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Juliann Nichols

Jennifer Currence, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, ACC, CEO of WithIN Leadership

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Jennifer Currence is the CEO of WithIN Leadership, a leadership development and coaching company focusing on legacy leadership – who you want to be – in Tampa, Florida. It is here where Jennifer delivers results through customized training and coaching programs for leaders and Human Resources. She is the creator of the Leading for RealTM leadership development program and content creator for Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) new People Manager Qualification (PMQ).

She earned her MBA with an emphasis in management and holds a nationally accredited certification in coaching (ACC) and two international senior-level certifications in human resources (SPHR and SHRM-SCP). Jennifer has been recognized as a Thought Leader by the International Society of Performance Improvement, a Subject Matter Expert by SHRM, and was named Tampa Bay’s HR Consultant of the Year for 2017.  She has 20+ years of experience in Human Resources and training in organizations, is a university professor, and is one of roughly 50 people in the world serving as a faculty member for SHRM.

Jennifer met JULO Strategy’s CEO Juliann Nichols at a Predictive Index Class they were both attending, and they established a relationship. Jennifer took CEO Mindset because she realized there were things she didn’t understand about running a business and the processes she needed to succeed.

During CEO Mindset, Jennifer learned how to “bake cupcakes,” Juliann’s process for writing detailed procedures, and her exit strategy – who does she want to be when she grows up. Jennifer focused on where she was in the present and not where she wanted to be. Her A-Ha Moment during CEO Mindset was thinking about the end game – a big awareness for her. She is still acting upon that awareness today.

Jennifer’s best things about CEO Mindset were hearing from other entrepreneurs – their successes and failures. The class helped her understand why she is a leader and business owner and clarify her business role. She now understands what she can automate, delegate, and eliminate to do more things she enjoys and is a genius doing. She’s learned how to spend her time wisely and more effectively.

Jennifer’s revenues have increased and are the most they’ve been since taking CEO Mindset. Being a CEO means freedom, constant change, a lot of innovation, and empowerment to Jennifer. She now has control over her destiny.

Jennifer has been published in HR Magazine and featured in Fast Company magazine, USA Weekly, and HR.com. She is a professional member of the National Speaker’s Association, the International Coaching Federation, and the author of three SHRM-published books on business behavioral competencies.

We are so proud of your accomplishments, Jennifer, and look forward to watching your continued successes!

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Juliann Nichols

14 Microchanges Guaranteed to Advance Your Career

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Is there some way to advance your career that’s faster than completing an MBA, and easier than rescuing your company from a hostile takeover bid? The truth is there are plenty of microchanges that can have a macro effect on increasing your value as an employee.

If you want a raise or just more job satisfaction, try these simple tips for taking your work performance to the next level. They’ll pay off quickly.

Online Microchanges for Greater Career Success

The internet makes it easy to gain knowledge and promote your visibility. Take advantage of virtual opportunities to climb the career ladder.

  1. Edit your LinkedIn profile. When’s the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile? Let colleagues see your most recent accomplishments. Research the most effective keywords that will make you stand out.
  2. Manage your network. Organize your contacts so you can follow up with the interesting graphic designer you met on the jogging trail. Whatever software you use, a successful system will help you to stay in touch and grow your network.
  3. Support others. Networking is more effective and rewarding when you focus on giving to others. Take a second to retweet someone’s message or recommend a former intern on LinkedIn.
  4. Follow industry news. Impress others with your knowledge. Spend a few minutes between meetings scanning the top business blogs in your industry.
  5. Collect time saving apps. Use technology to increase your productivity. Find a program that will remember your passwords or play phone tag for you.
  6. Monitor your time. On the other hand, it’s easy to lose track of time when you’re browsing online. Set limits on your YouTube sessions if you find yourself becoming distracted.

Offline Microchanges for Greater Career Success

Face-to-face interactions still have a dramatic impact. Maybe that’s even more true today when so much communication occurs electronically. See what a difference showing up in person can make.

