Susan Combs is the Founder of Pancakes for Roger, a nonprofit that honors veterans and amplifies their stories through a grassroots “pancakes” movement. She created it after her father, a Major General, asked for pancakes while on hospice, inspiring a campaign, book, and advocacy project. Susan also leads Combs & Company, an insurance brokerage she launched at age 26, specializing in niche and non-traditional risks. She is a best-selling author and frequent speaker on mentorship, legacy, and service.
Balancing ambition, service, and purpose isn’t easy, especially in a world that often values hustle over heart. What does it take to build a meaningful career while honoring those who paved the way before us?
According to Susan Combs, a 20-year insurance professional and veteran advocate, true leadership comes from mentorship, gratitude, and grit. She shares how her father’s military legacy and final wish sparked a global movement that now uplifts veterans and their families. Through Pancakes for Roger, Susan highlights the power of small acts that lead to big change, the importance of giving back, and the ripple effect of mentorship on personal and professional growth.
In this episode of Advisor Today, Zack Huels and Kathleen Owings sit down with Susan Combs, Founder of Pancakes for Roger, to discuss how mentorship and legacy fuel purpose-driven leadership. They explore the origins of her nonprofit honoring veterans, lessons from her father’s military service, and the role of empathy in business success. Susan also shares insights on building a lasting impact through mentorship and community.
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Intro 00:02
Welcome to NAIFA’s Advisor Today podcast series, where we focus on how financial advisors work, live and give to their local communities and our greater financial services industry. Now let's get started with the show.
Kathleen Owings 00:20
Well, hello NAIFA Nation, we are excited today to have on Susan Combs. Susan, I've known each other a very long time from her days back when she was president for WIFSO. So I am very excited for this conversation and talk to her about her business, what she's doing outside of that. She just had a move in her life personally. So we're going to have a chat here with Susan Combs a little bit.
Just a quick intro on Susan. So Susan is a over 20 year professional in the insurance industry. She owns Combs & Company and they are a brokerage firm helping commercial businesses on their various lines. She is also, interestingly enough, an expert witness. We're going to talk a little bit about that.
And then Susan has a nonprofit she started in the honor of her father. And it's called Pancakes for Roger. So this is a Wonder Woman that has a lot going on in her life, is giving a lot to our industry and giving a lot back to her community. So, Susan, thanks so much for being on today.
Susan Combs 01:20
Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it.
Kathleen Owings 01:25
So, Susan, why don't you give us a little give us a little background. How did you get into this industry?
Susan Combs 01:31
You know, either your father owns it or you fall into it, right? That's that's what I say. So I fell into it. I actually, I graduated from the University of Missouri in 2001, had a degree in hospitality. So hotel and restaurant management focused on culinary.
I thought I was going to, you know, play in the corporate events of the rich and famous and enjoy doing that. I moved to New York to be a banquet manager at the Marriott, at the World Trade Center, and a couple weeks before my job started, I get a call from Marriott saying, hey, Miss Holmes, we're going to we did a budget revamping. We're going to have two banquet managers here instead of three. So you get to pick from Detroit and New Orleans. And I remember saying, well, my mother got pictures in New York City on my going away cake.
She didn't get pictures of Detour to New Orleans. And they're like, we don't care. And so I talked to my dad and I said, look, I because I if you guys remember, I mean, you know, Zach's not old enough, but like, if you remember.
Kathleen Owings 02:25
I will Susan I'm we're the we're very close in age so I will remember. So let's try me.
Susan Combs 02:30
So 2001 pre nine over 11 was an excellent job market. I mean I had eight job offers when I graduated college. So I knew I could go wherever I wanted to. My ace in the hole is I had done some touring with Bob Dylan and so I was just going to go back on tour if I couldn't find something. So I talked to my dad and I said, let me just try a month.
And so I stayed actually at the Soldiers and Sailors and Airmen Hotel in New York City for 40 bucks and stayed in a twin bed and shared a bathroom and interviewed around. Because one of the things that I learned early on is like, networking is so important, and a lot of times it's just, you know, who you get connected with along the way. That really kind of makes the difference. And so I interviewed around I landed with Paychex, the payroll company, which again was like not a sexy thing. Payroll wasn't sexy.
I was like, this is not what I had in mind, but I really like the company. I have a minor in math. And so I got to audit the companies, learn about it, sales training. I mean, to this day when I meet young college kids getting ready to graduate, I always tell them, like work for a large company that has a sales training program because you cannot put a price tag on that. You will learn so much and that could parlay into so many different things.
So when I was working at Paychex, they they developed a worker's compensation product. Nobody knew what to do with it. So I was like, well, why not me? So I learned about it and I started selling the worker's comp product, and I go in for those worker's comp meetings as the rep and people would ask me about other insurances, and eventually the light bulb went on because I was referring out all these different insurance opportunities for health insurance, for life insurance, for property and casualty insurance. And I said, you know what?
I'm starting at zero every single month. And they're not. And so after being with Paychex for a few years, I ended up pivoting and going into the insurance world and working for a large brokerage firm that is now part of Risk Strategies. Now, Brown and Brown, because that just happened like a month ago. And but it it really gave me the opportunity to be more of a consultative sales because I'm, I'm not a slimy salesperson.
I hate that, I hate I hate salespeople for the most part. When you try to pitch me and you don't even get the opportunity to know me first, a real hard time with that. But so that's I, you know, I landed in insurance work for a brokerage for about a year, and then I had a mentor that really said, you can do this. And I was presented with a contract that I knew I couldn't sign because there was no money in it. And for any of you young people listening, especially women.
Pull in your friends, ask them to review the contract. Ask an attorney to review the contract. Because I remember saying, there's there's no money in here. Like, how what are you going to pay me? And and I remember the CFO that later got fired said, well, Miss Combs, you're just going to have to trust us.
And at 26 years old, I said, well, trust doesn't pay my bills. And and he basically said, well, if you're not going to sign this, then we're probably done here. And but I'd already kind of had my ducks in a row. And previously I had negotiated my contract on my book of business. So when I walked out, everything walked with me.
So I was able to hang out my own shingle, start my firm in my studio apartment in New York City on 32nd Street. And and it was the best thing I ever could have done for myself. But it was having mentors in my life that pushed me and said, you know, know, that I could do these things because a lot of times, like, I didn't know what I didn't know, but I knew how to treat people. I knew how to service people. I knew how to, you know, really kind of connect with people.
And that's one of the benefits that I got from paycheck sales training. So, yeah, so 20, 2005, I started Combs and Company. So we've been around over 20 years now. So it's pretty cool.
Kathleen Owings 06:12
That's great. And you have you have five employees correct.
Susan Combs 06:14
Yeah. Yeah. And then we have nine, nine salespeople all across the country that we pay on a 1099 basis.
Kathleen Owings 06:20
So tell me, tell me about the company. Like who are the clients that you work with? Who are you all working with day to day?
Susan Combs 06:27
Typically on small business. So we are predominantly when you look at our revenue we're employee benefits company. So we do a lot of health insurance. We do a lot of individual health insurance but mostly group benefits. But we're talking under 100 lives.
