Health care costs are still climbing, but employers are not powerless. In this episode of Fast Break, M3’s Ryan Barbieri and C2’s Jill Palmer unpack M3’s 2026 Momentum Report and share how businesses can move beyond renewal-season reactions to build smarter, data-backed benefits strategies. From pharmacy pressures and high-cost claims to employee navigation and long-term planning, this conversation offers a practical look at what it takes to manage rising costs while supporting the people behind the plan.

Every organization has a safety plan. But what happens when that plan is suddenly put to the test?

In recognition of National Safety Month, Matt Cranney is joined by M3’s Chris Halverson and Dylan Schroeder to discuss how businesses can prepare for, respond to, and recover from serious workplace incidents, operational disruptions, and other crisis events.

From the critical first few hours of response to communication, leadership, business continuity, and employee safety, this episode explores how preparation can help turn moments of chaos into clarity.

In this Fast Break episode, Joe Hamilton of Vortex Optics shares how authentic care, strong service, and a focus on customer experience help businesses stand out. He explores Vortex’s CARE philosophy and why doubling down on your “bright spot” can build lasting loyalty.

The property and casualty market is not shifting through headline shocks. It is changing through quieter misalignments that many organizations do not see until renewal day. In this episode of Fast Break, Matt Cranney sits down with Paul Connor of M3 and Jamie Gregory of Assurex Global to break down what is really happening across the commercial, personal, property, and casualty landscape as we move through 2026.

From softening property rates that still feel unpredictable, to a casualty market where competition and risk signals do not always align, this conversation cuts through the noise. The group explores why traditional labels like hard and soft no longer tell the full story, how carrier profitability and capital behavior are shaping client outcomes, and why strategy, not just pricing, is becoming the defining advantage in today’s market.

If you are navigating P&C complexity and want insight grounded in real market behavior, not just forecasts, this episode is worth your time.

This special Women’s HERstory Month takeover of Fast Break brings three remarkable nonprofit leaders to the mic for a conversation about impact, resilience, and the power of women shaping their communities in real time.

Guest host Becky Menefee sits down with Brenda Campbell of Secure Futures, Tara Panasewicz of the Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha, and Jane Graham Jennings of The Women’s Community to explore the systems women are still navigating today and the breakthroughs happening across Wisconsin.

From financial capability as a catalyst for independence, to the transformative force of positive mentorship, to redefining strength as survival for women rebuilding after abuse, these leaders share candid stories from the front lines of community change. They reflect on what it means to protect organizational culture in emotionally heavy work, mentor the next generation of women, and challenge the barriers that still restrict safety, opportunity, and equity.

This takeover episode honors the women who paved the way and celebrates the women pushing the work forward now. It’s a conversation about voice, agency, and what it looks like when women continue writing HERstory every day.

This episode of Fastbreak features Neil Peters-Michaud, Founder and CEO of Cascade Asset Management, discussing an aspect of business that has been far too long neglected: the retirement of old IT equipment. Neil explains the importance of properly retiring your old equipment to ensure your business is remaining secure and sustainable.

Not only will you gain practical knowledge on retiring old IT equipment to ensure your business is safe from a data breach, but you will also learn why you should reevaluate your values regularly, the importance of continuous education, and why outsourcing is sometimes necessary.

Resources

• Cascade Asset Management: https://cascade-assets.com
• Certified Electronics Recyclers: https://www.epa.gov/smm-electronics/certified-electronics-recyclers
• e-Stewards: https://e-stewards.org
• R2: https://sustainableelectronics.org

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“I think the thing we’re doing successfully at Cascade is being true to what we know how to do, understanding when we need to go out and bring more talent to help us.”

- Neil Peter-Michaud, Cascade Asset Management

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Hosted by Matt Cranney, Executive Vice President of M3 Elevate.

As rising claim costs result in increasing volatility throughout the market, personal insurance lines such as home, auto, and umbrella coverage are impacted as well.

On this episode of Fast Break, Matt is joined by Jennifer Vanderlip, Amy Schroeder, and Kim Nichols from the M3 Elevate team for a personal insurance conversation. They discuss factors impacting the market today, including severe weather events, increasing car repair costs, and the rising cost of medical care. Tune in to learn what all this means for the future of the personal insurance market.

"Insurers will likely start adding mitigation requirements on a consistent basis... from an eligibility perspective, you might start seeing them request things like water shutoff valves in order to qualify.”

- Jennifer Vanderlip, Personal Lines Lead with M3 Elevate

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Hosted by Matt Cranney, Executive Vice President of M3 Elevate.

Today’s episode is a special one. Not only are we featuring a giveaway, but get some great advice about being a responsible business leader from Matt Neumann, Chief Executive Officer at Neumann Companies, Inc. If you’re a business owner or manager looking to make an impact, this episode is for you.

As a second-generation family business owner, Matt is committed and recognizes the long-term approach to business growth and investment. Matt was awarded 40 under 40 by the Business Journal, Professional Builder, and Midwest Renewable Energy News, and was recently awarded the Wisconsin Way Future Leader of the Year.

Throughout the episode, Matt shares insight on what has made him a successful leader, from the top attribute a leader needs to have to the steps business leaders need to take in their businesses to stay relevant.

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“A sustainable business is also one that’s giving back from the profit it earns."

- Matt Neumann, CEO - Neumann Companies, Inc.

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Fast Break is hosted by Matt Cranney, Executive Vice President of M3 Elevate