Inspiring Conversations with Steve Brauer of Variety Benefits Insurance Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Brauer.

Hi Steve, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
First off, it’s an unusual story. I began my career as a Police Officer in the early 1980s and over the years worked a variety of exciting assignments, including Undercover Narcotics, Vice, Motorcycle Traffic, Nuisance Abatement, and the Fugitive Task Force. I was promoted to Patrol Sergeant, but in 2003 I was injured during an arrest and sidelined for many months. While recovering, I became acutely aware of the dysfunction in the health insurance system—high costs, surprise billing, and the overall confusion that most people face.

During that time, I turned to a friend who was thriving in the insurance industry. He helped me make sense of the chaos and encouraged me to pursue a career in insurance. With his sponsorship, I obtained my license and began learning the business while still off duty. That led me to found my first agency, Brauer Insurance Services, where I specialized in Medicare and group benefits for small companies.

In 2008, I retired from the Police Department and brought on my daughter Bonnie, who had just graduated from college. Together, we built the agency into a highly successful business, which I eventually sold to her in 2020 when I relocated to Scottsdale. Today, my wife Sue and I have joined forces and focus exclusively on Medicare as the “Husband and Wife Medicare Team.” Our mission is simple and clear, captured in our trademarked tagline: “We Translate Medicare into English.”

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I learned very quickly that you can’t be an expert at everything; there just aren’t enough hours in the day and you have to “pick your lane” as they say. We picked one thing and got really good at it….Medicare. When we began the agency, I was shocked to find out how difficult it was to start a business from scratch. It was very eye-opening finding and leasing office space, hiring employees, paying taxes I never knew existed, getting and staying compliant in the Medicare world. I got a whole new respect for anyone building a company and what they have to go through.

As you know, we’re big fans of Variety Benefits Insurance Services. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My wife Sue and I founded Variety Benefits, where we focus exclusively on Medicare. Inspired by the visibility of the “Husband and Wife Lawyer Team” we often saw on billboards and TV, we decided to position ourselves as the “Husband and Wife Medicare Team” serving the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. Back when I ran my first insurance agency, Brauer Insurance, our tagline was “We Translate ObamaCare into English.” Building on that idea, we refined our message for Variety Benefits and even secured the patented trademark for “We Translate Medicare into English,” which perfectly captures our mission of making Medicare simple and understandable for everyone.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Wow….where to start. I think the best advice I can give anyone starting out is that no matter what any one says, if you have a goal and a dream, no matter what happens, keep moving forward. The more obstacles you encounter, the more determined you need to be. Also, I learned a long time ago, you can’t be an expert at everything. My advice is to pick one thing and get really good at it. You’ll be known as an expert and you’ll feel much more confident about what you do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.VarietyBenefits.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Variety-Benefits-LLC-61563498831348/?locale=fi_FI
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brauerinsurance/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/variety-benefits-scottsdale