Dave:
Welcome to the Philly Tech Connect Podcast, where Philly’s tech minds meet—CEOs, developers, dreamers—this is your space. Each week, we explore the journeys of tech innovators. Join us and be inspired.
Dave:
Hey everyone, Dave here with another episode of the Philly Tech Connect Podcast. Today I’m speaking with Allison Hmel, who has over 16 years of experience in the Medicare, group, and government market space. She has a track record as an award-winning direct salesperson and sales manager—but her toughest boss is her 11-year-old son.
If you want to connect with her outside of business hours, you can find her on the tennis court or at the gym six days a week. Allison, how are you doing?
Allison:
Hi, I’m well, thank you! I forgot that I wrote that. I’m like, that sounds just like me! (laughs) He’s 12 now, so I need to update that.
Dave:
Fair enough. Okay—but is he still your toughest boss?
Allison:
100% yes.
Dave:
Super excited to talk with you, learn more about the insurance space and your company, Activated Health. One of the first things I noticed—maybe silly on my end—but that “Activated” is spelled with a K. I’m curious, was that a deliberate choice, or was the other domain taken? What’s the reasoning there?
Allison:
Yeah, I mean, I think you kind of nailed it. There are a couple of reasons why I went with “Aktivated Health.” One, in 2024 when I launched the business, it was really hard to find a name that’s not already trademarked or attached to something. For anybody watching this, I highly recommend—if you’re launching a new business or a brand—make sure the IP isn’t taken and that the socials are available.
We’d find a name I really liked, and then it would be like, okay, we have everything, it’s not trademarked—but then somebody owns the social media handle.
So, with “Activated Health,” I didn’t want to use the word “insurance” in the name. We had done that before—I owned an insurance agency years ago, lost it in my divorce. It just takes more time to get regulatory approval with “insurance” in the name, so I opted out.
Also, I wanted to emphasize our focus on health and wellness. I work out a ton, and there are initiatives in the works with my agency related to wellness that I’m super excited about.
And the K? Well, yes, the C version was taken. But also, my maiden name is Kubiaak—with a K. My current name, Hmel, is my ex-husband’s name. So it all kind of works together.
Dave:
I’m seeing the connections. You’ve satisfied my curiosity! You have an extensive background in insurance—over a decade. You mentioned running a prior agency as well. Can you tell us a little about running a business in this space and what motivated you to start Aktivated Health?
Allison:
Yeah. I think everybody always says, “Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, ‘I want to be an insurance agent when I grow up.’” I never had that thought.
However, when I was little, I’d be at my Nana’s house and I’d make her get out her old rotary telephone and bring it to the kitchen table. I’d have a notepad and pretend I owned a company. I mean, sure, I did the whole Barbie thing too, but I really dreamed of owning a business.
I didn’t expect it to be in insurance. But through networking, I met a few people in the industry—one woman at Aetna, a VP of sales at the time. I asked her to mentor me, and she agreed. She was incredibly helpful. I applied for a job—and that’s how I got started.
What keeps me in the business is the people I serve. I’m really passionate that everyone should be able to access healthcare in a way that fits their needs. I stand by that. I’m often one of the first phone calls people make when they have an issue—like a claim not getting paid or they’re moving, that kind of thing.
That’s why I’m still here.
Dave:
That’s cool. And it’s important, right? You need insurance. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a really difficult position later. It’s a good service, but also a crowded space—kind of like my world of digital marketing. Are you doing anything different with Aktivated Health to help it stand out? You mentioned the wellness angle—tell me more.
Allison:
Yeah, it’s definitely crowded. Especially in the government market space—tons of rules and regulations. But we embrace that.
We use a lot of state-of-the-art technology that helps streamline processes, which can be a barrier for some competitors. For example, we use a platform called RetireFlow. It’s fantastic for capturing prospect information—what prescriptions they use, which hospitals and doctors, all HIPAA-compliant—and we store that digitally.
Back in the day, you’d use paper and have to get physical signatures. Or there were clunky digital options that didn’t work well. We’re ahead of the curve in that area.
