The Messaging Evolution of Parento: Why Leading with Insurance Innovation Failed (And What Worked Instead)

Technical innovation can be seductive, especially when you’re the only one offering it. But as Parento discovered, being first doesn’t matter if you’re speaking the wrong language. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, founder Dirk Doebler revealed how pivoting their messaging from insurance innovation to emotional resonance transformed their market penetration.

The Initial Approach

When Parento launched, they led with their technical differentiator. “When we first launched, were heavily focused on the insurance because that company was a cheap innovation of military insurance in the market. You cannot buy it for anybody else. We’re the only one with it,” Dirk explains.

With his background in finance, this approach seemed logical. However, they quickly discovered a fundamental disconnect: “My background, finance, I got it right away. But were primarily not talking to finance during a sales process initially. We’re primarily talking to HR initially, and the final conversation didn’t resonate with them as much.”

The Pivot Point

This realization forced a complete rethinking of their messaging strategy. Rather than leading with the insurance innovation, they began emphasizing how their solution enabled better employee experiences. “What we’ve had to do is shift their conversation around the fact that insurance enabled your paid parental leave, and it does so in a budget friendly way,” Dirk shares.

The key was recognizing that while finance teams cared about the insurance mechanics, HR leaders were motivated by something more personal. Many had experienced parental leave challenges themselves, creating an emotional connection to the problem Parento was solving.

Finding the Emotional Core

This insight led to a dual messaging strategy. As Dirk explains, “For finance, we need to convince you that paid parentally is a worthwhile investment… But you as HR going to care about the most is our employee experience.”

They began emphasizing their wraparound services and support system, particularly when speaking with HR leaders. “We’re simplifying the paperwork and the administration, we’re helping them file for short term disability if they’re paid, mom being parental leave, or if they have a family policy in a certain state.”

The Personal Connection

The power of this approach lay in its ability to connect with HR leaders’ personal experiences. “These are mostly HR leaders, more senior they’re more likely to have kids and bank was autistic. Who then more likely to be moms,” Dirk notes. This allowed them to “lean it back to probably the bad experience that HR leader had when they were welcoming their kids.”

Results and Validation

The messaging pivot yielded impressive results. “We see over two thirds of parents who are having a kid using our support program,” Dirk shares. “And then when they do they’re using about 13 hours of support on average.” This high engagement rate validated their shift from technical features to emotional benefits.

Most remarkably, they achieved a 95 NPS score in an industry where customer satisfaction is notoriously low. This success came from understanding that while insurance innovation got them in the door, emotional resonance drove adoption and satisfaction.

The Broader Learning

For B2B founders, Parento’s experience offers a valuable lesson about the limits of technical differentiation. While having unique technology or capabilities is important, messaging needs to connect with the human experiences and emotions driving purchase decisions.

Their journey shows that even in highly technical B2B sales, buying decisions often have a strong emotional component. The key is understanding your audience deeply enough to know when to lead with innovation and when to focus on the human impact of your solution.

As Parento continues to evolve, they’re maintaining this balanced approach, positioning themselves as both a technical innovator and a partner in supporting employee wellbeing. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most powerful messaging isn’t about what makes your product unique, but how it connects with your customers’ lived experiences.