Make It A Great Day: Leading in today's world with Kyle Hudson, CEO of KPD Insurance

In this episode, we talk with Kyle Hudson, CEO of KPD Insurance. Kyle and his team work with many different industries and he shares some excellent insights around how they have been helping to support all of them during this unprecedented time. KPD's culture is the lifeblood of there business and Kyle early on created some innovative tools to keep everyone connected remotely and ensure the culture remained at the forefront of his team's minds. I really enjoyed my time with Kyle and think you will find some great takeaways to leverage in your life.     

Transcript

spk_0:   0:08
everybody is Ryan Lee with Make it a Great day. Thank you so much for tuning in such a great opportunity. This platform has been for us to interview. Ah, lot more leaders about how they're managing and leading through the pandemic is a leader myself. Here it's CBT Nuggets. Obviously, we've had our challenges and opportunities, and it's been so great to go to reach out to some local team members that I have gotten to know very well they're leading some really cool business is the next one, of course, is no exception. Very excited to be interviewing Kyle Hudson, CEO of KP Insurance, and with that, let's jump in and hear from Kyle about how they're leading in these. Hey, it's Ryan Lee with Make It a Great day, the power of positivity coming to you live and direct and again, as we have been spending some time over the last few weeks, working with some incredible leaders across the states and the Americas and the globe, um, I have another great leader to spend some time with today Kyle Hudson, who is CEO of K P D Insurance. Kyle, how are you doing? Great,

spk_1:   1:10
Ryan. Thanks for having me.

spk_0:   1:12
Hey, Kyle, it's a pleasure to have you obviously is. You've heard a few of these and we talked about that Such a great platform and a great opportunity for you to share some thoughts and some insights that I think a lot of people really find valuable. So as we kick things off one thing I would love to learn a little bit more, and I'm sure listeners would as well as who is KP the insurance. And what is it that you guys dio?

spk_1:   1:33
Yeah, absolutely. I love to give you a little bit of overview enjoyed the three that you've done previous with other leaders who I happen to know and respect. And so this has been great. Thanks for having me on KP Insurance is a original insurance independent insurance firm, meaning we own ourselves. We have 90 employees here in Oregon, Portland and in Springfield, where I am today just celebrated in 41 years of independence and we're proud of that. And that was very strong strategic plan. Teoh perpetuate this thing internally,

spk_0:   2:06
awesome and his have been asking everybody as well. I'm always curious to understand that journey, you know when you were in high school and they're asking you, What do you want to do for a living call? Was insurance always that thing? And how did you get involved with it?

spk_1:   2:18
Well, no, it wasn't always that thing. I I had a great uncle who was in life insurance, but other than that, I didn't I didn't know what it was. I grew up in a small town who probably had a a direct writer or so, but I had no idea what it wasin a little bit of dumb luck and that I was moving back to the area or my life's from and had some introductions to Some local firms around town got intrigued by the idea of insurance. Really got intrigued by the idea K P D and the independence in the long term play that we had here. So, you know, it's a It's a great question. You ask. I said at the time, and I was too naive to understand what this really meant, but I do truly understand what it means now. I had a job for about a year and 1/2 right after I graduated from Oregon State University and I was looking for a career, right, And so every time I interview somebody now I say We're looking for people that want a career we've just celebrated. Last year, three people retired from here. The 10 year that we experience is well over 12 years, and so we've got some longevity there, and we want people to have a career and be able to retire. So for me, I had no idea what I was getting into. I was given a phone book and, uh, told Toe, make some calls and build a book of business. And fortunately I'm surrounded by a bunch of great people and it's going on 18 years being here.

spk_0:   3:32
That's awesome. That's great. I love that adage about a career versus a job. I think that means so much. And I think in today's world, you know, we see a lot more resumes come across that maybe one or two years here and there, and when you can find something that you're truly passionate about, your love, you can really lean into that. I think there's a lot of great stuff that comes from that.

spk_1:   3:50
No, you're right. And to surround yourself with a team of people like we have here. It does feel like a career, and it does feel like family. It does not feel like a job. It's the old saying of Are you? Are you gonna get up and go to work today or you're gonna get up and be ready to work today? And it's a great It's a great motivational thing. I've always appreciated your positivity and upbeat personality. And so I assume, what resonates with you and the organization's your or so

spk_0:   4:16
Absolutely it does well. One of the things that was the most excited about to be honest with you in regards to spending some time with is you have such a great insight into so many different industries and businesses that you work with. And obviously a lot of those businesses are definitely seen some challenging times. You know me. I like to see opportunities in that, and I just love to know what it's been like for K P D. And maybe a couple of pulses of some industries that you guys are working with on how they're continuously feeling some of those opportunities and overcoming those.

