We recently had the chance to connect with Dennis Hartin and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Dennis, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
Working hard to solve for a meaningful mental health solution, bringing communities back together. We are the most isolated and lonely population in history. All of the current mental health tools are reactionary. We have a prevention tool called C.A.R.E. Champion Community, which educates the general population on simple tools to facilitate meaningful conversations. We believe we are the first line of defense for each other. We work to empower people to help each other with trusted tools and content, long before a clinical interaction is even necessary. We believe in therapy and medications; however, the current model is not working, and all the statistics are on the rise. We need a more proactive approach.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
30+ years in the health plans/insurance business. I saw the rising cost of healthcare back in 2017 as a critical problem in America. ACA has failed, costs are growing faster than at any time in history, and much of the expense is admin load and not actual healthcare. We are investing less for retirement and working longer, which only exacerbates the healthcare costs. All of it is taking a toll on our overall well-being.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I learned that a knee replacement in Tampa can cost $60K or $160k, and the quality score for the lowest cost is the highest in the area. The general public is entirely unaware. It’s more expensive and less safe to pay the high cost option…..where else is that possible in the consumer space? We get better info from Amazon on books and office supplies than we do on healthcare. The lack of transparency is a feature, not a bug, just not a good feature for the consumer.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Dec 2019, I almost shut down my company, Hartin Dynamics. I am so proud that I didn’t; however, it was a very tough New Year’s weekend for me. I was down over 1/2 million dollars and wasn’t sure I could convey the message needed to climb out of the hole. Two years of trying weren’t getting me the results I needed. I was preaching a message that no one seemed to care about when the time for action came.
In 2020, I thought I was getting a death blow with the pandemic when in reality, I was given a huge blessing of just enough people who wanted efficiency and were willing to try something new. We finally got the win we needed to get over the hump and prove our theory in the Florida market. Five years later, we have saved a small school over $1.6 million. Those funds are better used in the classroom than in the insurer’s pockets.
Now we have proven it time after time, right in a moment when employers are looking for real solutions.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
What you see is what you get. I am street smart and self-trained in many aspects of the world. I never try to be the smartest guy in the room, but I do endless research to ensure I am not the dumbest guy in the room either. I enjoy having fun and poking fun at the silliness of the world we live in. I can be serious when the topic is critical and we have important work to do.
I do care about people and work hard to serve others. I am a devout Christian and was fortunate enough to be raised with a strong moral compass. I also have a fantastic wife and family that provides endless support, allowing me to serve others. I believe God puts people in my path, and I am expected to find how my skills can further what he wants done here on earth. I believe God knows my strengths and weaknesses, and everyone around me compliments me in some way or another. I have incredible partners and friendships. If I died today, I would be the wealthiest man in the world even if my bank account balance were zero.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Working to create a public health policy around mental health. We have protective factors for our minds that are not much different from helmets for kids on bikes or car seats. Most of the world does not understand how medication can help with problems, and therapists can be beneficial, but in many cases, we are the first line of defense for those around us. The legislature can’t fund enough to pay for all the necessary therapy, even if we had an abundance of therapists, which we don’t.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hubinternational.com
- Instagram: dennis_hartin
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhartin
- Facebook: Dennis S Hartin
Image Credits
These are all my photos.
