Can you believe it's been 10 years already?

Yeah, 10 years ago this month, the very first issue of Benefits Selling rolled off the presses and landed on (at least a few) brokers' desks across the country.

They say it's about the journey, not the destination, right? Well, that's certainly been the case for us. It's been a deeply personal—and professionally rewarding—quest for me, a world of growth for this brand and I can't help but think it's been that and more for each and every one of you.

But this isn't about me. And, yeah, I know, these “occasion” issues, like this anniversary section, typically lure even the most seasoned—and humble—veterans down the prickly path of self-aggrandizement. So I wanted to make this more about you and what's happened over the last 10 years to shape our industry. So, over the next several pages, you'll find a breakdown of the top 10 catalysts of change over the last 10 years, whether it's a person, event or overall trend.

(And before you start writing those outraged emails, keep in mind two things: one, that we had to limit it to 10. And it had to be something that actually happened in the last decade—so the creation of Social Security, for example, doesn't count.)

At any rate, you might just see a few of our faces in the magazine—or online or at trade shows—but there have been a lot of people critical to the success of this brand. And I'd be remiss if I didn't give credit where it's due.

First and foremost, art director Joe Schlue, who actually started the same day I did—nine years ago in July. I get a lot of credit for the success of Benefits Selling—more that I deserve—but Schlue deserves just as much. He tries to turn even my vaguest—or simply off-the-wall—ideas into reality and he's responsible for the overall look and feel of the magazine. (And, as I often joke, he's got the patience of Job to have put up with me all these years.)

And we can't forget the one person who's actually been here longer than the rest of us: Tamara Patterson. This has always been her baby. And she's helped shape the destiny of this brand while redefining the publisher-editor relationship.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once wrote in a letter to his counterpart on the other side of the pond, Winston Churchill, “It is fun to be in the same decade with you.”

I've had a blast. And I can't wait see what the next decade holds for us all.

Instant Insights /

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