Matt Martin

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up and how did you end up in insurance? 

As a child I thought I wanted to be an actor or a comedian like Bill Murray. I went to the same high school, college and then attended Second City just like him. In my pursuit of that life, I worked something like 33 jobs between age 18 and 34. Then I had a meeting with a very talented recruiter who asked me questions about what I wanted to accomplish in life. That made me pivot from a life in pursuit of Saturday Night Live to selling life insurance. That led to an introduction to a boutique benefits-only shop in the suburbs of Chicago, which led to MMA. You know, the normal story of how people get into insurance. 

How do you minimize risk and maximize health? 

The pandemic has left us all with this scar in our lives. Mental wellbeing is naturally something we are all striving towards but so many of us have no idea how to work at it. My role allows me to educate leadership at various organizations how critical having a wellness offering can be. It allows me to develop relationships with organizations so we can minimize risk to employees and maximize not only the financial health of their workplaces but also their overall health, mind, body and soul. 

What’s something you’ll never do again? 

Get married. I nailed it the first time.  

What’s your favorite hobby? 

I have two small children so hobbies are few and far between that don’t include Legos or superheroes, but I have spent a lot of time lately gardening with my family. It has been not only educational for my boys, but a great stress reliever. Just this past year we grew cucumbers, watermelons, butternut squash, tomatoes and a slew of wildflowers. 

What do you love most about MMA Midwest’s workplace culture? 

That despite the disruptions of Covid it is an incredibly welcoming place with camaraderie, collaboration and inclusivity.