  1. Demonstrate initiative. Identify what your boss considers to be the top business priorities so you know where to devote your efforts. Find a way to contribute that goes above and beyond your job description.
  2. Volunteer your assistance. Make allies by being helpful and generous. Pitch in when your office mate is facing a tight deadline.
  3. Speak up. Participating in meetings and business discussions will grow your confidence as they bring you extra approval.
  4. Radiate enthusiasm. Your boss will trust and value you more if you show that you’re invested in your career. Think about how your efforts contribute to the success of the company.
  5. Express gratitude. Let your colleagues know how much you appreciate them. Offer sincere praise and share credit for team projects. They’ll be more likely to return the favor.
  6. Dress sharp. Appearances count. Pay attention to the office culture so you can choose an appropriate wardrobe even if there’s no formal dress code. One good rule of thumb is to start dressing like the position you want to hold in the future.
  7. Join a professional association. Membership has its benefits, including networking and educational opportunities. Your employer may be willing to cover all or part of the cost.
  8. Use your vacation days. According to the Harvard Business Review, employees who take all of their vacation time have a 6.5% higher chance of receiving a promotion or a raise than their peers who are stockpiling their time off. Now, that’s a fun way to succeed in business.

The average fulltime work week in the United States is already 47 hours long. Wouldn’t you like to have a strategy for impressing your boss that doesn’t involve putting in a lot of extra hours? These microchanges will help you do a great job and maintain balance in your life.

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Juliann Nichols

Sara Ferrera, Veteran and CEO of Floaty’s Farm – Providing Locals With Home Grown Microgreens

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If you have never heard of microgreens, they are young vegetable greens that fall somewhere between sprouts and baby leaf vegetables. They have an intense aromatic flavor and concentrated nutrient content and come in a variety of colors and textures. Although fragile, microgreens are versatile and flavorful and can complement or shine in any dish. And yes, they make powerful and delicious garnishes – but they are more than just toppers. Despite their small size, they pack a nutritional punch, often containing higher nutrient levels than more mature vegetable greens. This makes them a good addition to any diet.  

If you are looking for these fresh greens, Sara Ferrera, Founder and CEO of Floaty’s Farm has you covered. Sara provides local residents with these tiny but beautiful plants and does it all in her own backyard! 

Sara Ferrera spent most of her childhood running through cattle farms with friends in Russellville, Arkansas. Born in her grandparent’s cabin in the Ozark Mountains, Sara is no stranger to the wilderness and still finds solace when surrounded by nature. 

In 2011, Sara followed her grandfather’s footsteps and joined the Army as an Intelligence Analyst. She spent her days working in an office conducting research and processing Soldiers for the Combat Aviation Brigade out of Fort Riley, Kansas. Office life was a challenge, but Sara met the love of her life – in the next cubical over, and within a year, they were married. 

In August 2014, Sara left active duty to pursue the Army Reserves and experience what life was like on the “civilian side.” She soon moved to Florida to eventually become a contracted intelligence analyst until February of 2019, when she decided to pursue her passion and work toward a Fish and Wildlife Management degree. However, due to health complications, Sara put her education on hold. 

In January 2020, Sara joined the Veterans Florida Agricultural internship with the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.  This hands-on opportunity gave Sara just what she needed, a chance to learn the ins and outs of commercial agriculture. 

Sara expanded her knowledge by learning how to research chemical impacts of produce yield, identifying plant disease, identifying nematodes, and more. However, her internship was cut short due to COVID-19, and she was unable to continue lab rotations. Instead, Sara moved to the Farm Crew, where she transitioned from intern and eventually to a permanent employee. Sara’s time on the Farm Crew has been invaluable. She has learned managerial techniques, equipment logistics, and chemical operations. But the biggest lesson learned was that it is okay to make mistakes as long as you fix them and move forward. 

Sara has taken this lesson – along with her husband and team members’ encouragement and moved forward with starting her own urban farm, Floaty’s Farm.

She attended our CEO Mindset course to have a solid business plan and information on how to move forward to be successful. “I learned that I have a fear of failure but also success. I couldn’t start my business or begin to sell until I was confident in myself to get customers.” While focusing on produce, she still didn’t have a niche,  therefore, she wasn’t going anywhere with the product. Encouraged by peers, she decided to focus on microgreens and when she put out there what she was selling, she sold out in ONE DAY. She managed her time better by incorporating an assistant to handle tasks so she could focus on her produce.   

