This week we sat down with Libby Primm, founder of Primm Risk Solutions. Located in Springdale across from the Country Club, Libby’s office hosts less than ten employees – each of them adamantly offering us Skittles as we walked through the door. Primm Risk Solutions specializes in providing employee benefit services for employers and their employees, as well as coverage support for individuals. Their main focus is on businesses that have 100 employees or less – a small business focused on influencing business owners to be great employers, as we like to put it.
We met Libby at the Springdale Country Club so as to avoid the distractions that come along with being the president & CEO of one’s own company. Libby has been a natural in the field of insurance for a long time, since she was 14-years-old, in fact. She got her start at a family friend’s insurance agency doing mostly secretarial work. By the age of eighteen, Libby was licensed, and had received a risk management scholarship to attend college, where she studied finance and insurance. Upon graduation, she was offered a position at one of the largest brokerage firms in the nation. Working there, Libby told us, she had high expectations on herself, as she was a young woman in a primarily male-dominated industry. Having employees working with her that were older than her was challenging, but proving her knowledge and expertise ensured (that was almost an insurance joke) that she earned their respect.
Upon the election of Barack Obama, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into effect, which led Libby to a realization – there would be a change in the business, and a change in the way insurance brokers worked. Businesses would have more laws to comply with, and small businesses would face demand from their employees to offer health benefits.
Libby made it clear to us, however, that change can be good, and should always be seen as an opportunity.
Following this, Libby was inspired to begin working with small businesses. She dabbled in insurance auditing for businesses in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, explaining that she’s passionate about “being there for people,” and providing services that help business owners be better employers.
Shortly after, Libby founded Primm Risk Solutions in 2015. Her business has taken off, especially with its focus on small businesses. Libby reported growth of about 100 – 120 percent year over year, and the business has limited its clients to referrals only (hey, seven employees can only do so much in one day).
Libby worked with us here at Startup Junkie in 2017, and participated in ScaleUp Ozarks, a 16-week business growth program funded by the Small Business Administration. She tells us that the weekly seminars and lectures were very beneficial, and they helped her establish a better game plan for the future. Additionally, she was able to develop business goals that were challenging, yet attainable. She admitted that it was comforting to see other small business owners at these seminars, and that Startup Junkie provided a place for these entrepreneurs to ask questions and receive the help they needed from industry experts. When we asked her whether these seminars helped her improve her business, she explained a concept that many business owners face. Startup Junkie provided knowledge and support that helped her get through the ‘growing pains’ of being a business owner. We know what you’re thinking, growing pains? I’m not a teenager, I don’t get those anymore! ‘Growing pains’ refer to the stresses that a growing business faces when it begins expanding its client base and employee pool. Many business owners will reach a certain point and feel overwhelmed with the influx of clients and management of employees, and they’ll get frustrated and throw their hands up and quit, Libby said. We’re glad that we could be of service, and we’re happy to hear that Libby is looking forward to the future of her growing business.
Speaking of the future, Libby told us that she sees women excelling, and that soon there will be more female decision-makers in the small business community. Libby is passionate about people, and wants to empower women to be the best they can be. “Giving women confidence is empowering,” she said. On the subject of empowerment, we will leave you with some well-given and well-received advice that we learned from Libby: “Live lightly, and stay humble – but hungry.”
Learn more about Primm Risk Solutions here.
Sarah Van Doorn
Sarah is a Content Strategist at Startup Junkie. Currently a senior at the University of Arkansas, she’s studying Journalism with an emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations. Sarah assists in content creation through writing client feature stories and managing the promotion of the Startup Junkies Podcast. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing and playing Mario Kart.
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