spk_1:   4:48
Yeah, that's a great question because there we were. I'll call it a bit on the front lines in the first couple of weeks there. Where are risk Advisors obviously, are doing a full analysis of exposure and and how to manage risk. And a part of that is business interruption coverage has been a bit of a buzzword all around for the last four weeks or so, when most people didn't really pay much attention to that. So fielding a lot of questions, obviously, in terms of what what business interruption is certainly there they're of covered causes of loss, which this pandemic is not At this point in time, there is some insurance that could potentially be there if not for the exclusion. And so that's where a lot of these coverage carriers were looking at specific forms. So we're feeling a lot of questions, some difficult conversations. Certainly the world has never seen anything like this in my lifetime, and the insurance companies did not write. All this used to cover this so feeling, a lot of questions, obviously a ton of sensitivity around the situation out there right now, most of the clients were completely understanding of of the four corners of the insurance policy and what was in those and what was not in those in terms of industries. You know, we're a bit of a lagging indicator on the insurance agency side in that we succeed when our clients succeed. If their revenues are up, their payrolls were up. Obviously, we're growing along with if those air down, we're shrinking along with them. So we will feel some pain, most likely as an industry towards the end of this third quarter. We're hoping to be able to get some of those sectors back to work if we can get the manufacturing sector back to work, if we can keep the construction jobs that are out there still going strong, if we can get the Forest Service's of wood products industry back to work in a very safe, effective way, way will be there alongside him, toe help, support him and and make changes during this process to help control their overall risk of insurance.

spk_0:   6:52
That makes great sense. And I think to your point of getting back to it and one of the things that I've always really respected about KPN Hurtis You guys definitely are very much in the trenches literally like out in the field and working with a lot of your customers. You talked about how that strategy is, how to kind of change and how you're still keeping those great relationships where maybe you can't physically be there like you normally are.

spk_1:   7:14
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, obviously we I learned what Zoom was here in the last, but there's no and it's been a great tool for us to connect with our clients a swell as our carrier partners, you know, being ah, a little bit remote. Obviously, what we're trying to do is just push value to our clients in we really put him. Or obviously we're a for profit business, right? We're an independent firm trying to grow, but we didn't want to be. We want to be very sensitive to this situation, and we put a moratorium on right new business, so to speak, in these periods of time, what has come out of that is some great opportunities, and I know you love to use that word. It's great opportunities because we're pushing value to to our clients into those that we have relationships with that are not yet clients. So we're walking them through the processes of how do we not eliminate coverage is so to speak. But how do we reduce your exposure? Szmyd policy term If if you're not, uh, driving your vehicles as much, can we get some layup credits? Can we take those vehicles off? And if we're able to do that, how do we do that in the safe, effective manner toe where somebody doesn't drop jump in a vehicle that's uninsured? And so we're working with those on an individual basis. Were walking him through the insurance policies on what it covers when it doesn't cover, Um, and all of that in the midst of, quite frankly, a pretty hard insurance market. There was some movement already in the insurance market prior to this, and so it's been, uh, it's been interesting. It's been challenging, but there has been some good opportunity if we can continue to provide value, and I really think that's that's what we're trying to do always. But that's what we're really trying to do in these times, is just differentiate ourselves from our competition, um, and provide value to to our clients and be that trusted adviser.

spk_0:   9:06
It's awesome. I'm speaking about teams, as you mentioned. You know, over 90 team members that are working with you guys know how have you seen? Kind of what you guys have done are you know, I look out there and I'm on a video chat. I can kind of see it doesn't look like there's too many people behind Jen's. No, I don't see how have you guys kind of work towards the work from home? And how are you staying connected as the leader with all of your team members?

