Explore every episode of the podcast The We Are InsurTech Women Podcast

Delighted to share this weeks We Are InsurTech Women podcast where I had the pleasure of chatting with Stephanie Mier, Chief Insurance Officer at ServiceUp.

ServiceUp have had a huuge year! their platform is modernizing the vehicle repair process through a seamless, tech-enabled platform. By connecting insurers, fleets, and repair shops, they reduce repair cycle times, eliminate manual follow-ups, and deliver a better experience for everyone involved.

Stephanie and I discuss...

🔹 What sparked her transition from insurance to insurtech

🔹 How ServiceUp is solving real-world pain points for insurers, fleets, and consumers

🔹 How they’re cutting repair cycle times by over 30% !!

🔹 The role of automation and AI in transforming the repair journey

🔹 Their recent $55M Series B raise and expansion into Canada

🔹 The future of insurtech, mobility, and the biggest areas ripe for disruption

Stephanie brings a sharp perspective, deep expertise, and a passion for building solutions that truly work. Whether you're in insurance, tech, mobility, or just love a good founder story this episode is a must!

Loved having Christen Smith on the latest We Are InsurTech Women podcast who is the Director of Platform Solutions at Wrisk.

🚗 Wrisk is redefining automotive insurance through cutting-edge technology and customer-first solutions, enabling car brands to deliver smarter, seamless insurance experiences.

From moving from the U.S. to London early in her career, to now leading from France for a UK-based startup, Christen shares her unique perspective on working across borders, insights to Wrisks unique platform and the exciting insurtech trends in the space. 

We discuss:

🔹 What sparked Christens passion for insurance and technology

🔹 Lessons learned from navigating international career moves

🔹 The experiences that most shaped her approach to innovation

🔹 What drew her to Wrisk and how their platform is standing out

🔹 The company’s recent £12M Series B milestone and what's next

🔹 Key insights on European expansion and embedded insurance trends

🔹 Her advice for InsurTech professionals eyeing global roles

Loved having Jennifer Young, Co-Founder & CMO, and Kelly Lau, Product General Manager of Outdoorsy Group and Roamly, on this weeks We Are InsurTech Women podcast.

🚐 Outdoorsy is the world’s leading outdoor travel marketplace, connecting travelers with RVs and road trip experiences. Its insurance arm, Roamly, is a digital provider that's revolutionizing RV insurance-offering innovative, tailored coverage built for the unique needs of the outdoor travel and rental economy.

This episode is a masterclass in how embedded product strategy, customer insight, and visionary leadership has led formed and innovative and unique insurance offering.

🚀 Jen, Kelly and I discuss…

Jen’s track into insurtech and what inspired her to co-found Outdoorsy Group

How Roamly emerged from a real market gap within the Outdoorsy platform

Why Roamly’s embedded model gives it an edge over standalone insurtechs

The AI-powered Actuarial Rater™ that earned Roamly a Celent Model Insurer Award

Expansion into Canada: challenges, opportunities, and what’s next

Roamly’s new status as a Lloyd’s of London Coverholder

Real talk on leadership, disruption, and advice to other aspiring leaders and Founders 

Advice for women entering insurtech, the leap from traditional insurance to innovation, and 

Plus what’s up next for Roamly?!

Excited to share our latest we are insurtech women podcast with Renée Walkom, COO at Foxquilt -  a company transforming small business insurance through technology and data.

🦊 What is Foxquilt? Foxquilt is a leading insurtech that provides smarter, faster, and more affordable business insurance tailored for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Their platform is built to solve real pain points legacy insurers have long ignored.

Foxquilt have had a super exciting year and their growth is continuing so it was great to chat through their product and key milestones further 

We discussed…

• Her path to becoming COO at Foxquilt

• What drew her into the insurtech space and Foxquilt specifically

• The key drivers behind Foxquilt’s growth and expansion into new regions

• How their model differs from traditional insurers and and the problems Foxquilt are solving that legacy providers haven’t cracked

• How they’re addressing the needs of small businesses and underserved clients

• Top leadership lessons learned in a high-growth tech environment and advice for young professionals interested in insurance or tech

• How the industry can better attract and retain young talent

• What Renee is most excited about for the future of Foxquilt and insurtech 🚀

Thrilled to have welcomed Gemma Ros, CTO of The Zebra, on the latest WAIW podcast

Gemma is leading the tech and product teams driving innovation at The Zebra.com, one of the top insurance comparison platforms in the U.S.

The Zebra helps millions of consumers compare car and home insurance in seconds, bringing much-needed transparency to a traditionally complex industry.

Brilliant to have dug into the technology behind The Zebra.com, how Gemma builds high-performing teams and products, and what it means to lead during both growth and change.

🎧 In this episode, we cover:

• Gemmas path to CTO, including 8 years on Wall Street and co-founding a tech start up. 

• The impact The Zebra are having on the US and how they are using technology to make the customer experience more transparent and empowering. 

