In this special I Love Annuities Podcast episode, hosts Jeremiah Konger and Zachary Van Es sit down with Steve Rowswell, Co-Founder & CFO of Annuity Association, to peel back the curtain on how and why the firm was founded in 2019.Jeremiah and Steve share the industry wrong-doings they witnessed early in their careers, why they saw a huge opportunity to right the wrongs through transparency, education, and empowerment, and how that mission has propelled Annuity Association to become one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies—ranking #294 overall and #21 in the financial services category.Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview02:01 – Introducing Steve Rowswell, Co-Founder & CFO of Annuity Association03:45 – Founding Story: How Jeremiah & Steve Launched the Company in 201906:58 – Industry Wrong-Doings We Identified from Day One09:25 – The Opportunity to Right the Wrongs: Transparency, Education & Empowerment12:50 – Peeling Back the Curtain on the Annuity Marketplace15:22 – The Multi-Point Annuity Inspection: Objective Annuity Scoring18:05 – From Startup to Inc. 5000: Ranked #294 Overall & #21 in Financial Services20:40 – How Our Process Differs from the Industry Norm24:15 – Our Mission to Raise the Industry Standard26:48 – What We Specialize In: Transparency, Education, Marketplace Evaluation31:10 – Lifting the Annuity IQ: Why It’s at the Core of What We Do34:02 – Spotlight on Steve Rowswell: Career Path & Industry Insights38:35 – Steve’s Future Outlook for the Annuity Industry42:10 – Creating a Better Annuity Buying Experience44:50 – Closing Thoughts & How to Start Your Education JourneyThey’ll also dive into the stark differences between the Annuity Association buying process and the industry norm, how they help clients raise their Annuity IQ, and Steve’s predictions for the future of the annuity industry.If you’ve ever wondered what makes Annuity Association different—or how to make smarter, more confident annuity buying decisions—this episode is your inside look.