Remarkable Leadership: 10 questions with Steve Lindsay, EVP Sales and Relationship Management

Get ready for a dose of positive energy. It’s a pleasure to introduce you to Steve Lindsay, leader of the HealthEquity Sales and Relationship Management team.

Typically smiling, always willing to listen and coach, Steve works with a constant goal to create measurable value for our clients and partners. In practice that means Steve and the Sales and Relationship Management team cultivate new business, strengthen existing relationships, and ensure our clients and partners get a remarkable service experience.

As one of the first non-founder executives at HealthEquity, Steve has been with the company since 2006. There’s not much Steve hasn’t done at the firm. He’s led the People Team, Member Services, Operations, Channel Sales, Relationship Management, and now Sales and Relationship Management. All that experience adds up. But it’s not just his tenure that explains why teammates across the organization count on him for his perspective and insights.

HealthEquity: It’s so nice to talk with you today, Steve. You’re celebrating a big milestone, right?

Steve Lindsay: That’s right! This year I celebrated my 17th anniversary with HealthEquity!!!

I love what I do! I love the team, love what we stand for, and love being able to represent HealthEquity products and our team to prospective clients, partners, and brokers.

HealthEquity: That’s wonderful, and also not completely a surprise. It’s pretty clear to all who know you that you live and breathe the HealthEquity mission.

Steve Lindsay: Ha! That’s true! I’m passionate about helping American families save and get ahead. Seriously, this is important work. We’re talking about people’s health. We’re talking about helping people overcome fears, have well-founded hope, achieve dreams, and express their passions. If we’re worried about paying for healthcare or unable to pay for it, fear grows, hopes and dreams are lost. This isn’t just a “nice to have” in our nation, I genuinely believe it is a “need to have” and many more American families need to have access to more health savings!

To be a part of helping Americans (not the best savers) have more than $60 billion in savings that they would not have had without the products and innovations we offer is something I talk to my kids and grandkids about.

HealthEquity: This is amazing. Your energy is contagious. Let’s get into the 10 questions so everyone can get to know you a little better.

10 questions with Steve Lindsay, EVP Sales and Relationship Management

1. What was your first job and what is your role now?

I earned my first paycheck from a company at age 14 by detasseling corn near my childhood home in Burnsville, Minnesota. Height was the main requirement for employment. Are you tall enough to reach the tassels? You’re hired! (Laughs) I’ll tell you something, it was hard work for minimum wage. We caught the bus at 6 a.m. and worked all day. But I like hard work. And I’m grateful to my parents for teaching me how to get things done with both consistency and persistency.

All these years later, my role now is EVP of Sales and Relationship Management. I’m proud of the work we do for so many reasons, but especially because I know that we’re the best team in our industry at building savings. That top position matters because I want as many people as possible to have access to the solutions we offer.

2. What is your guiding principle or North Star?

I live by the Golden Rule—do unto others as you would have others do unto you. I wish to be abundant in my giving and service to others. That’s where I find fulfillment.

3. HealthEquity has a strong commitment to deliver a remarkable experience—how are we continuing to improve in this area?

I think we’re getting better and better at consistently delivering remarkable service. It begins with every HealthEquity teammate and translates into our culture.

Simply put, culture is the sum of each of our behaviors day in and day out. It’s why culture is so powerful—together we are a force to be reckoned with. We have proven that.

I have seen and heard heartfelt service delivered across our company in the form of education, expertise, and innovations that contribute to the HealthEquity customer and team member experience. I love how we continue to improve upon it via big initiatives like Commit to Purple, Mozart, and our card project, as well as small efforts across many teams. It is of real value to our customers of all types including members, clients, brokers, and health plan and retirement plan partners.

One of the best ways to strengthen your culture is by hiring effectively and purposefully. We’ve done a really good job of hiring people that are innately wired to serve (educate, lift, guide, etc.), share expertise and experience that creates value, and who are fun and engaging. What I’ve seen is that the real magic, aka being remarkable, happens when we collaborate to accomplish amazing things together.

The first example that comes to mind is the almost all-encompassing work done to migrate platforms. So many people participated in that work for several years and some of it is still happening. The collaboration across so many teams in building, communicating, reviewing, executing, negotiating, etc. was absolutely incredible. And while difficult on so many levels, it has created value by creating opportunities that we otherwise would not have.

