Episode 14 - The Value of Cultivating Solid Relationships with David Hague

Traversing Entrepreneurship

David Hague is a market owner at Nelligan Associates, an elite consulting firm that helps brokers and consultants navigate ancillary benefits with confidence, expertise, and efficiency. Dave has over 16 years of experience in the group insurance industry, 14 of which he spent at The Hartford as the Senior Regional Account Executive. At The Hartford, Dave earned several accolades—including National Disability Sales Leader and Regional Sales Leader—while being a regular qualifier to the Honors Conference. Dave holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Rochester University.

Dave joins me today to discuss how cultivating relationships with clients and brokers has driven the success of his role as a market owner at Nelligan Associates. He describes his career path and his pivot to becoming a business owner. He explains what it was like to start a business amid the pandemic. Dave also discusses how the group insurance landscape has changed over the years and underscores why business owners shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes during their entrepreneurial journey.

“Relationships have driven my role as a market owner. Aside from rates, solutions, and products, it’s about rapport, trust, and how you can ultimately help people.” - David Hague

This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:

• What Nelligan Associates is and how they serve their customers
• What it means to be a market owner and how it works as a business model
• How a business’s success comes from the market’s needs
• What makes group benefits and group insurance different from other products
• What attracted Dave to the group benefits industry
• Building and strengthening customer relationships
• What Dave likes most about working as a market owner and being in the group benefits business
• Dave’s advice to people who want to become market owners
• The challenges he met in the group benefits industry and the struggles he faced as a market owner
• How long it takes to successfully close the point-of-sale
• How insurance brokers and companies decide on group benefits products
• Economic ups and downs and how they have impacted Dave’s business
• How traditional group products have evolved over the years
• The three group products that fill in the gaps in medical plans
• Dave’s experience starting his business right after the COVID-19 lockdowns

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Doing the right thing and providing the right advice and guidance will pay itself back tenfold.” - Derek Dall’Olmo
• “Relationships and trust take time; they’re built on giving advice.” - Derek Dall’Olmo
• “If you focus on what’s right most days, the business will take care of itself.” - David Hague

Connect with David Hague:

• Nelligan Associates
• Nelligan Associates on LinkedIn
• David Hague on LinkedIn
• Email: [e-mail]

About TreMonte Tax Solutions and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast

Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, host Derek Dall’Olmo sits down with local business ownerships and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business.

Derek Dall’Olmo is the founder of TreMonte Tax Solutions, a tax planning firm that serves business owners and entrepreneurs. This show is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions.

Email Derek Dall’Olmo at [e-mail] with questions, comments, and to schedule a one-on-one conversation.

Follow Derek on LinkedIn.

Subscribe here:

Apple Podcasts

Google Podcasts

Amazon Music

Stitcher

Spotify

And, if you enjoy the show, please leave a review on iTunes to help others discover the podcast.