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Based in Missoula, Montana, Morgan Hirschenberger is an employee benefits agent and consultant with the Marsh McLennan Agency. He joined the commercial insurance broker in 2004 and continues to support the company with the design and execution of various employee benefit insurance programs. A few of his primary activities in this role include brokerage services, consulting services, employee communications, and advocacy for both employers and employees struggling with issues of insurance coverage. Morgan Hirschenberger previously served as a shareholder and vice president with PayneWest Insurance and Payne Financial, prior to the company’s acquisition by the Marsh McLennan Agency. He also gained experience with loan origination and servicing during his time as a financial services representative at American General Finance.
A member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Morgan Hirschenberger holds a business administration degree in finance with honors from the University of Montana. He also studied graphic design at North West Community College. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his children. He also enjoys skiing in winter and crafting elaborate sand sculptures during summer.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My typical day is a combination of coordinating kids’ schedules, client meetings, and emails. I like to have a clear plan of action for the day, with desired achievements bullet pointed in order.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I love to collaborate with my co-workers and my friends. I am a stereotypical “people person.” If there is a task to complete or an idea I have, I am always engaging someone around me to work with on the project. I am a true believer that you can have fun doing most anything with the right company and attitude.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I am fascinated by the pace of development in the energy industry, particularly the developments in small-scale energy generation that allows more energy dependability and independence.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I am very much a list maker. Whether it is getting ready for a meeting with my clients to discuss upcoming renewals or deciding how I am going to allocate my limited free time on the weekend, I always start with making a list.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell a younger me to make sure to take some time every day to observe and appreciate that unique day. To not get too caught up with the achievements of the day, but also taking time just to appreciate that day.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Watching sports on TV is quite boring.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I make sure to get exercise and stretch almost every day. I think that staying active is critical to getting the most out of my life, especially when I can get my activity outdoors.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
When I am feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or frustrated, I typically get some sustained high-energy exercise. I find that a good workout of any sort does wonders for reducing anxiety and providing me clarity of mind.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I really care about the people I work with. Whether they be my colleagues or my clients, I truly care about them as a person and their interests in whatever transaction we are discussing. I find that usually the best outcomes are found when we are looking out for all people involved in a transaction. Particularly, when working with my clients, I stick to the mantra “doing what is right for my clients first, every time, is the recipe for success.”
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
For the first two years of my career in commercial insurance, I had almost no “wins.” I was repeatedly told “no” month after month. I learned from my mentor at the time how to take those losses and learn something from every experience. Over time, I learned how to be highly effective in my role by learning what my clients needed and truly focusing all my efforts on that. Only through understanding my clients’ needs did I start to understand my losses and started to have some wins.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
MS Excel. I use Excel every day to build financial models to predict outcomes, given different inputs and changes. Excel is a powerful tool for processing and communicating information in a clear and concise manner.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Taking my kids to the fair. The rides are a bit overpriced, the games are a little bit hard to win, and the food is a little pricy, but the joy that I see on my kids’ faces makes it well worth every penny.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I love books: self-help books, mystery books, sci-fi books… To pick just one would be very difficult. One of the most useful “books” for my professional career was actually a course from the Great Courses catalog on Argumentation. It is actually an audio recording of an actual college course that examines the art/science of argumentation. I found it to be a fascinating dive into how to use the process of argumentation (discussion) to come to the best possible decision. Other favorites include How Green Was My Valley, Fools Crow, Flash Boys…
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I have been watching reruns of The Office. I enjoy the light-hearted comedy and familiarity of the characters.
Key learnings
- Building trust and rapport can be just as critical as technical expertise in professional success.
- Persistence, paired with a willingness to learn and evolve, is key to overcoming challenges and achieving success.
- Simple tools like lists and bullet-pointed goals can be powerful for staying organized and intentional.
- Integrating wellness into your routine can enhance both mental clarity and emotional resilience.
- Leading with values fosters trust and long-term success in any advisory or service-based role.