Risk & Resolve

Conner Insurance
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The Risk & Resolve Podcast is your go-to resource for insightful conversations at the intersection of leadership, business ownership, and the insurance industry. Hosted by Ben Conner and Todd Hufford, this podcast dives deep into the challenges and opportunities that leaders face in an ever-changing world. Each episode features candid discussions with business owners, industry experts, and thought leaders, exploring topics like innovation, risk management, and the strategies that drive success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or insurance professional, you’ll gain actionable insights and inspiration to navigate today’s complex business landscape. Tune in to Risk & Resolve—where leadership meets resilience.

  1. 1 day ago

    Building Great Businesses for a Greater Purpose: Todd DeKruyter on Faith, Leadership & Stewardship

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner sits down with Todd DeKruyter, C12 Principal Chair, former pastor, financial advisor, entrepreneur, and author. Todd shares his unconventional career journey, why faith and business shouldn’t exist in separate worlds, how peer advisory groups sharpen leaders, and why Christian business owners should focus on faithfully doing the “next right thing.” Main Talking Points: Growing up in a successful family business and learning the value of hard workFeeling called to ministry at a young age and wrestling with what that calling actually meantTodd’s description of himself as having an “entrepreneur mind” and “heart of a pastor”Recognizing that traditional ministry didn’t fully align with his giftsTransitioning into financial planning and discovering a passion for strategyGrowing a financial planning organization from roughly six advisors to around sixtyBuilding teams around complementary strengths instead of looking for one person who can do everythingThe creative “blue vase” hiring philosophy and testing candidates for gritTodd’s approach to generosity, stewardship, and “storing up treasure in heaven”Moving into family legacy work and eventually discovering C12Why business owners need a place to work on the business, not just in itC12’s philosophy of building “great businesses for a greater purpose”Why Todd believes Christian faith should influence hiring, firing, strategy, finances, culture, and operationsViewing business itself as a form of ministryWhy executives need people willing to question their answers—not simply answer their questionsThe importance of unfiltered feedback as leadership responsibility increasesWhy “iron sharpens iron” can be uncomfortable when you’re the iron being sharpenedCombating isolation and loneliness among CEOs and entrepreneursTodd’s explanation of the Bema Seat and stewardship from his Christian theological perspectiveImposter syndrome among executives and business ownersHis advice to stop comparing your calling with someone else’s business or ministryAsking “What’s in your hand?” and faithfully stewarding what you’ve already been givenWhy the Christian life is easy to understand but difficult to consistently live outTaking the next right step rather than waiting to understand the entire journeyHis personal reminder that even something as ordinary as carpool becomes precious when you realize how few times are left

  2. 21 Oct

    Woody Waters on Imagine360, Reference-Based Pricing, Entrepreneurship & Healthcare Innovation

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner sits down with Woody Waters, co-founder of Imagine360, to explore his journey from insurance broker to healthcare entrepreneur. Woody shares how ELAP and its early claim audit program evolved into reference-based pricing, the risks involved in building a new healthcare model, lessons from Imagine360’s earliest clients, and why he believes employers and American families need better alternatives to the traditional healthcare system. Main Talking Points: Growing up in Marietta, Georgia and becoming a lifelong Georgia Bulldogs fanStudying business and insurance at the University of GeorgiaLearning sales through hours of cold calling during his first insurance internshipHow one ambulance-company client transformed the early trajectory of his careerMeeting Steve Kelly and eventually deciding to go into business togetherHow ELAP began by helping self-funded employers make difficult claim determinationsDiscovering enormous discrepancies between medical charges and underlying costsWhy “usual, reasonable and customary” pricing created problemsDeveloping what became the Claim Audit Program and eventually reference-based pricingLanding Langdale Company as the first client through a real-world claim pilotBuilding a healthcare company while the mortgage crisis was unfoldingWhy early clients and trusted relationships were critical to gaining momentumHow Indianapolis became an important early market for the modelThe misconceptions surrounding reference-based pricing and balance billingThe financial pressure medical expenses place on American workers and familiesWhy Woody believes traditional healthcare remains highly disruptive for consumersCompeting against the healthcare status quo rather than simply other alternative vendorsWhy larger employers are increasingly considering alternative healthcare strategiesThe importance of member service and earning trust when something goes wrongBuilding a member-service team around empathy, not just insurance expertiseAcquiring TPAs to create greater control over the entire member experienceUsing years of claims data and predictive analytics to improve the modelKnowing your natural strengths—and surrounding yourself with people whose strengths complement your weaknessesWhy hard work and good luck often seem to arrive togetherLessons in becoming more gracious and self-aware as a leaderLeaving a successful brokerage career with young children and limited financial runwayWoody’s unfinished goal of seeing alternative healthcare solutions gain meaningful market share

