Chris T. Valavanis

How long have you been working with Meyers Glaros [HUB Merrillville]?

Chris: Well, I’ve been with Meyers Glaros long before I even owned my own business, and we’ve been in business for 35 years. I’ve known [Partner] Larry Meyers my whole life. 

Wait, seriously?

Chris: I’ve known Larry since kindergarten. 

Wow. 

Chris: Yeah. I knew his dad well, who started the business. And then Larry took it over. So a lot of the trust for what I need was built in pretty early. I really trust those guys.

So when you started your business, he was the first person you reached out to for your insurance needs?

Chris: Well, he had been taking care of my wife and I for personal insurance long before that. So when I decided to open my own business, the transition was easy. We started very small—three people in a four-chair salon—so our needs were modest relative to today. Now I have 100 employees spread across three locations. 

For growing businesses, a one-size-fits-all insurance plan just won’t cut it. As your needs change, so will our strategies for ensuring your expanding enterprise has exactly what it needs. Big or small, we cover it all. 

How does that trust you mentioned earlier manifest itself in your working relationship with Meyers Glaros? 

Chris: They often tell me what my needs are, or at least suggest my needs, before I even know them. Some of these things are required by leases, by landlords, and good sense coverage for liabilities that I would not have anticipated because I was just trying to build my company. I know I don’t have to worry about it. I don’t have to shop because I trust them for guidance and trust them for service. 

If you were recommending Meyers Glaros to someone, what would you say?  

Chris: Well, I have—many times. And everybody that I’ve ever recommended them to has been happy. I think one of the biggest benefits of all is they have everything you need in one house. With Will and Matt [Glaros] now, they’re such experts on the healthcare side. They were such a great team. And Larry and Jeff [Meyers] take care of the liability and business side of things. You can get all of your needs serviced when it comes to any kind of insurance. 

Thirty-five years is a long time. During that period were you ever tempted to try out other groups? 

Chris: You know, insurance is just one of those things. I’m sure I could have gone out and beat their price at one time or another. In the long run, though, you’re better off staying with somebody you know that, if there’s a challenge, they’re gonna go to bat for you. And they absolutely have. 

The most enduring relationships are built on trust. If you’ve been burned in the past by insufficient plans or second-rate service, it’s hard to hand the bat to someone new. But we guarantee that if you give us a chance, we’ll earn your trust—and hit one out of the park.