Sara Simmonds

CEO Impact Innovator | Helping Purpose Driven Entrepreneurs Scale to $1 Million, $50 Million and Beyond | Follow Me For Systems On Sustainable Growth 🌎

Impact Innovator OS: 

The #1 In-House Growth System For Mission-Driven Founders, Conscious Coaches, and Innovators To Build Sustainable Scale As A Category Of One Business.

I help innovators simplify their business to a category of one so they can build sustainable scale to 7 figures, 8 figures and beyond.

I spent over a decade on the table as a buyer controlling $100M+ budgets for billion-dollar retailers. 

In 2006 I saw something that changed everything.

The Problem:

Each year, $49 trillion is spent on products & services globally. But buyers only choose the top 1% of businesses. The ones who lead as a Category Of One. The rest struggle. Their innovation never scales. It ends up as waste.

Why?

Corporations dominate because they know something most innovators don't: the proven system to lead as a Category Of One business.

My Mission:

I quit the corporate world to figure out how innovators who want to make an impact can actually scale.

My first company, Sharkah Chakra - The World's First Feel Good Sustainable Jeans Brand. I used my buyer intelligence to create a sellout launch. 

But we spent $150K trying to simplify our complex innovation. We outsourced our growth system to agencies. Our funding ran out.

The insight hit me: 

Entrepreneurs aren't taught to think like buyers. We think like sellers. We outsource to experts instead of building our own systems like corporations do.

My Second Company Changed Everything:

With Bespoke Your World, I built an in-house system to scale as a Category Of One. 0 to $300K in 12 months with the world's top 0.1% clients. Organically. No ads.

Then innovators started asking for the game plan.

So I Built Impact Innovator OS:

One integrated system using my Billion Dollar Buyer Intelligence Framework. 

Purpose. Positioning. Offer. Sales. Marketing. Organic scaling methods. Everything in house. Everything you own. Forever.

Founding Member Results:

→ Carol: $200K launches, scaling to $50M
→ Jo: $2M to $4M growth in 12 months
→ Amy: 0 to $300K launch in 90 days
→ Marie & Jason: 30% profit increase
→ Paula: Successful Exit Less than 12 Months

This Is Bigger Than Business:

This is a movement for every innovator working tirelessly to build a better world. For those who refuse to let their legacy innovation become part of the waste problem. For those ready to transform how we consume, how we scale, and how we lead.

Founding Member Access (Limited Spots):

DM 'SYSTEM' for founding member details
DM 'MASTERCLASS' for registration link
DM 'NEWS' for newsletter

Business Mentor

For a long time, I thought success was something you arrive at.

A destination.
A big moment.
A finish line.

I was wrong.

Success is built in the quiet moments no one applauds.

Last week, while hiking, I noticed something simple, but powerful.

I didn’t reach the top by feeling confident.
I didn’t reach it by having a perfect plan.

I reached it by choosing to move when stopping would’ve been easier.

Not fast.
Not perfectly.
Just forward.

That’s when it clicked:

Resilience isn’t loud.
It isn’t heroic.
It’s ordinary.

It’s the decision to keep going when you’re tired.
To keep building when you’re unsure.
To keep showing up when results are invisible.

My business didn’t grow because I had clarity every day.

It grew because I honored small progress:

One conversation.
One action.
One honest attempt.

Over and over again.

You don’t need to see the whole road.

You don’t need to know how it all works yet.

You only need to respect the step that’s in front of you.

Do that long enough…

And one day you look back and realize:

You’re much further than you ever imagined.

Keep walking.

Founder, Impact Innovator OS | The #1 Buyer Psychology Growth System for Mission Driven Founders, Conscious Coaches + Innovators to Scale Sustainably $1M-$50M+ as Category-of-One

Ten years ago, I made myself a promise.

One day, I would walk the trails of El Chaltén in Patagonia, not as an escape, but as a reminder of why I chose this path.

That hike wasn’t just about the mountains.
It was about following the footsteps of innovators who refused to compromise on what mattered.

The person who carried me through the hardest years was Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, the billion-dollar brand that was never meant to be one.

Yvon wasn’t a businessman chasing money.
He was a broke climber who simply wanted better gear.

So he taught himself blacksmithing.
Made tools for his friends.
Sold them out of his car for $1.50 each.

He didn’t set out to build a unicorn.
He just refused to abandon his values.

When being a purpose-led founder nearly broke me
when every part of me wanted to give up

I remembered his words:

“Impossible is the lamest of excuses.”

And I realised something important.

Quitting doesn’t make life easier.
It only delays the dream.

Because dreams don’t disappear.
They wait.
And they return louder.

What stopped me from walking away was understanding this:

Everything is figure-out-able including sustainable growth.

Just as Yvon built for climbers, I’ve spent the last ten years building for purpose-led founders.

When there wasn’t a roadmap, I created one.
And that work became Impact Innovator OS.

So here’s the question I keep coming back to:

What would change if you realised your purpose isn’t the obstacle, it’s the path?

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Talks about #impact, #entrepreneurship, #productinnovation, #businessinnovation, and #businessmentorship

Founder, Impact Innovator OS | The #1 Buyer Intelligence Growth System for Mission Driven Founders, Conscious Coaches + Innovators to Scale Sustainably $1M-$50M+ as Category-of-One

The secret to 6 and 7 figure sales increase (no matter the industry or objections):

The world feels quite uncertain at times.

