Good Neighbor Podcast: South of the River
Bringing Together Local Businesses and Neighbors of South of the River
Good Neighbor Podcast: South of the River
EP #105 Discovering Personalized Insurance Solutions with Miranda Schotz
Miranda Schotz from Colonial Life joins us to explore the intricacies of voluntary benefits and debunk common misconceptions surrounding insurance. What if your insurance plan could genuinely cater to your unique needs, instead of just being a checklist? Miranda's transition from a sales background to becoming a benefit counselor highlights her dedication to providing personalized support for individuals and families. Her commitment is rooted in understanding the real-life challenges people face and ensures that her role is more about offering genuine advice than simply selling a product.
We dive deep into the world of disability, accident life, dental care, and more, with Miranda offering sage advice on why voluntary benefits are crucial during uncertain times. Her fresh perspective on the importance of these benefits, especially for those working independently, sheds light on the often-overlooked aspects of insurance. Tune in to learn how Miranda's approach emphasizes assessing individual needs, making it clear that insurance isn't a one-size-fits-all. Her passion for helping others shines through as she discusses the value of being a benefit counselor, striving to make insurance accessible and beneficial for everyone.
Colonial Life
Miranda Schotz
Phone#: 715-574-3808
Email: miranda.schotz@coloniallifesales.com
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Mark Bratton.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Good Neighbors Podcast, South of the River, episode number 105. And we have a fantastic neighbor today, Miranda Schatz from Colonial Life. Miranda, how are you doing today?
Speaker 3:I am doing great. It's been a busy day, a warm fall, but how are you doing, Mark?
Speaker 2:Well, good, and I know we'll talk about this a little later, but we had a pretty darn good weekend for sure. But we'll do that later, because it's not often I get a chance to say something, since I'm wearing purple. We all know where that's going to go. So let's start with a little welcome introduction to all the neighbors about colonial life and tell us a little bit about that world.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. I've been in the voluntary benefits industry for about a year now. I've worked in sales before and I just wanted to kind of step into a role that made a little bit more sense as far as my values and being able to help people and benefit their world too. So, as far as Colonial goes, obviously Voluntary Benefits World. What we do is we include disability, accident life, dental care, cancer care, critical illness, as well as hospital indemnity.
Speaker 2:That's a lot on your plate, miranda, wow. So, with all that on your plate, what enticed you to get into that business?
Speaker 3:Yeah, like I said, I had kind of come from a sales world and I had loved meeting with people and talking to people, kind of getting to know their story. Within that, you know, you can hear people's struggles, you can hear their successes. But in this field, with the voluntary benefits, it's actually you know you kind of get to hear those tougher stories come about. Benefits it's actually you know you kind of get to hear those tougher stories come about. And it's really quite moving to hear what some people have gone through and been able to push through and being able to provide them something that actually very much so benefits them in that time of need and uncertainty is super cool.
Speaker 2:That so makes sense from the time we've shared together before trying to get to know each other. Everything else, you definitely are a servant of the industry and obviously I know you're going to serve the neighbors and the people you interact with all the time. But, like you know all businesses and insurance for sure, wealth management falls in that category too. You always have those myths and misconceptions. Any of those wonderful things that you can share with us.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I think in this industry the biggest misconception is that you don't need it. People tend to shy away from the word insurance or insurance sales. What we like to refer to ourselves is as benefit counselors. We're really there to sit down with people one-on-one and decide what their needs are. We're not trying to push everything that I had listed before onto somebody, especially if it doesn't make sense.
Speaker 3:We like to sit down with everybody one-on-one kind of evaluate their life. If they have kids, you know that maybe need dental care. If they have cancer, that runs in the family, other health-related concerns that they have dealt with in the past. I know obviously we all kind of live through that pandemic of uncertainty there and we really never know what's going to happen next, if there's going to be another branch of that or some other crazy thing to come through our door. Um, so just just being able to sit down with people when I want to talk about what, what they need, if anything, um is super important because, like I said, the the biggest misconception I think is that people think that they don't need it, but it can definitely be very beneficial, especially in those times of uncertainty. So that's really what we strive to do is get in front of as many people as we can and just talk to them about what they have going on in their life, see if we can benefit them in any of their life circumstances.
