100 Women in Insurance

002: The Power of Networking with Bamishe Alao

Why is it so important to build a personal network within your company and across the industry early in your insurance career? What steps should you take to overcome a fear towards networking events? How can graduate schemes facilitate steady career progression?
In this episode, we’re thrilled to be speaking with Bamishe Alao, who is currently enrolled on the WTW CRB Graduate Programme, in the Director and Officers Liability team. In conversation with  Sandra Lewin, Bamishe explains the innerworkings of her graduate scheme and her reasoning behind pursuing an insurance career. Furthermore, she highlights the profound importance of establishing a broad network early in your career, thereby cementing professional connections that will follow you across your progression in the industry.
 
Quote of the Episode
“I think everyone should be networking at any point in their career. Whether you're trying to change industry, move into insurance, move your way up insurance, you have to just know how to… not market yourself, but put yourself out there. Because if no one knows who you are, how are you going to find opportunities for volunteering, or leadership roles, or anything besides your day-to-day role.”
Throughout the episode, Bamishe elucidates the importance of networking to cement your reputation in the industry. She also notes that networking will remain a vital skill across your insurance career, particularly if and when you decide to change roles or companies. The connections that you establish within your own company or at external networking events may prove to be vital if you later decide to pursue a new role. Immersing yourself in these networks will automatically open a lot of doors for you that you may otherwise not have even known existed.
 
Key Takeaways
During Bamishe’s three-week-long graduate induction, she attended three talks demonstrating how to conduct oneself at networking events. She argues that this training was fundamental to building her own personal network and in encouraging her to take up leadership positions in company networks. She highlights that joining a network early in one’s career is key, as this is when you have the most time to get involved in events and to build new connections. By immersing yourself in these networks whilst simultaneously cultivating your own personal network, your name becomes more broadly known across the industry, establishing your presence, after which it’s much easier to take a step back and embrace the opportunities that these connections can unlock.
Cultivating an extensive network in this way can sound daunting. If you have very few, or even no connections within the industry, it’s easy to feel like an outsider when attending networking events, or that your hierarchy within your company disqualifies you from making connections higher up the chain. However, Bamishe suggests that it’s crucial not to conflate your industry title or position with your individual value. She argues that the best way to approach networking events is to try and find common ground with whoever you might be speaking to. ‘How did you get into insurance?’ is always a great icebreaker, and asking general personal questions can be a great way to establish something in common with someone before veering into more business-oriented conversation. Focusing on who they are as a human being, first and foremost, is much more likely to lead to a fruitful personal and business relationship. That being said, you might not always be able to identify something in common with everyone, and that’s okay. You don’t need to overthink every networking attempt you make.
Your seniority (or lack thereof) within a company is never as important as your passion and commitment to your career. Bamishe argues, ‘don’t let anyone tell you that your experience is too little’ with regard to the goals you are pursuing. The connections you forge across your career may later become instrumental, and being headstrong and ambitious at networking events will only ever work in your favour. Bamishe highlights that there are several brokers whose entire jobs are managing relationships, because they know so many important industry figures who they met early in their careers, and who now maintain these connections in support of their company.
Bamishe is also a rising insurance TikTok star. She started making TikToks in order to demonstrate the fun aspects of working in insurance, an industry in which the opportunities for travel and socialising are too often downplayed. While not every part of an insurance career is glamorous, this is undoubtedly an excellent way of highlighting the fantastic opportunities that an insurance career can provide, and it may prove very powerful in drawing new young talent into our industry.
 
Best Moments/Key Quotes
‘I think insurance [carries] a negative narrative. But actually, work-life balance is one of the biggest benefits here.’
 
‘You'd never know what's out there until you go out and look for it. And a lot of people just don't think to look for it, which is why I think networking is so important.’
“You can't really form connections based on titles. I think it's more a case of, ‘Oh, we have something in common; we both study for these exams.’ If you're on an apprenticeship programme, you might find a grad doing the same exams. That's a great place to start.”
‘If you follow people's trajectories and careers, you can tell who was actively networking.’
‘If you're networking within the company, if you're helping to lead and execute event and seminars, it’s going to help your career by default.’
 