We're talking I mean we have tons of clients that are 5 to 10 employees that a lot of people in this industry can just stick up their noses and say like, oh, we don't need to deal with that. But when you think about when you start looking at statistics and that, what is it like 89% of companies out there are under under actually under 100. Under 20 lives..
Kathleen Owings 07:03
Yeah. You're right.
Susan Combs 07:04
I mean, those are the people that really need help. And so it's been fun because then we have that connection with the clients. We get to see them grow. We deal with a lot of international companies opening up their first US location. So we do the benefits, but then we also do the property and casualty.
So that's anything from your, you know, general liability, your Arizona mission, your cyber liability, aviation kidnap and ransom, like a lot of crazy stuff to that we get to do. That's fun. And then in addition to that, you know, as you mentioned, I do quite a bit of expert witnessing. So that's under the consulting umbrella as well.
Kathleen Owings 07:37
So talk to me about the expert witnessing. How did you get. You're laughing. How did you get into that. I mean that sounds that is niche of the niche in what you do.
Expert witnessing Affordable Care act. I mean, that's really interesting. So talk about that a little bit.
Susan Combs 07:52
So the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act certification from its well it's now the National Association of Benefits Insurance Professionals. And it used to be anyhow. And and so about I guess it was over ten years ago there was a very large law firm, top ten law firm that reached out to that organization saying, you know, what with the Affordable Care Act, now that it's unified health insurance, for the most part, we want to look at how we can use this in litigation. So do you have somebody that you would recommend? And so a woman that actually wrote most of the curriculum for the certification, who had also been a mentor of mine, she suggested me.
And so I've been doing the expert witness stuff over. I guess actually next month, next month it'll be 11 years that I've I've been doing it. So it's it's been fun. I mean, I'm a strategist at heart, but I typically work on higher end medical malpractice Cases higher in construction litigation, trip and fall, I mean. And when I say higher end, I mean, nobody's coming to me if it's a lawsuit of $100,000.
I mean, I'm dealing with lawsuits. I mean, I've had a couple of billion dollar cases that I've been dealing with. But usually, I mean, there are cases where where the plaintiff is suing for 10 to $50 million is usually the type of cases that I get brought in on. So but I but I enjoy it. My father was he was a general in the Air Force, but he was also a judge.
Civilian judge. I mean, talk about a strict household. But so it was kind of cool because when my father was still living, I was able to talk to him about some of these cases. And he always thought it was interesting. And my dad always told me, it's important for you to be understood, but it's more important for you not to be misunderstood.
And I think not only with expert witnessing, but just with our industry in general. A lot of us can talk and jargon, and sometimes you have to just step back and simplify things, not talk in acronyms. Make sure that people understand the products that you're going to sell them and make sure they understand how to utilize the the insurance as well is just so important.
Kathleen Owings 09:49
Yeah, that's really interesting. So talk to me about your dad. Tell me about Roger. You have a nonprofit you started in his honor. But talk a little bit about your dad.
I love that story.
Susan Combs 09:58
So my dad, my dad was a giant. That wasn't a giant. You know, he was, I think 510 on a good day. But my my father served three branches of our armed forces for 39 years and four months. He was a marine Corps combat helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
Then he was Army. And then ultimately he was Air Force. So you can Google him. Roger Combs, he has the same last name. He's got like four page Wikipedia page.
It's pretty cool. But he was just he was one of those guys that was good when nobody was watching. You know, in 2008, he was diagnosed with Agent Orange related throat cancer. And we had ten relatively good years, which we didn't realize how good they were until until they weren't. And then the last year of his life, he he relapsed twice.
And so he ultimately passed away in 2018. And I was fortunate enough that one of the things that I'm very loyal about this industry with is sometimes we make decisions in our lives, and we don't realize the impact that they can make so much later on in our life. So when I started my brokerage firm way before Covid, you know, we were we were mobile before before it was cool. I mean, I've always felt as long as you had your laptop and your computer, you can wear your your computer and your phone. You can work anywhere in the world.
And so that was something that was important for me. And so when my father was going to be going on to hospice, I was able to return home to Missouri. I mean, I grew up in a town of 1000 people in the northwest corner, and I was able to return home and help care for him while still working and having the benefits of of, you know, checking in on things and staying on top of my clients, but still being present for my family. And, you know, Kathleen, did you want me to tell the Pancakes for Rogers story?
Kathleen Owings 11:39
Yeah. Go ahead. Please do. Yeah.
Susan Combs 11:42
You know, Pancakes for Roger is the nonprofit. And the namesake comes from a request my father made. So my dad and I had a cadence. I mean, as you know, Kathleen's a veteran, so I know she she understands the the regiment of of.
Kathleen Owings 11:57
Schedules are good. They keep me sane.
Susan Combs 12:01
So my dad and I were definitely two peas in a pod. And so I would get up every morning about 5:00. I check on him. If he was good, I'd go to the gym and I come back. I check on him again.
If he was good, I go get cleaned up for the day and then I'd get him ready, and then I would literally sit in my childhood home at the coffee table with my laptop, and I work all day so that if he needed something, I was there. And so one particular morning, after I'd gone to the gym and came back, we were fortunate enough because my dad was an early adopter of long term care. He, you know, the military came out with a program. I don't even remember what year. But he he got it immediately because he knew what the value was.
And so we were fortunate enough to have hospice at home. And so my father had his hospital bed in what he called my I love me room. That my mother always said, I don't even know why we picked out a color of paint because it was just metal.
Kathleen Owings 12:51
Was it like an homage to Susan?
Susan Combs 12:55
Absolutely. So. So it was really cool. To be able to have that. But it just like you could reflect on things as well.
So I came to his hospital bed and he wasn't there. And my parents house, the rooms just went in a circle. So I just went room to room until I ultimately landed in the kitchen. And my dad was sitting there with a placemat, and he had set the table. And I looked at him and I said, well, dad, what are you what are you doing?
And because the last year of my father's life, he had a feeding tube. And so that's the only way he got nutrition. And he was also on oxygen towards the end. And so if any of your, your listeners or watchers have been a caregiver and they, they've had somebody on oxygen When the oxygen levels get low, there can be some confusion. And so I asked him what he was doing and he said, well, I want pancakes for breakfast.
And it broke my heart because a year, a year he had never asked for one, one food item. He, you know, he was he was a military guy. He knew what his plight was. He knew it wasn't in the cards and he wasn't going to, you know, buck the system. And I knew we were dealing with some oxygen deprivation, you know, confusion that morning.
And so I looked at him and I said, you know, dad, there's nothing more that I want to give you than pancakes or breakfast. But I was like, we're in hospice here. We have a DNR. I said, if I give you pancakes and you choke, I said, we're probably done and I don't think we're quite ready to be done. And he said, oh yes, I can.
Matt said, I could. And Matt's my brother and he's a nurse. And he wasn't there that morning. So I knew we were definitely dealing with some confusion. And so I said, well, let me see what I can do.
And so my dad always wanted his tube feeding formula heated up for 14 seconds. Like, never 13, never 15. The general would call you out.
Kathleen Owings 14:33
Very specific.
Susan Combs 14:36
Very specific as they are. As you know. And so. Heated up the the tube feeding formula and I set it on the table and he said what's that? And I said, there's your syrup. And so his oxygen levels started rallying around.
