Bound & Determined℠ with Meg McKeen

00:00 - 03:20 | Meg welcomes Kristy Sanford to Bound & Determined℠.  Kristy is an insurance agent, helping small business owners to build business insurance programs.

03:21 - 06:00 | Kristy shares more about her decision to join an insurance agency after spending time as a small commercial sales rep for an insurance carrier.

06:01 - 08:59 | The past year helped Kristy to realize she missed being close to the small businesses she was helping. After some deliberation, Kristy knew she was content but not happy. 

09:00 - 10:53 | Change can be hard; it means saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, but it also means welcoming new colleagues and clients into your world.

10:54 - 12:09 | When relationships can transcend a conversation about insurance, you  know you've made an impact on your client. It's the best feeling, isn't it?

12:10 - 14:59 | Kristy shares more on the difference between being content and being happy.  Why don't we take more chances in our lives and careers?

15:00 -  16:49 | It's okay to question our job satisfaction - to wonder if there might be something else out there.  So much of our past experience informs our future decisions.

16:50 - 18:59 | The leap? It doesn't have to be huge!  Meg waxes on divorcing our careers - will this be normalized in our lifetime?

19:00 - 22:21  | What makes Kristy Sanford great? What makes you great? Kristy is an expert listener and  will never "always be closing." 

22:22 - 24:23 | Kristy talks us through an example of her sales style. What works in role-playing won't work in reality.

24:24 - 26:39 | Empathy goes a long way in building long-term relationships. Fear-based sales may have worked in the past, but our clients are craving something different.

26:40 - 27:44 | When you are 100% who you are, the people who value you for that will find you.  

27:45 - 29:29 | Kristy's roots are in small business. Though she's not up for entrepreneurship, she respects it and is glad to be part of solving the insurance puzzle - and others - for her clients.

29:30 - 31:59 | It can be hard to make a living selling small  business insurance. The numbers don't always make sense. Kristy shares her perspective and why she's here for the long term.

32:00 - 34:49 | You don't know when small business might become big business! And even insurance agents don't get it right every time. 

34:50 - 37:43 | Holding space for these conversations is important, and we're not alone. And a final thought on competition. There's more than enough to go around, isn't there?

Kristy Sanford is a commercial lines account manager for Robertson Ryan & Associates. Learn more about the work she does when you connect with her on LinkedIn, or send her a message here.

To learn more about the ways Meg McKeen supports insurance salespeople, visit www.adjunctadvisors.com. 

Like what we're up to on Bound & Determined℠? Please leave your review on iTunes.

Host Meg McKeen welcomes Megan Bock Zarnoch to Bound & Determined. 

00:00 – 02:00 | Welcome to Bound & Determined, Megan Bock Zarnoch! Here we hold space to tell the stories of women in the insurance industry. 

02:01 – 05:12 | Meg and Megan first met when, years ago, Megan would've been Meg's boss - and then again during an event supporting women in insurance, and then again, as we are carving our paths, consulting within the insurance industry. 

05:13 - 05:59 | Despite the challenges, Megan and Meg have stayed connected this past year - brainstorming business ideas during chilly walks and in a virtual yoga session that Megan teaches.

06:00 – 09:00 | Megan shares more about the experiences that led to the consulting work she's doing now through her company, Boundless Consulting Group LLC. 

09:01 – 9:50 | Megan and Meg both experienced a misalignment of their personal and professional values while working in a traditional corporate insurance setting. Can you relate?  

09:51 – 13:30 | Megan shares relatable stories about those moments when we blend to fit in while working in a corporate environment - think golf! and whiskey! and cigars! It's no surprise to learn that business is taking place in these spaces where we don't always feel like we belong.

13:31 – 15:00 | Should we apologize for not liking golf? There is so much to forgive - and forget - as we change the face of what a career in insurance looks like. 

 15:01 – 17:20 | Megan is focused on helping companies see their culture as it is - and helping them to shape a culture that attracts the clients and employees they want to serve.

 17:21 – 19:14 | Megan's extensive experience in commercial underwriting leadership uniquely qualifies her to do this work. Diversity in corporate cultures drives business outcomes and both Meg and Megan are uniquely positioned to be part of the change we want - and need - to see.

19:15 - 21:29 | Every organization has a culture - the culture informs how people show up in their work and engage with their customers. And, simply, how they feel at work. Does the culture of an organization support and enable its employees?

21:30 - 25:34 | What does an empowered underwriter look like? Meg and Megan talk about punitive underwriting cultures and what that looks like in practice. We aren't going to get it right 100% of the time.

