Sometimes inspiration comes in unexpected places. Such was the case for the founder of Implico Communications, Amy Lichtenwalter. After years of success working for large insurance brokers in employee benefits and communications, she found herself a casualty of downsizing. Sitting across from a representative in an unemployment office, she received a piece of advice that would change the trajectory of her career: “Start your own company.”
Amy knew she had something people needed. During her time at a large insurance brokerage, she quickly climbed the ranks. Coming from an art background and growing into the role of Director of Communications, she built systems that were able to produce high-end benefits communications at an affordable rate. Her experience highlighted a difficulty facing many companies: a frustrating choice between budget-friendly employee communications and high-end resources that brought value and helped employers to connect with their teams.
Walking out of the unemployment office that day, Amy had a dream, and it wasn’t long before Implico Communications was born. Her passion is simple: creating high quality, affordable employee benefits communications that serve to connect and engage people.
For the past decade, Amy and her team have worked toward the goal of crafting resources that educate and empower employees to be good consumers of healthcare. She knows the power of effective benefits communications in helping people become proactive in their healthcare decisions, making choices that best serve them and their families.
So, how did someone with a degree in interior design—who flips houses as a hobby—end up in the world of employee benefits communications? For Amy, the pairing of art and communications is a perfect one. Her creative background helps her understand her clients’ vision and bring it to life, with the help of her design team. Her experience allows her to bridge the gap, bringing together effective communication resources with compelling visuals that truly engage employees—something that is perhaps more important today than ever before.
Prior to COVID, many employers were satisfied with the most basic level of employee benefit communications—a newsletter, guide, and a postcard. But the world has shifted. In light of the great resignation, employee benefits have a fresh spotlight on them. And, as Amy says, “If you’re not going to talk about your benefits, you might as well not even offer them.” She works with companies to help them reap the rewards of quality benefits communications materials by ensuring that their communications provide a sense of connectivity and engagement.
“How do you make people feel connected in an authentic way?” Amy says. “How do you take a message and break it into bite sized pieces to help employees be engaged? That’s the challenge facing companies today.” She works hard to help companies identify their primary messages and communicate them in a variety of effective ways.
Amy and her team have partnered with large insurance brokers, such as Willis Towers Watson, USI, and Lockton, but they are also invested in helping other companies who want to take their benefits communications to the next level. While high-end communication resources may often seem out of reach for many companies, Amy is a firm believer in the importance of partnership and networking. Especially for small or regional brokers, companies without a dedicated HR team, or direct-to-consumer employer groups, Implico Communications can tailor services to fit a variety of needs. “We have a team of go-getters who enjoy working together,” says Amy. “We make sure the client has what they need when they need it.”
As Amy has experienced first-hand, the curveballs of life sometimes lead to the best new ventures. If you’re currently facing the challenge of reimagining employee benefits communications, look no further. Amy and her team at Implico have got you covered.