Brandon Rodman
Co-Founder & CEO
Previ
Episode 240
Beyond Salary: Unlocking Immediate Employee Wealth Through AI-Driven Savings
Current chapter: This podcast is presented by Previ. Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern among employees
Built By PeopleApril 8, 2025 · 15:38
Thesis
“Previ aims to revolutionize employee benefits by providing direct, tangible savings on everyday expenses and premium products, acting as an immediate 'raise' for employees. This approach seeks to establish Previ as a foundational benefit, as critical as health insurance or 401(k), but focused on improving current financial well-being through an AI-powered platform.”
Show notes
Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern among employees in the United States. Not career development. Not manager relationships. Day-to-day financial survival. Brandon Rodman noticed that gap — and built Previ to close it.
The spark came during a period of serious inflation, when Brandon started thinking about what an employer could actually do to put more money in employees' pockets without raising salaries. The answer he landed on: use the collective buying power of an entire employer's workforce to unlock pricing that individual consumers could never access on their own. Cell phone plans, auto insurance, essential services — the categories that eat the most from a monthly paycheck. Previ negotiates those prices down and makes them available through the employer as a free benefit. The average employee saves $2,200 per year. The employer pays nothing to launch it.
He's also building for what comes next: "The Drop," a monthly curated selection of premium products available at exclusive prices for Previ members. And AI is increasingly central to the vision — analyzing spending patterns, surfacing personalized savings opportunities, and making financial wellness feel less like a generic benefit and more like a tool that knows you. Brandon's ambition is to make Previ as foundational as health insurance or 401(k) — not a perk, but an expected, essential part of what a good employer offers. For HR leaders looking for their easiest win of the year, he makes the case compellingly.
- The problem Previ solves — why financial stress on everyday expenses is the overlooked crisis in employee well-being
- How the pricing model works — leveraging employer-scale buying power to unlock employee pricing on premium brands
- "The Drop" and the product roadmap — monthly curated deals and where the Previ experience is headed
- AI-powered financial wellness — how Previ uses AI to personalize savings recommendations for individual employees
- Why this is the easiest HR win of the year — free to launch, minutes to implement, immediate employee impact
What you'll take away
- 1Prioritizing employee financial well-being through direct savings on essential expenses can offer a significant, immediate 'raise' that resonates deeply with employees.
- 2Innovative benefits that are free for employers, quick to implement, and genuinely excite employees represent an 'easy win' for HR leaders looking to demonstrate immediate value.
- 3Leveraging scale and a direct-to-employee distribution channel can unlock exclusive pricing for premium products and services, creating a unique and highly valued benefit.
- 4While traditional benefits like 401(k) focus on future financial security, there's a significant opportunity for benefits that provide immediate, tangible relief and excitement in employees' daily lives.
- 5AI can enhance benefits by helping employees analyze their spending patterns and identify further savings opportunities, making financial wellness more personalized and effective.
What most organizations get wrong
- •I wouldn't say benefits are broken. I would just say that Benefits were never an exciting space. Benefits have always been crucial to helping employees... but every single year when it came time for renew your health insurance, it was never an exciting time.
In Brandon's words
“Previ, it's an AI-powered employee benefit, and we are bringing employee pricing on premium brands to employees everywhere.”
This quote concisely defines Previ's core offering and highlights its technological foundation.
“What I really loved were the employees. You can't build a company without a team of people that believe, and I kept thinking of how can I give back to the employees everywhere?”
This reveals the foundational, empathetic motivation behind starting Previ, centered on valuing the workforce.
“I don't look at it that we're trying to disrupt anybody. I look at it as there's an opportunity that no one's really gone after the way that we want to, and we want to join and have Previ be as big of a benefit as health insurance is, as a 401(k) is.”
This clarifies Previ's market positioning, aiming to be a fundamental, rather than merely disruptive, benefit.
“This feels like magic. How are you making money? You must be selling my data.”
This quote illustrates the initial surprise and perceived 'magic' of Previ's value proposition, highlighting its unique approach.
“Previ is the easiest win an HR leader is going to get all year. Literally, we charge nothing to a company... and they can launch the benefit to their employees in minutes.”
This provides a compelling, actionable sales pitch emphasizing ease of implementation and zero cost for employers.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Employee financial stress: 'Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern among employees.' (0:29) - Employees are heavily burdened by everyday costs, impacting their overall well-being and productivity.
- •Lack of 'exciting' and immediate employee benefits: 'Benefits were never an exciting space... employees deserve something that is truly exciting.' (4:00) - Employers struggle to offer benefits that provide immediate, tangible value and generate enthusiasm among their workforce, beyond long-term planning.
- •Complexity and cost of implementing new benefits for employers: 'We charge nothing to a company... they can launch the benefit to their employees in minutes.' (14:20) - HR leaders face significant hurdles in budget allocation and administrative overhead for new benefit programs.
- •Impact of inflation on employee purchasing power: 'inflation was going crazy.. we should try to help employees save more of their paycheck.' (3:08) - Companies are challenged to help their employees maintain financial stability amidst rising living costs.
In this episode
This podcast is presented by Previ. Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern among employees
Built by People
Previ is an AI-powered employee benefit that helps employees save money
Brandon Boyd on Previ's AI-Powered Employee Benefit
Previ overhauls traditional benefits to help employees at employee-friendly prices
Reveal: The Future of Employee Benefits
Previ helps employees save money on cell phone service and home insurance
Previ's mission: To Save Money on Employee Benefits
Previ is an employer benefit that can be launched in minutes
Previ: The Business of Selling Data
Brandon, Previ's taken some bold swings and how did it play out
Previ's Risky Move
Previ is the easiest win an HR leader is going to get all year
Previ: The Easiest HR Win Ever
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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