• How a digital-first mindset shapes products, teams, and culture

• How being a founding Chief Miami helps Gemma advocate for more women in leadership and tech

• And… what’s next for The Zebra.com ?! 👀
  

Whether you're in insurtech, building a tech team, or an aspiring CTO -definitely worth a listen!

Excited to share this weeks We Are InsurTech Women with Harriet Parkinson, VP of Claims at ClaimSorted.

ClaimSorted has had a super exciting year which has been a reflection of the product strength and team calibre they’ve built.

They’re reimagining the traditional TPA model by combining automation, AI, and top-tier claims talent to deliver faster, smarter, and more human experiences when it matters most.

Harriet and I discuss...

🔥 What makes ClaimSorted different?

A fully in-house claims platform, built from scratch

AI and automation used thoughtfully - enhancing, not replacing, the customer experience

Faster claims, reduced leakage, and data insights that drive real improvement

Deep empathy at every customer touchpoint

A team packed with technical and industry expertise

We also dive into:

Harriet's time as COO of Insurance at Revolut

Why she joined ClaimSorted- a passion for fixing the broken claims experience and belief in the founders’ tech vision

How to strike the right balance between empathy and efficiency in claims

ClaimSorted’s continued growth across the UK and US

This week on the We Are Insurtech Women podcast, I had the huge pleasure of speaking with Kirstin Duffield, CEO of Morning Data, now part of Verisk.

Kirstin, who also recently joined the executive board of Verisk following their acquisition of Morning Data, brings a wealth of knowledge on insurance innovation, data, and leadership. Her insights and career is a must-listen for anyone interested in the insurtech space and the future of our industry.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Kirstin’s background, from stepping into the family-run Morning Data to leading its evolution

• How Morning Data supports brokers, MGAs, and carriers by connecting and streamlining processes

• The power of data standardisation and how it helps unlock hidden value across the insurance ecosystem

• The story behind Morning Data’s acquisition by Verisk, and how it’s impacted their scale and mission

• Lessons learned transitioning from an independent business to a global organisation, with advice for others navigating similar journeys

• Why diverse leadership and creating space where people feel seen and heard is so critical

• Kirstin’s honest take on imposter syndrome and her advice for overcoming self-doubt

Thrilled to share this weeks We Are InsurTech Women podcast with Sharon Rodriguez, CEO of HighPeak.

Sharon brings a powerhouse background at the intersection of healthcare, insurance, fintech, and AI, including being the 5th employee at Unqork! and is now leading HighPeak in its mission to transform how we think about healthcare financial planning and equip financial advisors with precise, AI-powered tools.

We discuss-

- What inspired Sharon to take the helm at HighPeak

- How her dual lens as a corporate exec and venture investor is shaping the company’s growth

- Why AI-driven hyper-personalized forecasting is the future of financial planning- particularly when looking at healthcare costs.

- How HighPeak is earning trust in a risk-averse industry

-The power of Prudential’s backing and proprietary data

- Balancing innovation with empathy and legacy transformation and why empathy is a strategic advantage in today’s fast-changing world.

- What’s next as HighPeak scales new markets and partnerships- big year ahead so definitely one to follow!

Excited to share this week's podcast with Elodie, Managing Director of EMEA for Duck Creek.  

Elodie is at the helm of one of the leading and largest insurtechs, driving growth and innovation across Duck Creek’s EMEA region so it was great to hear how she structures this, her track to being there and advice for other leaders and anyone navigating or moving into the space. 

• Her career path before joining Duck Creek and what led her into insurtech

• What it means to lead Duck Creek’s EMEA region- her focus areas, teams, and strategic priorities

• How she builds high-performing, cross-functional teams and keeps them aligned

• Elodie's approach to onboarding and integrating talent into Duck Creek’s collaborative culture

• How she keeps top performers engaged in high-stakes roles like sales and implementation

• Duck Creek’s commitment to DEI- from hiring through to mentorship, promotion, and flexibility

• Her perspective on managing a demanding leadership role while raising a family

• The advice she’d give to women entering enterprise tech or insurance today

• What’s next for Duck Creek in EMEA- and where AI and innovation are creating real momentum- including new internal AI products!

In this weeks episode we're joined by Natasha Alexeeva, Founder & CEO of Friendly, the AI platform helping insurers turn massive volumes of unstructured data into clear, actionable decisions- quickly and accurately.

Friendly have made some huge moves recently with some key hires and launching in new markets and they're definitely a company to watch.

🔹 What sparked the idea for Friendly and what impact are they having on the insurance space
🔹 How the team and product grew without taking outside investment
🔹 Key growth milestones, including their launch in the UK
🔹 The art of scaling remote teams and building culture without borders
🔹 What’s next for Friendly - from new features to fresh markets

In our latest We Are InsurTech Women podcast episode I had the huge pleasure of speaking with Datha Santomieri, Co-Founder & COO of Steadily Insurance Company.

