In this episode, Spark Health Advisors CEO, Lindsey Kratzer, sat down with Jeff Bahrenburg, who leads the employee benefits practice at USI in San Francisco.  We discussed how vendors can better partner with brokers and how employer purchasing decisions actually get made.

1. Key insights from our conversation:
   1: This is still a relationship business. The best ideas don’t always win—founders need to be in the room, not just sales reps.
   2: Getting traction requires a top-down and bottom-up strategy. Know the national decision-makers and the local consultants who influence client decisions.
   3: Brokers are inundated. The vendors who stand out lead with education - trends, ROI, market context - not just another pitch.
   4. Innovation is moving down market. Solutions once reserved for large employers are making their way into the mid-market - but mid-market employers need a trusted partner to help inform decision making.