But building sustainable growth CAN feel certain.

I was just speaking to a founder yesterday. 

She was stressed about sales. 
People who were paying less wanting more.

I hear you. 

It's HARD.

You're not powerless against the market. 

Trust me, you're not. 

Social selling is the answer to your problems. 

So here's is my solution to help you sell 24/7:

Be where your dream clients are.

Both online AND offline. 

Here are the 9-steps for the social selling formula:

1. OBSESS over your ICP: who/where they are
2. Focus only on this EXACT ICP online/offline 
3. Build EVENTS to educate your ICP
4. Plan your 2026 monthly events schedule 
5. Collaborate to connect to new audiences
6. Build your dream strategic partnership list 
7. Launch your events 
8. Analyse what works and what doesn't 
9. Repeats refine and scale 

Your social selling game plan should be incredibly simple, yet work incredibly well.

You and your team should understand it. 

Simplicity sells.
Simplicity scales.

Together we will transform our world.

P.S. We have a few slots left to sign up for our March 3rd Masterclass to get the growth secrets for FREE: https://lnkd.in/e6S62RhM

See you soon!

When Standing for Something Gets Expensive And You Choose It Anyway

Most brands talk about purpose.

Very few are willing to risk anything for it.

Ben & Jerry’s just showed what real purpose looks like.

Founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield recently launched a campaign to reclaim control of their company from parent company Unilever, saying the corporation has restricted Ben & Jerry’s ability to speak and act on its social mission.

They’re not protecting a product.

They’re protecting a point of view.

As the founders put it:
Ben & Jerry’s became successful because people know it stands for something bigger than ice cream.

And here’s the part most people miss:

Purpose didn’t hurt their growth.
It fueled it.

Ben & Jerry’s has outperformed other Unilever ice cream brands in multiple recent years.
Their activism has driven massive engagement, loyalty, and list growth.
Thousands of people actively choose them because of what they stand for.

Even when Unilever allegedly removed their CEO over his commitment to the brand’s social mission, the founders didn’t retreat.

They pushed harder.

That’s the line between marketing-purpose and lived-purpose.

Real purpose isn’t a tagline.
It’s not a campaign.
It’s not something you keep only when it’s convenient.

Real purpose costs you leverage.
Control.
Comfort.
Sometimes money.

And you choose it anyway.

Two founders in their 70s could be enjoying a quiet, ultra-wealthy life.

Instead, they’re challenging a multi-billion-dollar corporation to defend the soul of what they built.

Not for headlines.
Not for profit.
For integrity.

Here’s the takeaway:

You don’t scale by diluting your values.
You don’t win by becoming safer.
You don’t build iconic brands by trying to please everyone.

You build them by standing so clearly for something that the right people feel it in their bones.

When purpose costs you something and you still choose it -
people know you’re real.

And real brands don’t create customers.

They create believers.

Most companies retreat the moment values become inconvenient.

Category-of-one founders double down.

Because they understand:

Purpose only becomes powerful once it has a price.

Your move:

What are you willing to defend when it would be easier not to?

DM HELL YA if you want to join Impact Innovator and build businesses that change the world.

Warm wishes,
Sara

Exciting news: I just heard one of our members signed a multi billion dollar partnership... 

(90 days ago, they were treading water)

We used my Billion Dollar Buyers Guide to achieve this goal (after years of trial and error).

And it all started by growing a business with a purpose with a fouder who has a heart. 

To be honest, it's easy. 

Someone shared this in my masterclass:

"Sara, with so many competitors today, business is hard, but your systems make it easy to stand out and scale."

Being overlooked is a real problem today for founders, and it no one's fault. 

Buyers will love you, but they need to understand these 7 things:

1. Your Unique Business Hook
2. How your Offer changed your world first
3. How your Offer changes others' worlds second.
4. Why you are a must have now and forever
5. How to sell you in one sentence 
6. Who your followers are
7. Why are you the number one in what you do

This list is a game changer for 2026, to stand out, get seen, sell in, and sell out.

Give buyers instant clarity on your unique power and purpose.

Let your brilliance shine.

If you'd like to know more billion dollar buyer secrets, sign up for my newsletter here:

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Together we will transform our world.

10K Clients. $300K Launches. $300K+ Funding. Billion-Dollar Partners.
Member wins from just the last 7 days.

I didn’t set out to become a business growth mentor.

I became one because I spent years trying to scale… and watching other purpose-led founders struggle with the exact same problem.

Here’s what I discovered:

Scaling isn’t hard because you’re not working hard enough.
It’s hard because innovation is complex—and buyers crave simplicity.

Buyers want to instantly understand:

Who you’re for
What you solve
Why you’re different
Why they should trust you

You can’t outsource that clarity.

Because it’s connected to everything:
Your positioning.
Your offer.
Your pricing.
Your marketing.
Your sales process.
Your brand story.
Your thought leadership.
Your community.
Your impact.

Buyers don’t look at these as separate pieces.
They see your business as one system.

And they decide in seconds if it makes sense.

I spent 20 years inside buyer behavior and buying decisions learning how that system actually works.

