Her Story
About Sara
I was in banking for 20 years before making a major career change. During my time in banking, I did everything from operations to loans, including SBA loans and regular loans. After two decades, I decided I wanted to change and started looking for new opportunities. What drew me to insurance was the same thing that attracted me to banking - I always just like to help people and make sure that everything they need is taken care of. I made the jump to insurance when I was in my late 40s, which was a big change from one career to a completely different one. I've been with my current company for just a little over a year, and I've already received the Rising Star Award. My main area of expertise is commercial insurance, and in my role, I process endorsements, certificates of insurance, and help with billing questions and audits. I had to get my P&C license (property and casualty license), which took me a couple of months because I was trying to do it while working on other things. One of the biggest challenges in the industry right now is trying to find a carrier that's willing to write certain risks - it's getting harder and harder on some things to be able to find a company that will write, especially for things like churches where there's no one there all the time to know if something goes wrong.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the knowledge and compassion I have for understanding that people get frustrated with insurance, but they know they need it. I'm able to kind of walk through it with them to explain more and help them get what they need at a reasonable cost. I have the self-confidence that I can do it. I think having patience and understanding really helps - I can see from both sides. I can see from my side of trying to explain it to someone, but I can also see their side of being frustrated or not understanding stuff. I can see the overall picture and put myself in either situation.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think the biggest thing is just to believe in yourself, and if you're looking for a change, just believe in yourself enough to know that you can make that change at no matter what age you are, or what's going on in your life. I made my career change when I was in my late 40s, moving from banking to insurance, so I know firsthand that it's possible to make a big jump from one career to a completely different one at any stage of life.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the challenges within the industry are always trying to find a carrier that's willing to write certain risks. It's getting harder and harder on some things to be able to find a company that will write, especially with everything that's happened over the last several years. Some risks are really hard to get a carrier to write anymore because of the risk that it involves. For example, churches are difficult because there's no one at the church all the time to know if something goes wrong. There are certain risks that are really hard to get a carrier to write anymore.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value patience and understanding in both my work and personal life. I can see from both sides - I can see from my side of trying to explain things to someone, but I can also see their side of being frustrated or not understanding stuff. I guess I just have that ability to see the overall picture and put myself in either situation. What drew me to insurance, just like banking before it, is that I always just like to help people and make sure that everything they need is taken care of.
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