Risk & Resolve

Conner Insurance
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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. 2D AGO

    Building with Purpose: Entrepreneurship, Discipline, and Fatherhood with Marcus Hall of California Closets

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Marcus Hall, President and Partner of California Closets Midwest, to explore his journey from small-town Indiana to entrepreneurship, leadership, and building a values-driven business. Marcus shares lessons from failed ventures, what he learned from sports, software, and mentorship, and how Threefold and California Closets became the right platform for meaningful growth. From disciplined routines and leadership through questions to sobriety, family, and fatherhood, this conversation is a thoughtful look at what it means to build a business—and a life—with purpose. Main Talking Points: Marcus’s roots in Sweetser, Indiana, and his early years playing basketball before transferring to Ball StateHis first career stop with the RCA Tennis Championships and how sports became a conduit for relationships and opportunityThe community leadership examples he observed from leaders like Kevin Martin and Jim MorrisHis entrepreneurial itch, early side hustles, and what failed ventures taught him about focusThe move from sports marketing to software during the ExactTarget growth yearsHow mentorship and discernment led him away from bad acquisition targets and toward the right opportunityWhy Threefold became the right fit: faith alignment, operational support, and shared valuesWhat California Closets actually does beyond closets—from home offices to garages to pantriesMarcus’s leadership philosophy: ask better questions, listen deeply, and empower great peopleThe role of reading, discipline, and morning routines in shaping how he leadsHis commitment to intentional fatherhood with his twin daughtersThe life-changing decision to pursue sobriety and how that reshaped everything that followed

    49 min

  2. MAY 6

    The GLP-1 Equation: Balancing Innovation, Access & Cost - 2026 NextGen Healthcare Summit Recording Series

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, it breaks down the exploding cost of GLP-1 medications and why many organizations are spending millions on diabetes care—with little improvement in health outcomes. Featuring leaders from American Senior Communities and Northwind, this conversation explores a bold, mandatory program that combines medication, coaching, and accountability to drive real health improvements. From behavior change to data-driven strategy, this episode challenges the “medication-first” mindset and reveals what it actually takes to reverse chronic conditions at scale. Main Talking Points The wake-up question: Are we spending millions on medications while employees remain sick?Why diabetes medication costs can be 10x higher than any other condition category  The decision to carve out diabetes care and implement a mandatory, managed programHow Northwind’s model removes barriers: cost, access, complexity, and fragmentationThe power of combining medication + health coaching + accountabilityWhy “mandatory” can actually be the most compassionate approach to employee healthThe reality of behavior change: why people resist—and how to move them anywayKey KPIs that matter: engagement, risk reduction, GLP-1 utilization, and cost per patientResults that matter: improved A1Cs, reduced high-risk populations, and lower overall spendThe hidden dangers of GLP-1 overuse and “set-it-and-forget-it” prescribingWhy medication alone is insufficient—and often just masks the problemThe long-term risk: how today’s solutions could create future health and cost issuesCommunication strategy at scale: reaching a fragmented workforce effectivelyReal-world impact: helping patients move toward remission—not just managementWhy sustainable health requires behavior change—not just prescriptions

    41 min

  3. APR 29

    Why Your Doctor Can’t Care: The Broken System and the Rise of Direct Primary Care with Dr. Phillip Burrer

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Dr. Burrer, founder of Valor Direct Primary Care, to unpack what’s broken in modern healthcare—and how direct primary care (DPC) offers a radically different approach. From his journey through corporate medicine to building a patient-first practice, Dr. Burrer shares insights on insurance-driven care, physician burnout, AI in medicine, and why relationships—not systems—should define healthcare. This episode challenges conventional thinking and offers a hopeful vision for the future of medicine. Main Talking Points: Dr. Burrer’s journey from Boston to becoming a family physician—and living out his childhood dreamHow experiences across hospitals, private practice, urgent care, and corporate systems shaped his perspectiveThe evolution (and dysfunction) of insurance-driven healthcare: from doctor control → insurance control → patient burdenWhy traditional medicine often prioritizes billing and compliance over patient careWhat Direct Primary Care (DPC) is and how it flips the model back to doctor–patient relationshipsThe economics of DPC: fewer patients, deeper care, and aligned incentivesPhysician burnout and why many doctors are leaving the traditional systemThe hidden cost of “7-minute visits” and loss of meaningful doctor-patient relationshipsHow DPC enables proactive care, real access, and personalized medicineThe role of AI, data, and skepticism in modern healthcare decision-makingDr. Burrer’s shift from atheist to Christian—and how that reshaped his approach to medicine and careWhy worldview matters in both science and medicineThe importance of having a doctor who knows you—not just your chartThe risks and rewards of leaving a stable system to build something better

