The Ontario Broker - Volume 22, Issue 5 - 39

Please tell us about yourself, your company and your
career in insurance.
I'm incredibly proud and fortunate to be part of the third generation
of my family to own and operate our brokerage. I've been in the
insurance industry and at Staebler for over 15 years now, and I've held
many positions from HR & Operations Assistant to Commercial Service
Team Leader to Business Development and beyond. In January 2020, I
became a mom and striking that balance between your home and work
life has been a challenge that I will no doubt be working on for the rest
of my life. However, it brought into perspective the balance that all
working parents have to strike and emphasized how important it is that
our profession and work support our lives rather than hinder them.
What advice has helped you along your career path?
I have benefited from so much good advice along the way, not to
mention the tough lessons learned. The most helpful advice I have
is to be humble. Of course, it's so important to have confidence in
your abilities, intelligence, skill, and value, but always remember to
be humble and kind. Socrates was credited with saying, the only true
wisdom is knowing you know nothing. I think Socrates had it right. Stay
humble, and remember that you cannot know everything. Let that
knowledge drive you to ask questions, grow, and continuously learn.
What are three pieces of advice you would give to
women in the workplace?
1. Know what you want. Do the work and know clearly what you
want for your career and future. You'll have to make decisions in
your career and I believe it's easier when you have clarity on what
you want-the kind of leader you want to be, the legacy you want to
leave, the values that are important to you, the things you enjoy, and
the things you're good at or not so good at.
2. Put up your hand. Offer your time and expertise, apply for
committees or positions, raise your hand and raise your voice. Ask
for those roles and responsibilities you want. Do not hesitate to put
yourself forward or say it out loud. No one can help or support you if
they do not know what you need or want.
3. Err on the side of kindness. This is a piece of advice my mother
gave me, and it has served me well. When you are presented
with a choice, err on the side of kindness. Whenever you can, be
considerate and generous. You will never look back and think oh,
I wish I had been less kind. In any situation, the kindest route is a
good place to start.
Looking back, what has been the most rewarding
part of your career?
I have found it most rewarding to get involved in industry groups
and associations outside our brokerage, such as the IBAO's Young
Brokers Council and my local affiliate, the Insurance Brokers Association
of Waterloo Region (IBAWR). It's been rewarding to connect with my
industry peers and talk shop or debate hot topics. I've shared my
perspective with others and learned from colleagues with different
experiences than mine. I have grown my network and have so
many connections and built relationships that I can reach out to for
advice and insight, which they readily and freely offer. The broker
channel is such a supportive and collaborative place. Although we are
competitors, we are open and willing to help each other.
What keeps you excited about going to work every day?
Making a real difference. At Staebler, we take a lot of pride in having
a robust in-house training program that allows us to bring in new
team members with no prior insurance experience or education. We
have so many stories of people who joined our team with no previous
insurance experience and have become successful brokers and
leaders in our organization. It's wonderful to introduce others to this
profession because we really do important work. This is something
our industry has to offer-meaningful work, making a real difference,
caring, compassion, integrity, and advocacy. Insurance brokers are the
gladiators of the industry! We go to battle every day for our people.
What is the most challenging aspect of your business?
It is hard to choose the most challenging thing because it can
depend on the day and the context, but one of the most challenging
aspects of our business is the people. Our customers have a variety of
needs, interests, and styles. Our team has a variety of strengths, skills,
and wants. Our business partners have a variety of considerations,
strategies, and demands. It is a constant challenge to respond to all
the people involved-to guide and support them, engage and motivate
them, and negotiate and work with them. So, the people are both
the most enjoyable and the most challenging aspect of our business,
consistently.
How do you stay on top of the ever-changing world
of insurance?
I find it helpful to have peers and colleagues around me that are
just as passionate about the world of insurance as I am. When you
are passionate about something, you think about it, read about it,
talk about it, and you're interested in it. You use your network to stay
plugged into what is happening in the industry, and have a healthy
curiosity about our profession, and what is new and exciting.
What habit did you develop that was most helpful to
you throughout your career?
Using my calendar faithfully! I have dropped enough balls in my
life that I am now obsessive about putting things in my calendar. And
not just meetings. If I have to prepare a document or read and sign a
contract, I put it in my calendar. If I want to watch a video or listen to a
podcast, I put it in my calendar. When I have a meeting, I'll put it in my
calendar along with timeslots for travelling back and forth. It doesn't
mean I always get to things, but at least if it's in my calendar, it's on my
radar, and I have a plan to get it done. And you know what they say-if
you fail to plan then you plan to fail! So make a plan, and put it in your
calendar.
VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 5
39
The Ontario Broker - Volume 22, Issue 5

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