At Pearl Health, we talk a lot about owning your craft — but also about the importance of curiosity, collaboration, and constantly learning from the people around you. Sophie Bennett, who’s been with us for over a year and a half, is a shining example of that mindset. Based in New York and working on our Growth Solutions team, Sophie brings clarity, strategy, and a little behind-the-scenes magic to every new partnership we make.
We sat down with Sophie to hear more about her journey to Pearl, what her day-to-day looks like, and how she helps build thoughtful, lasting relationships with our partners — one proposal at a time.
Let’s start with the basics — how would you describe what you do?
I’m on our Growth Solutions team, which means I spend most of my time partnering with our sales team to shape proposals that meet customer needs while staying aligned with our internal strategy. I usually say, “I work with salespeople — I do all the nerdy stuff behind the scenes.” My family thinks it’s mostly spreadsheets, and honestly, they’re not entirely wrong!
What brought you to Pearl in the first place?
Before Pearl, I was in life sciences consulting. I knew I wanted to stay in healthcare, but I also really wanted to work somewhere smaller — a place where I could have more agency and ownership over my work. The Growth Solutions role really resonated with me because it felt like the perfect mix: I’d get to work with clients, partner closely with sales, and still think strategically. Then when I met the team, everyone just seemed so kind, collaborative, and genuinely invested in each other. It felt like the right fit.
How would you describe the people at Pearl?
People here are incredibly smart and curious. I love seeing how folks from different backgrounds approach problems and share ideas. I’ve learned so much just by working alongside them. And on top of that, people are genuinely friendly and fun to be around — it makes such a difference.
So when deals come through, how do you and the team get involved?
Usually it starts with feedback from the sales team — they’ll bring in insights from customer conversations, especially when a customer is looking for something a little different from our typical offerings. That’s where my team steps in. We assess whether there’s a strong business case internally and how to translate that into dollars and cents. We also look at what that would mean for the terms of the deal and whether we need to adjust our approach.
Sometimes that work supports early-stage proposals. Other times, especially as we approach CMS deadlines, we’re involved in negotiations — helping determine where we can be flexible and where we need to hold the line.
Do you ever join those customer calls directly?
I do! And I really enjoy it. While a lot of my work is focused on the numbers, being in those conversations helps me understand the full picture — what the customer is actually dealing with, what challenges they’re facing, and what their goals are. It helps me see how they’re evaluating their options, and it’s a reminder that there’s always more to a deal than just the math.
Sounds like there’s a lot of psychology involved, too.
Definitely. My manager, Chris, and I talk about this a lot — are we actually hearing what the customer is trying to say? Sometimes it’s easy to respond with a list of terms or numbers, but that might not be what they’re struggling with. The best conversations are the ones where we listen closely and respond with empathy.
Have you ever uncovered a need that a client didn’t even know they had?
Yes! One example stands out. We were working with a potential client who hadn’t really considered how re-benchmarking would affect their ACO. We were able to show them not only the impact of re-benchmarking but also how benchmarks differ across programs. That insight significantly changed the structure of their proposal — and ultimately, their decision to partner with Pearl. It was a great example of how we can show up not just as collaborators, but as actuarial experts who help our clients see around corners.
If you could swap jobs with someone at Pearl for a day, who would it be?
Ciara [Pearl’s Chief of Staff], for sure. I’ve told her this before! The people she works with and the conversations she’s a part of are so dynamic and interesting — I think it would be such a fun and different perspective.
From navigating the complexities of value-based care contracts to finding creative ways to meet partner needs, Sophie’s work sits at the heart of how we build meaningful relationships at Pearl. She brings rigor, empathy, and a great sense of humor to everything she does — and we’re lucky to have her on the team.
We’re expanding in several functions, including engineering, marketing, operations, and legal. Interested in joining our team? Check out opportunities on our Careers Page.