  3. 14 Oct

    Rethinking Primary Care: Thompson Aderinkomi on How NICE Healthcare Is Changing the Way Employees Access Care (Lunch & Learn)

    NICE Healthcare founder Thompson Aderinkomi explains how direct primary care can give employees easier access to primary care, mental health, physical therapy, prescriptions, labs, imaging, and in-home services. He breaks down why traditional primary care has become unnecessarily expensive and complicated—and how NICE is building a simpler model designed around patients and employers. Main Talking Points: How Conner Insurance first discovered NICE Healthcare through Minnesota clientsWhy traditional on-site employer clinics can be difficult and expensive to operateWhat direct primary care (DPC) actually meansThompson’s fiddle-leaf fig analogy for what’s wrong with healthcareWhy he believes the healthcare system has accumulated layers of cost that aren’t actual patient careQuestioning why traditional primary care costs so much rather than asking why alternatives cost lessThompson’s early advocacy for direct primary careThe limitations of physical-only DPC clinics and virtual-only telehealthThompson’s son inspiring the creation of NICE HealthcareWhy NICE should be viewed as a primary care clinic—not a tech or telehealth companyNICE employing its clinicians rather than renting a provider networkCombining virtual care with in-home and workplace visitsIncluded access to hundreds of prescriptions and dozens of labs/testsPrimary care, mental health therapy, physical therapy, nutrition, and chronic-condition programsAllowing dependents to access NICE even when they aren’t enrolled in an employer’s health plan, depending on employer eligibility rulesDeveloping continuity by allowing patients to repeatedly see the same providerIn-home testing, blood draws, physical exams, imaging, and other servicesWhy multi-person family visits can make care dramatically easier for parentsThompson personally serving as a courier during NICE’s startup daysNICE Healthcare’s expansion into Indiana through its relationship with Conner InsuranceIncreasing utilization as employees become familiar with the serviceThompson’s philosophy of operating on an “ethical margin”Why NICE wants members to use the service more—not lessUsing primary care to potentially prevent more expensive downstream healthcareNew intelligent referral capabilities designed to direct patients toward higher-quality, lower-cost providersThe importance of privacy and security as NICE scalesThompson’s mission to “bend the healthcare cost curve”Giving ordinary employees an experience that resembles concierge medicine

  4. 30 Sept

    Gary Stump on Faith Through Loss, Biblical Prophecy, Israel, and Building a Legacy

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with longtime pastor and mentor Gary Stump. Gary shares the life-changing story of losing his first wife, Donna, in a tragic car accident, the question from God that reshaped his understanding of trust, and how suffering ultimately led him into pastoral ministry. The conversation also explores Gary’s theological perspective on Israel, biblical prophecy, the church, and the importance of passing faith and leadership to the next generation. Main Talking Points: Growing up in Indianapolis and Brown County, IndianaStarting his career in the life insurance business alongside his fatherMeeting Pete John and discovering a personal relationship with JesusHow studying Scripture began transforming Gary’s marriage and familyThe devastating car accident that took the life of his wife, DonnaThe question that changed his life: “Do you really trust me? Or do you just say you trust me?”Wrestling with grief while raising four young childrenBecoming a student of the Book of Job during his darkest seasonThe Charles Stanley message that challenged him not to “waste” his sufferingMoving from asking “Why?” in accusation to seeking purpose through sufferingHow grief ultimately became part of Gary’s call into pastoral ministryMeeting Kathy and watching God rebuild his familyThe influence of Pete John and Malcolm Nabel on Gary’s faith and theologyGary’s theological perspective on Israel and the Jewish peopleHis interpretation of biblical prophecy, the church, the tribulation, and the future of IsraelWhy he believes Christians can support Israel while still disagreeing with actions of its governmentThe influence of visiting Israel and studying the Jewish foundations of ChristianityPreserving Pete John’s Bible and the legacy of the people Pete led to faithLeaving his former church in 2011 without knowing what would come nextStepping out in faith and eventually founding Onward ChurchGary’s desire to write books and identify the next-generation leader for his congregationThe importance of passing faith, leadership, and stewardship to the generation behind you

  5. 16 Sept

    Building What Matters Most: Leah Hartzell on Leadership, Legacy, and Living with Purpose

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with marketing leader, educator, and entrepreneur Leah Richards Hartzell. Leah shares how the legacy of her father, Dr. Mark “Doc” Richards, continues to shape her leadership, parenting, and business philosophy. From launching Bulldog Moving Company to mentoring college students and balancing family with meaningful work, this conversation explores what it means to build a life that leaves a lasting impact. Main Talking Points: The lasting legacy of Dr. Mark “Doc” RichardsGrowing up after losing her father at a young ageThe values of “Glorify God. Work Hard. Have Fun.Choosing Indiana Wesleyan and discovering a passion for businessTransitioning from pre-med to marketingBecoming both a marketing professional and educatorWhy mentoring students extends beyond the classroomLaunching Bulldog Moving Company from the ground upBuilding a customer-first culture through servant leadershipLessons learned from entrepreneurship and family businessRaising children while pursuing meaningful workWhy leadership begins with investing in peopleDefining success through faith, legacy, and intentional living

