Jared Smith is the national partnership manager at Interactive Health, Inc., a provider of outcomes-based health designed to engage employees in the management of their health through early detection and identification of risk factors.

The company creates innovative wellness programs designed to increase overall company health and actively engage employees to make lasting behavior changes.

Paul Wilson: How did you get your start in the benefits industry?

I started as an account manager for a brokerage firm and got to learn the nuts and bolts of the industry working under a producer. I wanted to learn more about the funding mechanisms and benefits design, so I got a job at Blue Cross. I worked there for about four years in underwriting, and then I moved to a consulting role where I helped drive strategy relative to utilization for large employer groups.

From there, I moved to a TPA where I ran the sales team, and then I stepped into the wellness space, where I've been for the past three years.

PW: How has your background helped your career?

Understanding how things are financed helps me recognize trends and better understand what brokers are trying to do, not just from a sales standpoint, but from the perspective of the problems they're trying to solve and the ways they're trying to add value.

PW: What are some of the biggest trends currently impacting the industry?

Problems and issues generally drive trends, and I think the main problem brokers are currently trying to solve is helping their clients somehow bend the cost curve. Many trends arise from that issue. Another major trend is wellness, which continues to grow. There's a lot of noise around the topic, so the key is to define what wellness is and how you can quantify it. I don't think there are a lot of major players doing that, because in order to be able to address it effectively, you need to have good data.

I think another area to watch is telehealth, an emerging market that's focused on giving employees access to care at the right place and time. There's been a downturn in primary care physicians, so telehealth is helping solve that access problem.

PW: What are some of the biggest challenges facing brokers right now?

The brokers I work with often mention the challenge of dialing down the noise to provide good insight and value to their clients without confusing them. The market is so turbulent right now, so it's more important than ever to provide substantive information and solutions. It's so important to communicate to people that regardless of what happens nationally, there's still going to be a need to solve that economic problem. That's not going away.

Related: The life of a broker

PW: What are the top brokers you work with doing differently?

There's a difference between a sales brokers and a consultant, and the consultants are the ones who are thriving. They're leveraging tools within the industry, along with emotional and behavioral management. They are able to vet what's out there in the marketplace and provide tangible solutions using quantitative data and analysis.

PW: There was a lot of initial good press about wellness, followed by some questioning its relevance and ROI. Is the quantitative approach you mention a pushback against that criticism?

A lot has to do with the way we as wellness companies frame who we are and what we do. I try not to lead with the word “wellness” because it's a buzzword and it sometimes gets lost in translation. It's hard to define and there's are lots of different variances of wellness across the spectrum.

Wellness companies that are setting themselves apart are the ones that can back up their propositions with data. There's a difference between the “fluffy” and the quantitative wellness approach and we definitely take the latter. All of our decision making and strategy is driven by our data.

A lot of the leading companies in the space are also getting away from that “return on investment” terminology. When we talk about using data to help show clients a quantifiable return, it's through risk migration. So it's getting away from that ROI-speak and talking about cost avoidance; that's the real return when it comes to wellness programs.

PW: How do you keep up with the pace of change and the volume of information in this industry?

One way I try to keep up is getting involved with various organizations. I'm the co-founder of the downtown Chicago NAHU chapter. I've served on local chapter boards and also on the Illinois state board. Staying connected to organizations like NAHU helps start conversations, which keep you up to date; and the dissemination of information through those organizations is invaluable.

Related: Voluntary disruption

I've also tried to connect with as many brokers nationally as I can. Understanding how a regional market relates to the national picture can help drive strategy and keep you updated on the current marketplace.

PW: What advice would you give someone interested in joining the employee benefits world?

I think the flux in our industry has created a number of different opportunities, whether you're on the broker side, the carrier side or the vendor side of the house. I would tell them to look at the change as a positive; this industry has a lot of room for growth.

PW: How do you balance the importance of data and technology with the idea that this is an industry that's ultimately built on relationships and trust?

This is absolutely a relationship business. Yes, the data is important, adding value for clients is important, but relationships help drive our business forward. It's a balancing act. The market really demands we hold true to our relationships. That's one of the key factors in our success.

PW: What does the word “disruption” mean to you?

Disruption is inevitable; it's your strategy and how well you prepare that helps mitigate that disruption. Disruption is an x factor—you don't know exactly what it will be, so you need to have strategies in place where you may have to alter course, but it won't completely dismantle your overall strategy.

PW: Who are you favorite innovators or sources of inspiration?

Elon Musk is always trying to push the limits, ask good questions, and enhance the user experience. I relate to that philosophy personally and professionally. I always try to advise my clients in a strategic, thoughtful way.

PW: What do you love about your job?

Every day is different. I'm trying to make a difference in people's lives by helping companies solve their health care costs and improve employees' lives.

I love the fact I get to meet a lot of different people and hear their stories. I also enjoy helping apply some of the financial modeling and tools we have to help employer groups solve their financial problems. Every day is a different challenge.

PW: How do you maintain work/life balance and focus on your own wellness?

I often have to pause and make sure my life is remaining balanced. I like to practice what I preach.

Because I'm so busy on the work side, I always try to maintain balance on the personal side, too. When I slow down on one side, I tend to slow down on the other side. I play in a few soccer leagues on weekends when I'm not travelling. I live with my girlfriend and she's a big part of my life and helping me stay well-balanced. I also have two dogs who keep me busy. And I'm an outdoor person and live near the lake, so I try to take advantage of that whenever I can.

PW: How do you see the industry changing in the next five to 10 years?

I think industry professionals are going to leverage technology, wellness programs and telehealth to build out a model which is more efficient and effective. The cost conundrum is not going to go away, but utilization of certain tools will make a difference. Transparency and reference based pricing will also continue to play a huge role in what's to come.

PW: Finish this sentence. The key to success in this industry moving forward is…

Relationships.

Instant Insights /

Every day is different

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