After my own painful experience buying fragmented “expert help,” I built a buyer-centric framework that creates certainty around how to scale:

✔ One holistic system
✔ One custom roadmap
✔ Five steps to sustainable growth

What I see every week:

Founders go from invisible → category leader
From inconsistent sales → $300K launches
From no funding → hundreds of thousands raised in 90 days

Not because of hacks.
Not because of funnels.

But because their entire business finally makes sense to buyers.

This framework is for conscious founders, coaches, and consultants who are ready to scale with integrity.

(I personally invite only the top 1% into the program.)

If this resonates and you want to understand how the framework works, join me live:

👇 Free Masterclass – Next Tuesday
The 5 Steps to Build Sustainable Growth

https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

It’s time to unleash your unique brilliance.

Systems = Your License to Step Back

Most founders think systems are about tighter control.

More rules.
More approvals.
More oversight.

But real systems do the opposite.

They give you the confidence to step away.

Great systems are not built so you can monitor everything.

They’re built so things run even when you’re not watching.

Recently, I took time off without checking Slack.
No daily standups.
No constant pings.

The business kept moving.
Clients were supported.
Work went out on time.

Not because I was hovering.

Because the team had clear outcomes, clear frameworks, and real ownership.

Here’s the difference most founders miss:

Control-based systems say
“Follow this exact process and ask me before acting.”

Ownership-based systems say
“Here’s the result we need. You decide how to make it happen.”

Control-based systems create dependency.
Ownership-based systems create leaders.

Control-based systems make you the bottleneck.
Ownership-based systems make you optional in day-to-day operations.

And being optional in daily operations is not a risk.

It’s the real definition of scale.

So the better question isn’t:
“How do I track everything?”

It’s:
“How do I build systems that don’t require me to track everything?”

When your systems work, you don’t feel anxious stepping away.

You feel calm.

That’s not losing control.

That’s finally earning freedom.

Companies that tackle "impossible" problems are achieving 400% higher returns.

This is the trend 99% are overlooking.

Businesses chasing quick wins are failing rapidly.

However, the 1% of entrepreneurs addressing seemingly insurmountable challenges to improve our world?

Purpose-driven companies recorded 400% greater returns on the stock market compared to the S&P 500. 

Brands that enhance quality of life outperform the market by 120%.

The problems that cautious investors deem "unprofitable" are, in fact, generating the most value.

Here's the evidence:

Companies that align purpose with business report 25% higher revenue and 22% higher pre-tax profit. 

Purpose-aligned companies: 31% profit increase. Others: 3%.

Why does solving the "impossible" yield more than addressing the obvious?
Because impossible problems face no competition.

While everyone competes over marginal improvements, purpose-led companies forge new categories.

They are not competing; they are pioneering.

Companies solving easy problems = Commodities
Companies solving difficult problems = Monopolies
Companies solving impossible problems = Movements

Purpose enterprises grew by 1,681% while the S&P 500 averaged 118%.

Every boardroom dismisses these opportunities. Every spreadsheet indicates "no return on investment."

And that is precisely why it works.

The market rewards the courage to tackle what others avoid.

5 Reasons Purpose Is Winning

Starbucks learned a painful truth the hard way:
Purpose doesn’t save a business. Clarity does.

When Starbucks’ CEO recently reflected on their strategy, he admitted something rare:

They lost focus by chasing a version of “purpose” that diluted what made them great.

Not because purpose is wrong.
But because it became vague.

When your mission gets fuzzy, execution follows.

You can’t build community if you can’t deliver great coffee.
You can’t change the world if you’re failing your core customer.

Strong brands don’t start with “What impact can we claim?”
They start with “What do we do better than anyone else?”

Then they build impact from there.

That’s the difference:

🚫 Purpose as decoration
✅ Purpose as infrastructure

Real purpose isn’t a paragraph on your website.

It’s the filter behind every decision:

Who you hire

What you build

Who you say no to

How you operate

Patagonia doesn’t treat sustainability as a marketing angle.

It treats the business as a vehicle for the mission.

Product excellence isn’t separate from purpose.
It is the purpose.

If your operations contradict your message, your audience will feel it.

Stop attaching purpose after the fact.

Design your business so purpose is unavoidable.

Build from it.
Operate through it.
Let everything else be downstream.

If you want weekly insights on building brands that matter and win,
subscribe to my newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Most founders think they need a louder brand, a prettier website, or a more “unique” offer.

That’s why they stay overlooked…
While weaker competitors get chosen.

After years inside billion-dollar buyer rooms, I saw how real decisions are actually made.

Here’s the truth:

Buyers don’t pick the “best” offer.
They pick the offer that aligns with five specific decision criteria that almost no one talks about.

On February 17th at 12:00 PM EST, I’m hosting a private masterclass.

We’re breaking down all five.

No surface tactics.
No marketing gimmicks.

Just the real buyer levers that make you the obvious choice.

You’ll learn:

• Why “being different” often hurts your positioning and what top buyers look for instead.
• How purpose-led founders sell out $200K launches in 24 hours without ads or agencies.
• The two hidden drivers that turn scattered growth into owned, sustainable momentum.

This is the same playbook I used to approve over $100M in buying decisions.

