How Startup Culture Transforms Legacy Thinking

AWS Executive Insights

In this episode, we’re unpacking the remarkable cultural transformation of Guardian Life, a 165-year old insurance company that’s embracing startup thinking to drive innovation. Hear from Erin Culek, Head of Financial Protection and Retirement Solutions at Guardian, as she discusses how combining AI solutions with customer-centric innovation has dramatically improved the company’s service delivery, reducing four-week processes to near-instant results. Drawing from her experience leading both strategy and business operations, Culek shares how Guardian's "test and learn" culture combined with Amazon’s “two-pizza team” approach is accelerating digital transformation across the enterprise. From fostering a culture of experimentation to implementing transformative AI initiatives, this episode offers essential insights for leaders navigating legacy transformation. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about turning institutional wisdom into competitive advantage through startup thinking.