He understood and he smiled. And you know, a few short weeks later, my father would ultimately pass away with with my brother and I at his bedside. And I came back to New York and I took one day off work. And those people that have been caregivers know that when that person passes, you kind of lose your purpose and it takes you a second to get get your footing again. And so I took one day off work to just shut out the noise if I wanted to, to text back to somebody, if I wanted to take a phone call, I could, but I just wanted to give myself space for one day.
And my husband said, why don't we go have some pancakes for your dad? And it was just such a brilliant idea and it made all the sense in the world. And I said, you know what? Let's let's go do that. And so we went to the Bel-aire Diner in Queens, New York, down the street from where we live.
And my husband took a picture of me. I told the story on social media and I said, you know, all of our lives can change in a blink of an eye. And there's things like enjoying a stack of pancakes that just aren't going to be in the cards for you. So if you're so inclined, why don't you go have some pancakes or Roger and remember all the the blessings you have in your life. And so then people started having pancakes and they started taking pictures and they started sending me pictures and they started saying, like, I can't have pancakes and not think of your dad.
I can't have pancakes with my kids and not talk about military service and just being a good steward and citizen. And you know, with my dad it was like, where's the lesson? There's always a lesson. And I'm always like, how can we do more? How can we do more?
And so my father's birthday was February 22nd. So then, you know, my father passed away. It was. We just passed. The anniversary was August 22nd.
And so I said, you know, let's why don't we take the month of February and there's a University of Missouri, has a veterans legal clinic with their law school that provides free legal services for veterans and their families navigating the VA claims and appeals process, discharge upgrades, and a lot more, all free of charge. You don't have to be from Missouri. You don't have to be an alumni from Mizzou. You just have to find them. And if they can help you, they'll help you.
And so we, my family, made a donation to the clinic after my father passed. And we also have a a scholarship for veterans that want to go to law school. And so it just seemed like a good idea to say, like, okay, for every pancake loving picture we get the month of February, we'll, I'll make I'll personally make a donation to the clinic. So we started out, I think the first year I got to go back and look at the historical data, because we've been doing it seven years now. And so it's just we had I mean, we had like 100 pictures the first year, like under 100, I feel like.
And then it's just been growing and growing and growing. And this past February in 2025, we got all 50 states, Washington, DC, 25 additional countries. And you know, as I mentioned before, we started Six Continents because if you can imagine, you can't just go to the store in Antarctica.
Kathleen Owings 17:49
It's probably a task. Yeah.
Susan Combs 17:52
So it's just like, if it's not on the ship, it's not on the ship. So they didn't have pancake mix this year, but they got me the past two years. So I'm going to have to get.
Kathleen Owings 17:59
Ship them ship, find someone in Antarctica, ship the pancake mix. I don't know, you gotta make it a thing.
Susan Combs 18:04
You can't just go to the grocery store. Yeah.
So I always reach out to the base. But I reached out to the base in January. I'm going to reach out to the base in like, November this year for next year and see if we can get it, get it in the works, because those are pretty cool pictures. But we give we give awards and we get people involved, and it's so cool to be like, we're seeing kids growing up on pancakes. Roger.
Where it's just like they're referring to it as Pancake Month. And it just it does your heart good. So then again, I was like, there's got to be more we can do. And so I wrote a book that came out on two 2222. So my dad's birthday.
And if you believe in numerology, that's a pretty big angel number. And, you know, and part of the proceeds go to the Veterans Clinic in perpetuity. But I, you know, when you lose, like such a pivotal person in a family, there's somebody that has to step into that role and step into the things that they're doing. And my brain works like my dad's brain did. So everything kind of got dumped on me.
And so the first, I mean, the first year, I mean, I put I called it family office time because there was I remember talking to my brother one Friday and he's like, how you doing? It was like, this is a couple of weeks after dad passed and I was like, well, I spent 14 hours on the phone this week with the Department of Defense, with Arlington, with, you know, the judges pension, like getting all this stuff. And my brother's like, well, can I help? And I said, well, not now.
Kathleen Owings 19:26
It's done.
Susan Combs 19:27
Yeah. So, you know. So when I, when I came out with the book, that was kind of a gift to myself and I ugly cried every single week I wrote because, you know, that first year I didn't get a lot of that grief time that my family got because they had the stillness and the quiet. To do that, I was in work mode. I had to be in work mode because somebody had to get the stuff done.
So writing the book, because the book, my dad was supposed to be a chapter in the book. The book is called pancakes for Roger A Mentorship Guide for Slaying Dragons. And it I always thought, like when I, I mean, Kathleen's heard me publicly speak. And a lot of times at the end of my talks I'll do like unsolicited advice. And it's like fun quotes from people that I've gotten along the way that have really impacted my life.
So I've always thought that would be a really cool book. Take a quote, make a quote a chapter, give the backstory about that person and then how you can plug and play. But then the general came and took over the whole freaking book. Like general. And so the book is separated into four sections family, career, love, family, career, love and service.
And so. And it's written in vignette style. So it's it's a lot of how I talk. And so like the longest chapter I think is ten pages. The shortest I think is a paragraph or two.
But I was always raised that if you get a good piece of advice, it's your duty to share it with somebody else, because if it helped you, it can probably help somebody else. So I always tell people like, hey, use what you want throughout the rest. And so the book came about and then again, I was like, there's got to be more than we can do. And we love the Veterans Clinic at Mizzou. They do such incredible work.
We've been supporting them for the past seven years. But again, I was like, there's got to be more that we can do. So in December 2023, that's when we launched pancake. Sir Roger as an official nonprofit. And you know, I can make a pretty big announcement on your, your podcast here that, you know, through some significant grants and donations that we got, we're actually going to be able to open up grants for veterans starting September 1st.
That's awesome. That's something that I never thought we'd be at this place before even being two years old. And again, we're building an endowment. We're using financial models to grow the money that, you know, is more in your wheelhouse. But, you know, I was like, you know, we can really do some good here because, like, the mission of pancakes for Roger is creating pathways to improve the lives of veterans in their communities, because that's what my dad did.
And so this first round of grants, I mean, we're opening up for 30 days, September 1st to September 30th. We award the funds. The month of October. But it's we're focusing on housing improvements because as Kathleen, I'm sure will echo the VA doesn't move so quickly sometimes. And we can't, we can't.
And so yeah, I mean, if you want the veterans website it puts on there that on average of VA VA claim takes seven years. 14% of our veterans die during that process. And so I was like, you know, there's things that we can do because a lot of times it's just somebody needs a little bit of help. And so say there's a heat wave and a veterans you know, veterans air conditioner goes out. We can buy an air conditioner.
You know, there's a veteran that's coming back from rehab from hip replacement. And he needs a ramp. VA is not going to move 30 days like they're not going to do that. But we can. So it's just like you know or even say, you know, we've come off a heat wave the month of August and you get this utility bill that's so high and you're just like, I'm either going to feed my dog or I'm going to pay my utility bill, what am I going to do?
So it's just like those are the type of things that we can do. I mean, nothing against large nonprofits. I mean, everybody's, you know, people are doing good all over the place. But my experience has been that if you give massive, large nonprofits, they two grand, they're going to be like, yeah, we found that in our couch cushions. You give two grand to a smaller organization, you can see the true impact the next day.
