Belinda Ly Luna

I attribute my success to how I build my board of directors. I think a lot of times, your network really becomes your net worth. Having people around you with real-life experience who are able to push and motivate you and challenge you has been invaluable. I've been very fortunate with every company I've worked with to have a board of directors internally and externally to help propel my career. The last couple of careers I've had, it's also been about the sponsorships internally within the organization, but more importantly, having my clients be the ones advocating for me as well. I've been very blessed in the last few opportunities because they know I have the soft skills and the skill sets to do the job, and having my network advocate and get a seat at the table to say, 'Hey, you should really consider Belinda internally, externally.' That's really why I think I've been on the fast track on accelerating with the companies I've been with. In the last 5 years, I've been really focused on building my brand beyond my geography. A lot of times, Phoenix is a little bit smaller, and most of the insurance companies are on the East Coast. But I'll tell you now, 5 years later, regardless of where I am, people know me because I was able to find ways to connect with them, regardless if they're in my geography or not. Those sponsorships in Home Office, the ones that are making the executive decisions - they need to know you, and you have to be top of mind.

I think it's not just about finding a mentor, but being able to find an executive sponsor, and that relationship is reciprocal. If someone has a bank on you, you gotta show up every day. You have to build your brand beyond your geography. A lot of times people stay in smaller markets, but you need to find ways to connect with people regardless of where you are geographically. Those sponsorships in Home Office, the ones making the executive decisions - they need to know you, and you have to be top of mind. It's really about creating impact and driving a sales culture. We have to make ourselves have the tools to be the obvious choice - not to be the loudest, but to be able to help women craft their brands and sell themselves and connect in ways that we never have. You want to be the person that people choose in a respectful manner. It's not something you're born with - I had to teach myself through the years. But through time, it's a skill that can be learned and refined, and making sure that everybody has the same skill set. We're teaching ourselves to push forward and be able to be the obvious choice. The goal is making sure that women see that they have the potential, because you want to see people that look like you who have had the same path. Everything I do in my networks is really about work-life integration - you can always pull a piece of who you are personally and professionally. Giving back to the community is what drives me, because I was given the same opportunity. Someone helped coach and develop me. 20 years ago, I didn't know how to sell my brand, but 20 years later, through my experience, I can give back the same knowledge to ensure that the connection with people and opportunity is what's going to propel your career.

I think the biggest challenge is the change in climate right now. We need to continue to promote women, and even with all of our organizations as we rally groups of women together, we're facing the same thing - we've almost digressed, I would say. When people lean out, we gotta lean in a little bit more. It really is not even about gender equality, it's just making sure that we are putting ourselves in positions to be successful and building constituents outside of even gender. We need men to lean into us and vice versa. This should not stop now - this is kind of a pivotal moment, and we have to continue to plant it and move forward more than ever. We have to make ourselves have the tools to be the obvious choice, not to be the loudest, but be able to help women craft their brands and sell themselves and connect in ways that we never have. You want to be the person that people choose in a respectful manner. For me, the mission will never stop. We gotta continue to push forward because the tides will turn at some point, and hopefully by my generation or when I retire, we don't look at just saying 'we gotta get women at the C-suite table' - it's because we're getting women because they're the most qualified, because we're fostering and developing their talent to ensure that they are the obvious choice. I think we have a lot of work to do, but honestly, if you have the right group that are willing to help transform it, it is so easy when you bring the power of one together. When you're building women, you're building a community, because we not only sponsor women, we sponsor everyone else. We have the ability to bring out the best in everyone, so they need more of us.

The most important value to me is making sure that women have a seat at the table and empowering others to reach their potential. My superpower is bringing out the best in everyone - finding the passion within themselves and ensuring that they're at the optimal range of their potential. I have that ability to really connect and find the inner superpower in people and translate it into professional output. Seeing people win and helping people thrive is my jam. Giving back to the community is what drives me, and everything I do is really work-life integration. I think you can always pull a piece of who you are personally and professionally. It's not just about doing it for me - I'm doing it for people behind me, and they see that I'm different, and if I can get there, they can as well. The goal of elevating women is making sure that they see that they have the potential as well. It's my obligation as a woman and as a woman of different race. I've been so fortunate by having access, but it's access that I had to pave the way for myself. No one taught me what to do, so my lifelong goal is making sure that if you're eager and you want to learn, I will provide you access and information and skills to get there. That actually invigorates me - the more I see people who are deserving to thrive and want to thrive, people are very open to providing that if they see you're willing to work for it. The energy is contagious, and when I get into a room and see people that are like-minded who want to make things happen, it's just creating a bigger community. It's in our DNA - it's not work, it's my obligation.