25:35 - 27:09 | There is such an advantage to having an outside perspective. The unspoken rules can often shape culture - and their legacy can be long.

27:10 - 28:37 | As we see more technology utilized in business practices, it brings a lot of change. Change can bring confusion and uncertainty and understanding the cultural implications is key.

28:38 - 31:25 | Meg and Megan are collaborating on a new project, creating space for open and honest dialogue between agents and underwriters to drive relationships - and business outcomes.

31:26 - 35:19 | The pandemic created space for Megan to explore her passion for yoga. She earned her teaching certification and is integrating many of those teachings in the work she does today.

35:20 - 37:59 | Are we ready for yoga in the workplace? Let's hope so!

38:00 - 40:39 | Work-life integration feels a lot more attainable than work-life balance. Can we undo some of the behaviors that have historically supported the hustle culture?

40:40 - 42:42 | Thanks for joining the conversation, Megan!

To learn more about Megan Bock Zarnoch and to connect with her on LinkedIn, head here. 

To learn more about the work Meg McKeen does to support insurance salespeople, through private coaching and workshop facilitation, visit Adjunct Advisors.  

To stay up-to-date on offerings, ideas, and Meg's latest travel plans, subscribe to To Taking the Risk here.

Host Meg McKeen is joined by Sharon Carter in this episode of Bound & Determined. 

Have a listen to learn more about Sharon's life before insurance - including her experiences navigating the corporate world as a woman of color, the value of being - and receiving - mentorship, and the humanity she brings to the often intimidating process of buying life and health insurance. 

Welcome to Bound & Determined, where we hold space to share the stories of women in the insurance industry. 

Meet Sharon Carter. Sharon is currently living and working in New York - and feeling this cold weather a little too close to home!

Sharon shares more about her career path and her journey to the insurance industry – it wasn’t a straight line. Sharon reinvented herself 6 years ago after furthering her education and working in accounting and finance at the start of her career.

Job changes, including mergers and lay-offs, spurred the career change Sharon was looking for. Welcome to insurance! Sharon’s prior skills translated in many ways, and she committed to learning more about insurance – and what she wanted out of her work.

Approaching her 40th birthday, Sharon asked herself “If I don’t do this now, when will I?” Sharon shares more about her life at that time and the strength of her faith as she made the decision to pivot in her career.

We chat more about mentorship; Sharon has been a mentor, helping to create exposure for inner-city youth. 

Sharon shares about her experience in corporate America as a woman of color, including the micro-aggressions she and her colleagues experienced. 

Sharon created an outlet for the dissatisfaction she was feeling in her work and a way to give back through the camps and coaching she provided to girls and their parents.

Sharon is fueled by a genuine desire to help people – in the mentorship work she does, and in the insurance work she does, too. Such an opportunity for change we have in the insurance industry to change the experience for others joining the industry.

Alignment in our work and our beliefs can be a challenge. Life circumstances often dictate the choices we make – and the changes we make. Sharon and Meg relate as they are both not married and have no children, but recognize that’s not the case for all women contemplating change.

We talk about the power of a niche and identifying who your clients are – the ones that can pay you, but also value you for the important work you do. Technology has made this big world so much smaller!

Meg gets a crash course in life insurance! Working with someone like Sharon, who can make the complex simple, is such a blessing. Listen as she shares more about her customer’s journey.

Meg issues a poignant reminder that insurance agents are paid when they sell a policy – that’s how the industry works - but that doesn’t mean they don’t honor their clients’ needs front and center.

Sharon provides food for thought for a young woman embarking on a sales career. What will satisfy you? Excite you? Can you see yourself doing this work in 20 years? To make progress, we have to be honest with ourselves.

There’s a pressure to get it all right, right? A reminder that there are others looking to us for support, and there truly is enough to go around.

Sharon is creating her own path, with flexibility and upward income potential – all while honoring who she is and working with those who value her.

Sharon Carter is an insurance agent, helping individuals and their families to secure their futures. Learn more about Sharon and connect with her here. 

Meg McKeen is the founder of Adjunct Advisors, LLC, offering a fresh perspective on insurance sales through private coaching, workshop facilitation, and corporate speaking. Learn more and stay up to date when you subscribe to the newsletter Meg curates, To Taking the Risk.

By definition, Kelly Augspurger is an insurance agent, helping her clients to design insurance programs for their longer-term care needs. But in practice, Kelly uses her own experience and expertise to help her clients feel safe and confident that the decisions they are making today are the right ones for the future.

Kelly and her husband own an insurance agency. Her experience as a caregiver has prepared her for the work she is doing now. 

