In this episode of the DH+ INSPIRE podcast, we had the pleasure of enjoying an insightful conversation with Custom Design Benefits CEO and President Julie Mueller. Custom Design Benefits, one of the Midwest's largest independent, full-service Third Party Administrator of self-funded health benefit plans, has long been dedicated to providing excellent cost containment solutions.
Throughout the podcast, Julie explores her nonlinear journey with Custom Design Benefits, what led her to redefine the company culture and how she and her team continue to represent these fundamentals today. Julie offers sage advice to current and future executives, using her own experience to illustrate essential steps in defining and reinforcing sustainable company values and best practices.
See below for timestamps and a detailed outline of our conversation:
00:00 - Define Your Culture, Don't Let It Be Defined for You
Custom Design Benefits CEO and President Julie Mueller lays it all out there: if you’re not defining your company culture, it is being defined for you. Whether you lead a startup or a decades-old business, you can begin establishing your company’s core values with the simple question, “what do we want to be known for?”
4:52 - 23 Weeks, 23 Fundamentals
At Custom Design Benefits, CEO and President Julie Mueller and her leadership team asserted 23 values and behaviors fundamental to the business. But they didn’t just make a list - they broke down a new fundamental each week in a company-wide email, recognizing the importance of using an accessible communication strategy to include all members of the workforce in the initiative.
6:48 - Reinforcing a Sustainable Culture
Once you’ve established your company culture, you have to continue reinforcing it, adapting to change and learning from feedback. Custom Design Benefits CEO and President Julie Mueller accepts this challenge head-on, incorporating fundamental values in regular workplace activities. From encouraging employees to recognize their coworkers’ performance to sending out weekly culture-based quizzes, CDB keeps team values and culture at the forefront.
11:20 - Excellent Culture = Excellent Service
When you know who you are and where you are going, you can achieve greater, more targeted results. Custom Design Benefits has proven this to be true, with 95% of clients rating the services rendered “excellent.” CEO and President Julie Mueller attributes this success to their commitment to fundamentals, explaining that as your staff becomes more aligned with company vision, you can truly curate superior customer solutions.
To learn more about Custom Design Benefits, please visit https://www.customdesignbenefits.com.
To connect with Julie directly, you can find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-mueller-5b79a3a/.
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