Founders have used it to scale from $1M to $50M+
- without bloated agencies,
- without fragile systems,
- and without burnout.

Only 25 seats are available.
Not public.

Save your seat + unlock the private pre-video series:
https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Most founders think they need a louder brand, a prettier website, or a “more unique” offer.

That’s why they stay invisible...
While weaker competitors get chosen.

I spent years inside billion-dollar buyer rooms watching how real decisions are made.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Buyers don’t choose the “best” offer.

They choose the offer that aligns with 5 specific buyer decision criteria almost no one understands.

On March 3rd at 12:00 PM EST,
I’m running a private masterclass.

We’re revealing all 5.

Not surface-level tactics.
Not marketing tricks.

The real buyer levers that make someone see you as the only obvious choice and confidently say yes.

Here’s a taste:

1. Why “being different” actually backfires, and what top buyers use instead to decide who wins the deal.

2. How certain purpose-led founders sell out $200K launches in 24 hours with zero ads or agencies.

3. The 2 hidden mechanisms that turn random growth into sustainable momentum you actually own.

This is the same playbook I used to approve and greenlight over $100M in buying decisions.

Founders have used these frameworks to scale from $1M to $50M+:

→ Without hiring bloated agencies,
→ Without stacking systems they don’t control,
→ And without burning out.

Seats are limited to 25 business owners.
This masterclass will not be public.

Register now to unlock the private pre-video series before we go live.

Save your seat: https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Founder Impact Innovator OS | #1 Buyer Psychology Growth System for MIssion Driven Founders | Scale to $1-$10MN as Category Of One

Most founders believe they need a bigger brand, a better-looking website, or a more differentiated offer.

That belief is exactly why they get ignored while less capable competitors keep getting chosen.

Here’s what most people miss:

Buyers don’t pick the best solution.
They pick the solution that aligns with a small set of decision criteria they care about.

On Feb 17 at 12 PM EST, I’m hosting a private masterclass where I break down those five buyer decision drivers.

No fluff.
No gimmicks.
Just the real levers that position you as the obvious choice.

Limited to 25 seats. Not public.

Save your seat and unlock the private pre-video series:
👉 https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Going live in 4 hours!

Most founders (like yourself) think they need to be louder, more complex, or more "unique."

Not true.

This is why most founders are being overlooked.

Competitors with MUCH worse offers are finding much more success because of this.

Think of it like this:

Your buyers do not choose the best offer.

They choose what fits 5 specific decision criteria that almost no one talks about.

And I'll be breaking down these decisions live on February 17th @ 12 PM EST.

We are hosting a private masterclass for the community at no cost.

You can use this as leverage to become the obvious choice in your industry.

There are 25 seats.

⏳ 4 hours to go

Save yours + unlock the private pre-video series here:
https://lnkd.in/e6S62RhM

There are two ways for Insurance Companies, Banks, Private Equity firms, MGAs, and insurtechs to approach complex risk in 2025:

1. Rely on generic solutions, potentially overlooking critical gaps.
2. Partner with specialized expertise that delivers clarity and tailored protection.

Many sit in the first category, often underserved by mega-brokers.

Your institution has unique strengths and ambitions. 

But is your risk management truly aligned? 

Or are you unknowingly exposed due to:

–  Coverage gaps hidden in the fine print?

–  Lack of access to sophisticated global markets?

–  Decisions made without credible peer data or advanced analytics?

–  Impersonal service that doesn’t grasp your specific operational realities?

The bigger problem?

You're leaving strategic advantage on the table and potentially facing significant financial or reputational risk down the line.

The solution?

Transform your risk management from a necessary cost center into a strategic asset through a bespoke, expert-driven partnership.

That’s my focus at LION Specialty.

My approach combines:

– Penetrating technical analysis honed by deep experience (including handling complex Fortune 100 accounts) to uncover what others miss.

– Global market access (London, Bermuda) and perspective, crafting solutions beyond standard domestic offerings.

– Process mastery & advanced analytics delivering clarity and confidence, not complexity.

– Authentic human connection, building partnerships that thrive.

(informed partly by my wellness background as a Pilates instructor… sustainable success requires balance)

–  Are you serious about closing critical coverage gaps?

–  Are you ready for risk management bespoke to your institution's needs?

–  Is it time for a partner who brings both sophisticated expertise and a refreshingly collaborative approach?

Let's connect and explore how we can elevate your strategy together.

Natasha Kiemnec

The SEC doesn't always send a lawsuit.
Sometimes they just ask for a "voluntary" interview.


That "voluntary" interview cost my client $250,000 in legal fees.

They received a request for documents. Not a subpoena. Not a Wells Notice. Just a request.

They hired top-tier counsel to respond (as they should).

They sent the bill to their insurer.

The Denial:
"This is not a Claim. A Claim is defined as a written demand for monetary or non-monetary relief. This is just a request for information."

Technically, the carrier was right.
The standard policy was silent on "inquiries."
The client paid the $250k out of pocket.

The Architect Solution:
We don't use standard definitions.
We expanded the definition of "Claim" to include "Pre-Claim Inquiries."

Now, when the regulators "just have a few questions," the policy responds.
It pays for the lawyers to answer those questions correctly—before they turn into a lawsuit.

If you wait for the subpoena, you’ve waited too long.
Your coverage needs to start when the risk starts.