Speaker 2:Really, you know, I definitely know that it's refreshing to hear and there's too many companies out there that will just sell you the company name and not so much the benefits and me being a 1099 person, many times we struggle trying to find these benefits and stuff. And I know Colonial and yourself and your team is really good at trying to figure out what are our needs and then how you can serve them in the best way you can. And obviously I know you've always looked after the pocketbook as well and tried to help us save some bucks with the ever-growing industry of price increases, and so I know you're going to do a good job there. So I don't know. There's probably enough about business, but let's find out a little bit more about you. What kind of hobbies you have, you know, do you hang out with family fun or just?
Speaker 3:Absolutely yeah. What do you cheer for? Yes, well, we were just talking before this about the Packer Viking game. Packers Packers are my home team, so I got to root for them. But, yeah, love watching, love, watching sports, hanging out with friends, just staying active, getting out on the water. Love to do big Midwest Everything, everything Midwest you can think of, is pretty classic me. Love to travel everything else like that too. So I'm in a good spot here in Minnesota to be able to have access to all of that. So definitely, definitely, enjoy every season we've got going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's what keeps me here too. I put up with that. 30, 40 below and the 100 degrees and everything in between is golden. So it's all good there. You know, I really also find out after getting to know you and listening to you here today and stuff. You run this really good life, other than the Packers, but that's okay, we can talk about that later Offline over at Applebee's or something. But what are some life challenges, if any, that inspire you to go through every single day to keep serving for people like us and all the neighbors? And you know, is there just something that really triggered you in the past that says I really want to help these people, no matter what business you're in but obviously we know where you are with Colonial. But is there something that really rocks your life, that keeps you moving every day?
Speaker 3:yeah, you know, I I always try to stay as positive as I can and I just, I know, by meeting so many people, everyone has gone through their own struggles and their own hardships and, um, you know, maybe, maybe somebody's worst day is somebody else's best day, um, but either, either way, I want to be there to, to help them in whatever way that I can. You know, emotional support, physical support, any, anything like that. Be there for them, um, and colonial, is kind of just an extension of of my personality, with that, with my friends and family trying to support and be there for them. Now I just get to kind of extend my family into my business and it's very heartwarming to meet all these people, hear their stories and, you know, it just kind of puts life into a different perspective and it's something that has always kind of brought me joy and been able to make me stay positive, has always kind of brought me joy and been able to make me stay positive.
Speaker 2:Oh, man, the name Good Neighbors Podcast. That's all you. I was very excited when you said you'd do this and join us. Anybody else that you think can share the same message as you have. Please send them our way, because we want to share you and everybody else to everybody, I think, to get a second chat or just get to know you. I mean, we all serve our communities and our industries and our friends, our neighbors and our families, so you're perfect. So, as we finish up here today, um, I really want you to share. One thing that you want everybody to go away with after they listen to your podcast is what do you want them to go away with and hold on before they get to meet you? Because I know they're all going to want to meet you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I guess I've got two quick things.
Speaker 2:Beautiful.
Speaker 3:I'm super easygoing. Like I said, I'm not there to sell you on anything. I'm there to be your benefits counselor. I'm here to see where everything makes sense for you, if it even does make sense compared to some of these agents around here. But as a team we have a really great support system and we're able to bring all of our knowledge into one sort of game here and be able to share that with everybody we meet with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's no doubt about that. I can't wait. And then, last but not least, before we head out, is how do we get a hold of you?
Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely. So you guys can reach out to me via email or phone number. My email is going to be Mirandashots S-C-H-O-T-Z at coloniallifesalescom and my phone number is going to be 715-574-3808. Like I said, that's those those lines. Uh, I'm on all the time. That's even my personal phone number, so you can shoot me a text over, um, if you just had any quick questions about anything that we talked about or anything that we didn't.
Speaker 2:Well, I hope everybody gets to hear you and then start sharing some, uh, some businesses with you, because I will be doing that for sure. So with that we have episode number 105 with five, with miranda shots, with colonial life. We are all done and, uh, I know we're gonna have a great time.
Speaker 1:We will see everybody in the future thanks for listening to the good neighbor podcast south of the river. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpsouthoftherivercom. That's gnpsouthoftherivercom, or call 952-592-3737.