Pension systems across the West are under pressure. Governments are retreating, and traditional public safety nets are straining under aging populations. In Germany, for example, the pension and care insurance systems are showing cracks that experts predicted years ago. Meanwhile, financial advisors and insurance agents—the very professionals responsible for bridging this gap—are overworked, under-appreciated, and in many cases, considering leaving the profession.

One study found that one in three insurance brokers in Germany is contemplating leaving the industry due to high regulatory and administrative burdens. Advisors spend up to a full day per week on paperwork alone, often for returns that barely justify the effort. At the same time, the profession ranks as the second least respected occupation in the West, a mismatch between the societal importance of their work and the recognition they receive.

Enter TODAY, a tech startup that aims to transform the economics and experience of financial advising. Co-founded by Michael Gackstatter and Artem Demchenkov—veterans behind InsurTech unicorn Clark and FinTech Billie and backed by Lucid Capital and 14 angels from insurance, finance, and AI—TODAY is attacking the problem on two fronts: reducing administrative overhead and enhancing advisory performance.

Michael Gackstatter explains the company’s mission as “peace of mind at scale.” By combining AI with human expertise, TODAY allows advisors to extend their reach, provide more personalized guidance, and focus on what truly matters: the client. “We’re making it easy to scale the knowledge of the advisor, educate customers, and make advisors available at scale,” Michael notes. The result is what he calls an “unfair advantage”—perfect memory, performance coaching, and administrative efficiency that frees advisors to engage deeply with their clients.

For Artem, the problem is deeply personal. He grew up in a city of miners, with a grandfather from a village of farmers and miners who knew the value of hard work but also the insecurity that comes with relying on physically demanding jobs. In such communities, pensions are not abstract financial products; instead, they are the difference between dignity and hardship in old age. As Artem puts it, “when you see families that have literally built their lives on the strength of their backs, you understand why pension systems matter so much, and why making access to good financial advice sustainable is critical.” That ethos underpins TODAY’s work: ensuring financial security for millions who, like Artem’s family, have given decades of labor to society and their communities.

The implications are profound. For advisors, it’s a way to reclaim time, improve client outcomes, and earn recognition for their expertise. For insurance companies, it’s an opportunity to modernize operations, reduce bottlenecks, and meet rising customer expectations for personalization and 24/7 availability. For investors, TODAY represents a scalable solution to an industry ripe for disruption: a legacy sector facing a “silver tsunami” as experienced advisors retire, leaving knowledge gaps that, if unaddressed, will widen the insurance accessibility gap.

TODAY’s approach is not about replacing humans with AI; it’s about amplifying human expertise. Michael recalls his early days at Clark, where the difference between average and exceptional service was relentless customer obsession and execution. “It’s not enough to say the insurance industry is huge and under-technologized. You have to bring the work ethic and execution to the street,” he emphasizes a philosophy that permeates TODAY.

As the West grapples with aging populations, stressed pension systems, and evolving customer expectations, solutions like TODAY are emerging as critical enablers of financial security. By empowering advisors, leveraging AI for administrative efficiency, and maintaining a human touch, TODAY is not just improving productivity; it’s ensuring that millions of people can access the advice they need to protect their futures.

The question for investors and insurance leaders is clear: who will rise to solve the systemic advisor challenge, and who will watch the gap widen?

TODAY is positioning itself to answer that question decisively.

If these insights resonate with you, do share this post with someone who will get value from it.

* Subscribe here to be first to know when the episode drops

* For more of my thoughts, follow me on LinkedIn

* Get my book Data Impact, for a pragmatic take on data-driven value creation for business

Thanks for reading SLASOG: Leaders are Readers! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit slasog.substack.com