Floaty’s Farm began as a multi-produce urban farm, but after going through and utilizing what she learned from JULO Strategy, Sara now produces a microgreen specialty farm. Soon after, she began raising Barred Rock chickens and vermicomposting to assist with fertilization. 

Sara has vivid plans for Floaty’s Farm’s future, including expanding produce offerings, raising livestock, and an education center to teach others about responsible farming, wildlife conservation, and how agriculture can help others battling PTSD, much like her own internship. 

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Juliann Nichols

Kathy Smith, CEO of Chandelier Transformations Youth Mentoring Inc. – Empowering Young Women Through Mentorship

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Children’s opinions of their bodies form at an incredibly early age, especially young girls. With social media and apps like TikTok, girls become consumed with how many likes they get, how popular they are, all while trying to be their own person and stay true to themselves. With these young minds still developing, it can be exhausting and overwhelming to stay positive. It is difficult to escape the “ideal” body image that is promoted in today’s media and no matter how much you try to shield your child from it, the message is likely to come through.  

Kathy Smith, Founder and President of Chandelier Transformations Youth Mentoring Inc. 501c3 Nonprofit organization in the Tampa bay area, mentors young, brown-skinned girls to embrace their individuality and live boldly and confidently in who God created them to be. By transforming their mindsets to illuminate their path and the path of all they meet, it empowers them to be trailblazers in the world through coaching, speaking, community involvement, mentorship, adolescent scholarships, and social activities.  

Kathy is a veteran of the U.S. Army serving 17 years as a Human Resource Specialist. In the military she served various roles that required her to be the voice for many Soldiers as an Equal Opportunity Specialist and Sexual Assault Victim Advocate. Kathy holds a BSBA, MSHRM and is currently pursuing a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.  

Growing up in Hillsborough county schools and raising a daughter and two sons of her own, Kathy felt that our younger generations needed real life role models and someone to teach them how to not only lead but communicate effectively in all aspects of their lives. She strives to instill excellence in young minority females by mentoring them on leadership, self- esteem, healthy relationships, boundaries as well as educational and Christian values to become pillars of success in their communities.  

As a Life Coach and Motivational Speaker, Kathy is the Transformation Strategist to professional women serving in the Armed Forces, female veterans and career-minded, goal-oriented women in the civilian sector needing to move from overwhelmed and undervalued to illuminating the path for themselves and others. She walks women through tearing down walls and strongholds of generational curses and self-sabotage that have plagued women for years. Kathy trains her clients to tap into their spiritual consciousness by removing the mask that they have built their lives around and to live life boldly and confidently in their God-given purpose. Through her support, clients can unlock their identity and potential to live a life of abundance and prosperity without fear, worry, anxiety or self-doubt.  

She enjoys meditating, studying ministry and natural health remedies, as well as spending time with her family and friends. She loves seafood and her favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

Kathy joined our CEO Mindset course to have a solid business plan, qualify and secure the funding to run Chandelier Transformations Youth Mentoring on a full-time basis and to be an essential business in her community. She wanted to network and build solid relationships with various individuals and form partnerships throughout the Tampa and St. Pete communities. 

She learned there were a lot of things she could delegate or eliminate to maximize her potential and run the business more effectively. She put strategies in place to avoid pitfalls and created tasks to get things done. A big “a-ha” was the difference of an end user client and a target client/market. “I learned that with my mentoring organization, my clients are my sponsors and donors. The girls and families that I serve are the end users.” 

Why would she recommend this course? “CEO Mindset gives you a clear strategy and develops the mindset to help you to get things done in your business. My practices, clients and tasks are clear and defined. No other training program has helped me with these things and in such a short amount of time. The pace is fast but knowing to brain dump and start with a fresh mindset, begin with the end in mind and Automate, Delegate and Eliminate! I feel that CEO Mindset has allowed me to navigate the pitfalls of starting and running a business. It has shown me I can run a business in a manner that will allow for success at the current moment and well into the future.” 

