Mactavish Benefits, one of our Olympic Place OffiCenter clients, has been chosen for our December Milestone feature. Since 1996, Mactavish Benefits has been fixing health plans. When they mange your benefits plan, you not only get a better benefits plan, you get happier, more health-conscious employees. Fixing health plans for countless businesses over the past 16 years; we think that’s a milestone. Read what Jim Lindstrom, Sales Consultant for Mactavish Benefits has to say.
1) Who are you and what do you do? Jim Lindstrom; Sales Consultant for Mactavish Benefits, Inc.
2) Which OffiCenters location does your business call ‘home-base’? Olympic Place OffiCenter
3) How long have you been an OffiCenters client? I have been with Mactavish Benefits for three years. The company has been with OffiCenters since 2001.
4) What is your ‘elevator speech’? In these difficult financial times, we can provide health insurance with improved benefits at a low cost for your employees and I would welcome the opportunity to demonstrate this to you and/or your employees.
5) Where did you get the idea for your business? From the President and CEO of Mactavish Benefits. I was an employee at a school district that implemented The Convertible Health Plan, so I was familiar with it and really believed in the program as well as the 500 employees I represented.
6) What makes your business unique? It allows clients to have health care at a lower cost. We promote education for employees on how to become better consumers of health care and, through a Wellness Program, we encourage employees to become healthier. We provide 24 hour service on payment of claims and encourage employees to call us for customer service, rather than the insurance company to handle problems, issues or questions they might have.
7) What are the keys to your success? I am still working on it! So far, being friendly, knowing many of the clients I am working with and believing in the product I am selling.
8) How has officing with OffiCenters changed your business? It has allowed clients to come to my office or I can go to them. Also it is great to be able to have meetings in the conference rooms provided.
9) What would you like people to know about you? I am a former Vocal Music Director of Forest Lake High School and was also President and Chief Negotiator for the Teachers and the Clerical Group in Forest Lake. I am also an Organist, and a Choir Director at a local church in Forest Lake.
10) Do you use social media to attract clients? If so, which services do you use? I haven’t really “dug” into that market yet, but I have promised myself that I will eventually use it.
11) What is one of your favorite quotes? “If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.”
12) Who has been an inspiration in your life, and how? Dr. Leland B. Sateren; Composer and Conductor of the Augsburg College Choir. He was my role model on how to be a successful Choir Director and person. Also, my daughters Molly and Meghan because I see that they are very driven and they know how to strive to reach their goals.
13) When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you use it? Read a book, the newspaper, relax, watch television or part of a movie, or play the piano.
14) If you could be any fictional character, whom would you choose and why? Spiderman; I think it would be terrific to swing from building to building using my web. It would also cut down on my commute time!
15) If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? A dog; not having many worries, having people provide my food and water and people would love to see me and pet me.
16) What is your favorite restaurant in Minnesota? Cheesecake Factory; Big Bowl; Angry Trout
17) What is your favorite place to visit in Minnesota? The North Shore of Grand Marais, MN.
18) What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? “Look To This Day”; “I Believe In Music”; “Make Your Own Kind Of Music”; “His Compassions Fail Not”; “New York, New York”; “What A Wonderful Life”.
19) If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve ever seen before, what would you paint and why? Mount Rushmore; it’s solemn yet majestic with its hills, valleys, lakes and buffalo. The wonders of nature are all present.
20) What is your favorite part of being with OffiCenters? The friendliness of the people who work here, the privacy you have in order to do business, and the location.