A candid reflection on career growth through self-advocacy, resilience, and support. Learn how showing up for yourself, asking questions, and building meaningful relationships transforms professional success beyond titles and promotions.
Her Story
About Josalyne
Josalyne Resendes is a Senior Client Service Specialist at The Baldwin Group located out of Kingston MA, bringing more than a decade of experience in the insurance industry. She built her career from the ground up, beginning in the mailroom and steadily advancing through reception, administrative support, commercial lines technical support, and client service before earning her Property & Casualty Producer License in January 2026.
Her career has been shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning. Josalyne believes strongly that everything is figureoutable and that some of the most valuable professional growth comes from asking questions, learning from others’ experiences, and building genuine relationships along the way.
One of the most important lessons she has learned throughout her career is the importance of showing up for yourself and being your own advocate. That mindset has helped her navigate challenges, recognize her value, step outside of her comfort zone, and continue pursuing opportunities for growth.
Josalyne is known for her attentive approach to client service, strong work ethic, empathy, and commitment to continued development within the insurance industry. She is especially passionate about supporting and learning from other professionals and believes there are no limits to what people can accomplish when they lift one another up.
Outside of work, Josalyne is equally passionate about giving back to her community through volunteering, supporting local organizations and food pantries, and staying involved in her children’s school and youth activities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Josalyne
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to showing up for myself. Growing up, I realized no one's coming to do the work for me, so I learned quick to work for myself and be my own biggest cheerleader. Even when making big decisions like leaving Hub for Baldwin Group, I listened to myself instead of seeking validation from others. I believed that as long as I show up, everything else is figureoutable.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received was from my old boss's boss after I advocated for myself regarding compensation after 12 years at Hub. She said 'good for you' and 'never, ever, ever stop advocating for yourself' especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry. That advice gave me the confidence to make the jump to Baldwin Group where I am happier.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Stay curious, learn from other people's experiences by asking questions, and show up for yourself. You don't have to be the loudest voice in the room. People will remember how you made them feel, so always leave somebody better than where you found them. Don't look at mistakes as failures but as learning opportunities, and speak up to ask for help.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think one of the biggest challenges in insurance is making sure women feel seen, heard, and valued, especially in areas that have traditionally been more male-dominated. At times, I’ve felt like I had to work harder to prove myself, especially while working in a hybrid environment.
At the same time, I think there is a huge opportunity for women to support one another, speak up for themselves, build strong relationships, and keep pushing for growth. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to be your own biggest advocate and remind yourself that your work and your voice matter.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy is huge for me - I like to meet people where they're at and understand not everyone is in the same place. Resilience and never giving up are key because once you give up on yourself, that's it. Curiosity and staying open-minded are important since the industry is always changing and requires continuous learning.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Josalyne
Show up for Yourself!!
From the Mailroom to Self-Advocacy: A Journey of Growth, Resilience, and Believing in Yourself
I did not begin my career with a perfect plan.
I started in the mailroom.
From there, I worked my way through reception, administrative support, technical roles, and client service before earning my Property & Casualty Producer License. Each step taught me something different, but the most important lesson I learned was not about insurance.
It was about learning to show up for myself.
Early in my career, I believed hard work would speak for itself. I thought that if I stayed loyal, learned as much as I could, took on more responsibility, and consistently gave my best, the next opportunity would naturally come.
Sometimes it did.
But eventually, I learned that hard work and self-advocacy are not the same thing.
You can be dependable, capable, and committed and still need to speak up for what you want. You still have to ask the question, pursue the opportunity, have the uncomfortable conversation, and sometimes remind people of the value you bring.
That realization changed the way I looked at growth.
For me, confidence has never meant walking into a room believing I know everything. In fact, some of my biggest growth came from being willing to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out.”
I believe everything is figureoutable.
That mindset has carried me through every stage of my career. I learned by asking questions, staying curious, accepting feedback, watching how others worked, and being open to learning from people with different experiences than mine.
I also learned that success is rarely built alone.
Some of the most valuable things I have gained in my career came from conversations, mentors, coworkers, and people who were willing to share what they knew. That is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in networking and supporting other women.
There is enough room for all of us to succeed.
We do not lose anything by sharing knowledge, recommending someone for an opportunity, celebrating another woman’s success, or helping someone find her confidence.
If anything, we all become stronger because of it.
My career has also grown alongside real life.
There have been incredible highs, including becoming a mother to two beautiful children, and there have been difficult seasons of loss, grief, and change. Like so many women, I have learned that personal life and professional life do not exist in two perfectly separate boxes.
Sometimes you are building a career while also carrying things no one else can see.
That perspective has made me more resilient, but it has also made me more compassionate.
Recently, I explained something to my daughter that I realized I needed to keep reminding myself of, too: It does not matter how many times you stumble. You will stumble. What matters is that you get back up every single time.
That is what growth has looked like for me.
Not perfection.
Persistence.
My path has not been straight, and I would not change that. Every position, mistake, challenge, setback, mentor, and opportunity has added something to my story.
If I could tell another woman one thing about building a career, it would be this:
Show up for yourself.
Keep learning. Ask questions. Build relationships. Take the opportunity. Advocate for your value. Do not confuse humility with making yourself smaller, and do not wait for someone else to decide when you are ready for more.
Sometimes the biggest step forward is not a promotion, a new title, or a raise.
Sometimes it is the moment you finally realize you are allowed to want more, ask for more, and believe you are capable of more.
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