Kathleen Owings 25:40
Yeah, I love that. That idea, that not idea, the execution of mentorship. And to your point, I'm going to hit on your point, Susan, though with women can make as much as men. So when I was in the Army, one of the reasons I got out there was a few. I mean, it was 2003, 2004, 2005.
You know, Mike and I have both gone to Iraq. I thought, oh my gosh, this is going to be our life. You know, we're both going to be deploying and kind of high fiving as the planes crossed. So we didn't want that. But the other thing I thought too, to be quite honest, I'm I'm a very hard worker and I would see others around me and who were, you know, we were all raising at that point.
We were captains. So everyone's going to get promoted really, for the most part. But I would also see ratings of people. I was a personnel officer and I would see some folks ratings. I'm like, yeah, okay.
I mean, they're fine. I just got frustrated as much as I was putting in. I didn't always see that similar effort in others. Not many. It wasn't many, but I thought, I want to find something where as much as I put in, I'm going to get out ten x, or if I put in ten x, I'll get 100.
I mean, I love the idea, which I think scares a lot of people of this being a commission based and essentially effort based industry. And in that it's a level playing field. So the men and the women, it doesn't matter who you are, what sex, creed, color, whatever, go out and work your you know what off. And that's where you're going to see the benefit. That's what's always appealed to me.
Doesn't appeal to everyone, but that's what's been most appealing to me. But I love that you're talking about now, looking back to see where you've come 20 years and saying, okay, who can I help next? Because as we know, the average age in our industry is not young and it's not us. It's not 46, 47 year old women. It's, you know, mid to late 50s men.
And I think that that's also a shift in, you know, there's so much opportunity for people out there for young people. And I think it's I don't know if you struggle with this, but working with or trying to find younger producers, that's been a challenge because they want to be me. Like, okay, you can be me.
Susan Combs 27:51
And they want to bring their mom with them for their interview. Yeah.
Kathleen Owings 27:54
Oh no, I haven't had that. Thank God I've had that. Maybe his mom should have ironed his shirt a little bit more because I pay attention to these things. You know, I think presentation is important. Your dad would appreciate that. Like you didn't go to a meeting in a creased uniform, like, good Lord.
So it's interesting to start talking to the younger generation. How how do you talk to the younger generation? I feel like an old person now to entice them and help them understand. This industry is amazing. It has so much opportunity.
But again, it's just a different mentality.
Susan Combs 28:28
Right. That's like the million dollar question, right?
Kathleen Owings 28:31
I know you're speechless, right? I know well because.
Susan Combs 28:34
I'll tell you. Like. I don't know, okay. I think that there's a significant opportunity for Gen Zers that really want to bust their asses because a lot of them don't. And it's been interesting where I feel like an old person. Right. The sense of entitlement these days with these kids.
Kathleen Owings 28:59
I know you kids, you, Zack I'm just kidding you. Zack.
Zack Huels 29:04
No, no, it's, I'm past that. Look.
Kathleen Owings 29:06
Amazing. Yeah, you're past that.
Zack Huels 29:08
Well, if you don't mind, can I reframe it in a different way? Because I've been my voice has been turning here. So Roger seems to me like, you know, I know I didn't know him, but he seems to me like someone who influenced a lot of people. And you learn from him in certain ways. And I feel like you had these mentors that you got from your the connections and the relationships you made, and you weren't afraid to seek out those relationships and find those mentorships.
And in turn, I feel like you're not afraid to seek out mentees and mentor people that are coming up. So what advice would you give younger people who are looking to make that first step into making meaningful connections? Because I think at the end of the day, networking, as you said, is really important. That could be just the catalyst that starts their career just having one conversation with someone. So what would you really say to somebody who is younger and just needs to have that first conversation, but isn't sure how to have it?
Susan Combs 29:58
Yeah, I always tell, you know, like when I, you know, because I mentor with the University of Missouri and I've mentored with wife, with Nifa, with, you know, different organizations out there as well. And, you know, I always tell people to to do informational interviews, you know, find people on LinkedIn if if somebody has like a career path that interests you and you want to like, find out about that, ask them if they would be open to doing an informational interview. Because the thing is, it's just like, man, I mean, all of us know this. Like you get on LinkedIn. So I have a friend, Stacy Frye, that she's she taught me this.
And I'm like, man, that's it. She's like, I will accept every single LinkedIn request. But if your first interaction with me is a sales pitch, I delete you and I do that too. I mean, because.
Kathleen Owings 30:47
I'm going to start doing. That. Susan, how many times do you get the okay, this line, it drives me crazy. I see we have so many connections in the financial services industry we should connect. I'm like. Why, why, why should we connect? Like literally I think I know what's coming.
I think I'm clairvoyant. And I know why we should connect. Because you want to somehow sell me something, and I don't want it because I don't even know what it is.
Zack Huels 31:11
They would do more good if they just didn't point it out, because you'd be like, oh, we have a lot of connections. Sure. I guess I could accept that.
Kathleen Owings 31:16
And yeah, exactly.
Zack Huels 31:17
They're not pointing it out in your message. It's like, oh, it's.
Kathleen Owings 31:20
Obvious. No, I love that idea of. That is so true. It's I mean, I've heard people say this, it's maybe a little bit vulgar, but like, trying to kiss someone on the first date. I mean, it's like, no, no, no, let's let's find some commonality. Let's make a connection.
Susan Combs 31:33
You have to build a social capital.
Kathleen Owings 31:34
Thank you. Absolutely.
Susan Combs 31:37
So it's just like I. Always I always explain it to, to younger people. I'm like, okay, if you have $1,000 in your bank account, would you go try to take $2,000 out from an ATM? They're like, no. And I'm like, same thing. I was like, you haven't invested in this relationship.
You haven't taken time to get to know the person. And I'll tell you, it pisses me off when they're like pitching me on something that I do. And I'm like, guess you didn't read your you didn't do your research. Did you?
Kathleen Owings 32:04
Your bots are a little broken.
Susan Combs 32:05
Yeah. So. But that's the thing. So I, I love that because the thing is I, I'm pretty visible in our industry. I speak I, you know, I've, I've emceed conferences and things like that. I was the first female broker of the year.
So a lot of people kind of know who I am. So it's just like so my whole thing was always like, at first with LinkedIn, I was like, I'd never accept somebody unless I had had an interaction with them. So I think a lot of us did that right in the beginning. But then I found that like, hey, I write articles for different publications. You know, people find me from pancakes to Roger, you know, when we're doing the picture campaign in February and different things like that.
So I was like, so I've, I've opened myself up to that. But yeah, but the, the sales thing, if you pitch me I'm, you're done. I'm, I, I disconnect. It's like, I'll tell you man, I'm sure you guys have gotten it too. I'm like, whoever did sales training and told people to just send people a meeting request without even asking for the meeting.
Kathleen Owings 33:01
Oh, yeah, I get. A lot of those. I'm like, why is that on decline? Delete whatever that is. I'm like, see?
Susan Combs 33:07
But my husband says it's not your job to be the moral voice of reason. But on those I do and.
Kathleen Owings 33:12
So I but I take exception.