Does your policy cover "Pre-Claim Inquiries" or just "Claims"?

One definition is worth $250k.

DM me "INQUIRY" and I'll check your language.

P.S. Ever been to Mexico City? One of the coolest spots I’ve frequented the last few years! It’s a vibe.

Natasha I.  Kiemnec, ARM

Managing Partner & Co-founder of LION Specialty | Global Financial Institutions & Private Equity Broker | Classical Certified Pilates Instructor

No alternative text description for this image

Today, I turn 38. 

I tell you this not because I want wishes of happy birthday but because each year on my birthday I go through successes,  “experiences”, and reflections of my prior year, so I thought I’d share a few here.

1. My parents being a plane ride away is too far. The older they get the more I realize how precious time is with them. Try to always be as kind and gentle with them as you can. 

2. Often in life we are blinded by our own bias. The thing you want most - fitness, that relationship, that money whatever it is, with some simple observation really isn’t that hard to achieve. Don’t over complicate. 

3. Relationships (with most people) are a balance of understanding. General frustration comes from a lack of feeling seen or understood. Patience, grace and understanding go along way. 

4. Be kind - I often watch people be unkind for no reason. 

5. Tale as old as time but work hard. A lot of struggle can be removed from simply putting your head down, keeping your mouth shut, and getting the work done. 

6. My mom used to always tell me to just start. Whenever I was stressed out and overwhelmed - just start. It’s still applicable now. 

7. To those who help - a partner, a coworker, an employee, a family member - you can’t be appreciative and grateful enough. There truly isn’t an end to being thankful. 

8. Have a passion that isn’t work. 

9. Get outside - take breaks. A 20 minute walk always helps. 

10. Always be learning. 

What reflections have you had on birthdays or during moments of pause?

What makes someone great?


The book, Good to Great, would tell you it’s disciplined people making consistent, focused decisions over time. 

In light of the Olympics, Lindsey Vonn has said, you have to believe in yourself when no one else does. You can give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got. 

The themes are consistent
Discipline
Focus
Internal drive 

For me, these have always been where I found my success. 

The competition with myself to be the best. 

It’s amazing what you find in the hours of pushing yourself. 

In a marathon
Hours of studying
Early mornings at the gym 
Late nights at the office 

If you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about…

The one other thing I’ve unexpectedly found to bring that same drive in life, is love. 

In light of Valentine’s Day, a shout out to my fiancé taking his third bar exam coming up in a week. 

Not because he didn’t pass the first two but because he’s going to be barred in the whole country soon (except Louisiana - haha don’t worry I don’t want to move there next)

The drive, effort, dedication, commitment that he puts into his work makes me want to find the next level within…

So I’d add admiration and love for someone to that list of reasons to find a third or fourth gear in yourself. 

While it was yesterday, I thought I needed something more than insurance humor in celebration of the day. Happy Valentine’s!

So incredibly proud of you David Gutierrez ❤️

What’s your take on what makes people great?

Your $5M policy is not actually $5M.


Unless you structured it correctly.

Most D&O policies are "eroding limits."
Every dollar spent on lawyers reduces the limit available for the settlement.

If you spend $2M defending a frivolous lawsuit...
You only have $3M left to pay the judgment.

The lawyers get paid first. You get paid last.

We structure defense costs outside the limit, in addition to, or specific sub limits outside the limit. 

This means the insurance company pays for the defense or other limits in addition to the policy limit.

Your $5M limit remains fully intact for settlements and judgments.

Why this matters:
In a complex securities claim, defense costs can easily hit $500k-$1M before you even get to a motion to dismiss.

If that money comes out of your limit, you are underinsured.

If it sits outside, you have a dedicated war chest for the fight.

Don't let your legal bills eat your protection.

Check your declarations page. Does it say "Defense Costs Included" or "Defense Costs in Addition"?

What other sublimits are included, if any?

If it says "Included," you have less coverage than you think.

DM me "LIMITS" and I'll review it for you.

The easiest way for a carrier to deny a $10M claim is not a coverage exclusion.


It is a calendar error.

"Late Notice" is the silent killer of D&O claims.
Most policies require you to notify the carrier "as soon as practicable" or within a specific window (30-60 days).

But what counts as a claim?
Is it a lawsuit? A demand letter? A verbal threat?

If your General Counsel gets a letter on January 1st, handles it internally, and then notifies the broker on March 1st...
You might be denied. Entirely.
Not because the claim wasn't covered.
But because you missed the window.

The LION Process:

We don't leave "Notice" to chance.

1. The Definition Trigger
We negotiate the definition of "Claim" so it triggers only when a written demand is received by the Risk Manager or General Counsel—not just any employee. This prevents a mailroom mistake from voiding your coverage.

2. The Protocol
We build a "Notice Flowchart" for your legal team before the policy binds. Everyone knows exactly who to call and when.

3. The "Laundry List"
At the end of every policy period, we notice everything. Every potential circumstance. Every rumble of thunder. We lock in coverage under the expiring limits so you start fresh.

Process beats panic.

Don't let a clerical error cost you your limit.


Does your team know exactly what triggers a notice requirement?

DM me "NOTICE" and I'll send you our protocol checklist.

