Women in Insurance & Financial Services

Wonder Woman Wednesday: What’s the good news, ladies? April edition.

April 15, 2020, 10:46 am
Filed under: Combs & Company, Covid-19, Innovation Broker Lab, Insurance Women, Successful Women, Susan L Combs, What's the Good News, Ladies?, Women in Insurance, Wonder Woman Wednesday | Tags: Chelsea Whalley, Females in Finance, Innovation Broker Lab, J Donovan Financial, Jennifer Warfield, National Life Group, What's the Good News, Ladies?, Women in Insurance & Financial Services, Wonder Woman Wednesday

Hello from the Covid-19 epicenter, aka NYC. I don’t know about you all, but the past few weeks have been crazy, exhausting and just plain sad at times. It is definitely not business as usual here and I know that’s true in many other places as well, but I also know we will all make it through this time. One of the things that has kept me going during quarantine is connecting with the incredible women from our industry who are still able to share some great ideas with me about what they are most proud of in the last 12 months. Be on the lookout for another article coming soon that will include many of the featured women in this series who will share what they have been doing to stay connected with their clients during all of this.

This month, I’m going to introduce you to two new friends who have been a great source of information and support for me during this time. I know I have said it before, but it is so important to develop these peer-to-peer mentorship relationships, because when there are rough times like these, we pull each other up and help each other to excel. Please join me in welcoming Chelsea and Jennifer to the fold.

Chelsea Whalley, J Donovan Financial

“In the past 12 months, my biggest accomplishment has been learning that my business is not actually about me.

When I owned my first agency, I was infatuated with the idea of developing other agents. While this sounds admirable, I was truly motivated by the energy rush I received seeing others succeed. Even though I was helping others, at the core of it all, it was still about me.

Even in my second agency, there have been times when I put together the best options for a prospect to save them money and time; yet, I still don’t win. When this would happen, I would make it about me (my presentation skills, my sales skills, etc). Perhaps it was, but there’s a good chance that it was about one of the million other factors that business owners consider when making decisions.

The truth, and my biggest lesson, is that nothing is about me. I have learned that the only way to truly scale my business and help as many employees and clients as possible is to let go of the belief that the outcome is directly tied to my worth as an advisor or as a person. With this, I can finally be present and enjoy the work I am doing.”

Jennifer Warfield, CPF®, National Life Group

“I’ve been in financial services many years and I’ve never been more excited to do what I do. My passion lies in supporting women and giving back. In my role, training and developing agents to build their business, I’m able to do both. I’ve seen great success among the women leaders who count for almost half of my business. In the last year, I’m pleased to have been highest-producing field leader at my company, hitting record sales. And helping my agents learn and grow gives their clients peace of mind.

One of the best aspects of our industry is the relationships among the women within it. I am fortunate to be supported and inspired by many great women. In 2019, I was named WIFS Woman of the Year, a wonderful honor. Celebrating success within our field is an important way to create community and inspire the next generation.”

I know that I, as well as the crew here at BenefitsPRO are thinking of everyone during these uncertain times. As always, if you know of great women in the field who are working hard to make this this industry even better, send an email introduction to me at scombs@combsandco.com. I’d love to connect! Stay safe my friends.

Click Here for the original article at BenefitsPro

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Feature Friday: Susan L. Combs wins Broker of the Year

April 28, 2017, 8:18 am
Filed under: BenefitsPro, Combs & Company, Combs & Company Blog, Exciting News, Feature Friday, Innovation Broker Lab, Insurance Women, Motivational, Successful Women, Susan L Combs, WIFS, Women in Insurance | Tags: Broker Motivation, Broker of the Year, FeatureFriday, Susan L Combs, Women in Insurance & Financial Services

NEW YORK, April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ Cover - BOY Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

University of Missouri-Columbia graduate Susan L. Combs is the latest winner — and the first female honoree — of the BenefitsPRO Broker of the Year award. Combs received the honor over hundreds of other nominees and four other finalists at an April 2017 awards ceremony in Indianapolis.

With its Broker of the Year award, leading industry publication BenefitsPRO honors one outstanding professional annually, for success in business-building, developing healthy corporate cultures, and growing the perception of the industry. Combs was selected for her forward-thinking work to bring women into the industry, her firm’s inventive support of small- and mid-sized businesses, and her expansive expertise with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Combs, a native of King City, Mo., opened a full-service insurance brokerage firm, Combs & Company, in New York City in 2005. The company grew from a one-woman operation to a team of eight, with a reputation for handling tricky coverage requests for entertainment businesses, food brands and international companies looking to enter the U.S. market.

“I love our industry, both because of the opportunities it offers and for how fast it changes,” Combs says. “After 12 years, we still work hard every day to innovate and stay relevant to our clients. That’s what makes this award so special, because it’s recognition from an industry authority that we respect so much. It’s still a bit overwhelming.”

Besides founding Combs & Company, Combs previously served as national president of Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS), the only national group dedicated to women’s success in those fields. She is the recipient of the University of Missouri Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award, Advisor Today’s 4 Under Forty, and Corporate LiveWire’s Most Innovative Insurance Broker.

Combs regularly travels around the country for speaking engagements to champion gender balance in the workforce. In 2015, she launched an expert-witness consulting practice and is now one of the nation’s go-to consultants for ACA litigation, medical malpractice, workers’ comp, and personal injury cases.

About Combs & Company, LLC: Combs & Company is a full-service insurance brokerage and consulting firm in New York City. Founded in 2005, Combs & Co serves as an invaluable resource for small- and mid-sized businesses looking for health and business coverages in an increasingly complex marketplace. The firm specializes in industries that don’t fit an insurance carriers’ typical profile, such as entertainment, food, and international companies opening U.S. operations. Combs & Co also offers Affordable Care Act expert witness consulting services to defense firms handling medical malpractice, workers’ comp, and personal injury cases.

Click Here for the bio of Susan L. Combs.

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Media Contact: Jennifer Pisani, Combs & Company, LLC, 646-736-3737, jpisani@combsandco.com

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