What’s the good news, ladies? It’s fall, y’all!

I just want to take a minute to give some gratitude to BenefitsPRO for this platform and helping us connect with incredible women from around the country.  As some of you know, this series has been the brainchild of our “Wonder Woman Mastermind” that we started over a year ago.  Our topic for the monthly meeting this week, led by Christy Aleckson, was Burn Out.  Oh, to be a fly on that virtual wall.  It was absolutely incredible to have such a connection with women who openly shared about their struggles to be Wonder Women and keep everything going all the time.  It was such a great reminder for all of us to make a conscious effort to put in “release valves” to help us combat burn out, especially as we head into 4^th Quarter.

I grew up in a small farming community in Northwest Missouri, where all of us drove at a young age. Most of the time, we drove on the farm, but I remember when it came to highway driving, my father would always say in a calm voice “Drive the car…. drive the car.” He would pull the wheel to have you go onto the shoulder or when you’d pop over the hill and there would be a tractor in your lane, and he would remain constant and say: “Drive the car…drive the car.” To this day, when I’m driving in NYC and someone pulls out in front of me, I still hear his voice telling me to “drive the car.”  When I think about burn out, it reminds me of that experience. Sometimes, I think we have to remind ourselves to just go back to the basics.  When I met Genevieve and Robyn at the Broker Expo in August, I was in awe of their presence, demeanor and their sense of calm.  It’s no surprise that these ladies have both learned a great deal about balancing their lives as they take on new challenges.

Genevieve Marie Cardona, Lane Health:  The Card with a Heart

“I have always been a driven professional, and I have strived to become an agent of change.  However, after years of representing good organizations, the time came when I could no longer ignore the desire to rekindle the passion that has steered me throughout my career.  Can you believe that I have been in the benefits industry for over 27 years?  Approximately four months ago, I joined the innovative and passionate organization that I had always longed for.  I’ve been fortunate to have an unparalleled mentor during my career; she hasn’t ever hesitated to provide me with the good, bad, and ugly – thank you Mrs. Ball!  In addition, I realize my good fortune in holding stellar positions despite not being formally educated until earning my Bachelor’s in science degree in Business Management in 2017 as a Summa Cum Laude graduate.  As a single mother of five children, it was a considerable accomplishment, with more to come.  I’m enjoying working shoulder-to-shoulder with my dynamic Lane Health family and chiefly enjoy spending time with my best friend — my husband David.”

Robyn Tikia, Director of Operations & Client Services, Risk Strategies Company

“Facing the realities and challenges of COVID, the past 12 months have forced me to change mycurrent perspectives in business. My success has a lot to do with my wiring, beliefs, worldview, thoughts and conditioning, and it all starts with authenticity. Having taken on a leadership role within my organization, I pride myself on versatility, resilience and credibility when building a successful team, as well as innovation, service, and response time with my clients. Behind adversity is opportunity.  Each opportunity challenges me every day to begin and end by impacting people to make them feel valued while they navigate a difficult landscape.

This past year, I have learned new skills and competencies with my staff, changed attitudes to adjust with changing workplace priorities, and used alternative drivers for success in writing new business and retention.  Ultimately, it turned out to be a fantastic year, both from a personal and business perspective.  While there is still work to be done, I am confident if we can experience COVID and Ida in the same year and still laugh about it, we’re on the right track.  In business, you don’t get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate.”

If you got this far, I know you either are a fantastic woman in our industry or know one.  Shoot me an email over to scombs@combsandco.com, as I always love to meet more wonderful women!  Until next month!