The single biggest leverage point…


Time

Most brokers start the renewal process 30 days before expiration.

They flood the market with submissions. They cross their fingers. They hope for appetite.
You get daily emails asking for "just one more thing" while trying to close your quarter.

We operate on a 150-day cycle.

Day 150: The Strategy
We map out exactly where we are headed. We identify the story we need to tell before we ever open a submission file.

Day 120: The Build
We construct the submission. We test every angle of the risk narrative.

Day 90: The Approach
The carriers see our first approach now. We are reading the market, not reacting to it.

Day 60: The Options
We have your options locked down.

Day 30: The Bind
Bindable terms in hand. No drama. No surprises.

One client saw their limits jump 25% at flat premium simply because we had the runway to position them properly.

You negotiate effectively when you control the clock.

If your renewal is July 1st, we should be starting right now.

DM me "TIMELINE" and I'll share our 150-day execution roadmap.

Early in my career, I said "Yes" to everything.
Every client call. Every project. Every "quick question."

I thought availability was a competitive advantage.

I was wrong.

Overcommitment is the enemy of excellence.
If you are always available, you are never deeply focused, creative, or unique.

I learned the hard way:

You cannot manuscript a complex policy while answering emails every 5 minutes.

You cannot negotiate a difficult claim while jumping on "quick syncs."

The Pivot:
The process was developed. 
Each day had a focus throughout the week. 
Each month prepared for the next. 
Always aligning with the client’s calendar 
150 days out from expiration. 
Sunday nights were for alignment of the week. 
Fridays for policy checking. 

It felt too structured but the focus helped my alignment,
the team,
The client. 

My clients stopped getting "fast answers."
They started getting better answers. 

Structure creates the space for 
deep work, 
unique, 
creative outcomes.

And deep work is the only competitive advantage that lasts.

What is one thing you need to “structure" this week to better align the team?

Kroll just surveyed 325 PE executives about cybersecurity.

The headline number: 80% experienced hold-period cyber disruption. Average financial hit per deal: $2.1 million.

But the number that stopped me...82% of PE firms have no dedicated cybersecurity leader managing portfolio risk.

Not "could improve their approach." 
No leader. 
Period!

When Flip and I review these reports for the Friday Five, we're looking for the data point that changes how our clients think about their next renewal. 

This week had three of them.

The $77.7 billion US data center construction surge creating entirely new risk classes for carriers. 

The PE cyber governance gap that predicts whether a firm absorbs a valuation hit at exit. 

And the plaintiffs' bar expanding its litigation analytics to 1,200 additional state courts.

Three forces. 

One common thread...the institutions slowest to adapt pay the most.

We broke all of it down in this week's Boardroom Brief.

Link in comments.

Comment "BRIEF" if you want it in your inbox every Friday.

The most expensive gap in your insurance program isn't an exclusion.

It is a missing file.

Carriers deny more claims for "lack of substantiation" than for actual coverage disputes.
If you can't prove the loss, you don't get paid.

Most companies scramble to build the file after the crisis hits.
That is too late.
You are trying to find invoices and emails while your building is burning or your network is down.

The LION Process:
We build the documentation protocol before the policy binds.

1. The "Day One" Folder
We establish exactly what the adjuster will ask for.
Payroll records. Vendor contracts. Asset lists.
We keep them staged and ready.

2. The Communication Log
During a claim, every phone call needs a follow-up email.
"As we discussed..."
If it isn't written down, it didn't happen.

3. The Timeline
We map the event minute-by-minute.
"Breach detected at 4:02 PM. Counsel notified at 4:15 PM."
Precision kills ambiguity.

An adjuster's job is to ask questions.
Our job is to have the answers ready before they ask.

Is your claim file ready for an audit today?

DM me "DOCUMENT" and I'll send you our claim substantiation checklist.

The insurance industry was built for buildings that burn.

The economy runs on digital infrastructure that just stops working.

There is a trillion-dollar gap in the global insurance market.
It is called Non-Physical Damage Business Interruption (NDBI).

Most property policies require "direct physical loss or damage" to trigger coverage.
A fire. A flood. A hurricane.

But what happens when a cloud provider goes down?

What happens when a payment gateway fails?
What happens when a DNS attack takes your platform offline?

There is no "physical damage."
The servers are fine. The building is standing.
But your revenue has stopped.

Traditional policies say: "No physical damage? No claim."

You are left absorbing millions in lost revenue while paying premiums for a risk that doesn't match your reality.

We don't rely on "Property" forms for digital risks.
We build Parametric triggers and System Failure coverage that responds to the outage, not the damage.

If the network is down, the policy pays.
It doesn't matter if the server room burned down or if a software update just failed.

The loss is the same. The coverage should be too.

Does your Business Interruption policy require "physical damage" to pay?

If you are a digital business, that clause is a trap.
DM me "NDBI" and I'll review your trigger language.

Freedom of speech and press as given by this platform itself


How lucky are we to be able to have individual liberties that some only dream to have

•	Believe in who or what you wish
•	To gather with whom we wish 
•	The right to a fair trial if accused 

To get to use social media to promote

Our companies
Our ideas
Ourselves 

It’s seemingly sometimes lost on people but what a gift it really is. 

