Caryn Cook

Caryn Cook has clear goals about how her business and life should operate to attempt to untangle the sometimes murky and complex healthcare industry. “I have risked it all, TWICE!” said Cook. With conviction and joy in her heart (as well as a titch of terror and an abundance of bootstrapping), she didn’t set out to change the game. She set out to obliterate the game. This mission to put people first and create an environment of win-win, was risky. Creating an environment where good talent could thrive, being unencumbered to do what they love all day, and be effective and efficient, sounded like the right thing to do. It sounded a lot like the formula for margin (and grace). The win=win! It turns out, that being called to serve those who relentlessly serve others all day, is not a risk at all. It’s an honor.


“Work hard, have fun, kick ass, win for our clients, run home, love on our families, REPEAT!” she said. “The fundamentals are what we rely on to demystify the very complex data sets of healthcare. It takes heart and stamina, as well as a battle-tested proprietary, methodical approach. If we want to bring clarity to the overburdened, multilayered, costly world of healthcare, we must not also overengineer the approach.

“It’s a matter of sifting through it, asking all the questions and mining the data until you see that golden opportunity. That $1 million or $2 million savings for our clients (go team!) comes when leaning into the foundational principle … doing what’s hard, makes life easy.”

Cook is the CEO of Genesys Health, an insurance and employee benefits consulting company. But the business is so much more than just that, Cook said. “At Genesys Health, we are in the business of changing lives!”

Cook has worked to move the Genesys Health brand beyond what she describes as stagnation and complacency in the industry, where the focus is on the bottom line and makes industry leaders fearful of change.
Genesys Health has studied what clients want and need and has built its mission and brand around those answers. It touts itself as a change agent, a women-owned operation “not afraid to embrace its femininity or ferocity for excellence.” It projects revenue to double or even triple in the coming year and beyond.

Cook grew up in a two-educator household and as a result, she values an education above all else. When education is met with intention, there is no limit to the possibilities, Cook says. “Infusing an environment with perpetual education is not for the faint of heart,” Cook said. “However, it is the gift that keeps on giving. It may seem like a sidenote to some, but not for me,” Cook said.

“Mentoring others, inherently creating succession plans, generating our next big idea is just something we do through the normal course of a day. Creating impact in EVERY conversation! Measurable in the bottom line, growth trajectory, retention (both employee and client). It’s reflected in the overall health of the company. Using our data-driven, people-first approach, it has been validated time and time again,” she said.