Kelly helps us to understand “What is long-term care insurance?” and keeps it kindergarten smart (thank you, Kelly)!

Let’s talk about creating a niche. What if it’s not about a product or business type and instead about an emotional connection? 

Kelly helps us to understand what motivates her as we learn more about her relationships with her aging grandparents, and Meg shares a bit more about hers.

Kelly and her husband, Adam, decided to start an insurance agency, but Kelly already had another job! Learn more about her transition to becoming an insurance agent.

Boundaries? What are those? Kelly shares more about the balance in the work, the growth of their business and the needs of their family for her.

Kelly shares more about the challenges she’s faced – and continues to face – as she grows in her sales career. You just can’t speed up time!

When your partner in life is also your partner in business, finding a balance isn’t without its challenges!

Kelly shares a bit of the wisdom she’s accumulated along the way – and it involves passion.

Learn more about Kelly Augspurger and the work she does when you connect with Kelly on LinkedIn, or visit Steadfast Agency online.

Like the show? Leave your review on iTunes – please and thank you!

Meg McKeen, Founder, Adjunct Advisors, welcomes Erin Brown, Founder & CEO, Lead Connext, to Bound & Determined. In this episode, we'll talk about Erin's decision to pursue an immersive work experience abroad, and how that shaped her future career plans. Erin shares the ins and outs - and ups and downs - of starting her business and more about the lessons she's learned about imposter syndrome and making it work. 

00:00 - 3:44 | Meg welcomes Erin to the show; Meg and Erin have a lot in common as they both have flexibility in their work in the current environment.

3:45 - 5:14 | Let's get to know Lead Connext; Erin is building a community for first-time and middle managers, offering knowledge and support to support individuals on their leadership journey. 

5:15 - 6:00 | Erin's work focuses on supporting the community members as a whole person, a journey she's been on as well.

6:01 - 8:24 | Erin spent her corporate insurance years working on the agency side of the business and grew into a variety of leadership roles. She's passionate about travel and knew that she was ready for a change - and the chance to marry the two through her experience with Unsettled. 

8:25 - 10:34 | How do you tell - not ask - your boss that you'll be working abroad for a month? Lots of interesting conversation, to say the least! 

10:35 - 12:14 | 30 days living abroad with 30 people you've never met will change you, no matter how you look at it. Erin felt all the emotions as she embarked on this adventure.

12:15 - 18:14 | If you've ever felt you've not been able to be your whole self in the workplace, or your values aren't in alignment, you'll relate as Erin shares her experience. 

18:15 - 19:44 | Change doesn't happen overnight; Erin returned to work following her travel and 

19:45 - 20:44 | Quitting your job without a job isn't something that everyone can do,  but we can all ponder what else is available to us.

20:45 - 25:09 | Entrepreneurship is hard! Erin shares the biggest challenges - and surprises - she's learned along the way. Planning for change is key - both emotionally and financially - and there's so much learning to do.

25:10 - 26:59 | Your support system changes when you change course - it has to.

27:00 - 30:44 | There's no right way to start a business - and you can't eliminate all the challenges. Erin and Meg chat the ways they've created sustainability during uncertain economic times, so they can stay committed to their individual missions.

30:45 - 38:33 | Imposter syndrome is a topic that comes up often on the podcast and in the work both Meg and Erin do. They share more about their collaboration on the subject, as well as Erin's experience with imposter syndrome and how she has learned to work with it as she grows her business. Having an accountability partner can be key!

38:34 - 40:46 | How to learn more about Erin and the Lead Connext community - Meg is a member! Thank you for your friendship and your support, Erin!

To learn more about Erin Brown and Lead Connext:

• Connect with Erin Brown on LinkedIn
• Visit the Lead Connext website
• Follow Lead Connext on Instagram 

To learn more about Meg McKeen and Adjunct Advisors:

• Connect with Meg McKeen on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to To Taking the Risk

Join host Meg McKeen, founder of Adjunct Advisors, LLC, as she welcomes Nichole Johnson, Field Manager for Frankenmuth Insurance to Bound & Determined.

00:00 – 01:09 | Introduction to Bound & Determined; in this episode, we’ll talk about Nichole Johnson’s unexpected cervical cancer diagnosis. It’s a tough, but necessary, conversation for all women to hear.

01:10 – 03:01 | Meg shares more about the first time she and Nichole met – during Meg’s first and only time as a manager of people – and she’s been a big fan ever since.