So today, I’m grateful for those who came well before this time, while many and much had to happen to get us to where we are, it was those founding fathers and first presidents who started us on this incredible path that we are on today. 

Happy Presidents’ Day

A green light in the server room does not mean your business is recovered.

But your insurance carrier might think it does.

We are seeing a dangerous trend in Cyber claims.
Carriers are cutting off Business Interruption payments the moment the "computer network" is technically restored.

They argue: "Your servers are up. The claim is over."

Your servers are up, but your business is still bleeding.
You are reconciling lost data. You are re-indexing files. You are working through a massive backlog of manual entries. You are waiting for vendors to re-certify your connections.

The "outage" is over, but the financial loss is just beginning.

We audit the definition of "Period of Restoration."

If your policy says the period ends when the "Network is Restored"... you are exposed to the post-breach drag.

We clarify the language to reference "Restoration of Business Operations to the condition that existed immediately before the breach”

This ensures the policy pays until your revenue and throughput return to pre-incident levels—not just when the IT ticket is closed.

Do not let a forensic accountant tell you when your business is back to normal.
Let the contract dictate it.

Check your Cyber policy today. Search for "Period of Restoration."

Does it say "Network" or "Operations"?

The difference is your entire Q3 profit margin.
DM me "RESTORE" and I'll review the definition.

Bankruptcy doesn't just freeze your assets.
It can freeze your insurance defense.


A portfolio company filed Chapter 11.

The directors were sued immediately for "breach of fiduciary duty."

They called the insurer to pay for their defense.

The Bankruptcy Trustee stepped in.

"That policy is an asset of the estate. You cannot deplete it to pay for legal fees."

The directors were left paying $800/hour lawyers out of their own pockets while a $5M policy sat frozen in court.

We structure "Priority of Payments" clauses into every D&O program.

This language dictates that in the event of bankruptcy, the insurer must pay the individual directors first.

The estate only gets what is left over.

We also add "Side A" DIC (Difference in Conditions) coverage that sits completely separate from the corporate balance sheet.

You don't need insurance when things are going well.

You need it when the walls are closing in.

If your policy isn't bankruptcy-proof, it’s not finished.

Does your policy have a "Priority of Payments" clause?

DM me "PRIORITY" and I'll show you where to look.

You wouldn't hire a CFO based on who has the cheapest laptop.

So why do you hire a broker based on who has the cheapest quote?

Most companies run their insurance RFP like a commodity purchase.

"Here is our data. Go get quotes. We will pick the lowest premium."

This is a trap.
You are incentivizing your broker to strip coverage to hit a price target.

The LION Process:
When you hire a broker, you are hiring a defense team.

You don't ask a heart surgeon for a discount. You ask for their success rate.

The 3 Questions You Should Ask:

1. "Who is on my team?"
Not the sales guy. The technical broker. The claims advocate. I want to see the resumes of the people protecting my balance sheet.

2. "Show me a manuscript."
Don't tell me you can improve coverage. Send me a redacted policy you wrote. Let me see the actual words you changed.

3. "Walk me through a denial."
Tell me about a claim you fought and won. If you haven't had to fight, you haven't been doing this long enough.

Stop buying insurance.
Start hiring expertise.

Are you running an RFP this year?

DM me "RFP" and I'll send you the Broker Evaluation Scorecard we wish every client used.

Five events since 2017. Combined losses from billions to trillions. Physical damage across all five: zero.

NotPetya. 
The 737 MAX grounding. 
COVID-19 shutdowns. 
The Ever Given. 
CrowdStrike.

We went line by line through the coverage implications this week. The exposure class is Non-Damage Business Interruption, and for financial institutions running digital-first operations on legacy programs, the gap between what can shut you down and what your policy actually covers is measured in trillions.

But the article that stopped me was a Law360 piece on cyber policy restoration periods.
The distinction between “operations-focused” and “network-focused” language in your period of restoration definition is outcome-determinative. 

One version covers you through the full resumption of normal business activity. The other stops the clock the moment someone reboots a server — even partially.

That’s the kind of clause that determines whether your next cyber claim pays for twelve weeks of operational drag or cuts off at week two. 

Silence in insurance is dangerous. Especially in the definitions section.

We covered all of it in this week’s Friday Five, plus a forward look at parametric capacity that could compress payout timelines from months to days.

P.S. link in comments. 

P.S.S. Part 1 of our Wednesday Intelligence miniseries on deepfakes is live. What happens when bad guys deepfake your CEO — and six questions for your next renewal. Link in comments.

A finance director joined a video call with his CFO, his CEO, and two colleagues.
None of them were real.


$25.6 million gone across 15 transactions before anyone caught it.

That was Arup, a global engineering firm, early 2024.

Attackers built real-time deepfake replicas of multiple executives on a live video conference. Convincing enough to override every instinct a trained finance professional had.

Financial institutions should pay close attention.

Your executives sit on hundreds of hours of public video and audio. 
Earnings calls, conference panels, LinkedIn clips, webinars. 

Every recording is training data for the next synthetic clone.

We just published Part 1 of our Deepfakes Miniseries in the Wednesday Intelligence. 

We mapped a deepfake loss across a typical FI insurance program, and the coverage fractures fast.

Most social engineering endorsements still require the instruction to arrive via email or written communication.

