(Live from the Moody Center with Mr. Casey Paulson, Project President/Regional Vice President, Discovery Land Company & Elexa Ruth, GM Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club, Austin, TX)

Special thanks to Rachel Reap, Director of Premium Service at the Moody Center in Austin for her hospitality in hosting this podcast event.

📍Description:

Recorded live at the Moody Center, this heartfelt episode features Discovery Land’s Casey Paulson and Driftwood Golf & Ranch Club’s Elexa Ruth. Bart Berkey guides an intimate conversation exploring how small actions, deep care, and personal responsibility create unforgettable premium experiences. From handwritten Father's Day cards to spotting fallen signage, this episode is a powerful reminder that Most People Don’t… but YOU Do.

💡Major Takeaways / Learnings:

Responsibility often begins early and becomes a lifelong motivator. For Casey, becoming a father at 20 shaped his relentless drive and sense of accountability.

Leadership is about consistency in doing the right thing, even when no one is watching — or helping.

Noticing is a superpower. Elexa’s attention to detail comes from genuine care, cultural consistency, and high standards.

“See something, do something” isn’t just a phrase—it’s a leadership practice.

Creating magic for others requires preparation. From branded Yetis to personalized cards, it’s about having tools on hand to surprise and delight.

Hiring for care matters more than hiring for skill. You can train technical abilities, but you can’t teach heart.

Follow-up builds emotional loyalty. A simple “thank you” can leave a lasting impression that most overlook.

Even the smallest act—like a hummingbird’s drop of water—can start a movement.

💬Memorable Quotes:

“Most people don’t think they can make a difference.” – Casey Paulson

“You just have to grind through it… Just keep being better.” – Casey Paulson

“We don’t want our members to have to think of anything when they walk into our little bubble.” – Elexa Ruth

“Magic happens when someone spends a little more time than someone reasonably would expect.” – Elexa Ruth (quoting Teller of Penn & Teller)

“Most people don’t follow up.” – Bart Berkey

“You can't nurture care.” – Elexa Ruth

✨Why It Matters / How to Use It:

This episode is a playbook for elevating any experience—whether in hospitality, leadership, or everyday life. If you lead a team, serve clients, or want to build culture through care:

Hire for heart, not just resume.

Notice. Then act.

Prepare your team to surprise and delight with simple, thoughtful tools.

Remember that follow-up builds trust—and it only takes seconds.

You don’t need a title or budget to make a difference. Be the hummingbird.

More about these companies and their locations:

https://discoverylandco.com

https://driftwoodgolfclub.com

https://moodycenteratx.com

https://mostpeopledont.com

https://bartaberkey.com

#187 Podcast Episode:

Reinvent While Winning: José Suquet’s Story of Listening First and Leading Forward
Chairman of the Board & CEO, Pan-American Life Insurance Group

Host: Bart Berkey – Most People Don’t... But YOU Do! Podcast

From escaping Cuba at age two to leading a company that protects over 7 million lives across 22 countries, José Suquet has lived a life built on resilience, purpose, and people-first leadership. In this candid and emotional conversation, José shares how lessons from his seamstress mother, early sales experience, and decades of executive leadership helped him transform Pan-American Life Insurance Group into a values-driven organization.

This episode explores what it truly means to lead with humility, listen before speaking, and reinvent while you’re still succeeding.

1. Most People Don’t Listen—But Great Leaders Do

“God gave us one mouth and two ears for a reason.”
By listening first—whether to clients, colleagues, or family—José learned to lead with empathy and clarity. Listening creates understanding, and understanding makes every word and action more impactful.

2. You Don’t Need to Be Loud to Be Strong

Calm consistency and respect leave a longer legacy than control or intimidation. José credits his greatest mentor with showing him that leadership doesn’t require volume—it requires alignment, resources, and kindness.

3. People Over Policy: The COVID Story

During the pandemic, Pan-American Life Insurance Group paid over $300 million in death claims—even when reinsurance contracts excluded pandemics. José made the call: “We do. We cover them. That’s who we are.”

4. Don’t Wait Until It’s Ripe to Reinvent

Drawing from the Sigmoid Curve and Bart’s “green banana” analogy, José emphasizes the importance of reinventing during strength—not waiting for decline. “If you sit still, you're not cruising—you're being passed.”

5. Sales Isn’t Pressure—It’s a Promise

José sees selling life insurance as delivering on a deeply emotional contract: helping people when they’re most vulnerable. “You're not selling a shiny gadget—you're selling a promise.”

6. Broke, Not Poor

Raised by a single mother who once reigned as Cuba’s most beautiful woman before working as a seamstress in the U.S., José absorbed this powerful distinction:
“We were broke, not poor. And if you're broke, you can always come back.”

7. Title Doesn’t Equal Worth

Whether visiting the mailroom or the boardroom, José treats everyone with dignity. “At the end, the big guy won’t ask if you were CEO or in the mailroom—just if you were a good human being.”

💬 Notable Quotes:

• “Most people don’t listen. But when you do, the words you speak—and the decisions you make—matter even more.”

• “Leadership is about trust, not titles. Consistency builds both.”

• “You don’t need to make people cry to be an effective leader.”

• “We were broke, not poor. That mindset changed everything.”

• “We don’t just sell insurance. We deliver peace of mind—when people need it most.”

More about Pan-American Life Insurance Group

More about Most People Don't