Resources
Bamishe’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bamishe55
 
About the Guest
Bamishe Alao is currently enrolled on the WTW CRB Graduate Programme working in the Director and Officers Liability Team. She was recently shortlisted for the Insurance Age Young Broker of the Year Award.
Bamishe’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bamishe-alao-cert-cii-244642194/
 
About the Host
Sandra Lewin started her career in insurance as a broker and has since taken on many different roles. Alongside being a host of this podcast "100 Women in Insurance", she also specializes in helping insurance businesses and professionals establish a social media presence, delivers change programs, and provides one-on-one coaching for women looking to take control of their careers and lives.
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and find out more: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sandralewin

001: Making Insurance Sexy with Mercy Komar

Are you unsure if you are entirely suited to your insurance role, and looking to make a change? Is the industry becoming more inclusive of women, and what can we do to further push these boundaries? What can we do to make insurance more appealing to the general public, and why is it important that we do so?
In this week’s episode, we are thrilled to be speaking with insurance’s self-proclaimed Cyber Diva, Mercy Komar! In conversation with  Sandra Lewin, Mercy emphasises the vast array of roles on offer within insurance, granting it a ‘sexy’ appeal for anyone looking to join the industry or who may wish to make a change whilst remaining in the same business. She argues that women are at a natural advantage for selling insurance, and that a key area for boosting equality across the industry must be in the increased appointment of women in sales roles.
 
Quote of the Episode
“You've got all kinds of different jobs in the insurance industry. Once you're in the industry, somebody will help you move into something else, if you're not happy where you are. If you're not happy with what you do, and you think it's [to do with] the business, then you should leave, because you're not ever going to be happy. But if you like the people, and you like generally like the business, just find another position. There's plenty of them!”
Mercy has worked in a wide range of insurance roles across her prodigious career. She highlights that one of the key benefits of our industry is that, having accrued an understanding of its innerworkings, you can seamlessly shift into different roles, thereby gaining new skills and experience. Sandra herself began her insurance career as a broker, before later realising that she works better behind the scenes in operations, and she was able to make that transition. If your dissatisfaction with your role is derived from your environment and the culture of the company you are working for, you should make a broader change. Conversely, if you are no longer finding satisfaction with your role, or believe that your skills could be better used elsewhere, consider having a chat within your business to identify what other roles you might be suited for.
 
Key Takeaways
If the prospect of exploring new roles in insurance sounds daunting, Mercy notes that there are thousands of women on LinkedIn who would be more than happy to help with any queries or concerns you might have in this regard. The platform offers a fantastic opportunity to network and connect with other women in the industry, particularly for those who don’t always have time to go to in-person networking events.
Mercy suggests that, while insurance continues to be male dominated, a key factor to facilitating future change is the need for more women to take up sales positions. She argues that sales can generate equality, as the centre of power within all insurance businesses, and the most visible and direct driving force of profit acquisition. Thus, the more women who get into sales, the greater bargaining power we will attain when demanding that companies become more inclusive of women at strategic levels. Furthermore, she argues that women are naturally predisposed to be trusted in sales roles, as many people will instinctively take on the advice of mature women by identifying their maternal characteristics.
For Mercy, securing the long-term future of the industry necessitates emphasising its allure, its ‘sexy’ qualities. She argues that in advertising our industry to the broader public, we need to highlight the following:
Insurance offers a wide range of roles which you can experiment with.
You can make a good living, and we get excellent benefits.
The industry is constantly evolving.
We are a people-centred industry, dealing with people on a daily basis.
In order to onboard great new insurance talent in the future, we need to promote ourselves better to the public. A great way to start is by emphasising the human element of insurance. Sharing posts on LinkedIn celebrating our successes and giving insight into our personalities can really humanise us as individuals and our industry as a whole.
 
Best Moments/Key Quotes
“I have done every job in an insurance office except accounting. I've sold agencies, bought agencies, I have done sales, I've done all the CSR work, I've done claims. I've done it all. And that's one of the things that's great about insurance, you can move!”
“There are thousands of women on LinkedIn, that you can turn to and say, ‘This is what I do now. What should I try instead?’ And they'll give you help; they'll give you suggestions and tell you what other things you can do.”
“In sales we’re equal. That's one area where we can force ourselves to be equal whether somebody likes it or not. And I think the more of us to get into sales, the better off we're going to be. I think that way we can demand more at the companies in the way of boards of directors having more women, because more women are out there [selling] the product. That's my opinion.”
 