    1h 5m

  4. APR 15

    Becoming Churchill: Leadership, History, and the Power of Portrayal with Randy Otto

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Randy Otto—internationally recognized Winston Churchill portrayer, keynote speaker, and Churchill historian—to explore how one man’s lifelong passion became a calling. Randy shares the childhood moment that first connected him to Churchill, the mentor who shaped his path, and the actor who helped him transform admiration into embodiment. From Churchill’s leadership, magnanimity, and preparation to the urgent importance of studying history in a fragmented age, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the past still has something vital to teach us. Main Talking Points Randy’s upbringing in Milwaukee and the formative influence of his World War II veteran fatherThe moment that changed everything: watching Winston Churchill’s funeral at age 12How a college professor and mentor helped turn curiosity into lifelong pursuitThe journey from actor to wealth manager while continuing to portray Churchill for decadesWhat Randy learned performing for the “Greatest Generation” and how that shaped his messageThe pivotal meeting with Hal Holbrook that freed Randy to tell stories rather than chase a perfect scriptHow Randy thinks about becoming Churchill on stage—and bringing the audience into that experienceChurchill’s discipline, preparation, and ability to anticipate attacks before they cameThe role Churchill’s speech challenges and dyslexia played in sharpening his communicationWhy Churchill’s magnanimity and refusal to hold grudges mattered as much as his courageWhat younger generations need to know: study history, seek truth, and understand what freedom costsRandy’s reflections on passion, purpose, and the book he still feels called to write

    1h 4m

  5. APR 1

    Leading Through Pressure: Navy Lessons, CEO Decisions, and Building a Stronger Wabash with Brent Yeagy

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Brent Yeagy, President and CEO of Wabash, to explore his journey from small-town Indiana to the U.S. Navy submarine force and ultimately to leading one of America’s largest transportation equipment manufacturers. Brent shares how military pressure shaped his leadership, what it took to guide Wabash through COVID, why he refuses to accept the status quo in healthcare, and how leaders can drive breakthrough change by owning outcomes instead of delegating them away. This is a conversation about resilience, responsibility, and leading with clarity when the stakes are high. Main Talking Points Brent’s Indiana roots, early dream of becoming a doctor, and formative years in AlexandriaHis nonlinear path from Purdue to enlisting in the U.S. Navy during the first Gulf WarHow leading young sailors on a nuclear submarine shaped his view of pressure, responsibility, and leadershipWabash’s origin story: disrupting the trailer industry through customization and entrepreneurial speedBrent’s rise through multiple roles at Wabash after joining in 2003The career-defining risk of moving into manufacturing leadership with only 24 hours to decideWhat changed when he became CEO in 2018How Wabash responded to COVID after losing roughly 70% of backlog in weeksWhy command-and-control leadership was necessary in moments of crisisTurning crisis into opportunity by recapitalizing, reorganizing, and reshaping the businessBrent’s philosophy on healthcare: leaders are responsible for outcomes, not just costsWhy CEOs cannot delegate away stewardship of employee healthHis vision for Wabash’s future through resilience, culture, and strategic transformation

    1h 1m

  6. MAR 18

    Building a Family Insurance Empire: Risk, Faith, and 50 Years of Entrepreneurship

