Broker Roundtable: Up-and-Coming Brokers

What inspired you to pursue a career in insurance?

SO: I love to speak with entrepreneurs and business owners about how their industry works and what sets them apart from their competitors. To me, forming a partnership with my commercial clients is inspiring because I get to witness the hard work and passion that small business owners in Canada personify. 

JB: A childhood friend highly recommended it to me, as she felt I would enjoy the challenges of continuous learning and applying a wide range of skills. I entered Conestoga College’s two-year diploma program, Insurance – Property and Casualty. It was a leap of faith to commit to full-time schooling in another city without knowing anyone there and with few funds. I had great teachers and classmates, who all helped and we became a close-knit group. I did my co-op education with Gore Mutual and landed as a broker with Kettlewell Insurance. 

DS: I was inspired to pursue a career in insurance after a conversation with a family friend in the industry. She explained how insurance plays a role in every industry and how working as a broker can be rewarding, flexible and lucrative. At the time, I was a recent graduate and didn’t know what I wanted to do career-wise, so I gave it a shot.

What’s an innovation you brought to your office—whether that’s a policy, new piece of technology, initiative, etc?

SO: I’m a big believer in being social at the office. Working from home is fantastic, but having lunch with a co-worker or brainstorming a solution to a coverage exposure is the best way to feel part of a team. I’ve helped build this culture at my office by organizing events and outings with my colleagues. 

JB: At Kettlewell Insurance, I’ve had the opportunity to affect many changes in the workplace as an Office Manager. From standardizing workflows, to organizing the team to take on new tasks, we’ve been very busy. We’re also working on adapting our website to better funnel information for initial quotes, and starting a social media marketing campaign. My previous marketing experience as an independent fiction author will help to inform this campaign.

DS: Insurance Insight offers non-traditional products—my focus over the past couple of years has been to deliver these non-traditional products through traditional channels. We will be launching an MGA later this year that will arm brokers with new personal lines products that complement their traditional home and auto offerings, are easy to understand and issue, add value to their client relationships and provide customers with coverage that lasts longer than a conventional annual cycle to make their customers stickier to the brokerage.

What are some of the challenges you have faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?

SO: As a producer, there are certainly some difficult days that must be faced. The best way to shake off a loss is to have confidence in your ability to build relationships and offer your best effort to every client. After a difficult day, I always go for a run and blast a playlist to de-stress and start fresh the next morning. 

JB: The largest challenge we’re working toward is transitioning to paperless. This requires forethought in processes, creating opportunities to reduce duplicate tasks, and creating the most effective ways to serve our time budgets while still giving the utmost service to our customers.

DS: The biggest challenge for me was the initial two years as a broker and my confidence in my own abilities and knowledge of the industry. The learning curve in the beginning, especially for a producer, is steep. Overcoming this was a combination of time, effort and trust in the process. Slowly, as I gained experience and expertise, my confidence grew, and success followed. This journey instilled foundational habits that I continue to benefit from.  

What role do you see technology playing in your brokerage in the future?

SO: Clients are looking for quicker turnaround on service requests but don’t want to see robotic automated responses. I’d love to see advanced AI programs which can identify the client’s needs immediately and route them to a specialist broker as soon as possible. 

JB: Brokerages are adapting to a new world where technology is going to advance our work differently. In the future, we may know more about our clients due to blockchain information, bringing forward instant information various sources to better understand the client’s situation. However, while AI and other computer assistance may assist our workloads, there is no substitute for the human element. Many people, especially our aging population, continue to prefer to be able to talk to brokers, knowing that brokers are a buffer to help them with their insurance needs, and enjoy the relationship element.

DS: Technology plays an incredibly important role in our brokerage. Our IT capabilities are what sets us apart—it helps us win business, deepen our existing partnerships and are critical to delivering our non-traditional suite of products. Our entire technology stack is built in-house. I only see technology’s role in our business growing in the future—it has to evolve to stay relevant and ahead of the competition. 

How do you stay current with the industry and continue to grow as a professional?

SO: Staying up-to-date on market trends and changing appetites is of paramount concern. The best way to achieve this is to attend seminars when they are offered and never miss a networking opportunity. Social events with other brokers and underwriters after hours have been a fantastic way for me to get referrals and better understand how to craft a credible new business submission. 

JB: Staying on top of technology and other current trends in the insurance industry is important to help serve our client base and to understand the direction insurance companies are developing. While we are required to do eight continuing education hours a year, personally, I prefer to do more and enjoy researching topics of interest. There are always e-newsletters from various insurance providers, and magazines such as TOB which are full of good information. Another essential source is networking with others in different positions departmentally so that one can get a different perspective on issues.

DS: I try to keep my finger on the industry pulse through networking and conferences, various industry publications, and relevant Google Alerts for related news articles. I consume information on the insurance industry and the industries I serve. Beyond that, I look to courses and seminars that help me sharpen relevant skills or develop new ones that will help get me to where I want to go professionally.

Are you involved in any industry or community organizations?

SO: I’ve been a member of the London Insurance Brokers’ Association since 2018, going from YBC chair to board chair. I’ve made some amazing connections and been able to contribute to some incredible local charities. I highly recommend getting involved with your local affiliate—the experience pays off immediately. 

JB: Kettlewell Insurance believes in giving back to the community. Our small brokerage is a contributor to the annual Community Over Cancer. Kettlewell has also funded an outdoor volleyball court. I have participated in The Coldest Night of the Year, a fundraiser for a youth centre in our town. Recently I have approached the Southwest chapter of the Insurance Institute to volunteer my time for their events.

DS: For 10 years, I helped organize an annual golf tournament in memory of my friend’s late father. Over the years, we raised over $200,000 for a non-profit that provides cancer assistance services to families and patients in the community I grew up in. The insurance industry’s support was tremendous and it speaks to the character of the people in it.

Can you share an achievement from your time in the industry that you’re especially proud of? 

SO: I’m especially proud of being a finalist for IBAO’s Young Broker of the Year in 2018 and 2019. 

JB: I’m very pleased to have recently completed my CIP.

DS: Last year, I was awarded Insurance Insight’s Colleague Choice Award. This recognition was extra special to me because I was nominated and voted as the winner by my peers. I work with an incredibly talented group of individuals—it was humbling to be recognized by them.