With 32 years of experience, one might think Jeff Grabiak's been in the benefits business his whole life. Working with his father, one of the leading AFLAC managers in the Southeast, Jeff started the summer right after his first year of college. He went on to become the youngest agent - at 18 - to ever win the Fireball award.
"As a result of that experience, I changed my major in college," he recalls. (No kidding.)
The vision of a life practicing medicine evaporated as the dream of an insurance career muscled its way in. Grabiak quickly changed to a risk management major at the University of Georgia.
"It certainly opened my eyes as to what could be done with an insurance career. After I graduated, the first assignment I had was working a large state agency," Grabiak explains. "We did pretty well, writing something like 4,000 voluntary policies in an eight-week period with our team of just three enrollers. That really launched my career."
That start, as a life and health agent, lasted 10 years and evolved into a carrier position where within five years he was an agency officer running a quarter of the country, for what became AWD.
"Every time I considered other options, they gave me a promotion," he says. "However, an opportunity I couldn't refuse finally presented itself. I started as the CEO of Benefit Financial. Within a year, it was the top-producing agency for Allstate, and for several years to follow."
Later, in 2003 Grabiak went out on his own and started Worksite Benefits just outside Atlanta.
"It was scary as heck at the time, but now, I couldn't be happier that I made that decision. I figured I had all the experience as an agent, carrier representative, and executive could to make it work and so far we've been successful beyond our imagination," he says.
Benefits Selling: What sets you apart from the other brokers why have you been so successful?
Jeff Grabiak: We're able to take all the expertise and contacts I've made in the industry over the last 30 years and craft solutions. I'm confident that our team can solve any broker's problems or provide an answer for any case that a broker might have from core benefits to voluntary and in the future, even [property and casualty]. Being the past president of the Workplace Benefits Association, having developed carrier contacts, having seen and implemented technology solutions and so forth has certainly helped. You know, I thought I knew a lot, but boy did I learn how important having the right TPA or carrier partner is. Being able to pick up the phone and speak and have a relationship with someone like Gene Sorrel, who has the knowledge and can make a decision, is vital.
I'd also say that because of our team and the consultive approach we taken, we've been able to develop a strong producer development program. We've also been able to create opportunities beyond the traditional benefits model.
BS: Such as association business?
JG: Exactly. We've been successful in creating association solutions for traditionally difficult markets. We developed a cutting edge package of [guaranteed issue] benefits for 1099 contractors. Over the past four years I think we are the only organization that has been able to produce an "expense-based" medical product for contractors on a GI basis. It started in transportation that has been and continues to be a huge success, and we've since expanded this really simple concept into all sorts of other markets that either adopt our program or we help them create their own. We've been able to create solutions for our broker partners and because of this, people come to us every day looking for help. A lot of that I think is because of our flexibility.
BS: How are you flexible what do you mean by that?
JG: We adapt to our broker partner's needs, or more likely their clients' needs. For example we have affinity marketing solutions, with a unique twist, that we've created for special campaigns with large chambers of commerce and even for benefit packages sold on TV. With all the marketing experience coupled with administrative expertise we can offer traditional turn-key approaches. It might just be developing the right enrollment platform or we've even had brokers get excited about the fact we review and develop billings rather than have their clients get one directly from a carrier.
BS: So obviously, you can fill a lot of niches?
JG: We can and do. Growing up in this industry, I learned that you have to identify a niche, and fill it. But not just fill it, to look at it study it, understand it, know it better than anyone else and be the best at it, and then continue to raise the bar to stay on top. That's what I did with the transportation industry we provide a premier solution that you can't find anywhere else. And since then, we've been able to fill several other niches. We've made strategic hires in the executive, sales and administrative levels that have allowed us to enhance markets that we've operated in and start to thrive in them.
BS: Does that present any challenges with all the differences between markets?
JG: The markets are different, but they do have a lot of similarities. In our case most of our carrier relationships cross all of these lines so we don't have that concern as much. Many of our producers utilize us as MGA across several lines or enrollment solutions, or back office or whatever they need from us. We find because of our relationships we can become their solution whatever market they're in. Of course we really do have to make sure internally that our experts are focusing in on their particular expertise so we can properly master these particular niches. We've got the right people in the right places so when an association or broker needs something we can offer a cutting edge, unique solution. We're good at it and we're going to get better.
BS: You give a lot of credit to others including your family.
JG: Well I certainly didn't become successful all by myself. Both my parents have been in the industry for more than 40 years. My sister works with us, too, as well as my wife and son. We have a really strong staff. Our call center manager is, well, we're fortunate to have her.
BS: Your parents were mentors?
JG: Absolutely, I'm very thankful for that. Of course, I've had several. I had one executive explain the secret to his success. He said he always had some place for his agents to go. Well, that stuck with me, and now I always have something for all our agents across the country. If they want to work, we can certainly provide that opportunity.
BS: Do you think you're a mentor to some of them?
JG: [Laughs] Oh, I don't know about that. I do try and help people in the industry; that's why producer development is so important to me, and we're getting involved in internships for college students soon to help get them involved in the industry, but I'm not sure if anyone considers me a mentor. I'd have to think about that a while.
BS: What does the future hold for you and the industry?
JG: Who knows what the folks in Washington are going to do. I think we all hope and pray that level heads will prevail and that the right decision for the industry and the country are made.
Because of the unknown, you have to prepare for a variety of situations, which is what I'm doing with our agency. We have a strong emphasis on voluntary products across the country as an [managing general agency], the association business. We've moved into the P&C world. We've positioned ourselves to expand our operation. The way we've done it, with those strategic hirings, with the technology and?just as importantly with the relationships with the right TPA partner, the right technology partners, the right broker partners and the right carrier partners etc...gives us the what I feel is the best platform and the best substantial experience to handle what the future brings, whether it's association business, state business (which we do quite a bit of too) or the more traditional voluntary or group market.
I'm pretty optimistic about the future. Any health care regulation wouldn't go in effect until 2014 or so and the full impact wouldn't be felt until 2019 so that gives us time to fix anything that might not be the best. We've got time and future elections on our side. Either way, I started this business and continue to love it and shape it because, every day, I control my own destiny.
