Interview: Claudia Schmiedhuber

How have you been throughout the pandemic?

Thankfully, I have been doing well during the pandemic and kept healthy. I am still living in Vienna, Austria, and recently moved to a new apartment, which was quite an adventure during lockdown. Since I have worked remotely for the past few years, fortunately the lockdowns didn’t really affect my daily routine, and I kept very busy with my roles with EURAMI and Alpine Health Consulting. Right now (September 2021), Austria is unfortunately seeing an increase in cases again and although a lot of people are already vaccinated and we are wearing masks in most public places, it seems like we will have some further restrictions soon again.

Have you started to travel for business again yet?

Are you looking forward to in-person events and meetings? Yes, I have recently had some business trips and it felt great to be up in the air and to meet people face to face again, so I can’t wait for conferences to start again and to see everyone! It has been way too long!

Speaking of business, you started your latest venture, Dare It, in 2019. What is the focus of the business, and how does it fit into the international travel and health insurance marketplace?

I founded Dare It Concept Solutions in 2019 as I had started to create innovative business concepts for companies within the aeromedical and healthcare industry. I always enjoyed thinking outside of the box and making companies stand out from the rest by adding value in a new way – I love being a first mover! Some of these concepts will be launched soon, and will definitely be a game changer for the industry, so keep an eye out for it!

In addition to Dare It Concepts, I have also got into marketing, which is why I just founded Dare It Marketing Solutions, which is focused on innovative marketing and branding within the global aeromedical and healthcare industry. It is the first specialised niche marketing company in the sector, so I am very excited to support companies in our industry with taking their marketing to the next level and helping them grow their brand and reputation. I was always of the opinion that it takes an expert from within the industry to create marketing that really works, as the aeromedical field is too complex and niche to work with generic techniques and content. I also know a lot of people see marketing and branding as a ‘waste of money’ with little to no return of investment, but in my experience, it has been the exact opposite – clients start noticing you as you stand out from the rest of the market, private payors find you first on Google, and your business develops authentically alongside your branding, which again leads to more market share and missions. The marketing and campaigns I have done so far have been very successful, so I am excited for many more to come!

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I love working creatively and making companies stand out and shine. There are so many new developments in this area and with new technologies, such as virtual reality and interactive marketing, you can really help companies take their branding to the next level. It is really amazing and satisfying to see the huge impact that the work I have done for clients so far has had on their visibility and perception in the market, with business growth and brand recognition front and centre.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to air ambulance companies seeking to build partnerships with insurance and assistance providers, what would it be?

Good question. I would probably say make sure you are authentic and honest when it comes to your branding, the services you offer and what clients can expect from you. Know who you are, and what you stand for. One of the most common reasons I see companies fail is because they promise things they cannot fulfill. They don’t manage the client’s expectations properly, which then leads to frustration on both ends. So, my advice would be:

• Make sure you are honest when it comes to your marketing and the way you promote your company

• Define what makes you different and stand out, and

• Never promise anything you cannot fulfill just to outshine your competition – it will definitely backfire in the long haul.