Susan Combs 33:15
Yes. Well it pisses me off because it's like it's saying like, hey, you don't value my time. And you think that your schedule is more important than my schedule. And it's like, you know, I'm booked like a month out. So I'm just like, and you do that to me. I will never meet with you.
So I had a guy that did that to me and I freaking lit him up. I lit him up and man, he sent me presents in the mail. He was just like, he felt so bad, but I. I guarantee you he never did that again to somebody else.
Kathleen Owings 33:43
I think. So, I. Think in today's day and age, with the way, you know, with social media, LinkedIn, it is so easy to be assumptive, kind of obnoxious, and people, I don't know if they even I think some realize it, others do not. I go back to just the old adage, treat others as I would want to be treated. You know, I think about how what I'm saying or how I'm doing, how that's landing with the other person. And would I like that in most cases? Well, I don't do any of that because of that for that reason.
You know, the answer is no. No one wants their day interrupted or a random schedule in their calendar. So I think it's, you know, the again, just treat others as you want to be treated. And I think that's one of the best adages we can live by.
Susan Combs 34:29
Well, and. I think too, like for younger people too, and I always tell them like, you have to be willing to do without in this industry the first three years. I tell people if they they bust their ass, they network like crazy. They say yes to every meeting, they say yes to every networking opportunity, and they're willing to work on the nights and the weekends and not go on vacation the first three years. Then you won't recognize your life at the end of the three years, because you will have laid a tremendous groundwork for success, and not everybody is willing to do that. And so, you know, I mean, my my business partner, I mean, she's ten years younger than me and she's very much cut from the same cloth.
I mean, so she's technically like, you know, I'm like a I don't know, Kathleen. We're like, it depends on the scale, right? We're we're weird. Gen X.
Kathleen Owings 35:16
Yeah. Whatever. Yeah, we're we're customers.
Susan Combs 35:18
We're xennials. Right. But it's just like. But you know, I have a friend that's generational expert. And it's like, if you grew up in a farming household, military household or, you know, blue collar, like your dad was a plumber or electrician or things like that, and you know what it's like to have a hard work ethic and, and sacrifice, then you typically don't abide by those stereotypes.
So I will say as an employer, that's something I look for. And because I know that they they've seen their parents go through hard work, they they know what's required. Also like law enforcement, you know, firemen, things like that as well. But It's just I remember Colleen and I saying, like, we'd look at people and she's like, how does that person like, they're going on like a two week vacation and they're like, in Greece. She was like, how?
And I said, credit card debt. And that was something that I never wanted to have. I so my husband and I live so below our means because my parents did that. And so that was the example I had. And I know not everybody's comfortable with money.
I mean, I know you guys deal with people like that. It's just like there's a scarcity and there's this fear. And depending upon how you grew up, you have your own set of glasses on when you come to it. And so since I had the example of like living below my means, that's how I live, because and I'm at the point now that it's just like, then now I can do some good. Because, yeah, I didn't go on vacations and my husband and I still we go on vacations, but we'll do like a big vacation like every 2 or 3 years, you know?
I mean, doesn't mean that I don't have a balance. I mean, I don't work weekends, you know, I don't. You know, I'm not taking 9:00 calls at night. You know, I'm not doing that stuff anymore because I don't have to. But.
But I have the balance. I mean, you know, we bought this beautiful home in in New Hampshire that we don't have a mortgage on because I busted my ass. But I'm enjoying my garden. I'm enjoying the woods out back, you know, I'm, you know, able to do those different things. But, I mean, when I got into this industry, man, it was a pot of spaghetti.
One week, a pot of, you know, chili the next week. And it was becoming a personal trainer to make it work because I think there's a massive difference between a job and a career. A job is like, you're clocking in, clocking out. You're not investing in anything. You're just there a career.
You will make sacrifices for it because you believe in the path that it leads you to. And so I knew early on when I got into insurance that this was a career path that was going to work for me. And so since I knew it was a career path, I was willing to make the sacrifices to make it a success at the end.
Kathleen Owings 37:52
Well, I think. The career path also has, you know, two other things. I agree with you on all of that. You know, passion and then you have purpose.
I think where I feel bad for people, I mean, I, I've had a few jobs I did not have passion for. That was purpose but not passion. And that's the other thing I tell people as they're starting when they first get out of school. I mean, I was in the the Army for six years, so I had a job. I would say it was a job because I, you know, I enjoyed it.
I learned a lot, I enjoyed it, but I, I looked at my boss and my boss's boss. I'm like, I don't want to be either one of those. That's where I knew there was a next for me. And then the two jobs I would say after that one could have been a career, was project engineer for a general contractor, loved the company, had no passion being on Jobsites for the rest of my again. Looked at my boss, looked at his boss and said no thanks, definitely no thanks.
After that I was a headhunter. Oh, that was interesting. Or an executive recruiter? Excuse me, But it was for me.
Susan Combs 38:51
It might make people cry if you call it a headhunter now.
Kathleen Owings 38:53
I know. Sorry. Sorry, guys. Executive recruiter. But for me, it was also finding out getting from it what I wanted to do. Each one of those, I found what I liked and I wanted to do, but also what I didn't want to do.
And that's that's how I got to this. And to your point, Susan, that that phone call, you know, just calling someone up, I cold called someone this other woman, a friend of mine I was working with as an executive recruiter, she's like, you know what? She would hear me complain. She's like, I think you should be a financial advisor. Clearly, she was way better than me at finding jobs for people and listening.
I was like, I don't know, because my dad's in this industry in New York. And I thought, no, I don't want to. I called the managing director at New England back then. Cold called him. It was probably like the best day ever for him or one of the best days ever.
I shouldn't say that I'm being assumptive, but I mean, imagine me cold calling you saying I want to learn more about what you do. I think I might like it. That's what I did. And we sat down and in that meeting I thought, this is it, I found it. I mean, literally in that meeting, I knew this was it.
It was that quick. But made the call to Dan session. Shout out to Dan. And he hired me and got me started in my career. But it was the passion, the I mean everything.
At that point it all aligned and I thought, well, I'm done. I don't need to look again. I mean, I have to brush up my resume. It's so funny because like speaking engagements or boards that I'm on for various reasons, I have to brush the resume up, but not to use it to get a job per se. Because this is it.
Kathleen Owings 40:26
Yeah. That's awesome. It's the intersection of passion and purpose.
Susan Combs 40:30
Zach, how did you land here? Because I feel like.
Zack Huels 40:32
Oh, yeah.
Susan Combs 40:33
You're you're you're quite a bit younger than Kathleen.
Zack Huels 40:35
So I gotta say a little bit. Just, you know. Yeah. I turned 20 tomorrow. No, no. So it's it's kind of funny.
I'm sitting here listening to all this, and as someone who was born in Missouri, went to the University of Missouri, moved to New York City right after. And I just feel like we have a lot of parallels in life as well.
Susan Combs 40:58
So Mizzou is playing Ku this weekend? Yeah.
Zack Huels 41:03
No. So I, I, I heard about this job opportunity when I was living in New York as an actor, and I decided to to take up that that opportunity and move my wife, then fiance down to DC. And we lived there for three years, and then we moved back home. And actually to continue the parallels, move back home to take care of my sick father as a caregiver. And but, you know, we also had hospice and home.
