This is the uncut version of Mitch Santala’s conversation with Garrett Viggers, a cofounder of Limelight Health (which has since been acquired by FINEOS for 75 million dollars), a service that streamlines insurance sales and underwriting processes. Garrett’s inspiration comes from an unlikely source and he is led by the experience of having to give up one dream to make room for another.

Mitch and Garrett start by talking about Garrett’s background in music and how insurance is the last place he expected to land. A devastating event early on paved the path toward his success with Limelight.

Mitch asks about Garrett’s first year as a start-up founder and the two talk about the excitement and fear that come with doing everything yourself. Garrett goes into detail about the importance of hiring the right people at the right time and recognizing your own limitations. He also says there is an evolutionary process in building a team.

Mitch and Garrett chat about the challenges of maintaining integrity while selling from a prototype and the complexity of saying, “Yes we can!” and then actually fulfilling that promise.  There is also a poignant story about why Garrett’s son was desperate for his dad to go barefoot in the house.

Garrett goes on to answer a question about surviving starting up a company and he gives a surprising answer about authenticity and vulnerability. He also cites his biggest sources of encouragement…two men whose paths couldn’t have been more different, but that ultimately led them to successfully make their permanent marks on history.

Garrett also talks about how his return to an authentic expression of music helped him build a healthy internal culture as well as connect with the insurance industry through music and virtual concerts. In fact, Garrett picks up his guitar and sings his version on "The Eye of the Tiger."

Finally, Mitch and Garrett salivate over the tacos al pastor at Garrett’s favorite local Mexican food restaurant, Taqueria Los Gordos.

Table Talk:

Mitch, Gil, Erin, and Isaac the Intern dive right in, talking about what they personally took away from Garrett’s story. Erin says that Garrett’s conversation about Saint Brendan resonated with her personally, as there was a time in her life when she didn’t know exactly which path to take, while also knowing there was no turning back.

Gil talks about Garrett’s version of “Eye of the Tiger” as a leadership principle – that leaders need to encourage their charges to get up off the ground, even when they feel like it’s not worth getting up again. To further that point, leaders need to pick themselves up off the ground, while still being vulnerable enough to admit that they were knocked down but are going to dust themselves off and try again.

Isaac the Intern tries to convince everyone he’s never just sat back and played it safe, but the rest of the group has differing opinions.

Mitch finishes up the discussion with a rendition of a scene from The Lion King that took everyone by surprise.

Links:

Limelight Health

https://www.limelighthealth.com

Eye of the Tiger (Get Up Off the Ground)

https://www.iheart.com/artist/garrett-viggers-33015192/songs/eye-of-the-tiger-get-up-73615015/

Garrett Viggers

https://www.instagram.com/garrettviggers

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-viggers-90332a20

Taqueria Los Gordos

https://www.losgordosredding.com/

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