spk_1:   9:27
Yeah, that's a great question. Yeah, we don't have too many people that are physically coming into the office. We are deemed an essential business, obviously. So of the 70 in the Springfield office where I'm sitting, we have probably 10 to 12 coming in on a daily basis in our Portland office, where the balance of those 90 team members are. We have three or four going in on a daily basis, the rest of working remotely. Our information services team did an exceptional job early on to get people the ability to work from home. Certainly there were some challenges, and most of that Ryan is just is just is just a change, right? It's the simple things of going from three or four monitors to one or two, or maybe three, you know, and wonder how we used to do it with a single monitor herself. Early on, we repeat preaching patients to all of our team members. It's going to be different. The buzzword, obviously, is new. Normal. Find your new normal. Set up an office in your house that's separate from your living space so you can get away from it. And our message really early on. Actually, March their 10th was the first communication that we sent out our our team members. And and we said, Listen, we're going to start transitioning, especially those with with school age Children. What school was canceled? We got them out first. We said, Listen, if you can't log into late 30 or nine, that's OK. You know, do what you can see. These folks are moms and dads and parents and now teachers and tutors in still employees, right? So be patient, and our clients have been really understanding of that and and, quite frankly, one of the ways that I really think it is fun in the sip circumstance On the 16th of March, I said 41 years of culture. We can't lose this in this period of time, right? This is a true teamwork culture. Steppin helped out wherever. So I put together. And it's something I found a long time ago. I wish I could give credit to whoever put it out there, but it really resonated with me. Is that us? Somebody 25 questions. You're gonna learn a lot more about him than just five or 10 right? So I put out a notice I called Can do challenges are our logos and elephant, Mr K, Right? So 25 things you didn't know about me and I put it in paper and put it out there to the team. And it's been incredibly well received in that I was able to be vulnerable a little bit. I was able to give him insight to my personal life that maybe they didn't know and every day that way, tag somebody else. And so now we're a month into this, and it's been great to learn things about other team members that you didn't know. And so we're connecting in that way. We're communicating on a daily basis. We have a critical response to U beats every morning and communicates out, you know, just just toe put people's minds at ease in regards to Am I gonna have a job when this is said and done? What was PTO? Carry over looked like, you know, some of those things weigh were able to put $50 everybody's every team member's account to say will stand at local on through and support local. You know so just some of those things to be able to connect and using video. And every department's come communicating with each other, encouraging them as they used to do their daily break walks. You know, face time. Zoom somebody as you're doing your walk. Even if you're walking from home, it's and stay connected because when we come back here, we're gonna be stronger than we have work.

spk_0:   12:53
That's awesome college. And you know that 25 question and one I commend you for putting that out there and and being vulnerable with that, that begs. The question is, one of my questions is you know, we always talk about is, you know, would you have ever done that if this hadn't happened.

spk_1:   13:11
You know, I I'd like to say yes. And the only reason I would probably be honest and say no is you get so you get moving so fast, right? Is we just get moving so fast in these times to sit down to spend an hour and then think outside the box that was on the phone with my wife and my kids and say Tell, Tell me something about myself, right? That I take for granted or that somebody else may not know about me. So to sit there for an hour and put those down and riding too. Put it out to all of our 90 team members to put it on lengthen. And somebody told me the other day it had almost 5000 views on it. So no, it's ah to be able to be that vulnerable. It builds trust, it builds relationships, and it builds that connection that we really value here and keeping you.

spk_0:   13:59
That's awesome. And if you're reflecting on that and you talk about those 25 things like that, you know in this time is you reflect a Z yourself as a leader. What are some things that you've learned about yourself during this, that maybe it surprised you are just again, like I said, such unprecedented time to be. But fourth in something like this.

spk_1:   14:20
You know what? I'm not certain I have allowed myself to step back and look at that yet. You know, way were removed for for me personally, it was kind of let's get make sure our team members and operations were set up. Then what's the economy doing right? And then what's the book of business doing? And so the last month is just kind of been in chunks and phases. One thing I've always known, but maybe having you as a leader also, Sometimes we don't. We give each other give. I give you praise. You give your team praise. You don't take any credit for yourself. But, um, I've always known that I run at the issue and not shy away from the issue. I think it's really been evident that we have others here that do the exact same thing. So you know, whether that's good news on those business interruption claims that I mentioned before, which is bad news. Whatever that news is, let's just be transparent. Let's be up front and let's run towards the issue. So I'm sure that when this gets behind us and it will, we'll all look back and say, You know, we did a pretty good job of their or we could have done a few things different. But you sure will surely be more prepared for whatever comes at us in our lifetimes,

spk_0:   15:33
totally. And your point of view to on we're still in this and watching things happen. Has there been any sliver anything that you think that you have done differently now because you've been forced to do this, that you see being pulled forward even when things do return to whatever that normal might be? Yeah, I

spk_1:   15:50
think so. I mean, I said early on the K P G's, a regional independent insurance agency. No way do not have aspirations to be a a national insurance agency. Yes, we have clients in all 50 states that have operations for people there, but but most of the folks are domiciled on the West Coast. I really think we can became a true, well established regional insurance agency when we get out of this situation because of the tools and the values and the differentiations that were being able to provide and the use of technology. Quite frankly, I think we're gonna be ableto be ableto allow people to work from home more, which obviously that's the way of the world. Insurance has kind of been again. We're lagging indicator kind on everything, right? So how do we push that forward was gonna help us recruit great talent to have a career here, too. So I certainly think having work from home capabilities as part of your employment agreement and your benefits package at KP, it's going to allow us to recruit better. There's there's a number of things. I'm sure that in six months we'll look back and say We are much better for this.

spk_0:   17:03
That's great. And I think that's the one thing that I think all of us as leaders were trying to do, is how do we remember this? And remember some of those winds and then don't forget those the moment we get back to your point, that speed and that fly buys your office. And yeah, I was working on this project, but you just never come quite get to it. because there's already another fire. Another opportunity presents itself. So I've definitely been challenged myself to kind of keep a journal during this of just a couple of bullet points. Not always every day, but just a few. That just All right, this is working really well, don't forget this like, yeah, thanks to be don't don't forget that that part is working, which is, I think, a great thing. One thing two that I know on the healthcare side and some of the stuff you guys been doing Could you touch down just a little about Teladoc in how powerful a tool that is?

