A conversation with GameStop’s Co-founder

Video games, eccentric personalities and past presidential candidates have all made their way through Gary Kusin's career.

The entrepreneur and business mentor is the former CEO of FedEx Office and co-founded the company now known as GameStop. Kusin shares how he started the first large-scale video game retailer, why GameStop surged in the financial market during the meme stock craze of 2021, and how a summer internship at an insurance company changed his outlook on leadership and life. We spoke with Kusin ahead of the April 30 publication of his new book, Always Learning.

In this episode we meet Tim Hall, CEO of Relation Insurance Services. Hall shares how he got his start creating a business in high school, what life is like in his home state of Nebraska, and how the insurance industry needs to sell itself to a younger generation.

Donnacha Smyth, president of global excess casualty for AXA XL, discusses pressure points in the market and his takeaways from brokers.

In the newest addition to our AXA XL podcast series, Donnacha Smith, president of global excess casualty for AXA XL, discusses ongoing claims litigation and nuclear verdicts, geopolitical tensions, climate change and renewables, and how to remain relevant for clients dealing with these pressures.

Creating efficiency and speed for agents and brokers is a major topic in this podcast sponsored by BrokerTech Ventures. Jeff Lobeman, assistant vice president for digital and head of innovation, and Bob Pick, CIO and executive vice president, both at Tokio Marine North America, discuss how they stay on top of brokers’ operational and customer service needs, balancing automation and human interaction, and what’s next for insurers and the internet of things.

"I like to be where the rubber meets the road."

In this episode we meet Jenni Lee Crocker, President of PCF Insurance Services. Crocker shares how growing up in a small town in Virginia shaped her outlook on life, and how experiences from her local community gave her the tools and can do attitude to tackle whatever her job and the industry demands of her. She also explains what characteristics contribute to good office culture.

With a reduction in deals and dollars, insurtech investment going forward will favor companies with a proven track record and products that will be widely usable across the insurance industry, says Kylie Hubbard, director of innovation at Insurica. In this podcast, sponsored by Ascend, Hubbard also provides a broker perspective on the state of data connectivity and discusses whether and how the insurance industry will use technologies such as blockchain and AI.

A conversation on digital evolution with IVANS CEO Reid Holzworth.

We discuss connectivity, carriers data evolution and how AI is really being used in the insurance industry.

A discussion with Pamela Wheeler, Chief Diversity Officer at NFP.

In this episode we meet Pamela Wheeler, who shares stories about her early career in the sports industry working for the WNBA. Then Wheeler dives deep into why she traded in sports for insurance, and why its important to understand DE&I as a business imperative.

In this podcast sponsored by finance automation platform Ascend, we talk with Andrew Wynn, Ascend co-founder and CEO. In between conversations about digitization, integration and what good looks like, we discuss the nature of relationships, community and the thread between his time in the Peace Corps and insurance.

What kind of knowledge and benefits does a past minor league pitcher wish he had?

Slade Smith, Employee Benefits Specialist at Cobbs Allen shares stories about the early days of his career as a professional baseball player, drafted by the Detroit Tigers, and how he pivoted to working in the insurance industry after an injury.

The 33-year-old also shares his thoughts on what major trends the employee benefits space could see in the near future.