NASBP Meets the Podcast Age with “Let’s Get Surety” Program

You’ve heard the phrase “timing is everything.” Well, launching NASBP’s new podcast program was not a result of the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, but its timing did happen to coincide with its onset. In fact, exploratory efforts to create a podcast program began late summer last year. The current work remotely from home environment, however, underscores the fortunate timing of its debut.

The podcast program, called “Let’s Get Surety: Let Me Hear Your Bonding Talk,” an allusion to a memorable Olivia Newton John song from the 80s, debuted in March and is intended to bring regular information about current surety issues and topics to listeners. Although NASBP had already taped programs for issuance, once the COVID-19 crisis hit, NASBP went back to the studio to tape podcasts focused on COVID-19 issues for surety professionals and their clients. Recent episodes with a COVID-19 focus have included: “Steps for Contractors to Take Now and Rundown of Federal Relief Programs To-Date,” with guest Jack Callahan, CPA and Partner with CohnReznick; “Surety In This New World: Focusing on the People and Moving Forward,” with guest Peter Quinn, Sr. Vice President, Major Markets – Surety, Crum & Forester; “Making the Case for the Value of Electronic Bonding,“ with guest Corban Enns, Area Vice President, Surety Solutions, an Arthur J. Gallagher Company; “Taking A Closer Look at Force Majeure Clauses in Today’s Environment,” with guest Michael Zisa, Chair – Surety and Construction Related Insurance Defense, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.. Flexibility is one of the advantages of producing a podcast program. Podcasts also offer listeners the opportunity to get industry-specific information in an informal, discussion format, at their convenience. For example, listeners can tune in from their Amazon Alexa and Siri apps. The duration of most podcast episodes are approximately 20 minutes.

NASBP podcast episodes are free and available to anyone interested in the subject matter. Bi-monthly episodes are released on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. There is a website, letsgetsurety.org, where you can learn about the podcast series, find the latest podcast episodes, including summary descriptions, and access links to where episodes can be downloaded, such as from Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Of course, NASBP podcasts are also available from NASBP’s learning website, SuretyLearn.

The advent of the NASBP podcast program, “Let’s Get Surety,” is an extension of NASBP’s multi-year effort to raise the visibility of and to increase discussions around surety bonding through the Be Guaranteed to Succeed campaign and through NASBP communications, such as Surety Bond Quarterly and NASBP SmartBrief. NASBP wants surety information to be easily accessible to the surety community and beyond, such as to public and private obligees, advisors, principals, and others, and in a variety of formats, as each person has his or her preference for receiving such information.

Kat Shamapande, NASBP’s Director, Professional Development, whom I have dubbed the “Voice” of NASBP, has been instrumental in developing “Let’s Get Surety” and serves as the host of “Let’s Get Surety,” and I and other staff will take turns co-hosting different episodes. As NASBP builds out its podcast series, suggestions for topics and guests are welcomed, and all suggestions can be forwarded to Kat at kshamapande@nasbp.org.

I hope the podcast, like its name, Let’s Get Surety, is an enticing way to bring the message of surety to a broader audience.