This week we’re learning more about Paul Webber of Green Benefits Group.
What inspired you to enter the industry?
What better way to fulfill a vision of working with Business, HR and Community Leaders to make the world a better place to work. The opportunity to improve the financial, physical and emotional well-being within organizations and by extension the community is a great way to spend my days.
Who is your mentor?
My father passed away when I was 30, at a time when I was really just starting to think about who I wanted to be. There are three key lessons from him that hit home today: 1) Be nice to people, whether it’s the CEO or someone providing you service at a store. No one is a better human simply because of their job. 2) There is a time when you put others’ needs before your own, and 3) there are times when you need to take a step back and look after your own needs. Unfortunately #3 I learned from him after he passed.
What are some things that people don’t know about you?
Unlike many in our industry, I took a pause from being on the service side of the pension & benefits industry mid-career to move to the HR side to experience life as a client. Managing a suite of multiple pension plans (DC & DB), savings plans (RRSP & DPSP) along with Benefits, Disability and Wellness for a 6,000 person organization was an invaluable experience that I am able to leverage with my clients every day. For those in our industry, there is nothing like walking in the shoes of HR.
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned in the business?
Leadership is not defined by your title. Do right by people, the rest will fall into place. That’s what real Leaders understand.
Do you have insights about the industry that you would like to share?
The lack of forward-thinking leadership amongst the insurance carriers in our industry is disappointing. Systemic bias is everywhere in both the retirement and health benefits space. Insurance companies as service providers are at a critical place where clients of all sizes are looking for better solutions. If the insurance industry is not able to keep up, Advisors like ourselves will look to other sectors of the financial services industry to partner with on behalf of clients.
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