“I am starting a new job today!” This is a phrase some of us may be more familiar with than others, yet still one that has huge meaning for all involved. Starting a new position at a new company presents unique challenges and opportunities that can be nerve-wracking and exciting all at once. As one of the newest employees at VAST I had every single emotional feeling in the world you could think of leading up to my first day here, most notably nervousness. I was leaving a position and a place in which I had become familiar and comfortable … Continue reading

If you have traveled to our website lately you may have noticed three little words staring at you from the bottom right corner: Chat with us! While these words are self-explanatory, what they don’t tell you is that this has been an adventure two years in the making. Allow me to elaborate. Two years ago we decided to totally revamp our website, and after plenty of high level collaboration with a local creative agency, Elegant Seagulls, our vision became the reality that you currently see when you go to vastsolution.com.  Part of the collaboration that I just mentioned was the … Continue reading

The definition of wellness according to Merriam-Webster is “the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively sought goal.”  Good health is a broad term and can have many facets. Our ZEN committee holds “Lunch & Learn” sessions throughout the year on a variety of topics.  Our session this month focused on the most important meal of the day – breakfast! Angie Cherette from Sage and Spry came to our office and taught us (in one hour) how to make almond milk, green smoothies, and chia overnight oats. Everything was simple and delicious!  Personally, I’m pretty … Continue reading

You may have read about or seen our Zen Committee events through our other blogs and our social media. Well, I’m excited to be writing about one of our latest activties that encourages our team to be active! With wellness as our main concern, we love to come up with different challenges throughout the year. Winter is right around the corner (sorry, but it’s coming!) so we wanted to take advantage of the outdoors as much as we could, which is why we came up with the Zen Scavenger Hunt! There were fifteen clues that will led to local points … Continue reading

Starting a new career can be daunting; often times doing so can induce rapid heartbeats, nervousness, excess sweating, even anxiety.  Most people begin looking for long-term careers in their 20s.  It’s been said that this working generation switches careers or career paths six to ten times throughout life.  To me, that seems like a lot of change.  And change can be scary!  Common questions people ask themselves when considering making a career move are: How will I make more money? How will I become secure? How will I make my family secure? When I was new to the workforce, I … Continue reading

Here at VAST, we have implemented a mentorship program that pairs two individuals in the office (typically a new employee & a more seasoned employee) to help build successful careers and relationships within the organization. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been both a mentor & mentee and I would have to say both were beneficial. As a mentor, I was able to: Connect with a team member outside of the office and learn more about them personally. Help provide insight about our core values & culture. Become a role model with positive influence. Become a source of information & … Continue reading

When you think about an independent insurance agency in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, you probably think of a small to medium size office run by a family or a few employees. If you have never visited or been inside VAST, you have not experienced the big picture. Then again, even if you have visited you may still not have seen the entire office. VAST is a large brick building located on Front Street with a front row view of beautiful Lake Superior. With 40 employed professionals (currently seeking additional candidates to join the team) we are one big family … Continue reading

Happy holidays from the VAST Family to yours!