Why Risk Management Software Fails—And How Aclaimant's CEO Kathy Burns Built a Better Solution

In a recent episode of Risk Management: Brick by Brick, host Jason Reichl sits down with Kathy Burns, CEO of Aclaimant, for an inspiring conversation about her journey from technology pioneer in the 1990s to leading one of the most innovative risk management companies today. From breaking away from traditional career paths to democratizing enterprise-level solutions, Kathy shares practical insights about strategic focus, consultative selling, and when to trust your intuition over data.

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To find out how TrustLayer manages risk so that people can build the physical world around us, head to TrustLayer.io.

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The Early Risk That Changed Everything

Kathy's career began with a calculated gamble that most young professionals wouldn't dare make. Starting at Aon alongside 500 other "young, smart people" all vying to become brokers, she quickly realized she needed to differentiate herself.

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"I think really being able to take a risk. So I very early on kind of put my hand up and said, hey, is there something else I can do in a company like this that's growing and looking to innovate that isn't sort of like the major track of the company?" she recalls.

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That decision to volunteer for emerging technology initiatives in the 1990s—when data and tech were just becoming topics in insurance—set her on a completely different trajectory. It led to leadership opportunities, business creation, and ultimately, CEO roles that wouldn't have been possible on the traditional broker path.

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The Dirty Little Secret About Technology

Despite building her career in technology, Kathy reveals something that might surprise many tech leaders: "Maybe the dirty little secret is it's never about the technology, right? It's really about outcomes."

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This philosophy has guided her through creating the RMIS category at Aon, growing and selling Ventiv Technology, and now leading Aclaimant's mission to serve middle market companies. "I'm not a technologist per se," she admits. "I just think I've always been a big believer that technology is a means to making our customers smarter, making us smarter so that at the end of the day, they're a better risk."

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This outcomes-first approach is what separates successful technology implementations from expensive software that sits unused. At Aclaimant, they focus on solving specific problems: helping companies understand why losses are happening, where they're happening, and what type of programs they should implement.

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The Democracy of Risk Management

One of Kathy's most passionate beliefs is that "everybody deserves the right to be a good risk." For too long, sophisticated risk management tools were reserved for Fortune 1000 companies, leaving middle market businesses to manage with spreadsheets and hope.

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"We're now, because of our ability with the technology and ability to implement quickly, we can sell the middle market customers and get them a solution that they deserve as well," Kathy explains. "You know, it's not just the big guys that deserve to understand their risk."

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This democratization isn't just about making software more affordable—it's about recognizing that smaller companies often face proportionally larger risks and deserve the same level of transparency and control that enterprise clients have enjoyed for decades.

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The Power of Strategic Focus

Perhaps Kathy's most valuable insight for other technology leaders is her approach to sales. Instead of leading with feature lists and scripted demos, Aclaimant takes a deeply consultative approach.

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"We try to get away from the feature, what's the list of features, and really talk about, again, tell us about your risk management program, your safety program, tell us what you're worried about, what keeps your CFO up at night," she explains.

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This is especially critical when selling to first-time software buyers who may not know how to evaluate enterprise solutions. "It's much easier to have a scripted demo, walk into a meeting, do a demo, and even as a buyer go, yeah, it has the 10 things I want and move on," Kathy observes. But that approach fails to address the real problems or create lasting value.

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Instead, they force conversations up a level: "Don't tell me that you want a report that looks like this. Tell me why. What are you going to do with it? What problem are you solving?"

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The Gut Check Moment

When Jason asked about trusting intuition versus data in strategic decisions, Kathy's response revealed the wisdom that comes from decades of experience: "I'm very intuitive about things, but I think at this point in my life, a lot of it's been based on the experience and understanding the data and understanding the trends. So my intuition's very much guided by that."

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This balance between data-driven decision making and experienced intuition is perhaps the hallmark of mature leadership. It's not about ignoring data, but recognizing when your pattern recognition from years of experience sees something the numbers might miss.

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The People Factor

Kathy's final piece of advice cuts to the heart of professional success: "Surround yourself with good people. There's no one that has a bigger influence on you, particularly early in your career, than that sort of first level manager."

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She emphasizes the importance of choosing your boss carefully, especially early in your career, because they shape everything from your training to your confidence to your opportunities within an organization. "It's never just about you," she notes, highlighting the collaborative nature of real success.

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Final Thoughts

Kathy Burns' journey from Aon technology volunteer to Aclaimant CEO offers a roadmap for anyone looking to build a meaningful career in risk management and technology. Her story demonstrates that strategic risk-taking, outcome-focused thinking, and genuine care for customer problems can create both business success and personal fulfillment.

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The future of risk management isn't about having the most sophisticated technology—it's about using technology thoughtfully to solve real problems and help organizations become better risks. As Kathy puts it, success comes from understanding that "technology is a means to making our customers smarter."

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For professionals looking to make their mark in this evolving industry, Kathy's path shows that the biggest risk might be playing it too safe.

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To hear more insights from someone who helped create an entire technology category and continues to innovate in risk management, tune in to this episode of Risk Management: Brick by Brick.

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👉 Spotify: https://bit.ly/45EEtFJ
👉 Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/45GgYfs 

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‍Podcast Host: Jason Reichl

‍Executive Producer: Don Halliwell