Fresh from their Series C, it was great to hear how and why Steadily was formed, the huge impact they're having on the US with Landlord Insurance and insights to their success.

We discuss-

🟣 How a frustrating personal experience led to the founding of Steadily

🟣 The surprising gaps in landlord insurance - and how Steadily is fixing them

🟣 The very strong combination of skills Steadily founders have.

🟣 What it was like launching a startup while pregnant (!!) and the advice she has for other women navigating big life transitions

🟣 The moments, strategies, and culture choices that fuelled Steadily’s explosive growth

🟣 What’s up next for Steadily…

This week on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast I had the huge pleasure of speaking with Melanie Hayes, co-founder and COO of KYND.

KYND has grown into a trusted partner for insurers, brokers, and businesses looking to manage cyber exposure proactively. The podcast is full of insights for anyone building in regulated or technical markets - especially if you're trying to make complex things feel simple.

Melanie talks us through:

🔹How Melanie went from leading European marketing at Experian to launching a cyber startup?

🔹 What was the moment that turned KYND from an idea into a real company?

🔹 How tough was that leap to becoming a founder on a personal level?

🔹 What exactly does KYND enable for both insurers and insureds - and why is visibility on both sides so important?

🔹 How does KYND simplify cyber risk?

🔹 What role has funding played in scaling the business - especially with KYND’s growing presence in the US?

Excited to share our latest conversation with Sokhiba Mukhitdinova Founding Member & Principal at InsurTech NY, one of the leading voices driving innovation and investment in the insurance space.

Sokhiba and I discussed-

Only 3% of venture capital goes to female founders. Why? What can we actually do about it?

The systems and support that make a difference

What it’s like reviewing 2,000+ pitches, and the 19 that earned investment and why they stood out.

What makes a pitch stand out in a crowded field

The growing trends of women's health, IVF and Fertility in Insurtech.

The next big thing for women in tech and insurtech

This week on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast I was joined by Kristy Lovegrove, Group Head of Technology and Digital Services at Pro Global

Kristy is leading Pro’s digital automation efforts for their re/insurance clients so it was super interesting to her her perspective on how top insurers and reinsurers are embracing automation and where the industry is heading.

We dive into:

- How insurers vs reinsurers approach automation- and how Kristy tailors solutions for each

- The role of AI and machine learning in transforming industry practices

- When to optimize existing processes before chasing new tech

- The challenges of introducing innovation in a traditionally conservative space

- Digital transformation trends across major insurers and reinsurers

- Her thoughts on leadership, lifelong learning, and where she finds inspiration in tech

On this weeks We Are InsurTech Women podcast, I had the huge pleasure of speaking Rafaela Andrade, Partner at Mundi Ventures.

A super useful listen if you're an Insurtech founder, looking to move into VC or just generally interested in investment trends and the insurtech landscape.

We cover:

🔘 Key factors Rafaela and Mundi look for in insurtechs

🔘 The biggest risks investors consider

🔘 How founders can stand out in a tough market

🔘 What makes Mundi Ventures different

🔘 The biggest trends in our space

🔘 Rafaela's prior experience in investment banking and being a founder herself- what she learnt along the way

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Tanja Deane, Head of Insurance Solutions and Strategy at Augmented (part of Pleiad group) on the podcast .

Tanja has been a great member of WAIW and close with FinPro so we loved finally having her on the podcast and discussing what’s happening at Augmented. 

• Tanja’s Background: From large corporates to start-ups, Tanja shares her track to Augmented and the Pros and Cons of both .

  Augmented's Mission: how are they providing transparent data at all levels of an org by augmenting the human decision making process. 

• Products & Launch: two new products coming to the insurance space- hear what Augmented have developed 

• Pre-Launch Team Dynamics: Essential qualities needed for a pre-launch team.

• Testing and Pilots are always crucial to growth, Tanja discusses how Augmented structured it and importance feedback can have.

Shoutout to MyCena for being Tanjas product to watch this year! 

I was joined by Lena Chukhno, CRO of Bestow, who has had a super impressive career to date, working in consulting before scaling high-growth start ups and revenue teams.

She shared insights on:

🔹 Why Bestow? – A big vision, a massive opportunity, and a hard problem that Bestow has found a solution for

🔹 Transferring skills from consulting to a scale-up – why are these so valuable for high-growth companies

🔹 Scaling revenue & team growth – from strategy to execution, client obsession, and hiring the right talent

🔹 Building culture across distributed teams – fostering authenticity, connection, and collaboration

🔹 Women in revenue leadership – the importance of visibility and recognition in a field where only a tiny proportion of CROs are women

Plus, Lena gives insight into Bestow’s big year ahead, from tripling revenue to expanding partnerships and so much more!

This week on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Daria Kępa-Green, VP of Marketing at Cytora.

Daria has had an impressive career and has been at the forefront of Cytora's marketing who have had a huge year so it was great to hear insights into her thinking, Cytora's product and what's worked for them.