So it was one of those things. And yeah, so you learn a lot when you're a caregiver for a parent and you. But the the hospice and home thing, I gotta say, like I'm really passionate about long term care now and educating people my age about, you know, making sure their parents have it. Because, man, I know that. It's like, you know, when you're dealing with a parent with cancer and they have this kind of thing, it's like you want to make sure that they're comfortable.
And and, you know, you hear about all these things growing up of hospice and making sure people are comfortable, but you don't really understand. You don't get it unless you're in it. And it really is just so much of so much more peaceful for you to be with them at home and for them to be more comfortable there as well. So it's just I mean, I know you get that, of course. And it's, it's, it's.
Yeah.
Susan Combs 42:15
So you should look into hospice volunteering. I did that in New York City. I became a hospice volunteer, just like after a year after my dad passed. I was just kind of like a tribute to him because. Right, right.
Our our family had such a good experience with hospice because I think people that haven't dealt with it, it's a negative connotation. They think, oh, if we call hospice, that person's dead in a week. Like it's just because, you know, it's a lack of education.
Kathleen Owings 42:37
It has a stigma, I think.
Zack Huels 42:38
Yeah, it does.
Susan Combs 42:40
It's just like and I'm like, it's about supporting the family for 13 months.
Zack Huels 42:43
Yeah.
Susan Combs 42:44
And it's just like and it's it's about. And it's not just supporting the patient, it's supporting family. And and a lot of people just don't get that. And it's, you know, it's such a beautiful thing. I mean, I mean I'm still in touch with the people we had that we worked with at hospice for my dad, and they all came to his funeral.
And that just deeply touched me because.
But my my dad was a special guy. I mean, he was just he was a really good guy. And but that's, you know, man, I always think about I know they don't really teach home economics anymore in school, but that's the stuff they should be teaching people. They should be teaching people of financial literacy, and they should be teaching people.
When the child becomes a parent, be happen to every single one of us. And you know how to have those hard conversations. I mean, because some of the conversations I had with my dad, I mean, I sat down with my dad and I, we spreadsheet everything. I mean, we sat down when he realized after he relapsed the first time he was going back to have a big surgery, and we didn't know if he was going to be able to speak after that. And so I asked, like, where?
And I know that, like you guys, financial planners, you have like these, these great programs now that do all that. But we didn't have that. And so it was just like, what are the passwords. Who's the plumber. Who do I sell the guns to?
Who do I talk for the military pension. Like, who do I you know, who do I sell the Winnebago to? Like, what do you want in your tombstone? Do you want to be buried at Arlington? You know, my dad said.
Because I said, dad, you earned Arlington. And he's like, yeah, and the closest military ones in Kansas. And I'll be damned if I'm buried in Kansas being a Missouri.
Zack Huels 44:22
That's right. That's right.
Susan Combs 44:25
So, so that's one of the things that man, I just wish that there would be more education on stuff like that for kids because it it is rough and you don't you just don't know. You don't know where to start. And you know, and I'm sure you can attest to this, Zach is like that. There are people that will come out of the woodwork during that time that will help you so much more than, than your closest people would, because, I mean, I, I was like the first one outside of one girlfriend from high school. All of my friends have all their parents.
Yeah. I mean, even my friends are in their 60s. They still had their parents. And so it's just there was nobody they would, you know, they would do the best they can and they would check on you. And that was great.
But it wasn't like, hey, Susan, get the passwords or hey, Susan, you know, like you need to like there's a, there's a guy that was a general with my father that before my dad passed, he said, Susan, he was like, you make sure that Agent Orange related throat cancer is on your dad's death certificate. I would have never done that if somebody hadn't told me to do that. He was like, it's it's. He said, because it's not about your dad, he said. It's about the other guys coming down the pike.
And so then it there's a document with it and there's. Yeah. And it's just like. And then he's like, Susan. He was just like he.
And then he tells me he was like, your mom will get a bump up, you know, in her in the pension payment. He was like, there's also long term care program that the military has for the spouse. I mean, it's not a lot. It's like 300 bucks a month, something like that. But it's something.
And so it's just, you know, having those people that, that help you because but you have to stay humble. And I was always somebody that was like, man, I don't know. But I feel like, you know. So, you know, I was always I always asked questions. I always found out information.
And that's just having those people along the way that can really help you that way are just massive. Just massive.
Zack Huels 46:21
You're right about that home economics thing as well. I think to to the point of we always hear these things and, you know, the social constructs of family, of teenagers at war with their parents when they're growing up. And what a gift it would be for that teenager to start thinking about their parents mortality like that in high school and be like, wow, you know, that is that is tough. Maybe it might accelerate that. Coming back to the parents of friendship and closeness that they need, you know, and that sort of in that way.
Susan Combs 46:48
Well, I mean, and I'll tell you, everybody's different. I mean. Oh, God love my mom. But she's going to be hard. I mean, my my dad.
I mean, the thing is, my dad was a great patient and my dad was logical. And so I remember, like, I had just come back to New York for a meeting, and then my mom's like, I gotta take the dog to the groomer, I need to go to this doctor's appointment, stuff like that. So I had to run back home. And so I ran back home and my dad was like, I can be by myself. And I said, you know what, dad?
You're probably right. But what happens if you fall and you hit your head and you die? And she walks into the kitchen, coming back from running her errands and you're gone. I said she would never forgive herself. So this is no longer about you.
This is about her. He's like, okay, so it's just like I spoke to my dad how I'd want somebody to speak to me. My mother though. So logic always worked in my dad. My mother.
Kathleen Owings 47:42
Left brain going on there. Right. So now your mom's probably right brain.
Susan Combs 47:48
She's emotional. I was like, yes, yes, feel good. About all the decisions. And I'm. Like. I can't do that. Like it's just.
Kathleen Owings 47:54
You and I are like, right there. I'm, I'm I would if someone appealed to the logical part, I'd be like, oh, that makes sense. I mean, I'm, I'm also stubborn. But if someone said logically appealing to me, like, you know what? That makes sense.
The feeling I always say how I think or that I don't always say how I feel. That's the difference.
Susan Combs 48:15
Yeah, it's. And it's hard. It's hard. And so, you know, my my brother Matt and my mom can be similar in personality on that. So it's like there's some times where I'm like, I screenshot send to my brother, I'm like tapping you in, I am out, you know, so but that's the I mean, and that's the thing that that they don't teach us, like our parents are people, right?
Our parents had their own wants, dreams, career paths and things and desires just like we do. But they're still your parents. And there is that switch when you you become the person that's making those decisions. And it is freaking gut wrenching. And it's a dance because you don't want to overstep.
But then sometimes you do have to make those decisions that you don't want to make. There's questions you have to ask. You're not sure if you're ready for the answer they're going to provide. And I mean, because my mom's in the point now where next year she wants to move, she wants to move into independent living. And I know it's going to be a lot on me.
And she wanted to do it this year. And I, you know, I just moved to New Hampshire in November and I was like, I need one year for myself, mom. I said, I don't have it to give. I said, if you want to do it. Because at first when she broached it to my brother on, she's like, she was like, oh, in two years.