Another example that comes to mind is finalist meetings. I get to see teams come together frequently to present to prospective clients and partners. Like our prospective customers, I get to share and hear the expertise of our team first-hand and see the reactions and response from customers. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to represent all of us at HealthEquity. Because of our collective strengths, our teams have confidence in making commitments that matter. And we win so frequently that we serve a greater and greater portion of our market each year. That work that we all contribute to translates into more than a million American families added to the HealthEquity customer base each year! So cool! Think of how many people that is!

I could give so many examples. I see them every day, but mercifully, I will only share one more: our annual HealthEquity Client Summit. One of my favorite parts of that event was a panel discussion with clients we recognized for awards in areas like innovation and engagement. It was incredible to listen to stories and expertise of large companies who have partnered with us for years. I watched benefits leaders take notes so they could bring the knowledge back to their organizations.

Building a remarkable experience doesn’t just happen in one direction. We make an effort to share knowledge in all directions. Sharing best practices of innovative actions that make life better for Americans is a rising tide that lifts all boats. Seriously, who doesn’t get fired up about this stuff?

4. What advice do you have for people just starting out in their career?

First and foremost, get clear on what you want to give and the difference you want to make. Find a company that aligns to your personal values and get excited. Then give it your all. Go all in while learning and developing with people and work that makes that difference.

And then, second, think huge. Believe that you can be part of making a difference in the world. Surround yourself with exceptional people that make that difference while also helping you want to be your best every day…and give that back to them!

5. What would surprise people to know about you?

Most people know me as a laid back, kind, happy person. And it’s true. That’s who I am. But I’m also very competitive. I love to race cars. I get very focused and competitive on a racetrack. It takes intense focus and execution…mmmmm, and the symphony of a high-performance engine doing its thing, so exhilarating.

I actually have to work on toning down my competitiveness. (Laughs) For example, over time I learned to stop trying to beat my kids at games all the time and to just spend time with them as a good dad.

6. What is a defining moment in your life?

I have many defining moments, but I’ll share one that happened early in my career—about 7 years in—when I led an HR team. A colleague saw me working late again and she bluntly and boldly told me, “I know you’re having an affair!” She knew me well enough to know that would pierce me to my core. After a pause, she added, “An affair with your work.” She then left me to stew in my own juices on that thought. I knew she cared about me and that her intent was good.

That night I talked with my wife until 3 a.m. about what changes I would make. It’s been so good. I look back at the changes I made, and I don’t have any regrets about prioritizing family over work. In fact, I’m so grateful about times when I took time away from work to be with my family. I still have work to do on that, but I’m getting better and better about it.

7. What book influenced you in your professional life?

Hands down, scripture, the Bible and the Book of Mormon are the most important books in both my personal and professional life. Scripture, and specifically stories of Jesus, grounds me, inspires me in my giving, and guides me to be a better leader.

And then, I have to recommend The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First by my friend and mentor, Stephen R. Covey. His lessons about principle-centered leadership are foundational to how I operate and think. I also rely on the advice in Good to Great by Jim Collins.

8. What cause is closest to your heart?

Giving is important to me. Causes closest to my heart are helping people who are rebuilding lives after surviving sex trafficking, feeding the hungry, and restoring teeth/smiles. I volunteer at organizations like Dahlia’s Hope, Smiles for Life, and The Road Home. These groups give hope and strengthen individuals and families to become self-reliant despite very significant obstacles. I also support Friends Against Domestic Violence and the Utah Food Bank.

9. What’s your favorite part of helping clients and members reach their goals?

My favorite part is what I learn when I actively listen to clients, partners, and members about their goals. It’s exciting because at HealthEquity we have so many products and services to help them clarify and then achieve their goals. We can meaningfully help them. My team and our company are absolutely committed to delivering market-leading measurable value that matters to our customers. That’s key.

It’s motivating and inspiring to see people light up when they hear our solutions and real answers to their challenges. These people are as passionate about helping their stakeholders (usually their teams) as we are. It’s a blast to innovate together.

10. What absolutely excites you right now about HealthEquity?

The capability, collaboration, and care of our team, and our ever-growing ability to make a difference for American families is exciting. Our collective efforts are working! People are saving more because we exist. And we’re getting better and better at delivering on our mission. Hold onto your hats because we are driving hard on product innovation. The spirit of innovation at HealthEquity is alive and focused on helping real people with real challenges. Let’s go!!!