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Juliann Nichols

Create One Great Habit a Month and Have a Great Year

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You don’t need to have 100 good habits to make your life better. Just 12 habits are plenty to completely turn your life around.

Of course, it’s important to choose effective habits. The right habits put your success on autopilot. If you’re doing the right things each day, good things happen. It’s as certain as gravity.

Use this process to enhance your life one habit at a time:

  1. Know your goals. You can’t choose the best habits to add to your life without knowing your goals. The best habits support your goals and make them much more likely to come to fruition. Make a list of your goals and prioritize them. Use your brain dumping as a way to list these out.
  2. Make a list of all the habits that would aid in reaching those goals. Take a look at your most important goals and consider all of the habits that would help you to reach those goals. List every possible habit you can think of no matter how small it might be. We’re not judging them yet, so list them all.
  3. Prioritize those habits. Some habits are far more effective than others. Take your list of habits and put them in order from most effective to least. Take as much time to do this as you need. Be honest with yourself. The most effective actions are often the least enjoyable.
  • Choose the 12 habits that will make the biggest impact in your life over the next year. Make sure that you have these 12 habits in a logical order that makes sense for you.
  1. Make a plan. Start with the first habit and develop a plan for how you can implement it in 30 days. Let’s suppose that your first goal is to get up 30 minutes earlier each morning. You might decide to proceed this way:
  • Step 1. Wake up just one minute earlier. Do this each day adding another minute.
  • Step 2. Start a morning routine to help you WANT to get up earlier.
  • Step 3. Schedule something important for the first of the morning. Have a breakfast meeting with a client or schedule a doctors appointment. This creates higher levels of the hormone adrenocorticotropic, or ACTH, in the blood. In short, the body has an internal alarm clock that wakes us up before the alarm goes off.
  • And so on. Just be sure to be at full speed by day 30.
  1. Start with only one goal. Keep it to one goal. It might seem more effective and much faster to put all the habits into action at once, but it works better, and the results are more long-lasting to do it one at a time. Twelve good habits over a year are life changing.
  2. Put all of your energy and focus on that one goal. That one goal has to be a huge priority. This is your life you’re talking about. Be 100% determined to be successful this time.
  3. Do it daily. Daily actions are easier to turn into habits that things you only do a few times a week.
  4. Plan your energy. People often plan their time without considering their energy levels. For example, going to the gym in the morning is either much better or worse than going to the gym in the evening for you. Everyone is different.
  • Plan your time, but plan around your energy.
  1. Keep your eye on the big picture. These habits might not be enjoyable in the short term. However, if you keep your attention on the benefits you’ll gain, it will make things easier.
  2. Track your results. Track your results. You might be tracking pounds of body weight, dollars, pushups, or hours of piano practice. Tracking your results is motivating.

After 30 days, add another habit. Keep going until you’ve added all 12. Just 12 habits will make a huge difference. Instead of trying to change everything about your life at once, try tackling life one habit at a time. Which habit will you choose?

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Juliann Nichols

The Ultimate Guide to Remote Work: Secrets to Thriving When You’re Not in the Office

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The New Normal

  • Twenty years ago, only a very small percentage of people worked remotely. Now we have broadband internet, smartphones, and videoconferencing. The way we work has fundamentally changed. The result is that it’s much easier to work from home, which large numbers of people now do.
  • Covid-19. 2020 was a hit on all businesses, but especially small businesses. Having to transition almost immediately during a pandemic had most of us wondering how ourselves and our businesses would survive. Having processes and systems in place for the “what if” is extremely important.
  • What many people don’t realize, however, is that working remotely is very different than working in an office. Many of the rhythms and routines that help you thrive in the office don’t work as well at home. If you’re going to thrive as a remote worker, it’s important to learn a new set of skills and strategies.
  • In this guide, we’re going to give you proven tips, tactics, and strategies that will help you work effectively from home. Ready? Let’s dive in.