And I'm like, okay, two years. I can get behind that. And then she's like, no, I want to do six months. And I was like, and I had to say I was like, hey, I will not stand in your way. It's like to let them theory, right?
And I was like, I will not stand in your way. If you can figure out how to do this, you go right ahead. But I'm not packing a box. I'm not changing a bank account. I was like, I'm not doing anything because I don't have the capacity and I need.
One year after living in New York City for almost 25 years, I need one year for myself to get my feet under me in a new area, a new community. And I don't think that's a lot to ask. And so she was pissed off at me for quite a while, but then she eventually went I because she knows I'm the one that's going to do it all. And so when she started, I said, you know, your job this next year is to downsize, take one room a month and downsize it because I was like, I'm going to tell you right now, if I walk into that house and there's four boxes of picture frames, we're going to have a problem. So you know so it's just like doing those things.
So she has been she has been like downsizing. And I will say my my grandfather, my mom's brother was a paratrooper in World War two. And he gave he would throw everything away and then he would like get rid of stuff. He'd get rid of stuff and he'd be like, oh, I need that. So then he has to go buy a new one.
And I was like, don't be Gerald, don't be Gerald. Think it through. I was like, think it through. And I was like, if there's anything that you want to screenshot, take a picture of send to us. So you make sure that you don't get give something away that you're probably she was like, I don't need a Crock-Pot. I said, mom, you're probably going to want a Crock-Pot.
Kathleen Owings 51:07
Oh, one crock pots. Okay, two little too much.
Susan Combs 51:09
Oh, yeah. Yeah. So it's just. But, you know, those are the things that it's like. Yeah, I just feel like home economics can totally get a new rebrand teaching life skills.
And because I'll tell you, I have a lot of cousins that are going to college and they get to college and their college roommate has never done laundry.
Kathleen Owings 51:26
That's crazy. My daughter knows how to fry an egg. Laundry. She can cook. She is 19. Maybe she doesn't. Want to do those things.
Zack Huels 51:35
Didn't. And you know what? I. That's that's one of those things, but I was.
Kathleen Owings 51:40
Look at you. So spoiled.
Zack Huels 51:41
It's one of those things where I. I had to just be like, look, I'm going to learn this. And I buckled down and learned it because I was like, I'm not I am not going to be the kind of guy who relies and has to go home for that kind of thing. So like, I, I, I took the time to, to make sure I knew how to do it.
Susan Combs 51:54
You did not. Grow up military, did you, Zack?
Zack Huels 51:56
No, I did not. No. You know, what I gotta say is like, I'm. I'm making. I have a three and a half year old. I'm making sure that he is going to know all this stuff because, like, I feel like I was not taught properly how to do all that stuff. He's going to start cooking as soon as he's learning. He can learn.
Susan Combs 52:12
So, I mean. I was doing laundry. I mean, I also had a brother that had cancer. So it's just like, so I was I was doing laundry. I mean, my mom had us like I remember folding washcloths and, and my dad's handkerchiefs when I was four years old. Like that was my job.
You know, the tea towel. You know, so it's just like those little things that you can get little kids to help you with. And then I was doing laundry at eight, and I was mowing lawns at eight. You know, so it's just because, I mean, as a parent, it's your responsibility to teach, to prepare that child for life.
Zack Huels 52:39
Absolutely.
Susan Combs 52:40
And when they leave, you can't expect their spouse to teach them how to do that stuff. So that I, you know, I commend you for, you know, working on the three and a half year old because there's always little things that they can do.
Zack Huels 52:52
Of course, there's there's hope for him though. My wife grew up military. My father in law was in the army. So, you know, that's there.
Susan Combs 52:58
There you go.
Zack Huels 52:59
He's going to be fine, for sure.
Kathleen Owings 53:01
Just just little things. Little thing. You know, we have to just do little things because I always thought, I. I don't know, for better or for worse, I would say, look, m you have friends, I have friends. I'm not here to be your friend, but I'm here to make sure you're a fully functioning adult in society.
And society will thank you and thank me. We can, you know, be cordial. I mean, actually, I just talked to her last night. So we have a good relationship. But I never want to be that parent.
That was a friend. And like, your parents didn't teach you anything? Well, she knows a lot. She knows a lot.
Susan Combs 53:31
Yeah. One of my cousins was telling me he just. So he has four kids and like, in a few weeks ago, like his son was, was, you know, the high school kid. He's like a senior and he, you know, had a whole bunch of, you know, guy friends over and they'd gotten donuts and everything, and then all the boys ate all the donuts. And so my, my cousin's son was like, he's like, oh, you know, we didn't save one for dad.
I'm gonna make, you know, I'm gonna fry dad an egg. My my cousin Jake said, I came downstairs and there's like, six teenage boys standing around the stove. He was like, you know, while my son is, like, frying an egg, and they're like, and what are you doing? And how do you do that? And he's like a frying an egg.
He was just like he said. These kids were amazed. He's like, they're 17, 18 year old kids that they've never been required to do any of that stuff. And he said, he said my he said I always thought he said Even the youngest one, the baby. And this was the baby.
He was just like he said, everybody, they're going to know what to do. They're going to know how to handle things. They're going to be independent. They're not, you know, they're going to I mean, we had to know how to change a tire before we went out on our first date. You know, it's just like you had to be able to get yourself out of a bad situation.
And, you know, so I just I, I commend that way of thinking for sure.
Zack Huels 54:40
Absolutely.
Kathleen Owings 54:40
Yeah. I think it's important. Well, I think we're getting are we getting close on time here, Zack?
Zack Huels 54:44
Yeah. Do you want to. We can move to the lightning round if you want.
Kathleen Owings 54:47
Yeah. Let's do lightning round. So it's quick questions. We'll do Susan and then we will give you the last the last word before we wrap this up okay. So lightning round I know you love triple D restaurants. What is your favorite. Just one favorite triple D restaurant.
Susan Combs 55:04
Oh, God. That's rough.
Kathleen Owings 55:06
Okay, sorry I didn't.
Susan Combs 55:08
Yeah. So okay. Let's go new Hampshire. Right.
Kathleen Owings 55:09
So New Hampshire sounds good.
Susan Combs 55:11
Favorite triple D is the Tuckaway in Raymond, New Hampshire. So it's kind of cool because it has like a whole butchery. And then it has a restaurant. So it's just like so you can buy everything in the in the shop that you can have made there. And it's excellent.
Kathleen Owings 55:23
Okay. Thanks.
Zack Huels 55:24
I have to look this up. Says diners drive.
Susan Combs 55:27
Diners, diners, drive ins and dives. Zack, I will tell you, those of us that Flavortown. That's how I always eat. Because like, you get a local thing, it's not going to break the bank and it's always going to be good people watching.
Zack Huels 55:37
Absolutely. So I gotta I got one for you. Midwest or East coast?
Susan Combs 55:42
East coast. I'm sorry, I mean.
Zack Huels 55:45
I lived on both.
Susan Combs 55:46
Yeah.
Zack Huels 55:47
Midwest roots.
Susan Combs 55:49
New York City raised me. I really I mean, I moved there at 22, I mean.