Tune in to hear Daria discuss-

- How working in multiple countries has shaped her approach to marketing and working in a start up.

- How marketing differs in Insurance vs other industries

- How Cytora have taken an innovative approach to their GTM strategy and how/why it's been successful.

- Cytora's product market fit which has been reflective in the growth they have gone through over the past year.

- What's happening this year for Cytora, including their recently announced Cytora platform 3.0!

Excited to share this week’s We Are InsurTech Women podcast where I had the pleasure of speaking with Jen Kemp, CFO of Clearcover.

Jen has had an impressive career, and it was a great to dive into her route to becoming CFO and hear her advice for others in the industry.

Tune in to hear about:

🔹 Jen’s transition from traditional insurance to Insurtech, and what inspired the move

🔹 Key advice on preparing for the shift from a large corporation to a scale-up

🔹 Clearcover’s huge year and their innovative approach to auto insurance

🔹 The unique challenges women face in senior leadership roles in insurance, along with Jen’s insights for other women in the field

🔹 How Jen’s leadership values have shaped her impact in a startup/scale-up environment

🔹 Jen’s path to becoming CFO and her guidance for aspiring finance leaders

This week on theWe Are InsurTech Women podcast I had the pleasure of chatting withKatie Upton, Director of Finance atSigo Seguros.

Katie shared her route from major consulting firms to scaling at Sigo, an InsurTech who recently secured a $10.5 million Series A.

Here’s a glimpse of our discussion:

🔹 The shift from working for the likes of Accenture and and BCG to early-stage scale-up and what made the switch so appealing and advice to those considering doing so.

🔹 What drew Katie to Sigo- their huge impact they're having on the space and their important mission.

🔹With the company’s headcount still small, how does Sigo ensure every new hire is aligned with its mission and values?

🔹Why Sigo is specifically focused on the Hispanic market and the importance of that decision.

🔹 What's next for Sigo? Big things coming up

▶️ Link in comments to listen

This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Bijal Patel, CO-founder and CTO of Aurora. 

Bijal has been a key member of the WAIW group, speaking on our panel last year in Lloyds Lab and Aurora have had a very exciting year so it was great to finally sit down with her and dive into their product, mission and Bijals career further. 

Tune in to hear- 

• What is the mission of Aurora and what impact have they already been having on the market? 

• Hear about Aurora’s recent raise from QBE, and why they were the right investors for Aurora. 

• Bijals step from working at Willis to founding an Insurtech- how did she know this was the right next step and how did the inception of Aurora come about. 

• Scaling an InsurTech- how has Bijal and Aurora structured their growth and remained a close knit team throughout. 

• What’s set for Aurora for 2025

Excited to share this weeks We Are InsurTech Women podcast where we were joined by Charlotte Koep, CEO of Root.

Root has grown considerably since Charlotte joined 4 years ago so it was great to dive into their product and mission further as well as Charlotte track leading up to to joining them.

Tune in to hear-

- What is Roots mission and what impact are they having on the space?

- Roots solid culture- how has this been created and maintained through their growth?

- How working in the Finance and Legal space, gave Charlotte the exposure to the entrepreneurship and start-ups which led her to move into it.

- Root launched in the UK after their success in South Africa- why was the UK the best next region for them?

- 2025 is set to be a huge year for Root -hear what's happening over the coming months.

This week I had the pleasure of being joined by Robin Roberson- President and Co-Founder of Agentech. 

Having previously founded and exited a highly successful Claims technology company, Agentech are poised for success and already having a huge impact on the space with their product and recent raise. 

Hear from Robin- 

-What is Agentechs mission and how have they already been reducing claims costs by 67% 

-What developments are happening with Agentech off the back of their raise 

-What has Robin learned from being a previous founder 

-Robins thoughts on how to prepare when founding a company 

-The best way to hire when you’re starting out and how to build a solid foundation

The We Are InsurTech Women podcast is kicking off this year with Laura Bennett.

Laura was previously Co-Founder and CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance, scaling the company for 14 years to be the leader within the pet insurance space and recently being acquired for $1billlion+ !

Tune in to hear-

- How to build a highly successful InsurTech, find your niche and gap in the market

- The importance of hiring right from the top and ensuring everyone has the same values within a start up

-At what point does it make sense for a founder to exit the company

- Laura's take on the evolution of Pet Insurance

- Insights into the 2025 landscape- we're off to a positive start

Great to speak with Kate Lyons, Life Insurance Innovation manager from Munich Re on this week's We Are InsurTech Women podcast.  

We dive into the life insurance space, the innovation needed within it and the role Kate is playing to solve this.

Link in comments to hear Kate discuss-

-Why life insurance? Kate has worked within the space for the majority of her career so explains the need

-What is the customer problem within Life Insurance? Kate breaks it down into three key areas: awareness, consideration and conversion.

-The role of Innovation Manager means Kate is bringing in different people, companies and tech to collectively solve the problem- hear how she manages this.