A deepfake video call? May not qualify.

Then there are the AI exclusions now spreading through D&O, E&O, and cyber forms. Broad language excluding claims "arising out of or related to artificial intelligence" can swallow a deepfake event whole. Even when the insured was the victim.

No single policy owns the full loss. And most of these wordings were written before attackers could clone your CEO's face.

We break down where the gaps hide, which carriers are already adapting, and six questions to bring to your next renewal.

Reply "DEEPFAKE" and we'll send our one-page Coverage Gap Checklist.

P.S.  this is only for those of you that are buyers of insurance!!

Your employee didn't get hacked.
They got tricked.

And your insurance policy treats those two things very differently.

A controller gets an email from the "CEO."
"Please wire $500,000 to this vendor immediately for the acquisition."
The email looks real. The tone is urgent.
The controller wires the money.

You file it under your Crime policy.
The carrier points to the "Voluntary Parting" exclusion.

"Your employee voluntarily sent the money. This wasn't theft. It was a mistake."

Or they point to the "Social Engineering" sub-limit.

"We cover this, but only up to $100,000."
You just lost $400,000.

We don't accept $100k sub-limits for the biggest risk you face.
We manuscript the definition of "Computer Fraud" to include "Social Engineering" and "Impersonation Fraud."

We stack the Crime policy limits with the Cyber policy limits to ensure you have full tower protection, not just a sliver.

If your policy penalizes you for being human, it’s the wrong policy.

Check your Crime policy today. Look for the 

"Social Engineering" endorsement.
Is it $5M or $100k?

DM me "FRAUD" and I'll review your limits.

The thing about being a woman 


Is that for every moment someone called you

Emotional 
Indecisive 
Quiet 
Irrational 
Bitchy 

May have actually been moments where you were reacting to something not quite right. 

As times have shifted in the past ~10 years, since reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, and hearing Codie A. Sanchez  talk about your haters actually being your fans, I’ve realized it’s less about us reacting in any of those emotions, it’s being told that we’re wrong to have them. 

When actually those emotions might actually be our super powers. 

When used to accurately judge a situation, treat people with kindness, grace, more humanness - that isn’t emotional - it’s power. 

So to all the women out there
leaning in
guiding with grace
remember those names are actually your power. 

Happy International Women’s Day 💕

PS. Two of my absolute favorite women (my aunt and mom)

There is a question plaintiff attorneys will ask after every data breach in 2027.
Most boards haven't even heard the premise yet.

"Did you use AI-powered security scanning tools to check your code?"

If the answer is "No," you might be negligent.

Last week, Anthropic released an AI tool that scanned production codebases and found 500+ vulnerabilities that human experts missed for 20 years.

These weren't minor glitches. They were exploitable flaws hiding in plain sight.

Traditional scanners check for "locked doors" (passwords, encryption).
AI checks for "structural weakness" (broken business logic).

We saw this with MFA.

Three years ago, Multi-Factor Authentication was "nice to have."

Today, if you don't have it, you are uninsurable.

AI code scanning is next.

When a defensive tool becomes widely available and highly effective, failing to use it stops being a "resource decision."

It becomes a "breach of fiduciary duty."

The window between discovery and exploitation is compressing from weeks to hours.
Your defense needs to move at the same speed.

Is your board asking about AI security, or are they waiting for the lawsuit?

We put together a one-page AI Security Standard-of-Care Checklist — 10 questions your board should be asking before your next renewal. 

The carrier application changes already in motion. The specific coverage intersections across cyber, tech E&O, and D&O. 

What the standard of care looks like now, not 12 months from now.

Comment CHECKLIST and I'll send it over.

Two federal courts ruled on AI and privilege the same week.

One said consumer AI destroys confidentiality. The other said AI is a tool, not a person, and work product survives.

Both issued February 10, 2026.

Here's why this matters for carriers and the institutions we serve:

In Heppner (SDNY), a defendant used the free version of Claude to draft 31 defense strategy documents without his lawyer's involvement. Judge Rakoff held that Anthropic's privacy policy, which permits data training and disclosure to regulators, destroyed any expectation of confidentiality. No privilege. No work product protection.

In Warner (E.D. Michigan), a pro se plaintiff used ChatGPT to prepare litigation materials. The court denied the defendant's request to compel those materials, holding that compelling production "would nullify work-product protection in nearly every modern drafting environment."

Same technology. Opposite conclusions. The difference came down to two things: attorney direction and platform terms.

We also dug into a 108-page bad faith report from Freeman Mathis & Gary covering 26 states. We stripped the auto cases and pulled the P&C patterns:

Safe harbors are crystallizing in Indiana and Florida 

Communication failures carry compounding penalties in Pennsylvania 

Coverage drafting precision is being rewarded across multiple jurisdictions

And a federal court allowed bad faith claims to proceed against an insurer using undisclosed AI in claims handling. If your adjusters are confirming algorithmic output rather than conducting independent investigations, the file tells that story.

Silence in insurance is dangerous. 

That applies to AI governance too.

This week's Friday Five Boardroom Brief breaks down all three developments with Monday morning action items.

Comment BRIEF if you're not on our list.

P.S. The Heppner opinion is 12 pages. The Warner order is 14. Both are worth the read if you're advising clients on AI use policies.

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