When Debbie and I started Lifepoint Healthcare, it wasn’t a company. It was a conviction.
We didn’t have investors, a marketing budget, or a growth plan. We had a laptop on a kitchen table, a few clients who trusted us, and an idea that health insurance could be done differently – done right.
I’d spent years watching people get treated like policy numbers. Seeing advisers chase the next deal instead of taking the time to understand what mattered most – their clients’ health, families, and peace of mind.
And I remember saying to Debbie one night, “I can build something different. Something with heart.”
So we did.
The Foundation: Care First, Always
From day one, Lifepoint was built around a principle that guided every decision:
Would we be proud to put our own family through this process?
That question changed everything. It became the lens for every piece of advice we gave, every renewal, every email we sent.
We made promises carefully. We followed through relentlessly. And we grew the old-fashioned way – one conversation, one referral, one act of service at a time.
There was no automation, no CRM at first, no clever marketing funnel. Just care, consistency, and a belief that how you do business is more important than how fast you grow it.
The Turning Points
There were tough years.
Markets changed. Insurers merged, repriced, and sometimes withdrew. New competitors appeared, fueled by capital or algorithms. And yet, every time, we doubled down on what made us different – trust.
When we hit £1 million in annual premiums, I remember feeling disbelief. Then £3 million, £5 million, £8 million…. Today we manage policies across the country, with a team of people who share that same care-first DNA.
But the milestone that really made me pause wasn’t financial. It was when a client once said to me:
“You’re the only broker I’ve ever had who remembers what I told you a year ago.”
That was the win that mattered most.
Recognition and Responsibility
This year 2025, Lifepoint was named Best Small Health Insurance Advice Firm in the UK.
(and in previous years the below):
- Winner – Customer Engagement of the Year @ The COVER Excellence Awards 2023
- Winner – Small Intermediary of the Year Award @ The COVER Excellence Awards 2021
- Winner – Best Adviser for Individual Healthcare @ The Health Insurance Awards 2020
- Highly Commended – Small Intermediary of the Year @ The COVER Excellence Awards 2019
- Highly Commended – Best Individual PMI Intermediary @ The Health Insurance Awards 2018
That recognition means more than a trophy on the shelf. It represents hundreds of late nights, thousands of phone calls, and a team who care deeply about doing right by people.
It also comes with responsibility – to set a standard, to mentor younger advisers, to speak up about what ethical, sustainable brokerage looks like in 2025 and beyond.
Because our industry isn’t just about policies. It’s about people at their most vulnerable moments – when they’re sick, scared, or trying to protect someone they love.
That’s not a sales opportunity. That’s a privilege.
Lessons From the Journey
If I could distil the last fifteen years into a few truths, they’d be these:
- Reputation compounds faster than revenue. Do good work long enough, and the right people find you.
- Trust is built in quiet moments. It’s not in the pitch – it’s in the follow-up call when no one’s watching.
- Leadership is about stewardship. Our job is to leave people, clients, and colleagues stronger than we found them.
- Care is still the ultimate differentiator. In an age of AI and automation, being human is now your greatest competitive edge.
What’s Next
As I look ahead, my focus is shifting from growth to legacy.
Lifepoint has become something bigger than the business we started. It’s a statement about how business can be done – with excellence, with empathy, and without losing your soul in the process.
In the months ahead, I’ll be sharing more of the lessons, mistakes, and insights that shaped this journey – from building a boutique brokerage to leading through change, from team culture to client loyalty, and what I believe the future of our industry will look like.
Because if there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it’s that trust still wins. Always has. Always will.
Share this article:
The Death of Cold Sales: Why Empathy Is the New Competitive Edge