-How different is working and looking for a job in your 30s compared to your 40s? Kate dives in to the different thinking around this and how to navigate.

Excited to have welcome dour first MENA based guest to the podcast this week, Mina Sahib.

Mina is has been making huge advancements in the MENA region for Insurance, founding the Women in Insurance Network and founding a consultancy, she's very much at the forefront of innovation in MENA.

• Listen in to hear what's been happening in insurance from an innovation stand point in Dubai and the wider MENA region.
• How W.I.N MENA has scaled at an exponential rate over the last couple of years and is connecting women all over the globe The challenges and opportunities of driving digital transformation in a traditionally siloed industry The benefits of having multiple geographies in your a career

So great to have Hayley Budd, Innovation Class Lead at Apollo ibott 1971, join us on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast this week.

Also great to welcome back Rebekah to this episode, featuring as a host.

Tune in to hear more about Hayley's thoughts on-

- How has taking risks and chances benefited and influenced her career?

- Challenging the traditional view of who can become a Underwriter.

- The Lloyds ICX allowance- hear how it works and the huge benefit it's having

- How to manage a busy and intensive role and the benefit of having a solid network to support

Delighted to have been joined by Olga Collins, CEO of WBN on the WAIW podcast this week. 

Olga and WBN have been making a huge impact on the Insurance space, particularly with diversity, talent and innovation. 

Tune in to hear from Olga..

What is the mission of WBN, and how are they becoming the leading, largest and most connected global network in space? 

What have WBN been doing over the past 2 years since Olga stepped into the role of CEO? 

The issue with talent, attracting, retaining and tackling the aging workforce within Insurance- how are WBN attracting and empowering people at collegiate level but also those later in their career. 

Hear Olgas thoughts on the advancement of diversity and what still needs to be done, within the Insurance space but also outside of it as well. 

Loved having Jil Macdonald, COO of Walnut Insurance join us on this week's We Are InsurTech Women podcast to hear more about her background as well as Walnuts product and the successful year they have had. 

How are Walnut embedding insurance products and solutions with their customers? And what’s their USP? 

They’ve tackled the Canadian market already, what are the growth plans going forwards following a raise earlier this year? 

Jil's background has been an accumulation of being a Geophysicist, AI and scaling tech start-ups which has positioned her well to be Walnuts COO but how was the transition into an InsurTech for her?

How has Walnut built their solid foundation of key players in their team which has set them up for the growth they have gone through? 

Hear Jil's thoughts on joining an early stage company and how finding a product which you are passionate about and invested in can lead to best experience one can have.

This week we were joined by Tamara, COO of dentolo.

How does living and working in multiple countries benefit building a team, hear about Tamara's diverse and exciting background, which has reflected in her team building

Considering a switch from traditional insurance into InsurTech? Hear about the frustrations but overall super positive move for Tamara 

When scaling a company, you need to think about hiring a team rather than just individuals, hear Tamara's advice on hiring and how to create a team who complement each others strengths and weaknesses

This week we were joined by Carly Levin, Chief Strategy Officer from Cover Whale. 

• Hear about Carly's unique introduction to Cover Whale following a train ride and sitting next to the President of Cover Whale.  
• What are the key transferable skills moving from Investment Banking into an Insurtech scale up?
• Hear advice on transitioning from a large corporate into an 80 person Insurtech and why you should do it
• Cover Whales product- we can all see the need for it and success of it but hear what the appeal was for Carly

One for the athletes and sports fans !

Kyle Lubrano, Chief Mission Delivery Officer from Players Health joined us on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast this week 

⚾ Hear how Kyle moved from leading USA Baseballs Athlete safety to joining Players Health as their 10th employee

⚾ How does Players Health, who have both an MGA and brokerage, understand, mitigate and protect athletes and sports organizations from risk

⚾ What does the role of Chief Mission Delivery Officer entail? 

⚾ Athlete, Coach, Accountant and being Administrator of a national governing body- the perfect combination of experience that Kyle had which led her to where she is now 

In this episode we were joined by Maria Goy, Co-founder and CEO of Spot.

Hear how Maria went from working at the likes of Paramount, MTV, Starbucks HQ and consulting to founding an Insurtech 

What is the concept behind Spot and why was there a need for the inception of it? 

How to navigate setbacks, like SVB and Covid and come out of the other side, hear how Maria and the team managed their way through and have stayed as a solid unit

How to prepare for founding a startup? Maria talks through the importance of finding the right investors, co-founder and team 

Ruiqi is the Chief Data and Product Officer from Ledgebrook who have had a huge year with a recent raise, double headcount growth and a number of awards popping up- definitely one to check out. 

Tune in to hear-  

More about Ruiq’s career and route to Ledgebrook which is a mix of traditional Insurance, consulting and fintech- a winning combo. 

