I recently had the pleasure of sharing a cup of coffee with a colleague and one of our bright interns who will be heading off to college in a few weeks. As we chatted, I was struck by his genuine enthusiasm to connect with others, learn, and seek advice from experienced individuals. Despite the excitement and anticipation of starting a new chapter in his life, he has already been taking proactive steps to make the most of his time and energy. Witnessing such intentionality from a young mind was truly refreshing. It reminded me of the immense value in reaching out to others, sharing passions, and exchanging ideas. It was a poignant reminder that by embracing a Better Together philosophy, we open doors to endless possibilities for growth and fulfillment in our personal and professional lives.

Season 5 of The Edge Podcast continues! Host Tim Leman talks with 6 leaders – from a variety of industries and experiences – to share real stories of leadership, teams, and finding your edge.   

Host Tim Leman is back with a brand-new season of The Edge Podcast! Tune in to hear real stories of leadership, teams, and finding your edge.  

“Part of my role as a leader is to help people get to where they’re trying to go. " - Congressman Rudy Yakym

Rudy Yakym joins host Tim Leman to share about his journey to Congress and the lessons on leadership, culture, and community he has learned along the way. The Congressman talks about navigating competing interests, as well as the role he takes to help his team member achieve their aspirations. Rudy & Tim also discuss intentionality as it related to leadership, who we surround ourselves with, and how we stay connected to family.  

“You have to create trust. And trust takes time. It takes face-to-face, getting to know each other, and provingyourself. There are no shortcuts. " - Julio Martinez

Julio Martinez joins host Tim Leman to talk about building personal relationships, trust, and teams. As CEO of Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Julio shares a unique leadership perspective on how to keep culture at the forefront when bringing together people and companies across an array of industries and expertise.     

We’ve been talking a lot about what it means to be better together this year at Gibson. It has me reflecting on what brought me here three years ago and how instrumental our collective teamwork model has been to me.  

Being part of a team has allowed me to thrive. It has allowed me to focus on doing what I am most passionate about - acting as a liaison between HR, employees, and the rest of our consulting team to be their collective voice and elevate the role of HR and how it's viewed within an organization.

“It is these three characteristics alltogether - need for achievement, competitiveness, and optimism – that psychologically create the perfect storm." - Dr. Christopher Croner

Dr. Christopher Croner is a sales psychologist, assessment developer, and founder of SalesDrive. Dr. Croner and host Tim Leman explore the non-teachable traits of top performing salespeople: the need for achievement, competitiveness, and optimism. They also talk about Dr. Croner’s curiosity and what led him to study psychology.     

“I’ve always been more juiced by watching other people be successful. I felt my success was helping others be successful." - Charlie Burnham

Charlie Burnham is a serial entrepreneur and a respected leader in the insurance industry, with a passion for helping others. In this episode of The Edge, he and Tim discuss building high-performing teams as well as the importance of connecting and building relationships. Charlie also shares what he has found to be the key attributes for successful salespeople.    

“Clarity of purpose solves a lot of problems." - Neil Alldredge

Neil Alldredge, CEO of NAMIC, joins The Edge to talk about servant leadership, clarity of purpose, and embracing a collaborative leadership style. As the leader of a trade association, Neil provides insight on the unique dynamics of working with board chairs and advice for setting clear expectations for successful board relationships. Neil and Tim also discuss the interesting history of insurance companies and the growing focus on diversity in the industry.  

“The right fit has to be the first and foremost quality you look for in a sales professional." - Mark Bundy

In this episode of The Edge Podcast, Mark Bundy shares about his early leadership lessons, emphasizing the importance of a strong work ethic, leading by example, and respecting competitors. From his over 20 years of experience as a COO in the insurance industry, Mark offers valuable insights on key characteristics to look for when recruiting sales professionals, connecting and coaching salespeople, and leading with empathy.  

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” - Mark Twain

About six years ago, I connected with Gibson’s CEO, Tim Leman, after hearing him speak on a leadership podcast. Being somewhat new to the insurance industry at the time and limited in perspective, I was curious about a number of things that he shared so figured an outreach couldn’t hurt. He said ‘yes,’ which would eventually lead to a series of conversations and several months later, I joined Gibson.

Little did I know at the time that Tim had published a book, written years before, that would lay out a vision for Gibson to have a Michigan office. In our conversations, Tim laid out a vision of what my career could look like and the incredible opportunity we could pursue together. I recognized a gap in what the local market needed relative to proactive risk management, and through some due diligence with the operational leaders, I felt Gibson’s approach would resonate.