Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Smith.
Hi Emily, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story has never been a perfectly straight line, but leadership has always been the common thread.
I grew up with some adversity, which shaped me early on. I learned to be independent, resourceful, and resilient, and to figure things out and keep moving forward, even when things weren’t easy.
I’ve spent more than 18 years in business operations and leadership, and I’ve always loved building systems, solving problems, and serving people to help them succeed. I also owned a successful photography business for about a decade. I had/have incredible clients and more work than I could take on, but I eventually realized that I love photography most when I have the freedom to choose the projects that inspired me. Now I have it kept as a creative outlet.
That same love of building and leading eventually brought me to BeneGuides. Today, I’m the Chief of Staff, helping grow the company through better systems, strong teams, and big ideas turned into action.
Looking back, every chapter—especially the difficult ones—gave me something I needed for the next. I’ve learned that you don’t have to have a damn thing figured out. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself, keep moving, and be willing to build the life and career that actually fit who you are.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. I think some of my greatest strengths came from having to navigate difficult things early in life. Growing up with adversity taught me resilience, independence, and how to keep moving forward when things don’t go according to plan.
There have also been plenty of challenges in my career—building businesses, making difficult decisions, taking risks, and sometimes having to figure things out without a roadmap. One of the biggest lessons for me has been learning that being capable doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself.
I’ve had seasons where I was balancing a lot of responsibilities at once, and those seasons have taught me just as much about leadership as the successes have. They’ve taught me to ask for help, create boundaries, trust the people around me, and focus on what truly matters.
The road hasn’t been smooth, but I’m actually grateful for that. The hard parts have made me more adaptable, more empathetic, and ultimately a better leader.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about BeneGuides ?
BeneGuides is an independent insurance agency based in Michigan, specializing in Medicare, Marketplace health insurance, and group insurance. But honestly, I think what we do is much bigger than insurance.
Insurance can be confusing, overwhelming, and full of decisions that have real consequences for people and their families. Our role is to be a guide and to educate people, simplify the choices, and advocate for them so they can make decisions with confidence.
Education and clarity are at the center of everything we do.
I’m especially proud of the brand we’re building because it feels genuinely human. We care about the person sitting across from us, not just the policy they’re choosing. Our goal is for people to walk away feeling less confused and more empowered.
As we grow, one of the things I’m most protective of is that feeling. Growth is exciting, but we never want to lose the personal connection, compassion, and integrity that made BeneGuides what it is in the first place.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that resilience isn’t about never struggling, it’s about learning how to keep moving forward without losing yourself in the process.
Life and leadership have taught me something different. Real strength is knowing when to adapt, when to ask for help, when to let go of something that no longer fits, and when to trust yourself enough to take the next step.
I’ve learned that you don’t have to have the whole path figured out. You just have to be willing to keep learning, keep growing, and keep moving toward something that feels meaningful.
That lesson has followed me through every chapter of my life, and I think it has made me a much better leader and a much more grounded human.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beneguides.com