03:02 – 22:29 | Nichole shares more about the changes she noticed in her body in mid-2020 and the discovery that turned out to be cervical cancer. We talk about how often we dismiss what appears to be not-normal in our bodies, sometimes because we don’t want to be “difficult,” because we don’t know what to expect from our changing – and aging - bodies, and because we are afraid. Nichole shares more about her treatment plan and her health today.

22:30 – 26:23 | The things to say – and not to say – to someone who has cancer. Spoiler alert: “I’m hoping for the best” is one to keep for yourself.

26:24 – 32:50 | Nichole shares more about her support system – including her sweet son, James - and her faith.

32:51 – 37:01 | What Nichole would like women to know, including the importance of an annual pap smear, leaving medical diagnoses to the professionals, and sharing your feelings. Thank you, Nichole, for sharing your story with us.

Learn more about - and connect with - Nichole Johnson here.

Stay up-to-date on events, workshops and learning opportunities through Adjunct Advisors when you subscribe to To Taking the Risk.

Enjoy the podcast? Please leave your review on iTunes.

Join host Meg McKeen, founder of Adjunct Advisors, LLC, as she welcomes Erin Keller, Business Relationship Manager at Donegal Insurance Group to Bound & Determined!

• Let's meet Erin Keller! We talk about the plans that changed earlier this year and Erin's reality in this moment.
• Erin is a mother to four, ages ranging 15 to 5; her life changed in a big way when COVID hit.
• Erin's kids have become her co-workers. Can you relate? 
• Research indicates women working outside the home will be most significantly impacted as a result of the pandemic. The pressure to do it all has never been greater.
• A day in Erin's life - physically and emotionally. Even with a background in education, Erin wasn't ready to be a teacher as well as a mom and employee. There's a certain mourning that we do when plans change unexpectedly.
• Summer provided a welcome break. Erin shares more about the importance of validating your own feelings.
• School resumed this past fall with a hybrid schedule; part-time school presents its own unique challenges.  Clear communication has been so necessary.
• As a non-parent, Meg appreciates that the challenges parents face are real.  Life hasn't stopped because of the pandemic.
• Erin shares her experience in her work during the pandemic and her shift from working in a headquarters environment to being in the field. She shares more about working in a larger company and her current role, being able to have a more direct impact on the bottom line, and the challenge of getting to know your teammates when you're not working side-by-side.
• Erin's days now are spent in her home office; she recognizes the silver lining in her current reality. 
• Meg recognizes Erin's use of social media to stay engaged with the insurance agents she works with. Her use of social media to express her personality and connect despite the opportunity to do so in person is so smart.
• Let's talk about golf. Meg expresses her lack of love, to put it mildly, for the sport, and Erin shares the opposite - how she's learning to love the sport. We talk about its presence in the insurance industry and ponder what an alternative might be, if any.
• What does "self-care" even mean in today's reality? "Unplugging" doesn't always have the desired effect - and we're learning as we go. 
• Driving as an act of self-care; our time today is so different now that we don't have a commute - and the blank space we do have often leads to more questions than answers.
• One silver lining for Erin - more sleep!  and more time with family - while there's still so much to worry about, those she loves are home and safe. 
• A silver lining for Erin at work? Better systems and more efficiency - and time for more meaningful conversations with her customers. A reminder that we are humans having a human experience.

Connect with Erin on LinkedIn - and Erin started a "mom blog!" Check it out here.

Stay up-to-date on events, workshops and learning opportunities through Adjunct Advisors when you subscribe to To Taking the Risk.

Host Meg McKeen welcomes Elisa Stampf on this episode of Bound & Determined. Listen as we explore Elisa's recent decision to pursue an opportunity as an independent insurance agent following success working for various insurance carriers.

00:00 –  01:41 | Introduction to Bound & Determined. Thanks for listening!

01:42 – 03:23 | Let’s meet Elisa Stampf and hear more about her current reality in this COVID environment

03:24 – 06:41 | Elisa shares more about her recent career transition, from an insurance carrier sales representative to an insurance agent and agency owner

06:42 – 07:33 | Meg’s observations of Elisa as she’s shifted in her roles – and reflections on her own shift

07:34 – 09:15 | People with an insurance carrier background have an advantage when it comes to selling insurance 

09:16 – 10:15 | The challenges when leaving what you know and trying something new 

10:16 – 12:35 | Elisa’s experience demonstrating authentic leadership in a large corporate, and now small, more intimate environment

12:36 – 16:10 | Let’s talk about instinct and intuition – and the important distinction between the two

16:11 – 19:53 | How imposter syndrome manifests for Elisa – and a reminder that it’s not the same for everyone

19:54 – 22:14 | The importance of self-coaching and our belief in ourselves

22:15 – 24:21 | We’re talking about loving ourselves on an insurance-related podcast. Pinch me!

