I’ve recently read several articles written about health coverage. Some have criticized the health carriers, many have extolled the virtue of the Canadian system, and others have provided helpful information for consumers of health plans. However, most articles miss or purposely omit the role of the consumer. Yes, that’s you.

I think it’s time for all of us, the users of health plans, to take a much more participative approach. If we would more responsibly use our coverage everyone would spend less. So how can you help? To start, read your plan booklet before going to the doctor, know which doctors are in network and what procedures are and are not considered pre-existing. If offered a group plan through your employer remember that how you utilize the plan affects the entire group. Take a few extra second to ask about generic prescription drugs and see if paying for the entire drug would be cheaper than the co-pay. There are several things you can to do influence the cost of health care. By taking some personal responsibility for the current health care challenges you can make a difference. In the process, you’ll probably notice that your wallet’s a little fatter.

Jake Lunt is the General Manager of Idaho operations for A Plus Benefits, Inc.

I continue to hear people mention how difficult it is to find employees in the current hiring environment. This seems particularly true when business owners feel they need compete with larger organizations like HP, Simplot, or Micron.

I was visiting with a friend this morning and we were talking about working with the big guys and he mentioned several things that caused me to think about the benefits associated with working for one of the little guys. Seriously, how many big company jobs allow an employee to work on two, three or more very different tasks on any given afternoon? How many big company opportunities include constant change and significant job flexibility? When I was working for Intel two years ago I spent my entire day boxed in a cubicle working on a very specific job. I had little interaction with co-workers unless it was over the phone and even less task flexibility. I was there to do a very finite job day in and day out.

It was this experience that convinced me that regardless of the health plans, stock options, and a good salary I wanted something different. Among other things, I wanted change, I wanted more responsibility and I wanted to feel like my contribution meant something. Fortunately I found that opportunity and by working for small businesses, so have many others. Small business owners can attract key talent by highlighting their flexibility when working with employees versus their much larger counterparts. Focus on the benefits of working in a smaller, more adaptable company and you’ll be in good shape.

Jake Lunt is the General Manager of Idaho operations for A Plus Benefits, Inc.

I had lunch with the CEO of a technology firm the other day. Among other things, we talked for a while about the tactics he is implementing within his organization to position it for long term success. As he has recently taken the company reigns, he has been spending a fair amount of his time developing the long term strategy for the company. His excitement for the business and its future was contagious and it reminded me of why I wanted to open the A Plus Benefits’ Idaho office.

After leaving our meeting I thought about several other CEOs that I’ve met over the years and realized that after the initial start up phase, very few of them consistently sit down to consider their company’s long term strategy. Mostly because they were so mired in time sensitive tasks.

After witnessing first hand the many daily challenges associated with operating a business I can relate to the difficulty of finding the time to develop a good strategy. Here are five ideas for those business owners that are also struggling to find enough time to work on their business strategy.

1. Once every few years get out of the office for an executive retreat. This will remove you from the daily grind and allow you to think about the bigger picture.
2. Recruit a client advisory board to provide outside perspective into business operations. This will also help you prove to your clients that you care about their feedback and are willing to improve their experience with your company.
3. Take a small group of employees to lunch once a month. No, not the same group you go to lunch with every other day. Take a few of the employees that just started working for the company in one of the “front line” jobs. Not only will these folks provide you with some great ideas, but they’ll feel appreciated and valued in their role.
4. Begin having a cup of Hot Cocoa with another business owner once a month. Bounce ideas off of each other and consider how their proven strategies could be adapted to your industry.
5. Block a few hours out on your calendar to work on strategy and then rigorously defend that time. I think this works best when you actually leave the office. Shut off your cell phone and exclude yourself for a bit.

Most business owners didn’t go into business for the daily grind. Almost all that I’ve met felt like they had unique strategies for an industry that, in their view, could use some improvement. They opened their doors to revolutionize the industry and are now so bogged down in minutia that work has lost a bit of its excitement. In addition, because they haven’t been able to focus on the strategy, many of their businesses have become mirror images of the model they wanted to change.

By focusing on the big picture, businesses continue to adjust and evolve to changing industry forces and business owners are able to focus on the real reasons they went into business.

Jake Lunt is the General Manager of Idaho operations for A Plus Benefits, Inc.