Tell us about the professional journey that took you where you are today. What major lessons did you learn along the way?
They say you get into insurance one of two ways: through a family member or completely on accident. I fell into the latter category. By junior year of college, I was so excited to embark on my first internship in what I thought was going to be health insurance related, as I was looking to start a career in healthcare management. The company I interned with didn’t even have health insurance, but they did introduce me to commercial insurance, which would ultimately become my industry of choice. The lesson there was first do your research, and if you don’t, maintain confidence and fake it till you make it. The most valuable lesson through that experience was don’t turn down a challenge, face it head on and power through with intention and ambition. Those lessons allowed me to take on new challenges ultimately making my way to Founder Shield.
What motivates you?
My immediate circle, whether that be friends, co-workers, family. I am most motivated by the people around me. As the oldest of 5 kids, I have always been a trailblazer. As the first in my family to graduate college, I am striving to be an example of what you can achieve regardless of your background, and serve as a source of knowledge and wisdom. Nothing makes me prouder than to be able to help someone go down a similar path but without all the pitfalls and challenges I faced. To be able to create a better, more accessible experience with proper support and mentorship for those that come after me is the mission!
What does a typical day look like for you?
I have to have a schedule, or else…. Ideally, I start my day with an hour workout and stretch session followed by a smoothie or some oatmeal. I like to get started at the “virtual office” by 9. I make a point to carve out time to make lunch to avoid working through the day without any breaks. As a driven person, it is important to maintain balance between myself, friends/family, and work. If I don’t, I can’t help but try and give as much to others even if it leaves nothing for myself. That can lead to burn out, so now I set a specific schedule to hold myself accountable. It’s all about balance.
What are you most excited about these days?
Our growing business! We were just acquired and now we are going through the integration process. We are growing the CS team and I am taking so much joy in training the new hires and helping people find and develop themselves professionally. From our new platform to dealing with the challenges of combining with a public company, the acquisition is presenting all sorts of new situations and opportunities for innovation and growth.