spk_1:   17:47
Yeah, I think that's obviously Ah, great business. If you're looking for opportunity and positivity, that's going to come out of this, that Teladoc systems, I think, is absolutely going to help our health care system that down the road it's going toe potentially a reduced number of er visits. You know, we certainly respect and want and need these these doctors that specialize in things. But, you know, we offer tell a doctor, are our team members for five or six years the utilization of that even though we are in the business and we're able to educate our own came numbers about the utilization has been pretty low on DFO For us to be able to go Teoh that through this that those numbers are up just to get questions asked simple questions where you don't have to go spend your $25 co pay what? Or go to the ER and wait for hours. I really think that this is gonna be positive for the telemedicine sector of the business

spk_0:   18:48
That's awesome. And so cool to see that to your point on original side. But knowing that that technology exists and it's available. And I know you guys have been preaching that for quite a few years, and, um, now better than ever. What a great opportunity that if you are nervous or is that a symptom of what you know? Hey, you don't have to expose anybody. You don't have to go anywhere, just jump on. And you know, I've done it with fourth a couple, my kids, you know, that little looking their mouth and they talked to him, and I mean, it's a pretty cool experience.

spk_1:   19:15
Yeah, it absolutely is way we've used in my life, and I have used it and have a little bit more. Just just recently. Just same thing. You take a picture, you send it off and get on the zoom or video chat in the privacy of your own home. So it's great.

spk_0:   19:29
That's awesome. Well, last, but certainly not least a So, you know, I do love the quotes, and I know you are a fan of those as well, and I love to hear a few things or some things that you like to refer back to that just inspire you and kind of keep you rolling.

spk_1:   19:42
Yeah, I'm a big sports guys. So even a lot of analogies that I I use here within with our team members are sports related, and we offer amount of competitive folks here here, within our office. And so it resonates some of them. But, you know, I have a whole folder of courts to go back to 2000 and three, twice. Frankly, when I started here, every at every time I see something, I just throw in a folder. But the two that I I really don't even have to look at any more, they just kind of always coming to mind in certain situations, whether I'm driving or appointment by myself, whether I'm on an airplane, whether you know, getting ready to jump on with you and to do something a little bit different. But I can't. I can't even give credit to who it is because I don't know. But the quote is you miss 100% of the shots, you don't take right. So it kind of goes along with what I mentioned about you and then I love how you used the word opportunity because we are constantly looking for that opportunity. But if you don't take those shots right, you're not gonna see what opportunity exists. So I really I really like that. The other thing, Probably once a year. And this This happened in the early nineties when I was probably a junior sophomore junior in high school, and I don't know why it resonated. Maybe because I've just gotten ESPN or something like that. But Jim Valvano on the, uh, his Espy speech, right? And, uh, it's the never give up. And he said something to the effect that failure and rejection or the first steps to six last, um, and I and I think that's that's great, just has never given up, and I tend to watch that once a year. And just for inspiration. You got a guy like that who didn't give up and what has happened since his passing with the Jimmy V Foundation. There are people that still aren't giving up on his behalf. So take, you know, you miss 100% of shots you don't take and never give up. And that's the positivity that I know. You and your organization exist. That's what we try to dio. I'm surrounded by a lot of people, just like you are, whether that be through our Waipio network or were part of inner sure, whatever that might be. There are people that are going through the same thing that you're going through right now. If you can reach, reach onto those people, I'd find some of that never give up attitude and positivity. You're going to carry on

spk_0:   22:00
absolutely. And I also try to at least 12 year go back and watch that speech and for they have not seen that Jimmy Vale Amano speech. I mean, that is that is pure honesty. Open this humility and more than anything else, Someone that I think at that point in their life really understood what life is all about. And they share that in these. He shares that in such a way. I mean, if you laugh, you cry. That is a full day. And I love that I e thinking about honestly, I always have to go back and watch that will. Kyle, I'm It has been an absolute pleasure chatting with you and thank you so much. And when I link, this podcast will also find a link to that linked in post that you did for those that want to take a look at that and borrow that great idea. I think that's a great idea to expose yourself to your teams and just share and become more connected.

spk_1:   22:53
Yeah, I I appreciate you having me on Ryan. If it fits your organization something like that, I encourage you to do it. It's keeping people connected, you know, stay healthy, state. Stay safe and we're gonna get through this. And I'm going to have people like you around me toe bounce ideas off of and be better because

spk_0:   23:11
well, same goes. And I hope everyone both Carlin ideo make it a great day. It's always a choice