 

Avoid Doing These

  • Avoid: Trying to prove you’re always working. With remote work, you may feel the need to prove to your boss that you’re working by immediately answering every message that comes your way. The issue with this is that it prevents you from being able to focus for extended periods of time.
  • Avoid: Always being available. You may feel like you need to be always available to your boss and coworkers. You feel obligated to respond to messages even if they come in during non-work hours. As much as possible, try to avoid responding to messages when you’re not working.
  • Avoid: Being hard on yourself. If you’re new to remote work, it’s especially important to cut yourself some slack. It’s very different than working in an office, and it’s going to take you some time to get your bearings. Over time, you’ll get better at working from home. In the meantime, don’t be hard on yourself.

 

Stick to a Schedule

  • One of the great advantages of remote work is that you have more flexibility to set your schedule. However, the absence of a defined schedule can also be a downfall. It can be tough to get motivated to get started.
  • To keep yourself on track, try to maintain a schedule as much as possible. Determine in advance:
  • When you’ll start work
  • Break times
  • Quitting time
  • Maintaining a predetermined schedule will add much needed structure to your day. Communicate your schedule to all the relevant parties, like your boss, family, friends, and anyone else who needs to know. Establish clear boundaries regarding when you will and won’t be working.
  • Consider creating pre-work routines that will get you in the right mindset to be productive. Think about the things you do prior to starting work at the office. Consider how you can duplicate these routines at home.
  • As tempting as it may be to spend all day working in your pajamas, take the time to actually get dressed. When you get dressed, it’s a signal to your brain and body that you’re transitioning out of relaxing and into work.
  • It’s essential to take breaks while working from home. If you’re not careful, you can end up working for hours without giving your mind a rest. Schedule activities that will refresh you mentally, like going for a walk, drinking coffee on your porch, or calling a friend.
  • It’s also important to establish clearly defined boundaries about when you will and won’t be working. If you don’t have a clearly defined quitting time, work will quickly take over. Your goal is to be fully present whatever you’re doing.

 

Create a Working Space

  • A designated working space can help keep your work life and home life apart. When you enter your working space, you know that it’s time to get down to business. When you leave, you know that it’s time to relax.
  • As much as possible, try to make your workspace feel separate from the rest of your living quarters. This doesn’t mean that you must have an entirely separate room to work in. It simply means that you primarily use that space for working and not leisure.
  • The more you work in one area, the more your brain will associate that area with your job. As the association in your brain strengthens, entering your workspace will act as a trigger, signaling to your brain that it’s time to work.
  • Ideally, your workspace should be as free from distractions as possible. If you can’t physically separate yourself from others, using noise-cancelling headphones can also reduce distractions.
  • Make your space comfortable. Get a comfy chair and maybe put a few decorations around you. If you can, work in a well-lit area, preferably illuminated by natural light.
  • When the day is over, “close” your working space. Shut down any work-related items on your computer (browser tabs, email) and tidy up your space so that it’s ready for tomorrow.

 

Use a Task List

  • Consistently maintaining a task list helps you focus the lion’s share of your attention on the things that matter most. You also gain a sense of progress as you check items off your list.
  • At the start of each day, take a few minutes to review the items on your list. Rank your three most important tasks and then focus on getting those things done that day. Don’t move on to your second most important task until you’ve completed your first.
  • There are a number of effective ways to keep a task list. There are a number of planners that are specifically designed to help you identify and accomplish your most important tasks, including:
  • Full Focus Planner
  • Best Self Planner
  • Bullet Journal
  • If you want to maintain your list on your computer and smartphone, check out these apps:
  • Todoist
  • Microsoft To Do
  • Omnifocus
  • Google Tasks
  • Things

 

  • If you simultaneously want to stay on top of your schedule and your task list, you may want to try using the Pomodoro technique. It works like this:
  • Identify your most important task.
  • Set a timer for 25 minutes.
  • Work on the task for 25 minutes (one Pomodoro session).
  • Take a 5-minute break.
  • After four Pomodoro sessions, take a 15-20-minute break.