Kathleen Owings 55:55
That's funny. Susan, I'm the opposite. I'm like, New York raised me. You know, I got the New York hands on the New Yorker, but the Midwest is. It had the mountains have my heart. I love the mountains.
Susan Combs 56:04
Yeah, well, but. See, I, I live in I always call it the Colorado of the East coast.
Zack Huels 56:08
Kathleen Owings 56:08
It's true. New Hampshire. Yeah.
Okay, so if you had to pick one food. We know you love pancakes, but what is your favorite food?
Susan Combs 56:15
Mexican. Like pretty much everything. Yeah.
Kathleen Owings 56:18
Favorite Mexican? What's your favourite? Mexican?
Like, if.
You had to pick one thing. Sit down. Enchilada. Chimichanga.
Go.
Susan Combs 56:24
Chile relleno.
Zack Huels 56:25
Yes.
Susan Combs 56:26
Good choice.
Kathleen Owings 56:26
That's a good. One.
Zack Huels 56:27
Okay. You were a personal trainer for a while, so I'm gonna ask. Cardio or lifting?
Susan Combs 56:31
Lifting all day long.
Zack Huels 56:32
Nice.
Susan Combs 56:32
I'm actually I, so I will tell you, nobody else knows this, but I'm actually going to be taking a class to become a CrossFit coach.
Kathleen Owings 56:40
So that's awesome.
Susan Combs 56:41
Yeah. My husband's.
Kathleen Owings 56:43
Yeah, I know you're. Yeah. Big into you guys are big into CrossFit.
Susan Combs 56:46
I have a 205 pound bench press. Zack. So it's. It's always.
Zack Huels 56:49
You and me.
Zack Huels 56:50
I'm a cardio guy. Newly.
Kathleen Owings 56:54
Newly, I like that.
Zack Huels 56:56
Two months. Two months in.
Kathleen Owings 57:01
Are you okay? Susan, do you listen to a lot of podcasts? Are you big podcast person. No you don't okay. So I'll go a different route.
Susan Combs 57:06
I'm a book reader.
Kathleen Owings 57:07
That was my next question then. Favorite book.
Susan Combs 57:11
So I'm. I want to go favorite author? Actually no. Okay. Favorite book. So I'll give you favorite author and then give you favorite book.
Kathleen Owings 57:17
Sounds good.
Susan Combs 57:18
Favorite author Harlan Coben. I'm a big murder mystery person. I've read absolutely everything he's ever written. My whole thing is, if you're not brought into a book by chapter three, like my. My life's too busy to dedicate and power through a book I hate.
Book that changed my life was Signs The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynn Jackson. I believe that when people pass, they're just kind of out of reach, and it's about getting signs from the people that passed. And so I get signs every single week from my dad. And by reading that book, it taught me how to, like, navigate that relationship after they're gone.
Kathleen Owings 57:55
What was it called? I'm going to write that down.
Susan Combs 57:58
Signs: Secret Language of the Universe.
Kathleen Owings 58:00
Okay.
Zack Huels 58:01
I wrote that too.
Susan Combs 58:01
Somebody gifted that to me exactly a year after my dad passed.
Zack Huels 58:06
Wow. Talk about a sign.
Kathleen Owings 58:09
That was a sign. So I'll give you. I'll give you the last one.
Zack Huels 58:12
Oh. Thanks.
Kathleen Owings 58:13
You're welcome.
Zack Huels 58:14
College football or college basketball?
Susan Combs 58:16
Football.
Zack Huels 58:17
Gotcha.
Kathleen Owings 58:18
I knew I liked you Susan.
Susan Combs 58:22
Yeah, well. And so. Okay, I will tell you this because I'm a big Chiefs fan. Right. And so, like, when the whole Taylor Swift thing happened and like in the Chiefs, you know, hot and everything like that and walking down the street in New York City like I'm like, oh, that's a great I'm like nice jersey. And then I see it's Kelce's and I'm like, if you're a real fan.
And she was like, shut up. He's like.
Just let him be. I'm like, but I don't want these bandwagon people, you know?
Kathleen Owings 58:47
But you know, it is good. It is good for the I here's what I love. I love seeing now there are things in my lifetime I never thought I'd see. Girls flag football. I said to Mike if that was around when I was a kid, I would have been all over that.
All over. I love it.
Susan Combs 59:02
Yeah. I mean, I played charitable football and hockey and softball up until about five years ago. So we had a University of Missouri alumni team in New York City. And we used to I helped put together. We had a it was back when we were still big 12. And so we we had a big 12.
So we had Texas, we had K-State, like everybody had a team. And it was so much fun. But Mizzou of course was the best football.
Kathleen Owings 59:23
Nice. Yes. Go Tigers.
Susan Combs 59:26
Yeah.
Kathleen Owings 59:26
Well Susan, before I do the wrap up here I want to give you the last word. Talk to our members. Well first of all I want to thank you. This has been super fun. I think I could have gone for another hour and I feel like I ate up too much time.
Zach, I'm so sorry. I was a hog today, but I want to give you the last word at, you know, talk to our members.
Susan Combs 59:48
I mean, I would say, hey, we're getting ready for our Pancakes for Roger pancake campaign, February 2026. So if you're working with people and you know, our nonprofit tugs on heartstrings, you know, we're always happy to take donations towards the end of the year. But also, too, I just think that probably the best thing I would would pass along in terms of advice is find a peer to peer mentor. I think that, you know, a lot of times people think mentorship is somebody that has like greater experience or they've been in the industry longer. But those peer to peer mentors, I think are the best ones that you can have because you have some sort of shared experience or knowledge.
You might be in the same work field, or you might be the same generation, or you might have same aspirations and things like that, but then you have that, that deep friendship. But it's the deep friendship that'll call you out on the business stuff as well. And it's, you know, two Nyfa members, you know, Kristin Alfheim and Juli McNealy that we were talking about previously. They are two of my biggest peer to peer mentors and and two of my best friends. And it's you just can't even put a price tag on it.
Zack Huels 1:00:52
Absolutely. Thanks. A friend of the podcast.
Susan Combs 1:00:54
Thanks.
Kathleen Owings 1:00:57
Thanks so much. Well Juli's fabulous. We had her on earlier this year. Actually. I interviewed her with Chris.
Zack Huels 1:01:02
You did.
Kathleen Owings 1:01:03
Again, another conversation. I could have talked many, many more hours about. Well, Susan, thank you so much. Please check out her book, Pancakes for Roger. She's doing a lot of great things in our industry for veterans and for our NAIFA members.
We've got October coming up. We've got great conference going on. Chris and I have a plank challenge. I think Karina is still in it. So come check that out on October 14th.
We'll see who can plank the longest or plank for two minutes. I'm not sure what we're doing, but it's going to be a great time. So thanks again, Susan.
Zack Huels 1:01:34
Yeah, thanks, Susan, for joining us today. And Kathleen, thanks for being the host with the most. And thank you for joining us for the Advisor Today podcast, where we give the voice back to the those in the financial insurance industry. Thanks so much, everyone, and we will see you in our next episode.
Outro 1:01:52
Thanks for joining us for NAIFA's Advisor Today podcast series. Make sure to subscribe to get future episodes, and if you're interested in coming on the show, let us know.