How Ruiqi came to join Ledgebrook and what excited her about the product and team

How does an Insurtech get voted best place to work? Hear how Ruiqi and the team have done this whilst still being a remote-first company and growing at the rate they are 

Loved having Ann from Resilience on the We Are Insurtech Woman podcast this week. Tune in to hear insights to Anne’s career to date, what’s been happening at Resilience and the impact of of AI on Insurance.

How do you innovate in traditional markets? By listening to deeply to your customers and creating a culture where both technologists and those with more traditional insurance skills are equally valued.

Rebekah and I were joined by Catherine Barton, Group Risk and Actuarial Director, Ki on this week’s We are Insurtech Women podcast were we talked about Insurtech’s ability to analyse and solve business problems that were previously unaddressable and the value of partnerships…. even with those perceived as ‘competitors’. 

We also discussed career transitions - for Catherine this was moving into Insurtech after 25 years in consulting and traditional insurance roles ⇝ she highlighted the importance of company culture and team dynamics – remember you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you!!

⏩Focus on finding the right ‘sized’ Insurtech for your skills and risk profile 🤯Accept that adaptability and multi-skilling is vital for a successful career in a start-up to scale up - so be willing to get your 🖐️hands dirty ⇝ you’ll be rewarded with new skills and opportunities

Catherine also pointed out the importance of hiring for potential and not just replication… especially as you’ll need colleagues who are willing to adapt as the company grows.

“Sandra gets bored” ..... how do you activate a career when you have a problem solver/builder profile??

On this week’s We are Insurtech Women podcast Hattie and I talked to Sandra Levin about the value of continuously reskilling to create longevity in your career…. especially when you’re a generalist who is open to a squiggly career. This means being brave and willing to self promote including: 

—> 🖐️don’t stop asking for more - it can led to more opportunities that you can ever imagine

—>  👪get interested in what others are doing and offer up your skills - you never know what this may led to

We also discussed personal priorities and how this can impact how and when people can and choose to work. For Sandra a diagnosis of endometriosis meant she transitioned into a more flexible working arrangement but this flexibility is also supporting her being a working mother. 

🎭Balance… is this really possible? Realistically complete balance is impossible but you can accept at certain times in your life you prioritise certain aspects over others and be happy to live with the consequences of your decisions… and Sandra recommends regularly checking in with yourself on those priorities - including an all important Sunday evening meeting with yourself to set out your goals for the week and following up with daily check-ins. 

Sandra also discusses honestly and openly about the ups and downs of being a freelance consultant —> 💡her recommendation is building your ‘pot’ to sustain the ups and downs.

We had the pleasure of welcoming Helen from Teambase to this week’s We are Insurtech Woman's podcast. We dive into life as a start-up founder, what the younger work generation are seeking and how to manage your mental health.

Highlights Include- 

🔊 How does someone switch from being a school teacher to COO and Founder of a tech start-up? Tune in to hear how Helen did

🔊 Employee benefits are becoming increasingly important for the younger generation but which ones are the most sought after and will ultimately help you attract top talent?

🔊Proactively managing your mental health in the workplace is vital to a healthy work life, Helen discusses how her love for exercise helps this

🔊Working in an operational role means wearing multiple hats and juggling a number of priorities, we discuss how this is a benefit, particularly within a start-up.

We explore the mentality that to succeed you need to be 🖐️'willing to try things you've never done before'

Career progression - a mix of timing, luck and most crucially identifying opportunities when they arise?

On this week’s We are Insurtech Women podcast I was joined by Nika Lee, Chief Underwriting Officer at Wakam, where we talked about how insurance technology innovation doesn’t just happen in Insurtechs, how to prepare to ‘downsize’ to upscale your career and when to activate luck and timing to capitalise on career opportunities.

We discussed how best to prepare to ‘downsize’ when moving from a large corporate to a start-up to scale up whilst embracing often a faster paced more agile and rapid decision making framework. Nika’s key advice includes

⇝be willing to get your 🖐️hands dirty - you may take on new roles and responsibilities outside of your official JD but it will expand your skillset and your future career options 

⇝be prepared for a ⏩faster pace environment and be willing to pivot where necessary

⇝don’t loose your 🤯growth mindset - embrace challenges as opportunities, 

⇝invest in relationships and your network 👪

Nika and I discussed how career progression can often look like luck but actually ‘even luck is about timing’ ⌛and even more crucially it is about doing your homework so you are clear on what an ‘opportunity’ looks like so you can then quickly leap into it.

⇝she gives gave us three point plan 📃to help understand if you are ready for a new opportunity (👇listen below to learn more)

Looking for advice on making a start up journey more sustainable? Nika suggests three things:

→prioritising - saying yes ✅by design but accept you might not be able to do everything immediately or yourself… so its important to understand the best ‘bang’ for your effort

–>being willing to ask for help 🆘- accept that some things might need to be delegated including upwards (👇listen below for Nika’s honest experience of this)

→reframe failures as a learning opportunity🎒

Tune into this conversation via the links below 👇 

Ever feel like growing your business is like learning to surf barefoot?

