The Ontario Broker - August 2019 - 6

THE IMPORTANCE OF
ENGAGING YOUNG TALENT
But it was a huge oversight on my part. Although too late to
be a real YBCer, this second chance has shown me what I
missed out on all those years.

I'

YBC Council's purpose is to encourage the long-term
success of young brokers by enhancing leadership qualities
and building a strong network. Anyone who's been in the
industry for any length of time understands the value of
networking-the more connections you have, the more
rewarding your career. Until you build that network, your
job as a broker is just a job.

BY CASANDRA HASS
TERRITORY 6 DIRECTOR, IBAO

ve had the pleasure of being YBC Liaison on
IBAO's Board of Directors for the last two and a
half years. I have the honour of overseeing IBAO's
Young Brokers Council by participating in YBC
meetings and attending YBC Conference every
June. It's also my duty to make sure Team Leads fulfill their
roles and responsibilities and to oversee executive elections.

But once you understand that other brokers experience the
same challenges, and once you build meaningful industry
relationships, you begin to see your job as a career. What
I've learned over the years is that there's nothing more
rewarding than branching out to build relationships with
people across this industry.
So how does a new broker build that network?

Prior to joining IBAO's Board of Directors, I had very
little exposure to YBC. I started at my family's brokerage
at the age of 18. I'd heard of YBC but didn't understand
how it might help me, and never thought the cost of the
conference was worth it given our small brokerage.

This year IBAO hosted its annual YBC Conference early
June with over 120 young brokers in attendance. It opened
with a speed networking party where attendees met the
people they'd be spending the next few days with. Day
two hosted a Pitch to Win competition where Personal
& Commercial Lines teams met prospective clients and
developed sales pitches to win their business. The evening
was a company/partner tradeshow, and the final day we
heard from insurance company execs on how to survive a
hard market and drive innovation in a traditional industry.
Every component of this conference helped young brokers
make connections and build their future network to thrive
in this industry.

ALTHOUGH TOO LATE
TO BE A REAL YBCER,
THIS SECOND CHANCE
HAS SHOWN ME WHAT
I MISSED OUT ON ALL
THOSE YEARS.

AUGUST 2019

If you're a young broker, I strongly encourage you to get
involved with YBC and attend YBC Conference to jump
start your career.
If you're a Manager or Principal Broker, what better reward
for your young brokers? Encourage them to think bigger.
As experienced brokers, we owe the next generation this
opportunity to learn and grow, and fall in love with their
career like we did.

6

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The Ontario Broker - August 2019

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