Igniting Insights with Barry Binder: June 2026
June’s installment of Igniting Insights features an article from HUB Financial Services expert, Barry Binder, as he shares practical and proven tips from his 26-year tenure.
The Lessons That Shaped Me: Stories from HFS Leaders on the Lessons That Shaped Their Success
I’ve been thinking back to the early years of my career—long weeks spent driving from bank to bank across the Midwest to meet with partner‑clients. I’d often leave home at 6 a.m. on Monday and return around 6 p.m. Friday, logging roughly 1,500 miles while conducting meetings and training sessions at branches along the way. It was all driving, endless “windshield time,” and I did whatever I could to stay occupied: music, scanning rural AM radio, news—anything. This was before streaming, so my choices were basically the radio, CDs, cassettes, and audiobooks. How I survived without Spotify and the Audacy app is beyond me.
All that reminiscing reminded me of an audiobook my boss gave me back then: Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. She was a big believer in it and gave it to me within my first few weeks. I listened to it dozens of times over a couple of years. Covey’s core idea is that meaningful, lasting change comes from a principle‑centered approach. His seven habits—Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Think Win‑Win, Seek First to Understand, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw— worked on both a personal and professional level but felt especially relevant in a professional setting.
I’m not sure how intentionally I ever applied Covey’s ideas, but looking back, I can see how they quietly sneaked their way into my habits and mindset over time.
So, thinking on this, I reached out to ten members of HFS’ current leadership team and asked them a simple but revealing question: “What’s the most important lesson you learned early in your career that shaped your success – what’s the story behind it and why did it stick with you?”
Let’s take look at some of their insights:
Wayne Brantley, Chief Technology and Information Officer
“That if you did not provide ‘the service’ and meet need of the client, they would go somewhere else… Customer, Customer, Customer — like the 3 rules of real estate (Location, Location, Location) is what matters.”
Chris Riley, Managing Director – Enterprise Risk
“Tim [colleague] shouted, at one point, ‘CALL YOUR BROKER!’… his point was that if they weren’t answering emails then to call them every moment of every day until we received an answer… If something is important/urgent/nuanced then a phone call (with a follow-up summary email) is still the gold standard. We don’t make any tangible product…we sell expertise and contracts…our value is in those phone calls or relationships.”
Jeff Stuepfert, Senior Vice President
“Success rewards those who stay in the game long enough to earn it — and who are humble enough to know they can’t do it alone. It wasn’t until near the end of my third year that I actually started generating new revenue… What kept me going was a personal commitment I had made to myself: I would give this at least five years before making any judgment about whether it was working.”
Michelle Austin, Chief Operating Officer
“She [Julianne, former Miniter CEO] told me ‘Learn the business, Michelle. Learn it better than anyone else — inside and out — and your age will become less of an issue.’ Learn every facet (whether it be my department or not) so that at any meeting, I can add value. In summary: knowledge IS power.”
Crystal Appler, Vice President & Senior System Analyst
“Early in my career, I learned that authenticity isn’t just a personality trait; it’s a professional skill, and arguably one of the most important ones you can develop. If you’re not consistently authentic in your everyday interactions, you become someone people filter themselves around… the real problems stay hidden until they become bigger issues.”
Leo Bracho, Managing Director
“My boss asked me why I didn’t tell him about my leadership goals nor that I had even applied for another job… He explained how that made me appear disconnected… He then told me something I had heard before, but it didn’t click until that moment… ‘closed mouths don’t get fed.’… It’s easy to assume everyone else knows what we want.”
Mike Moore, Senior Finance Manager
“I’ve worked with several great leaders/mentors and think that a big part of why I am where I am, is being able to listen to the knowledge that they were able to provide me.”
John Hannegan, Vice President – Operations Director
“If you promised to deliver something and circumstances prevent you from doing so, update the person… let them know when they can expect it, and then deliver on that new commitment… Consistently doing what you say you will do builds trust and respect in a way that little else can. It is also, frankly, a differentiator — precisely because so few people do it.”
Scott Eckerty, President
“Always Do the Right Thing…Even if it Cost You… It’s easy to do the right thing if there isn’t a downside to it. Doing the right thing, if it costs you something, takes it to another level… You Can’t Be Over Prepared… Treat Others How You Would Want Others to Treat Someone Important to You… If someone we care about needs compassion, a hand up, encouragement, etc., we should want to do the same when we see someone that is maybe not as important to us.”
Lee Ann Hollister, Senior Vice President
“He [current boss] didn’t equivocate by saying a lot of smart things before asking the question — he just straight up said he didn’t understand x or y — period… I soon realized that asking a question – rather than demonstrating weakness – showed confidence, strength, curiosity, interest, and intelligence – and thank goodness I did because it allowed me to learn and grow exponentially faster as a result and ultimately find the sense of belonging I was looking for.”
In Summary
The responses varied in tone and detail, but after reading through them several times, a clear set of themes emerged:
- Serve People Well
- Communicate Clearly
- Stay Humble
- Learn Relentlessly
- Prepare Obsessively
- Keep Your Word
Basically, these principles point to a simple truth: when you put people first, communicate openly, stay authentic, keep learning, prepare thoroughly, honor your commitments, and choose integrity even when it’s difficult, you build deeper trust, stronger relationships, and long‑term, sustainable success.
Putting this in context with Stephen Covey’s work, this collection of insights becomes a modern, relationship‑centered expression of the 7 Habits—with an even stronger emphasis on integrity, communication, and trust.
Be Proactive → “Pick up the phone.” (Chris Riley)
Begin With the End in Mind → “Customer, Customer, Customer.” (Wayne Brantely)
Put First Things First → “Always do what you promised.” (John Hannegan)
Think Win‑Win → “Treat others how you’d want others treated.” (Scott Eckerty)
Seek First to Understand → “Listen more than you speak.” (Mike Moore)
Synergize → “You can’t do it alone.” (Jeff Stuepfert)
Sharpen the Saw → “Learn the business inside and out.” (Michelle Austin)
In essence, these modern behaviors echo Covey’s timeless habits—updated for today’s relational, trust‑driven world.
So maybe the old really does become new again — or maybe some truths are just timeless. Now if only I could remember where I stashed that Sony Discman and those old audiobooks. I hear analog is all the rage.
Want to Dig Deeper?
Exercise: The Lessons That Shaped Me
- Reflect: Jot down the most important lessons learned early in your career, the story behind it, why it stuck with you.
- Share: Share your story with a co-worker, a supervisor, a friend, etc., and ask them to share theirs with you.
- Spot the Themes: Identify common lessons — things like serving people well, communicating clearly, staying humble, or keeping your word.
- Commit: Finish this sentence: “Because of this lesson, I will ______ in my daily work.”
Here is related material to check out:
Questions? Reach out to Barry any time: