without selling, and shows how the same philosophy applies to benefits today 

Adam and Chris also explore the massive role nutrition plays in chronic illness, healthcare costs, and plan spend, breaking down why prevention, not just care navigation, must be part of the benefits conversation. From seed oils and food additives to the cultural challenges around changing eating habits, Chris explains what resonates with employees and how small changes can create ripple effects across an organization.

Beyond nutrition, this episode challenges brokers to think creatively about their own backgrounds and interests. Whether it’s financial education, mindfulness, fitness, or mental health, Adam and Chris brainstorm practical ways brokers can partner with experts and offer meaningful value-add programs that HR leaders actually want to say yes to.

The episode wraps with a forward-looking discussion on why 2025 may be the most exciting time in history to be in employee benefits. Chris shares his optimism around care navigation, AI-driven decision support, and genomics, and how these innovations could finally shift the industry from reactive care to proactive health management.

If you’re a broker looking to stand out, build deeper relationships, and rethink how you approach employer engagement, this episode will challenge you to stop selling and start serving.

The benefits industry is changing fast, and the brokers who win will think differently, work smarter, and leverage modern tools to deliver more value.

In this first episode of Benefits Broker Boost, host Adam Smith and Plansight CEO Weston Lunsford break down:

Why brokers are under more pressure than ever

Where the industry is headed with AI + automation

The habits and systems top agencies use to scale

How to position yourself as a strategic partner — not a renewal processor

If you're a benefits broker looking to grow, streamline operations, and stay ahead — this podcast was built for you.