Erika Broussard
Erika (Erika Potts) Broussard is a worksite benefits professional specializing in enrollment services and benefits administration. Based in Richmond, Texas, she serves as an Agency Sales Representative with Colonial Life, where she partners with brokers and organizations to deliver voluntary benefits solutions that help employees better protect their financial well-being. Erika entered the insurance industry in June 2022, following in her father’s footsteps after he became overwhelmed with the growth of his own business. Ready to transition from a successful career in apartment property management into something more entrepreneurial, she embraced the opportunity to build a business that offered both professional independence and the flexibility to prioritize her family.
In her role, Erika works closely with major medical brokers to help employers fill critical gaps in traditional health coverage by implementing voluntary benefits such as accident, life, cancer, critical illness, and disability insurance. She helps design plan structures, implement benefits administration platforms, and coordinate enrollment strategies that create a seamless experience for employees, employers, and brokers alike. From proactively connecting with brokers about new opportunities, to supporting existing clients with new hires and benefits questions, Erika manages the full lifecycle of the enrollment process. She also coordinates trained benefits counselors who meet with employees either onsite or telephonically to guide them through their options and capture elections.
Erika is passionate about using technology and communication to enhance the enrollment experience, leveraging tools such as educational videos, digital benefits guides, online scheduling, and text-based communication campaigns to make the process both high-tech and highly personal. What keeps her committed to this work is the real impact it has on people’s lives—hearing stories from clients who were able to keep their homes or maintain financial stability while battling serious illnesses reinforces the value of the protection she helps provide. As a self-employed professional within the Colonial Life network, Erika enjoys the freedom to grow her business without limits while maintaining a schedule that allows her to be fully present for her family and the moments that matter most.
• Rookie of the Year
• NSSLHA
• Best Buddies
• Delta Zeta Sorority
• Fort Bend County Women's Shelter
• Houston Food Bank
• Center for Hearing and Speech
• The Westview School
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my work ethic, relationship building, and letting my results speak louder than anything else. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry, I've found that it's all about building trust with people. Even when I won Rookie of the Year in my first year while also having my first child, it was a lot of perseverance that got me through. I've learned to be proactive in my approach, always reaching out to brokers and checking in on clients, and I focus on doing right by the employees rather than just inflating my numbers. The moral reward of helping more people is larger than any commission, and I think that genuine care and dedication to serving others has been the foundation of whatever success I've achieved.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from my father, and it was about where you direct your energy. He told me that if somebody or if a client is 90% of your problems and 10% of your income, then they are not worth it. That advice has really stuck with me when I'm trying to figure out how to deal with where I prioritize my energy. When you put a number to it like that, you realize, oh yeah, no, that doesn't make sense - why am I stressing out so much for this client? It's helped me understand that it's usually the ones that talk the longest or seem to have the most interest that end up not being worth the effort, and that's been invaluable in helping me manage my time and focus on what really matters.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to focus on building trust and know that your results, your work ethic, and your relationship building speak louder than anything else. The insurance industry is still very much male-dominated, and it's obviously very different now than it was even 10 years ago, but there's still challenges. I've found it's been an opportunity to show that none of the things that matter - bringing value, doing the hard work, building relationships - are defined by your gender. At Colonial, our VP is now a woman and she's an incredible role model. They reward the people who build the relationships, who do the hard work and who bring the value, regardless of gender. So don't let being a woman in a male-dominated field hold you back. Focus on doing right by your clients, be morally guided in your approach even when you're in sales, and the trust and credibility you build will open doors.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is that the insurance industry is still very much male-dominated. Being a woman in the industry, it's obviously very different now than it was even 10 years ago, but there are still obstacles to navigate. However, I see this as an opportunity to show that your results, your work ethic, and your relationship building speak louder than anything else. It's all about building trust with people. There's starting to be a shift in the industry - at Colonial, our VP is now a woman and she's an incredible role model. Colonial really rewards the people who build the relationships, who do the hard work and who bring the value, and none of those things are defined by your gender. So while the male-dominated nature of the field is still a challenge, it's also an opportunity to prove yourself and be part of the positive change that's happening.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I am very much a morally guided person, and that's true in both my professional and personal life. Even though I'm in the sales industry where you typically want to put out as many policies as you can and push the most expensive ones so your numbers get inflated, that's just never been me. I always just want to do right by the employees, so even if it means less income for myself, the moral reward is larger because I know I'm helping more people. Doing right by others is something that has really guided me in my professional and personal life. My family is very important to me - my husband's my best friend and we're always wanting to be out and about with our two little kids. I want to be there for every football game and play for my children, and being able to balance that with work while maintaining my integrity and moral compass is what matters most to me.