Living Our Values: Showing Up for Clients, the Community and Each Other
As an insurance advisory agency, we know that risk management involves the appropriate balance of encouraging our clients to chase their dream with the right level of security in place. This means that the Vibrant Insurance Group team is responsible for protecting our clients to the best of our ability. No pressure. (!) It also means that for us to fulfill our purpose, we must be fully aligned on how we individually and collectively get there.
For that reason, our team relies on a carefully curated set of company values that helps guide how each of us operates: in everything we do, we work to be GENUINE, HONEST, INNOVATIVE, FEARLESS and FUN. These values not only give us guardrails to work within as we serve our clients, they are foundational to how we interact with each other and the communities we support and that support us.
First and Always…we are GENUINE and HONEST
While we are experts at providing customized residential and commercial insurance plans, here’s a little secret…we don’t always have immediate answers for all the problems. We’ll admit it. We do, however, believe that if we show up every day authentically and with the sincere intention of helping, we can find the answers needed to help those around us, and we won’t give up until we do. Finding the right solutions sometimes involves unabashedly asking the honest questions. To us, that means looking for resources that offer valid solutions and uncovering the right ones to fit the need we want to fulfill.
Also, while it may come as a shock to some…insurance isn’t always simple or exciting (gasp!) That’s why we value making it understandable and straightforward for our clients. We feel privileged to be trusted to help people protect the homes and businesses they love. We take that seriously, and that means no shortcuts…even if it comes at the expense of seemingly “knowing it all.” If the answer isn’t at our fingertips, you can trust that we’ll hunt it down and get back to you.
Therefore, authenticity in the form of honesty and being genuine has become a hallmark of our workplace. We make space for checking in and getting to know each other as coworkers and as individuals with lives outside of the office in order to show up genuinely for those we serve. We love to celebrate birthdays and milestones, share meals together during work and outside of it, and we appreciate our differences as a team that supports one another so we are better able to help our clients and the community around us.
We are FEARLESS About Being INNOVATIVE (With a Healthy Dose of Caution)
Innovation doesn’t always require inventing something new. Sometimes it just means being curious enough to research and try new things that make sense. At its core, being innovative is a continual willingness to learn.
Over the years, we’ve taken on projects and partnerships we didn’t expect. We have grown exponentially as a company and made sure that growth was reflected in the support we offer to our communities.
For example, a few years ago, we sponsored the Home Builders Association of Greater Des Moines’ UnCoastal Social. More recently, we joined as a co-sponsor the upcoming inaugural Waukee Betterment Games to raise funds for the Waukee Betterment Foundation (follow our Facebook page for updates on that event!) We’ve also launched internal efforts to support employees through fitness challenges, recognition programs and implementing new ways to engage as a team.
We’re not afraid to think outside the box, whether it’s on innovative insurance solutions or community collaborations. We’re proud to be a workplace where new ideas are welcomed, and people feel encouraged to step up and contribute wherever and whoever they are.
Above All, We Keep Things FUN — Because Fun Matters
Having fun at Vibrant Insurance Group is at our very foundation. We are serious about the risk management and planning services we provide; yet we also know that the best places to work must also be enjoyable. For us, that may look like Thirsty Thursdays, which involve a themed employee cocktail happy hour, a team night at an Iowa Cubs Game or a surprise lunch break featuring pancakes or tacos. Our Culture Committee enjoys organizing these opportunities — not because they’re required to, but because seeing them come to fruition brings genuine laughter and meaningful connections among coworkers and guests.
In that same spirit, we prioritized supporting and attending local events for great causes. We’ve sponsored amazing community events like the Waukee Historical Society Wauktoberfest, sponsored and hosted our team and clients for an evenings at Fridays at the Middlebrook Farm, and we most recently became the official insurance partner of the Des Moines Buccaneers. All of these opportunities offer ways for our team to connect with neighbors and give back to the communities who also support us.
And if you just must see the proof in our fun pudding…hold our beers — last year, the Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce awarded us the 2024 Party Animal Award. Need we say more?
We Believe in Values-Led Community Services
Community involvement isn’t a box we check — it’s a perfect fit for living out our values.
We genuinely feel that people of all ages in our communities deserve the support needed to thrive, which means we walk (and sometimes bike) the talk. Examples include our sponsorship of the WHO13 Cares and United Way of Central Iowa Hygiene Drive to purchase bulk personal care items for local students, donating to WayPoint Resource for their Seasonal School Supply Drive to purchase backpacks and sponsoring and participating in Gary’s Ride, an annual bike ride that raises funds and hope for local patients impacted by brain cancer.
We also provide our team members with volunteer time off so they may support the specific causes important to them. Our team has used their volunteer days to package meals with Meals from the Heartland, mentor students at local schools and help lead the Waukee Leadership institute, which supports the personal and professional development of local leaders.
Culture is Created Together
A great company culture is a direct reflection of intentional connection, communication and pride among a team, and we’re nothing if not proud of what we’re working to build…together. From our service and sales appreciation dinners to client and partner celebrations, we try to show our gratitude for what we get to do and those around us as often as possible. In ways big and small, we try to give back to those we believe in and who believe in us.
At the end of the day, the Vibrant Insurance Group team is comprised of people who care. We care about doing the right thing, about helping others feel safe and supported and about building something meaningful together.
That’s why we keep our values front and center (next time you come to the office, read the first wall you walk past!) The reminder to be GENUINE, HONEST, INNOVATIVE, FEARLESS and FUN will help guide us intentionally well into the future.