    In this special in-person episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Jim Conner—second-generation insurance entrepreneur and former president of Conner Insurance—to unpack five decades of risk-taking, family business, faith-driven leadership, and hard-earned lessons. From buying the agency at age 22 with a $50,000 note to navigating acquisitions, expansion failures, carrier relationships, and generational transition, Jim shares what it really takes to build—and sustain—a family enterprise. This is a candid conversation about ownership, conviction, legacy, and why burning the ships might be the only way forward. Main Talking Points: The 1973 decision: four brothers buying the family agency with a $50,000 bank noteLessons from Jim’s father: war survivor, project-driven entrepreneur, relentless relationship builderWhy “burning the ships” shaped their mindset toward business survivalGrowing from $150K in revenue to multi-location expansion across IndianaThe risks and realities of managing satellite offices before technologyNegotiating underwriting authority and building carrier leverage (the Maryland story)Why autonomy without accountability exposed the limits of expansionFlatline years, hard cash-flow seasons, and bearing leadership pressure aloneIntegrating faith and business through CBMC, mentorship, and personal convictionThe challenges—and necessity—of generational successionWhy ownership changes everythingLegacy thinking: shifting from building a company to investing in grandchildren

    2h 2m

  7. MAR 4

    From Insurance Executive to Healthcare Whistleblower: Wendell Potter, President and Editor in Chief, Center for Health and Democracy and Health Care Un-Covered

    In this powerful episode of Risk and Resolve, Wendell Potter shares his journey from health insurance executive at Cigna and Humana to becoming one of the most prominent whistleblowers in American healthcare reform. After decades inside the system, Wendell reveals how corporate priorities, shareholder pressure, and political influence shaped the modern insurance landscape—and why he ultimately chose to testify before Congress. Main Talking Points:         •        Growing up in rural Tennessee and early journalism career         •        Transition from reporter to insurance executive at Humana and Cigna         •        Inside look at shareholder-driven healthcare corporations         •        How propaganda shaped public opinion on healthcare reform         •        The rise of high-deductible plans and “consumer-driven healthcare”         •        The Clinton healthcare battle and the Affordable Care Act         •        Medicare Advantage, vertical integration, and PBMs explained         •        The “road to Damascus” moment that changed his life         •        Testifying before Congress and becoming a whistleblower         •        What a fair and sustainable healthcare system could look like

    1h 8m

  8. FEB 18

    Bridging Business and Missions: Erik Cooper on Marketplace Ministry and Global Impact

    In this episode of Risk & Resolve, Ben Conner and Todd Hufford sit down with Erik Cooper, a leader whose career path moved from music to accounting to ministry—and back into the marketplace with a mission. Erik shares how CRF (Community Reinvestment Foundation) leverages affordable housing and assisted living to generate profits that fund global missions through The Stone Table. They unpack the sacred–secular divide, what it means to work from “it is finished,” and how business leaders can view their work as worship and service. From family legacy and nonprofit strategy to the Great Commission and the unreached, this conversation is a blueprint for mission-minded leadership in the marketplace. Main Talking Points: Erik’s nonlinear journey: Belmont music major → IU accounting → worship pastor → church planter → nonprofit presidentThe founding model of CRF: acquiring affordable housing to generate profits for global missionsHow nonprofit real estate can combine high-quality housing impact with sustainable mission fundingWhy The Stone Table was created to bring missions giving and marketplace mobilization in-houseThe meaning behind “The Stone Table” (Narnia inspiration) and anchoring the org to the gospel story“Tetelestai” / “It is finished” as the foundation for work, identity, and purpose in businessDismantling the sacred–secular divide: why marketplace work matters to GodPractical coaching for leaders: putting your work inside God’s story, not asking God to bless your story“Avodah” (labor / worship / service) and viewing everyday work as worshipful serviceMarketplace as missions strategy: why business is often the access point in unreached regionsFamily leadership dynamics: working with his dad and daughter; legacy and stewardshipRisk & Resolve: church planting as entrepreneurial risk; unfinished goals (kids debt-free + global gospel access)

    52 min
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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
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Conner Insurance
  • Show Website
    Risk & Resolve

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