Resources
Awkward Insurance Podcast: https://awkward-insurance.simplecast.com/
Bound and Determined Podcast: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/bound-determined-1008066
 
About the Guest
Mercy Komar leads an illustrious insurance career, with 53 years of experience in the industry in various roles. She currently works as a Risk Consultant for L Calvin Jones & Co. specialising in cyber risk coverage, and is also an experienced insurance educator.
Mercy’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercyk/
 
About the Host
Sandra Lewin started her career in insurance as a broker and has since taken on many different roles. Alongside being a host of this podcast "100 Women in Insurance", she also specializes in helping insurance businesses and professionals establish a social media presence, delivers change programs, and provides one-on-one coaching for women looking to take control of their careers and lives.
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and find out more: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sandralewin

000: Introduction to the podcast

What is the 100 Women in Insurance podcast, and what are the intentions behind it? What can you expect from each episode?
In this introductory episode, we’re discussing the reasons why the podcast was created, the messages it seeks to promote, and the community it hopes to cultivate. Your host,  Sandra Lewin, introduces herself and her history with the insurance industry, before delving into the podcast’s broader objectives of inspiring listeners in their career journeys and encouraging talent acquisition and retention.
 
Quote of the Episode
“I thought, ‘Well, what a great way to showcase women in their amazing roles,’ because there are some incredible women out there achieving wonderful things on a career and personal level. [The podcast will also] showcase the variety of roles available in the market and share various career tips.”
Insurance is an incredibly diverse and versatile industry with regard to the number of different roles available. While most people might typically imagine brokers or underwriters when thinking of insurance, there are so many other branches of our sector which might afford a thrilling transition in your career journey. The 100 Women in Insurance podcast seeks to highlight this range of different roles, and inspire you to take the leap in exploring alternative roles, whether you’re contemplating joining or leaving the industry.
 
Key Takeaways
Sandra Lewin  worked in the insurance industry for many years. Initially joining the industry as a broker, she later joined Lloyd’s and worked in business development, before transitioning to a focus on operations and project management. In 2021, she left the corporate world to start her own business.
This career shift was prompted by Sandra’s struggles with endometriosis, a debilitating health condition which forced her to take six months off work in order to deal with various operations. During that time, she reflected on how she envisioned the future of her career, and ultimately decided to go solo. She hasn’t looked back since, and while she’d never wish her condition on anyone, she is grateful for having undergone it as it inspired her to take this plunge.
Sandra conceptualised the 100 Women in Insurance podcast as she is passionate about promoting the variety of roles available in the insurance market. Through interviews with a range of wonderful guests, the podcast will showcase women in different insurance roles, thereby offering alternative pathways for women into this industry, and new opportunities for those already within the industry to explore.
A key question she will always ask in each episode is whether a guest’s insurance career was by chance or by choice. The podcast aims to promote the industry to women, who area woefully underrepresented in the financial services sector, particularly at the strategic level. As such, Sandra wishes to discuss ways that we can better advertise our industry to outsiders and veterans, to tackle our prevailing issues with talent acquisition and retention, and to inspire the future generation of insurers, brokers, underwriters, and more.
From each episode, you can expect an interview with typically one, and sometimes two, women working in the insurance industry, be it those working in compliance, IT, product development, underwriting, or companies which offer insurance as part of a wider offering. Excitingly, these guests are not all London-based. Upcoming guests hail from California, Ohio, New Zealand, Mexico, Poland, Belgium, and more. The podcast will cover a wide range of topics related to insurance career journeys, such as navigating stakeholders, negotiating salary, or building a personal brand.
Sandra strongly encourages feedback from the podcast audience. She wants to cultivate a supportive community through this podcast, to provide a springboard for networking opportunities which could lead to wonderful new things for listeners. To help with this endeavour, please get in touch and share what topics you would like to hear about, and who you would like to hear from!
Best Moments/Key Quotes
‘I hope that by speaking to these amazing guests, and there are so many of these that are in the pipeline, who have made incredible career changes, incredible negotiations of career setups and role setups, I hope that inspires women to find the roles that work for them.’
 
“This podcast is not just for women, it’s for those who really want to think differently about how we can help the insurance industry with the talent shortage, and with talent retention. We lose a great percentage of women in their late 30s-early 40s due to lack of flexibility in ways of working. So, I hope this podcast also inspires change so that we can retain more talent.”
 
“I also hope to create a network off the back of this podcast, where we can reach out to the amazing guests… There is lots of great support out there, and I speak from my own experience that there is a great community here that is keen to help and support.”
 
Resources
Sandra Lewin: https://sandralewin.com/
Podcast: http://100womenininsurance.com/
 
About the Host
Sandra Lewin started her career in insurance as a broker and has since taken on many different roles. Alongside being a host of this podcast "100 Women in Insurance", she also specializes in helping insurance businesses and professionals establish a social media presence, delivers change programs, and provides one-on-one coaching for women looking to take control of their careers and lives.
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and find out more: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sandralewin