In this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with Reuven Shelef, CEO of Out of the Box Consulting and creator of the Untangling Complex Challenges methodology. Reuven shares why our brains default to negativity when faced with uncertainty—and how to move from emotional reactivity to clarity and action.

With a blend of logic and emotional insight, Reuven helps leaders and teams understand how to recognize internal blockers, reframe stress, and break through stuck patterns—professionally and personally.

🤖 Sponsored by BenePower
BenePower is an AI-powered platform helping advisors build high-impact, self-insured health plans quickly and seamlessly. By integrating best-in-class point solutions and eliminating inefficiencies, BenePower reduces costs, improves member outcomes, and positions advisors as industry leaders.
🔗 Learn more at http://BenePower.com

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

📌 Negativity Comes First—By Design
Our brains are wired for survival, not solutions. Recognizing this helps us shift toward creative thinking.

📌 You’re Not Powerless
Reuven explains how we can reclaim control—even when external systems and policies feel overwhelming.

📌 The Story Is the Stress
Often, it’s not the facts that hurt us—it’s the story we tell ourselves about those facts.

📌 Getting Unstuck Starts With Awareness
A simple process of brain dumping and categorization reveals surprising root causes—and new options.

📌 Leaders Must Create Space
Inviting authentic conversation and emotional safety at work can unlock powerful transformation.

⏱️ In This Episode
00:00 Why people get stuck under pressure
02:00 Childhood conditioning and survival wiring
04:30 Different brains, different blockers
07:00 Logical vs. emotional approaches to problem solving
10:30 What we can control (and what we can't)
13:00 The danger of unchecked internal stories
15:30 Reuven’s tools: fact vs. meaning, brain dumps, and mapping
18:00 Spotting hidden challenges
20:30 Leading with empathy and creating psychological safety

In this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman talks with Ramesh Kumar, CEO and co-founder of zakipoint health. Ramesh shares how a personal mission to help his father navigate healthcare led to a professional pursuit: transforming overwhelming claims data into actionable insights for employers, advisors, and members.

The conversation explores the evolution of predictive modeling, the growing importance of fiduciary responsibility in plan design, and how AI-powered platforms are helping advisors simplify benefit decisions and improve outcomes. Ramesh offers real-world examples of how data can shape plan strategy, change behavior, and improve care—before costs spiral out of control.

🤖 Sponsored by BenePower

BenePower is an AI-powered platform helping advisors build high-impact, self-insured health plans quickly and seamlessly. By integrating best-in-class point solutions and eliminating inefficiencies, BenePower reduces costs, improves member outcomes, and positions advisors as industry leaders.🔗 Learn more at BenePower.com

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

📌 Claims Data Is the Starting Line—Not the Finish

TPAs can’t block it. Advisors must request it. With the right tools, data can reveal inefficiencies and drive smarter decisions.

📌 Predictive Modeling Meets Personalization

Ramesh explains how modern AI doesn’t just stratify risk—it tailors messages and care nudges to drive better action at the member level.

📌 Fiduciary Awareness Is on the Rise

High-profile lawsuits and rebate opacity are forcing plan sponsors to demand better data—and use it.

📌 AI Is Rewriting the Navigation Experience

Agentic AI will soon act as your members’ personal guide—making healthcare access faster, smarter, and more human (even if it’s not human).

📌 Member Engagement Must Be Proactive

You can’t educate after the ER visit. The future belongs to platforms that reach members before the bill comes.

⏱️ In This Episode

00:00 Introduction to Ramesh and zakipoint health

02:00 From personal mission to industry disruption

04:00 The problem with too much (bad) data

06:00 Turning claims into strategy: risks, costs, gaps

08:30 How fiduciary pressure is reshaping advisor roles

10:00 Making healthcare navigation member-centric

14:00 Predictive modeling and behavioral segmentation

16:30 Agentic AI and rethinking healthcare workflows

19:00 AI in mental health, coaching, and chronic care

20:45 What's next for advisors and tools

22:00 Ramesh’s 5-year vision: frictionless healthcare access

In this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes Sally Pace, CEO of Connect Healthcare Collaboration and co-founder of The Granite List—a platform built to help benefits advisors compare point solutions with clarity and confidence.

Sally shares how her background in storytelling and communication led to the creation of employee engagement strategies that bridge the gap between tech and human connection. From clinical and benefits advocacy to empowering advisors with transparency tools, Sally emphasizes how trust, education, and personalization are reshaping the future of benefits.

👉 Learn more or create a free profile at: www.thegranitelist.com

🤖 Sponsored by BenePower
BenePower is an AI-powered platform helping advisors build high-impact, self-insured health plans quickly and seamlessly. By integrating best-in-class point solutions and eliminating inefficiencies, BenePower reduces costs, improves member outcomes, and positions advisors as industry leaders.
🔗 Learn more at BenePower.com

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

📌 Don’t Wait for Enrollment to Start Educating
Sally explains why the most effective strategies involve consistent, year-round communication—not just an annual packet.

📌 Real Advocacy Requires Real People
Benefits are confusing. Using high-touch, concierge-style advocates helps employees actually use what’s offered.

📌 Data Is Powerful, But Not Enough
AI can identify needs—but human guidance drives understanding and usage. Together, they make an unstoppable team.

📌 Fiduciary Pressure Is Rising
With plan sponsors increasingly held accountable for engagement, education is no longer optional—it’s essential.

📌 The Granite List Gives Advisors a Clearer View
Point solutions are overwhelming. The Granite List brings organization, community insight, and streamlined comparison to the marketplace.

⏱️ In This Episode
00:00 Introduction to Sally and her background
02:11 Lessons from HGTV and marketing communication
04:00 Building human-centered engagement tools
06:00 The staggering underutilization of benefits
08:40 Why AI needs a human touch to work
10:50 Making enrollment an opportunity, not a hurdle
12:30 Advisors and the fiduciary conversation
16:00 Birth of The Granite List platform
18:00 Helping advisors and consultants vet point solutions
20:00 Transparency and personalization in benefit design