{"podcast":{"title":"The Business of Benefits Podcast","slug":"the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252","podcast_index_feed_id":6744252,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/6053731/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast--6053731","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/3f4968159bb4676248d8c564cea163f6.jpg","author":"Hi Hello Labs Network","episode_count":84,"summary":"For decades, employers have been fed a lie: “There’s nothing you can do to control healthcare costs.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. The system is doing exactly what it was designed to do—profit off of HR, CFOs, and CEOs who believe that lie year after year.With 180 million Americans relying on employer-sponsored healthcare, it’s time to challenge the status quo. The Business of Benefits is your No BS, No Sales guide to the real solutions. No gimmicks—just the truth about how to take control, transform your benefits, and care for your most valuable asset: your people.Each episode dives deep into the data, exposing industry misalignments and inefficiencies that inflate costs while offering actionable strategies for designing financially sustainable, high-value benefits.Through eye-opening interviews with industry insiders, expert analysis, and real-world success stories, hosts Donovan and Chelsea pull back the curtain on the hidden flaws in the healthcare system. The result? An empowering roadmap for employers ready to break free from outdated models and unlock smarter, more sustainable benefits.If you’re tired of the same old sales pitch and ready to rethink benefits, re…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T22:18:04.175830+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252"},"episode":{"title":"64. Breaking Free from the Broker Trap with Lori Kleiman","slug":"64-breaking-free-from-the-broker-trap-with-lori-kleiman","published_at":"2025-11-13T14:00:08+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252/64-breaking-free-from-the-broker-trap-with-lori-kleiman","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/64-breaking-free-from-the-broker-trap-with-lori-kleiman--68549293","audio_url":"https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68549293/episode_64_lori_kleiman.mp3","summary":"In this HR Special, host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with friend and industry leader Lori Kleiman to talk about what it takes to level up from HR department-of-one to strategic business partner, without losing sight of day-to-day realities. We cover how small to mid-size employers can decide when to hire fractional or in-house HR, why headcount matters more than revenue, and the rising complexity of multi-state compliance. We also unpack the hidden opportunity for HR to lead on healthcare and benefits strategy. Chelsea explains renewal “stall” tactics, fiduciary responsibility on health plans, and practical steps HR can take to earn a seat at the table with data and action. What you’ll learn: When a company truly needs fractional HR vs its first in-house generalist Why certifications like PHR and SHRM-CP help smaller employers hire confidently How tech can increase HR workload and employee questions, not reduce them A simple path to move from tactical HR to strategic HR that drives ROI The fiduciary duty HR has on health plans, what to ask from brokers, and how to escape the 60-day renewal crunch Practical ideas HR can implement now: communications, data access, compliance checklists, and off-cycle planning Time Stamps 00:00 – Welcome to The Business of Benefits 01:08 – Meet Lori Kleiman 04:45 – Building an HR Business from the Basement 07:15 – When Small Businesses Really Need HR 10:02 – Technology’s Impact on HR Workloads 12:18 – Tactical vs. Strategic HR 15:26 – What to Look For When Hiring HR 18:41 – How Much HR Certifications Cost 21:10 – Using ExamEdge and Affordable Prep Options 23:20 – Moving from Tactical to Strategic HR 27:00 – Understanding Fiduciary Duty in Health Plans 30:36 – How HR Can Drive Benefits Strategy 33:22 – Why Benefit Renewals Feel Impossible 36:…","meta_description":"In this HR Special, host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with friend and industry leader Lori Kleiman to talk about what it takes to level up from HR department-…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2532,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252/episodes/64-breaking-free-from-the-broker-trap-with-lori-kleiman/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252/64-breaking-free-from-the-broker-trap-with-lori-kleiman.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}