  6. 2 Sept

    From Engineer to Entrepreneur: Darren Thompson on Building Businesses, Stewarding Success, and Pursuing What Matters Most

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Darren Thompson, Founder and President of Process Alliance, to explore an incredible journey from a thirty-year engineering career at Eli Lilly to building one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical consulting firms in the country. Darren shares lessons on entrepreneurship, faithful stewardship, leadership, marriage, generosity, and why success is ultimately measured by the people you invest in—not the businesses you build. Main Talking Points: Growing up in a blue-collar family in Franklin, IndianaLessons learned from thirty years at Eli LillyTaking the leap from corporate security into entrepreneurshipBuilding Process Alliance from a handful of retirees into a national engineering firmHow COVID unexpectedly accelerated the company’s growthWhy technical excellence alone isn’t enough to build a lasting companyDeveloping the next generation of pharmaceutical leadersCreating a culture centered on mentorship and “pouring into people”Why stewardship—not ownership—is the foundation of leadershipLaunching Ripple Works to create second chances through meaningful employmentRestoring dignity through work for people overcoming incarceration and povertyWorking alongside his wife and navigating the beauty—and bumps—of entrepreneurship togetherThe importance of pursuing your spouse every dayWrestling with generosity, wealth, and leaving a meaningful legacy

  7. 19 Aug

    More Than Basketball: Rick Risinger & Ron Young on Coaching, Legacy, Friendship, and Building Champions

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner sits down with legendary Heritage Christian coaches Rick Risinger and Ron Young to reflect on decades of coaching, friendship, and the lasting legacy of Dr. Mark “Doc” Richards. From state championships and unforgettable games to leadership, mentorship, faith, and the relationships that mattered most, this conversation reveals why great coaches build far more than winning teams—they build people.  Main Talking Points Rick Risinger’s journey from Indiana All-Star to Purdue basketballRon Young’s path through basketball, tennis, and coachingMeeting Dr. Mark “Doc” Richards and forming lifelong friendshipsHow Doc’s leadership shaped Heritage Christian basketballLessons learned from competition, discipline, and preparationThe philosophy behind building championship teamsWhy great players make the team bigger than themselvesThe heartbreaking loss of Doc Richards and carrying his vision forwardWinning seven state championships while keeping people firstThe importance of preparation, scouting, and attention to detailCoaching beyond basketball—building character, discipline, and faithThe role parents, teammates, and assistant coaches play in lasting successWhy humility matters more than trophiesReflections on friendship, legacy, and investing in future generations

  8. 5 Aug

    Leading with Purpose: Adam Weber on Building People Before Business (2026 NextGen Healthcare Summit Recording Series)

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve with Adam Weber to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose. Drawing from his experience as a startup founder, executive coach, and leadership expert, Adam shares practical strategies for avoiding burnout, maintaining perspective, and building sustainable leadership. From the “tyranny of the now” to creating healthy boundaries, this conversation offers actionable insights for leaders who want lasting success without sacrificing their lives outside of work. Main Talking Points: Adam’s most embarrassing leadership moment—and what it taught himThe “Tyranny of the Now” and why leaders lose perspectiveWhy business is simply a series of solving problemsBuilding centeredness through intentional daily practicesLeading with calm, predictable presence instead of emotional reactionsCreating a meaningful life outside of workThe power of writing a personal life visionWhy hobbies make better leadersPrioritizing physical health to improve decision-makingUsing gratitude as a leadership advantageSimple gratitude practices that transform team cultureWalking, meditation, and creating mental space for better thinkingReading timeless wisdom instead of reacting to constant noiseLeading from the “top of the mountain” with long-term perspective

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About

The Risk & Resolve Podcast is your go-to resource for insightful conversations at the intersection of leadership, business ownership, and the insurance industry. Hosted by Ben Conner and Todd Hufford, this podcast dives deep into the challenges and opportunities that leaders face in an ever-changing world. Each episode features candid discussions with business owners, industry experts, and thought leaders, exploring topics like innovation, risk management, and the strategies that drive success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or insurance professional, you’ll gain actionable insights and inspiration to navigate today’s complex business landscape. Tune in to Risk & Resolve—where leadership meets resilience.

Information

  • Creator
    Conner Insurance
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    66
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Conner Insurance
  • Show Website
    Risk & Resolve

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