Celebrating 15 Years in Business: How Our Approach Has Evolved and Why It Works

This year, Fusco Orsini & Associates Insurance Services celebrates a significant milestone: 15 years in business! 

Many folks are aware that half of businesses fail in their first five years. Recently, we learned that only 37.5 percent of insurance and financial companies survive for more than 10 years. We don't share these stats to "toot our horn," but instead, out of deep curiosity. 

Staying operational is one thing, but what does it mean to grow, shift, and evolve to remain relevant and impactful? The answer to this question becomes clear when we take a "before" and "after" snapshot of the business.

Before we dive in, we want to acknowledge that many factors impact a business's longevity, including the recent pandemic, which was both painful and unpredictable. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to business, and we are grateful to continue evolving and serving each year.

Here is a snapshot of how we've evolved over the years, with a focus on strategy shifts, new capabilities, and a relationship reframe.

HOW IT STARTED (2010):

1. When we started the company in 2010, we were focused on providing insurance to individuals and businesses of all sizes in California.
2. While we sought not to focus on price, many client conversations were motivated by "price" and "shopping around."
3. We started with three (hungry and experienced) brokers who truly cared about people and wanted to do things differently.
4. To us, "differently" meant being ready, responsive, and recommendable. 
5. We took a strong teamwork approach to client partnerships.
6. We only provided insurance. 
7. We embraced change.
8. We were more task-oriented.

HOW IT'S GOING (15 Years Later):

1. We still happily serve individuals, but primarily focus on providing right-sized commercial policies to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across more than 30 states.
2. We guide conversations away from price and toward value and proper risk mitigation. Insurance is not a commodity; it is risk mitigation, and we work to communicate that. 
3. We have grown our team to about two dozen individuals who bring decades of experience in personal and commercial insurance, employee benefits, HR, compliance, technology, and risk management. We also have fun and support each other's growth.
4. We still seek to do things "differently," but the definition has expanded. More than ever, we are deeply invested in helping clients build strong, stable businesses. We focus on long-term partnerships over short-term transactions. This stance is reflected in ourcore values, which we stand behind and revisit often.
5. Teamwork is still a part of our DNA. We work to ensure that our clients feel supported by our team, and our internal staff feel supported by their colleagues and leadership. We even (literally) created teams, like Team Green and Team Blue, to ensure collaboration, efficiency, and a strong team culture.
6. We increased our offerings to include insurance, employee benefits, HR, and risk management. Why? Because we've grown right alongside our clients and share in their growing pains. We sought out accessible solutions to help our clients keep going, developing, and fortifying their businesses. These strategic advisory services are a part of our brand,4C Advising.
7. We still embrace change. From technology advances like bots and large language models to compliance changes, to weathering unforeseen obstacles like natural disasters, to following the industry trends of our clients, we don't shy away from change. If you want to stay relevant, you just can't. We've learned to embrace change with curiosity.
8. We are big picture thinkers. Instead of just completing tasks for clients, we think bigger and deeper. How can we help this client improve operational efficiencies? How can we help them be proactive? Do they have any blind spots we can help address? 

Looking back on where we were and where we are now, we are incredibly proud of the progress we've made. We didn't do things perfectly, but we kept curious, nimble, and communicative. And above all, we didn't lose sight of the businesses and the human beings we serve. 

Curious about what a more strategic insurance partnership could look like? Let's talk.