I loved my conversation with Daisy Qi Dong, Head of Product and Pricing Europe and Group Head of Product Proposition, at bolttech on this week’s the We are Insurtech Women Podcast where we talk about taking leaps of faith in your personal life and career and the vital mindset shifts you need to successfully cope. 

Growing a start-up to scale up business can often feel like learning to surf barefoot 

🏄…but the amount of learning and growth you experience is exponential. Daisy and I discuss how:

 ⇝it teaches you to navigate ambiguity but whilst also creating and valuing tangible structure and process – a mini real life MBA! 🧑‍🏫

 ⇝why accepting that change is the only unchangeable can lead to a helpful mindset shift that enables you to look forward to and embrace change

(👇listen below for Daisy’s great surfboard vs ⛴️cruise ship analogy comparing corporate and start-up life)

We took a deep dive into what makes a successful Insurtech product

📢Daisy highlights the careful balance between creating a revolution and incremental improvement supported by a continuous innovation mindset

🎯We also discuss bolttech’s secret sauce - 👇listen in to hear bolttech’s three guiding principles that have supported its exponential growth

🔥How she become an accidental data and technology geek and why she believes data has the power to ensure people and businesses get better cover and why you should always back yourself to find a solution.

We discussed how Ruth became a 🛜technology and 🔢data advocate after spending the first half of her career as tehnopobic… and why she thinks data and technology has a particular ability to revolutionise the SME insurance market, moving it from a distressed purchase to a tool for risk mitigation and resilience.

We also disccussed my favourite topic - insurance jargon! And why language continues to be a large barrier to entry to early career entrants and those looking to transition into insurance ➡ loosing the industry valuable diversity of thought.

She also has some 🚨excellent advice on why some Insurtech’s make it (you’ll need to 👇listen below for her three fundamental elements and three fundamental enablers)

Finally ever wondered what you need in a start-up to scale up 🧰 ‘resilience toolbox’ ⚒️? We discuss the value of creating physical or mental moments of joy to change the direction of your day (this can include something as simple as a really nice coffee or piece of chocolate) and always BACKING YOURSELF TO FIND A SOLUTION.

To space and home again….. ever wondered what the formula is to create innovative insurance solutions in emerging markets?

On this week’s  insight packed The We are Insurtech Women podcast I talked to Maria Mateo Iborra, co-Founder and CEO, of IBISA about the value of small scale entrepreneurship in skill building, the power of satellite based parametric insurance in closing the protection gap and why having individual user guides is vital to creating strong virtual teams. She also provides insights into maximising value and trust with investors. 

This is a must listen for any early stage start-up entrepreneurs – so many amazing insight nuggets!!

We discussed Maria's entrepreneurial journey → Maria talks honestly about the building blocks she learnt through previous roles and various side hustle business ventures that support her journey.

➡listen in to hear about Maria’s early stock market investing, her attempt to break a world record and preserving lemons – AND why the skills gained in this enterprises were invaluable when she started her own business full time.

➡She also talks about how working in the 🛰️satellite industry for many years showed her how technology can be an enabler as growth and inspired her to create her own business

🪜Mind the Gap! - we also dive into the challenges faced by traditional insurance in emerging markets due to high administrative costs and lack of infrastructure, leaving many populations uninsured and vulnerable to climate risks. 

🚨In response, Maria founded IBISA in 2019 to close that gap – with a focus on satellite based parametric insurance solutions.

🧑‍🎓Struggling to master your distribution strategy? Maria also provides great insights into how IBISA has built its distribution channels - with a focus on trust and fit between the product and channel. 

    (👇 listen to the full episode for insights on how to test different distribution channels)

Ever wondered what happens after you 💰secure funding? – that’s when the hard work begins to build trust and engagement and secure strategic value from the relationship – listen in to hear Maria’s advice on how best to do this… even when you have a diverse set of investors.

We also discussed the value of over communicating and personal user manuals in enable a 😎thriving remote team – as well as the power of food and sports in creating shared interest and team bonding.

Have you ever wondered about the value of undertaking your own personal leadership retrospective?

I am so appreciative of the honest conversation that Belen Tokarski, President and COO, Mylo had with me on this week’s We Are Insurtech Women podcast 🎧. So many amazing insights and nuggets I couldn’t include them all below - definitely one to listen to with a cup of tea and a notebook.

We discussed protecting what matters through better insurance solutions focused on underserved individuals and small businesses – which for Mylo means a Human centric approach 

💡Think of it as the intersection of personalisation and digitisation ➕whilst valuing the role of internal and independent agents.

I really appreciated her honest view of how Mylo has matured by having a laser focus on KPI and key metrics,  allowing it to make informed decisions and ensure sustainable growth.

⛔Including stopping what has historically done and realising the team that grows a business might not be the same business that started the business.