24:22 – 25:21 | What insurance is actually about, in Elisa’s words. What buyer of insurance wouldn’t want to feel this way?

25:22 – 26:10 | How Elisa resisted her career in insurance – and how she’s achieved the alignment she’s been seeking

26:11 – 28:34 | Saying out loud that your job isn’t working for you – and the shame that can accompany the admission

28:35 – 29:59 | Did you grow up knowing an insurance agent that looked like you?

30:00 – 32:44 | What the “average” insurance agent looks like today

32:45 - 37:58 | The opportunity that’s arisen from the pandemic and what Elisa is optimistic about, in the industry, her business, and for her personally

Learn more about Elisa when you connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Learn more about the work Meg does to support insurance agents here. 

Listen as host Meg McKeen and Lawanda "Elle Michell" Hall talk about their less traditional insurance career paths. With a foundation in the industry, you're qualified to do a lot more than you might think!

• Get to know Lawanda "Elle Michell" Hall and her reality in this COVID environment
• Co-working as a strategy for staying connected and building new connections in this virtual world
• Elle's great interview on Profiles in Risk where she shares more about her less traditional career paths
• Elle's intentional decision to pursue a career in corporate risk management that started with an interest in actuarial science
• The choice to honor her whole self in the work she does led Elle to a job in claims as her entry to risk management - and ultimately entrepreneurship
• Elle's curiosity with entrepreneurship and the opportunity we have in the insurance industry to leverage our individual talents
• There is no "right" way to navigate your career and the importance of honoring who you are
• Careers are like dating - eventually people will find out who you really are!
• Elle's transition to entrepreneurship was a pretty obvious shift - but less conventional career paths aren't the norm in the insurance industry
• The risk of staying put and living an unfulfilled life - and living at the intersection of who you are and what you do
• Elle is in her sweet spot in risk management and career consulting with individuals who are thoughtful and ready for change - from "now to next."
• Commonalities between Elle's clients - in their careers and their job satisfaction. #LiveLove, #SpeakLife, and #Free People are the pillars of Elle's practice
• Connecting the dots for early career professionals as they envision a career in insurance. We are living our lives while we are building our careers, right? 
• A few thoughts on imposter syndrome - the inner critic, not going for it and watching opportunities pass you by
• What makes Elle Michell amazing?
• A client story about the assumptions we make and Elle's clever "lifework" that made a difference
• Confidence comes and goes and building it requires effort
• In addition to career coaching, Elle is also a consultant for small businesses and continuing education provider for insurance agents
• There's so much opportunity in the insurance industry with a foundation of discipline in risk management
• The freedom that comes from a consulting career in insurance
• Thanks for joining the podcast, Elle!

Learn more about Intelligent Intentions and schedule your complimentary discovery call with Elle Michell here. 

Learn more about host Meg McKeen and the approachable and accessible resources available to insurance salespeople here. Stay up-to-date when you subscribe to To Taking the Risk here. 

Listen as host Meg McKeen and Tammy Feller talk about Tammy's journey with sobriety, embracing a health-centered lifestyle, and the importance of the support system we create. We chat about goal setting and challenging ourselves - but most significantly, loving ourselves.

• Introduction to Tammy Feller - and how she and Meg met in the big, small world of insurance
• Tammy's role in the insurance industry and how life looks for her during COVID
• Tammy shares about her decision to stop consuming alcohol* 
• A reminder that memories are still being made when we're not feeling our best
• What did the next day look like?  What does support look like?
• Meg's experience with virtual happy hours during COVID
• How alcohol permeates the culture in the insurance industry and advocating for what you need within it
• The lessons we learn simply by living - the confidence and strength we accumulate over time
• A medical concern leads to Tammy's decision to change her eating choices and adopt a vegan lifestyle, which Meg has embraced, too
• Gratitude for the choice to make a change
• Where does Tammy's "all or nothing" mindset come from? 
• The unexpected impact of setting short term goals
• The magic of the "messy middle" and Tammy's guidance for taking the next step 
• The hardest part is showing up; thank you, Tammy, for sharing your story

*If you or someone you know needs help navigating substance abuse, you are not alone. Learn more about the resources available here.

To learn more about this podcast, and the work Meg McKeen does to support insurance professionals, visit Adjunct Advisors.

To receive To Taking the Risk, the monthly newsletter Meg curates, subscribe here.

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