Suzilla: Family Business Podcast

OK, has red, white and blue run it’s course for color use In a friendly manner? Has it been over used beyond the flag code. How do I show my love of country without scaring employees? 

What do colors signal for your business? How powerful is purple and green? How about as a consumer? How to break traditions and still express yourself.

We have built a couple of brands, what does optics do for your message? Do you need them? What is the balance between form and function? It pays an important roll in your business and even employment. There are a lot of visually learners so what are they learning about you. Sometimes a little bit of grit is a good thing.

Pride has been big business for years. Is it rainbow washing or is a business working on being inclusive year round? Is it good for business or is it being abandoned? While we are a little insurance agency, we have been having a blast for years supporting inclusive events around Washington state. This is what we have seen this first week of Pride Month 2025

How do you determine that you are being overwhelmed and how do you not overwhelm others. How does love bombing someone work and what is it’s reverse? How do you set boundaries to keep yourself whole and moving forward during challenging times.

Yeah, I heard about a Cheese Rave today. There is a wonderful skill about pairing two separate ideas and having them come together like peanut butter and jelly. We are going to talk about some of our favorite fusions and what it takes to bring things together. It does take work and effort when done correctly. 

As Insurance Agents, most of our business is not shared on group chats with a stranger present. We have held confidential information our entire lives. It impacts trust from our associates, the companies that we work with and most important our clients. We get into protocols and secrets and why they are important for everyone. 

When folks drive by our little insurance office one of the first things they see is the sign. When they encounter us on the web or social media there are also signs. It’s spring time so we look at are signs. Do they sparkle enough for the new year. Do we need to update. Here are some things that we do to make us stand out and welcoming.

When setting up an office for Wenatchee Insurance. We have done our best to use micro validations to make it welcoming and not boring. We are going to get into methods that keep your space interesting while moving people through and conducting business. Life doesn't happen in a bland space so how do you introduce difference with out being outrageous?

One of those issues that is popular is what do you wear to the office?

How important is what you wear to your job? Are you a for show kind of person or a for function kind? How important is it in today’s work environment to own a suit and tie? What about personal protection equipment including sensible shoes? Is it appropriate to berate a guest or employee publicly for their costume?

Tomorrow is one of the big boycott days for the big box stores. As a bonus, a bunch of the organizers are starting to mention using small businesses. I have ran a small insurance business for years.  What would have happened if you were using small businesses before? If businesses that you know and respect thrive then does it improve your community? A diverse market is a thriving market so let’s get there.

When was the last time that you tried something new. Personally, a couple or a business? Spring is a great time to get out and discover your community. Set up new processes to improve your business and prepare for Summer. We have been trying new things with great success. Let’s get into the importance of new. 

We have been running an inclusive insurance business so long, we just shrug when people say it's bad practice. Say the words Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It’s an action which leads to thought and conversation.  What do you object to it and why is Target shareholders suing the company for dropping their DEI program? What do we look for in business as we hire. Lets fill in the gaps and build a better future.

Who was surprised by the Federal Freeze? It was a quick flash that highlighted more than I expected as a small business owner. Funding is critically important. It’s why our Founding Fathers selected Congress for that power. The Spending Clause is Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1.

We have seen it before, have conversations about it, and inventory our resources. 

Now is the time to prepare.

Have you ever wondered why you hated the person who talked poorly to the receptionist? Had your car in the repair shop and got a upcharge of a couple of hundred dollars. Watched someone cut in line. Didn't use someone's correct Pronouns,. It is all about consent. Suzie and Matt have been running their business on consent for years and it creates referrals like no other. 

There are people that treat insurance and other services as a transactional model. Pull a lever and coverage comes out. Suzie and I have always treated it as a wild river process. Where clients move from pool to pool, lingering where they need more and moving quickly to the next process when needed. Today, we are looking at flow and how quickly things can jam up if we were just focused on a single transaction.

After seeing that Fyre 2 is being worked on, Bridgerton Ball, the Wonka experience. It is time to talk about events. We love events from working on theatre to hosting festivals. We are getting into constructing an event to what to look for to avoid being scammed. Events are not a cash cow banking experience and we need to stop treating them as such.