Happy Friday, and welcome to the Employee Spotlight series! This week, we are featuring Andrew Brandenburg. Andrew is the Regional Vice President of Sales at SpendMend and joined the team about two years ago! When asked why he looks forward to coming to work every day, he stated, “It’s important for me to know that the work I do impacts others in a positive way. I know that any project I sign for SpendMend will positively impact patients at hospitals across the country. This is my biggest motivator and what I get most excited about when working for SpendMend.” Andrew lives in Castle Rock, CO, but grew up in St. Louis, MO. He attended Lindenwood University and received his MBA in Project Management. For his Bachelor’s, he studied finance, and he chose to study those two fields because they aligned with the career positions he aspired for in the future. During the workday, Andrew listens to a podcast called The Joe Rogan Experience. Andrew enjoys the podcast discussions, and there are guest speakers who cover different topics! The episodes Andrew recommends to people feature Andrew Huberman or Jordan Peterson. A fun fact about Andrew is that he has played the guitar for about 20 years! He started to learn guitar because the youth Bible camp he volunteered at needed a new worship leader. Andrew stepped up to the plate and helped with the ministry throughout high school and college! Andrew’s favorite type of music to play is country, pop, and worship music. What he likes most about playing is the emotions and feelings that music brings out in people. Check out the full interview below to learn more about Andrew’s guitar experience! Another fun fact about Andrew is that he loves to go biking. His favorite part about biking is challenging himself to beat his best time. He also enjoys the serenity – to think or listen to music or a book during his rides. His favorite place to bike is downtown Castle Rock. An extensive bike trail goes through downtown, and it has incredible scenery!
Andrew does a fantastic job as Regional Vice President of Sales. We asked Teri Harkins, VP of Strategic Accounts and Client Value, about Andrew, and she said, “Andrew is passionate about his work at SpendMend and loves his role as a sales professional. Andrew brings a wealth of industry experience and a fresh perspective. He’s a great team member and always willing to help in any way he can.” We are so grateful to have Andrew on the SpendMend team!
Interview with Andrew:
What is your role at SpendMend?
Regional VP of Sales
How long have you been with SpendMend?
Two years
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
I worked for a competitor for seven years, and after leaving that company, several SpendMend employees contacted me and asked me to consider coming to SpendMend.
What three words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Consistent, Exciting, Personable
Where are you located/from?
I’m in Castle Rock, CO, but I grew up in St. Louis, MO.
Where did you go for higher education?
I went to Lindenwood University for my MBA in Project Management.
What did you study and why?
I studied Finance for my Bachelor’s. I chose those two fields to study because I knew I could use them in the positions I was interested in working my way up to in my career.
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
It’s important for me to know that the work I do impacts others in a positive way. I know that any project I sign for SpendMend will positively impact patients at hospitals across the country. This is my biggest motivator and what I get most excited about when working for SpendMend.
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I worked in banking for eight years, and I loved talking to people from the community every day. What made it most interesting was all the weird and scary stories that people felt comfortable telling me while I helped them with their financials. At one point, the FBI showed up at my branch and had me give testimony on one of my customers!
What is one fun fact about you?
I have played guitar for 20 years and am a worship leader at my church.
What piqued your interest in playing guitar?
I started playing guitar because the youth Bible camp I volunteered at during the summer needed a new worship leader. So, I learned guitar and helped with that ministry all through high school and college.
What is your favorite type of music to play, and why?
My favorite type of music to play lately has been country music. I do like pop music and worship music.
Do you enjoy playing the guitar with people or by yourself?
I like playing by myself mostly, but I don’t mind playing in front of people.
What do you love the most about playing?
What I like most about playing guitar is that music has the ability to move people. So, playing when you’re down or happy can actually amplify your feelings or help you work through them.
Have you ever played live at an event like your church? If so, please provide more details or stories!
The largest event I played my guitar and sang at was a church conference with about 1,000 people. It was really neat!
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
I listen to all kinds of music, from classical to rap and hip hop! I do listen mostly to classic rock when I’m at the gym. A podcast I listen to all the time is The Joe Rogan Experience.
What kind of podcast is The Joe Rogan Experience?
Joe Rogan hosts the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, and he invites all types of people onto his show.
What are your favorite topics discussed in the podcast?
The purpose is for him to invite people who are experts in certain topics that he’s learning about or interested in.
What do you enjoy the most about the podcasts?
What I enjoy most about the podcast is that Joe invites people he agrees and disagrees with onto the show to learn. I think our society needs to be more like that and be willing to listen to everyone again.
Is there a particular episode that you would recommend?
Any episode with Andrew Huberman or Jordan Peterson has been amazing!
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
My biggest hobby is weightlifting and biking. I do these things every day. An activity I participate in weekly is helping at my church’s children’s program. It definitely keeps me young!
When did you start biking for fun, and why?
I started biking when I moved out to Colorado in 2021. I started because hiking out here at the altitude is very difficult, and I needed to implement more cardio so I could go hiking!
What is your favorite part about biking?
My favorite part of biking is timing yourself and trying to beat your best time. I also love being able to listen to music or a book and have the opportunity to think and process things going on.
What is the most challenging?
The most challenging aspect is going uphill! Colorado has TONS of hills, and they don’t make it easy to go for a bike ride.
Where is your favorite place to go biking?
My favorite place to bike is downtown Castle Rock. They have a large bike trail that goes through downtown and the surrounding areas, and it’s paved well with great scenery.
Who do you interact with?
Clients and potential clients
Can you describe an interaction when you helped a client or a supplier that stands out in your mind?
One of my favorite stories from this year was when I talked to a prospect about how SpendMend is different from its competitors. This prospect had a horrific experience with a competitor and was worried that working with any firm would be just as bad. I was able to convince them to give SpendMend a chance, and within a few months, they contacted me and told me that I was right! Since then, we’ve outperformed our initial estimates, and the client is incredibly happy.
What was the best compliment you’ve ever been paid by a client or supplier?
I had a client say that they wouldn’t work with any other firm that I wasn’t at. They said, “Wherever Andrew is, that’s who I want to work with. I trust him and know he will be honest.”
What is the best part of serving the healthcare market?
Knowing that my work positively impacts people in their most stressful and painful moments.
Do you want to shout out a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
Dave Hewitt has been there from the beginning and was the person who suggested that SpendMend pursue having me come on board. Since then, he’s been the leader of all the Profit Recovery VPs, and he’s been the true definition of an advocate for me. I truly appreciate all he does for the company and for me.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
Be adaptable and willing to learn. SpendMend is growing, and you will want to be able to grow with the company and benefit from new opportunities that will come.
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
Signing new clients that the company hasn’t been able to work with for many years or at all before.
What is something you’re looking forward to in the future at SpendMend?
Growing and learning. We are expanding our offering of solutions all the time, and it’s so fun to learn about the new services and how they impact hospitals and their patients.