 

Stay in Communication With Coworkers

  • Even though you’re working from home, it’s still essential to stay in touch with your boss and coworkers. With remote work, there’s an increased risk of miscommunication and misunderstanding. To keep this from happening, work hard to keep all the channels of communication open.
  • Your company may already have tools in place to keep everyone connected. If they don’t, consider using the following.
    • Chat tools. There are times when you want to fire off a quick question to a coworker without getting into a full-fledged discussion. In these moments, chat applications are incredibly useful.
    • Video conferencing tools. Video conferencing tools are essential for when you need to have a meeting but aren’t in the office. Everyone can come together in a “room” and hash things out.
    • Collaboration tools. The best collaboration tools allow you and your coworkers to easily work on projects together. Changes can be easily made and tracked, and notes can be attached to any item.
  • Project management tools. Project management tools ensure that projects keep moving and that the right people work on the right tasks at the right times. The best project management tools allow tasks to be assigned, deadlines to be set, reminders to be sent, and more.

 

Reduce Distractions

  • When you work from home, distractions are everywhere. These distractions can make it difficult to get things done. The more you can reduce distractions, the more productive you’ll be.
  • Know yourself. Most distractions arise internally, like getting bored, hungry, or tired. If you know when these kinds of distractions tend to arise, you can plan accordingly. For example, if your energy starts to flag in the afternoon, schedule a brisk walk.
  • Shut things down. An abundance of incoming emails, Slack messages, and texts makes it hard to focus. Sometimes the best solution is to shut all of these things down for set periods of time. Consider only checking your communication tools at designated times during the day.
  • Block distracting websites. There are a million time-wasting distractions on the internet. One of the most effective solutions is simply to block all the websites that tend to suck you in. Physically prevent yourself from wasting time.
  • Work during your peak times. There are certain times of the day when you’re more energized, focused, and productive. As much as possible, use your peak periods for your most important work. Avoid wasting these times on things like email, which you can do even when your brain is tired.

 

Get Moving

  • When you work from home, you’re in one location much more than normal. To combat claustrophobia, try to get outside each day. Simple outdoor activities you can do include:
  • Walking
  • Biking
  • Playing a sport like basketball
  • Fishing
  • Picnic
  • Garden
  • In addition to just getting outside, try to exercise several times per week. Consistent exercise helps you keep the pounds off and increases your overall sense of well-being. If you don’t have access to equipment, there are a number of apps that can provide you with guided workouts.

 

Connect With Others

  • Isolation and loneliness can be big challenges for remote workers. After all, your office mates are a big part of your social circle. That all goes away when you work from home. It takes concerted effort to ensure that you get consistent time with others. But it can be done.
  • Working at coffee shops or a coworking space can make you feel like you’re part of society, even if you’re not directly interacting with others. Taking social breaks can also be helpful. For example, you could work several hours in the morning and then grab lunch with a few friends.
  • Another option is to join local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce or a softball team. You may also want to think about volunteering, which enables you to socialize with others and make a meaningful contribution to your community.
  • The big takeaway is simply to find ways that you can spend time with others. Generally speaking, extended periods of isolation aren’t healthy. So, it’s important to make the effort to be around other people.
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Juliann Nichols

Options for Small Business Owners to Fight Health Care Costs

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Health insurance is a huge cost of business for any company, but especially for small companies. As a small business ourselves, we understand how stressful it can be to provide coverage to your employees. Premiums continue to increase and many smaller firms are forced to require employees to shoulder the financial burden.

Many employers have been forced to eliminate medical coverage all together. Over 60% of those without health insurance are employed by small businesses. This is a pervasive problem in the United States. The costs are greater per employee for a smaller company than they are for a larger one; some authorities cite a difference of 18 percent.

As a small business owner, what can you do to mitigate this issue?

While there aren’t any complete solutions, here are several ideas that can help to reduce the cost of providing medical coverage in your small business:

  1. Keep your employees healthy. Offering a wellness program can be very effective. Investments like flu shots, stop-smoking groups, cancer screenings, and more have been shown to return as much as $4 for every $1 invested. In the long-term, some larger companies have claimed a total savings of over $700 million from their wellness program!
  • Most of these types of programs aren’t going to be free, but can be an excellent tool for some small businesses.
  1. Reduce the coverage. Though this option is unpopular with employees, reducing the amount of the coverage or requiring employees to pay a greater share of the premium may be necessary.
  • Talk to your employees. Maybe they’re willing to give up dental or vision insurance in exchange for keeping the cost to them the same. See if a compromise can be reached.
  1. Health savings accounts. These accounts are available to those in plans with relatively high deductibles. In a nutshell, these accounts allow workers to deposit earnings in an account that can then be used to pay for medical expenses. Contributions and withdrawals are both tax-free. Employers can also make tax-free contributions, but are not required to.
  • The deductions can even be made on a 1040 form without having to itemize.
  1. Join or start a group. Insurance premiums for businesses with over 25 employees are less than for those with fewer than 25. Essentially, the more people the better. Depending on state laws, it may be possible to join with other businesses and get a lower rate. The savings can be significant depending on the group size.
  2. Shop for the best policy. Different insurers will have different offerings. Look around and see what you can find. A new insurance company might be just what you need to find the perfect policy for your employees. Talk to other small business owners and see what coverage they offer their employees. Live in the Florida area? We have a great recommendation for you, our own JULO alum, Carrie Roberts with American Trustee of Florida, LLC.

While offering medical insurance is very expensive, if you can find a way to provide this at an affordable rate to your employees, employee retention will improve. You’ll also be able to attract better talent.

One of the most powerful things you can do to obtain affordable health insurance is to pool your resources with other small business owners and qualify for a larger-group rate. In some cases, you’ll save $100 or more per employee. Investigate your state laws to see what’s permitted.

Medical insurance isn’t an easy issue for small business owners, but you can usually find a solution with a little searching. Take good care of yourself, your business, and your employees; see what you can do to offer affordable healthcare to your workers.

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Juliann Nichols

Carrie Roberts, CEO of American Trustee of Florida LLC – Helping Small Business Owners Find Affordable Insurance

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In this ever-changing world of insurance, it can be difficult to know what type of coverage is right for you and your family. Health insurance is so important, especially these days, and having an experienced professional to assist with your needs can be helpful in finding the right program for you. 

Carrie Roberts, CEO of American Trustee of Florida LLC, helps employers and individuals‘ source affordable insurance solutions. They offer a wide variety of options for Health, Life, Supplemental, Annuities and so much more.  

A Florida native, Carrie was born and raised in the great city of Jacksonville. She left to explore the “Wild Blue Yonder” in 1989 and joined the United States Air Force where she met her husband and had two children. Carrie served 10 years in Active Duty and 3 years Civil Service as a Weather Forecaster. 

Carrie went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Business Management and her MBA with a focus in Marketing while working full-time retail management. After some time, she knew it was time to make a change as her season was over in retail. After much prayer and consideration, she entered the world of Insurance in 2016 and has not looked back.  

Carrie cut her teeth in the insurance industry as an Aflac Agent with a rapid succession to District Sales Coordinator. Wanting to provide her clients a more well-rounded suite of insurance options, Carrie became an Insurance Broker. She recently started American Trustee of Florida, LLC, where they help employers and individuals‘ source affordable Insurance coverage to meet their needs. It is Carrie’s vision to become “THE” go to Broker for small business owners! 

Don’t ever feel like it is too late to follow your dream! In addition to running her business, Carrie is now living her lifelong dream of performing in musical theatre. After raising two children, graduating from college and two careers, her very first show was in 2019 casted as Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast. She has since done two more shows and is looking forward to many more.

Carrie heard about our CEO Mindset course through one of our JULO alums, Trish Murphy. She wanted to be more of a savvy business owner, and well, learned she has a lot to learn about being a CEO! After implementing the knowledge gained, she realized she spent too much time doing things that were not income producing, therefore becoming counterproductive. She also needed to get her processes and systems in place in order to hire. Brain dumping was a huge takeaway and allowed her to allocate her time more efficiently. “At the end of each day, I can get it all out and help myself prepare for the days to come instead of spending that time spinning my wheels.”  

For Carrie, being a CEO means to own a business, with the processes, systems and a team that she puts into place to achieve her vision. “As a CEO, I am the face and cover of the business supported by a team that works together.” 

Why would she recommend this class? “This particular course is different than other business coaching classes. You walk away with the means and tools to run a practical business. The lessons are real life and real world and that’s important.”  

We couldn’t agree more Carrie. We look forward to seeing your continued accomplishments! 

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