Her Story
About Reva
In my role as a mid-market account executive at UnitedHealthcare, I work directly with brokers to provide health insurance solutions for their clients' employees. My typical day involves receiving RFPs (Requests for Proposals) from brokers, sending them to underwriting to assess competitiveness, and then following up with quotes via phone or email. My job is really about supporting brokers - making sure they know the ins and outs of all our products so they feel comfortable talking about them with the HR and C-suite teams they work with. Sometimes I'll come in and present directly to the client, or I'll be on the phone to answer specific questions and make sure nothing gets misstated. The goal is to build trust with the broker so they want to put their business with me and recommend UnitedHealthcare to their clients. I also handle external relationship building - setting up lunches, dinners, and Lunch and Learns where I present at broker offices. The biggest challenge in my role is working in the Massachusetts market, where two of our competitors have about 80% of the market share. It's a very liberal market where people like to stay with local carriers, so the hardest thing is convincing people that we are a local team here to support them, not just a big national scary UnitedHealthcare company. I also have to convince companies that the disruption of changing health insurance for all their employees is worth it, even when it might be easier for them to accept a 30% increase and stay put. But it's my job to tell them that switching is worth it.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Reva
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've always been a hard worker. I think my parents helped instill that in me when I was young. I'm the oldest child, and I always wanted to be a good role model for my younger brothers - one is several years younger, the other even more so. My parents were always busy running around with them, so I tried to be as independent as I could. I'd get rides where I could and handle things myself. I've just always prioritized school and extracurriculars, and I've made it a point to meet as many people as I can. I guess it all just comes down to some core values that were built early on.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to always network and talk to people. And honestly, it's the same advice I give to others - just be nice to everybody, because you never know what position anyone is in. Always be expanding your network, because relationships get you everywhere. That's how I got this job, and it's why I do well in it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd give the same advice about networking and being nice to everyone, because relationships really do matter in this industry. But if I were going to add something, I would say never stop looking for what it is you really want to do. Don't settle into something just because it's comfortable or expected - keep exploring until you find the role that truly fits you.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my professional life, integrity is probably the most important value to me. I really like our company's values, which include compassion, relationships, integrity, and performance - those resonate with me. In my personal life, I value my relationships and the people I spend time with above all else. Relationships are very important to me. I'm a big people person, and I make it a point to go home every couple of weeks to visit my family in Connecticut.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Massachusetts
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.