Her advice for Insurtech💪 builders tackling funding rounds (👇listen below for even more insights)

➡Be crisp on the problem you are solving - you are often talking to non-experts

➡Visibly hold yourself to account with clear metrics

➡AND also showcase your “Problem Solving Endurance” -  what’s the next iteration of your product and services

🦘 Switching from a traditional carrier into Insurtech? – Belen also has some great thoughts on what to consider and why you SHOULD make the leap!

We also discussed the concept of 🫵Authentic Leadership which should always include a willingness to accept direct feedback and actively engage in retrospectives.

❓❓The key to unlocking career progression: Focus on knowing your contribution and personal values

Raj Variyar, Head of Platforms and Propositions, Aon UK joined me on this week’s We Are Insurtech Women podcast 🎧- where I flipped the tables having previously been a guest, twice, on the Risky Mix podcast, co-hosted by the amazing Katie Crook-Davies. 

We discussed:

🔥How Raj ‘fell into’ insurance and built a career and passion for modernising insurance through digital distribution

🎯Why being clear on your contribution and values are the key to unlocking opportunities as they arise (👌in particular unlocking the benefit of mentors, sponsors and your network)

🎓Having personal passions and a learning mindset and how that can unlock workplace creativity and increase loyalty and job satisfaction    

(➡ though my badly crocheted scarves pale into insignificance compared to Raj undertaking two degrees and being a published author whilst working full time…)

👇listen now to hear how Raj maintained a clear thread of purpose and passion as she transitioned across multiple roles

Have you wondered how to enhance the efficiency of launching new insurance products? 

Natalie Fong, COO of Wesurance joined me on the We Are Insurtech Women podcast 🎧this week to discuss all things distribution and product development including how to best use GenAI in a regulated environment, being open to all sources of product ideation and the importance of being a positive mental health role model as a Founder.

Natalie and I took a deep dive into how embracing GenAI to support Agents can significantly improve conversion rates during the ‘golden time’ in converting buyers.

💡This includes maintaining maintaining the human element in the insurance buying process while leveraging technology and AI to improve the customer experience.

She highlighted some of the barriers to increased GenAI usage in the near term due to the regulated nature of the insurance industry including:

➡Significant data privacy requirements 

➡The need for transparency of AI decision-making

➡And customers continued preference for human interaction

🤔Never know where you next opportunity can come from…. (👇listen to hear how Natalie turned an insurance buying opportunity into her next role)

We also discussed how being a start-up founder has actually made her an even better parent and how 💡product ideation can come from the most unlikely sources… including your teenagers! 

She highlighted the important of intentional time away from work (whether in 🌿nature, 💪exercising or 👋hanging out with friends and family) and how she and her co-Founder Eddie Chang try to be active role models for positive mental health across their team

"Entrepreneurship is a journey "

In this conversation we discuss what it means to work within insurance law and the pivotal role lawyers play within both the incumbent and start-up worlds of insurance. We also look at Insurtech innovation from Kimberly's perspective and how her unique lens provides an insight into industry trends and more.

"Where can I make the most impact in this world?"

Being mission driven is pivot in the start up landscape, and important on both the founder side and investor side - after all, mission driven people make ideas happen. In this conversation with Tiffine, I love how she expands on this idea.

Her ethos of making sure she is building a career where she can make an impact is inspiring, and venture is her avenue. Listen back to this conversation where we discuss her draw to venture, the importance of investing in people, and more! 

Another lovely conversation to share this week on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast this week - this time with no other than Abi Potter Clough, CPCU, MBA. In this conversation we discuss the importance of story telling and communicating a start up's mission. We get in to how this can shape team moral, ethos and market positioning and how Abi plays a role helping many start ups in the insurtech space doing so. We look at the challenges in the industry right now and question if we need to reframe how we approach DEI initiatives to dig deeper and see more impactful results. Finally, we look at what is takes to be an entrepreneur, what are the charectaristics that stand out? Curiosity and more ✨ ✨

I'm really excited share this to special episode of the We Are InsurTech Women podcast with Sanghamithra Penesetti, CEO of goZealSanghamithra has built a women-led data analytics and science-as-a-service company focusing on employing diverse women in tech, including return to work women and those who need flexible working hours. goZeal’s purpose is twofold: to create flexible, accessible and equal opportunity jobs for women, and to help companies grow and pursue their DEI & ESG goals through them. This conversation is particularly inspiring and I love that Sangha's beliefs and drivers echo my own "Empowering Underutilized & Over-Qualified Demographics"

Another great conversation to share on the We Are InsurTech Women podcast this week where I am joined by Natasha I. Kiemnec, ARM, Founder of LION Specialty

⏩ In this episode we reflect on career paths and how Natasha's various roles led to her entrepreneurial journey and eventually founding Lion. We delve into her experience starting out at Aon, to building out JLT Group's first US entity to working throughout the pandemic and more.

⏩ We discuss the power of networks and despite the opportunities that the remote working world has opened up, how much we value face to face connection

⏩ Natasha shares her challenges and lessons learnt taking risks and taking the leap to founding LION Specialty

Thank you Natasha for joining me for this conversation