Another thing we focus on is strategic partnerships. I’m a huge believer in that. You never know who a strategic partner might be—could be someone in your network who you previously thought wasn’t relevant to your business. I treat everyone with equal importance—clients, family, friends, podcast hosts, partners.
We’re building the business strategically. I’m growing my own block first, and then I’ll recruit brokers.
And on the wellness side, we have some exciting initiatives in the pipeline. A lot of the content I create is wellness-focused, too.
Dave:
I love it. I love that mantra—“Everybody is as important as everybody else.” You mentioned the red tape—insurance can be confusing. I imagine there are common misunderstandings you hear from clients. Anything come to mind?
Allison:
Definitely. The biggest misconception is that you can wait to make a decision about insurance.
I always say, when you have your health, you can wish for a million different things. But when you lose your health, you’re wishing for just one thing: to be healthy again.
It’s really challenging to help someone once they’re in a health crisis. Are they mentally capable of making decisions? What’s going on? I’ve dealt with this a lot.
I try to educate my clients: now is the time to look at your options—when you’re healthy and clear-headed. The worst time is when you’re in a hospital bed, being discharged, or facing surgery.
As healthy as I am, I’m always prepared for the unexpected—because I’m a single mom. I want to make sure I’m not putting a burden on my parents or sisters. I think that’s the biggest misconception—that it can wait.
Dave:
Yeah, I get that. Getting up there myself in years—I mean, I like to think I still have a lot left—but there is a point where I go, “I should really be thinking about estate planning. I should be thinking about what could happen if this or that goes wrong.”
Allison:
Exactly. I always say: even if you’re 25 and just starting out, it’s a good time to have the conversation. It doesn’t mean you’re going to go out and spend a ton of money on something you don’t need. But it’s about awareness, knowing what the options are, and then making a decision that’s appropriate for you, not being forced into it under pressure later.
Dave:
That makes a lot of sense. And I think it’s something people just don’t want to think about, right? It’s like taxes or anything that makes you confront uncomfortable realities.
Allison:
Totally. But once you face it and you deal with it, there’s a sense of relief. You feel empowered. You’re not scrambling, you’re not stressed—you’re ready. And that peace of mind is honestly priceless.
Dave:
Absolutely. Switching gears a little bit—what’s something you wish more people knew about the insurance industry or your role specifically?
Allison:
I wish people understood how much advocacy is involved. It’s not just about selling a plan or checking boxes. I spend a lot of time helping clients navigate claims, understand their benefits, appeal denials, and just generally be a support system. I’m often the person someone calls when their spouse is in the hospital or they’ve just gotten a scary diagnosis. So much of this work is human-focused. It’s personal.
Dave:
That’s really powerful. It kind of reframes the whole concept of what an insurance agent does.
Allison:
Exactly. I think that word—“agent”—sometimes makes people think of someone who’s just trying to sell you something. But it’s more like a partner or advocate, someone who’s in your corner when stuff goes sideways.
Dave:
And I imagine you form pretty strong relationships through that.
Allison:
Absolutely. Some of my clients have been with me for years. I’ve been with them through retirements, births, deaths—you name it. It’s really meaningful work.
Dave:
That’s awesome. I’m glad we got to showcase that side of things today. Before we wrap, is there anything exciting coming up for Activated Health that you’d like to share?
Allison:
Yes! We’re launching a few initiatives around wellness and preventive health—like programs that incentivize fitness, nutrition, even mindfulness. We’re still an insurance agency at our core, but I want to offer more than just policies. I want to support our clients in staying healthy, not just getting care when something goes wrong.
Dave:
That’s fantastic. Where can people go if they want to learn more or get in touch?
Allison:
The website is ActivatedHealth.com—spelled with a K! And I’m always happy to connect on LinkedIn or answer questions via email. We’re here to help.
Dave:
Awesome. Allison, thank you so much for joining us today. This was insightful, informative, and honestly a lot of fun.
Allison:
Thanks, Dave. I had a blast.