BMP - Business Made Personal

"A tingle of fear is good because that's giving you the right knowledge that you're probably pushing yourself to where you'll grow and learn." Brendan Dunne walks around with a set of post-it notes because, in his words, if it can't fit on the post-it note, it's probably not going to get done. This approach has served him well in his different leadership roles over his 20+ years at Allianz. His other piece of advice is to “make sure that you're not leaving your life behind because you spend a lot more time in your life than you do in your work.”

"People said I was ambitious. I didn't see that in myself. I just had that thirst for understanding the industry." Rebecca has advice for those seeking an insurance career: believe in yourself, trust that you can do it, be prepared to take chances, and keep your mind open to alternative views. She is also quick to point out that understanding AI will be fundamental to the future, whether they're in the industry now or thinking about joining. Melbourne Insurance Professionals (LinkedIn Group)

"For me, one of the real opportunities for us as an industry is to shape the future of Australian communities." Scott is not someone who believes that AI robots will take over all our jobs, but he thinks we will need to work differently in the future. Key to that will be our ability to learn to interact with people who have different personality types.

"If you see me on the weekends, it's not at your standard nightclub. It'll normally be at a youth centre or something along those lines." Adopting the first of five children when he was 28 years old, Sam Ratcliff concedes it meant big changes in his life, particularly balancing his private life as a single parent and his career. That said, it also forced him to develop strong routines, and in his words, “Routine and rhythm lead to success.”

"Ultimately, a leader is recognised by the outcome, not the path to how you get there." Every successful career has a price tag attached. Nigel Fitzgerald discusses the impact that long hours have had, both positive and negative, on his work and personal life. He is the first to acknowledge that he is no martyr and chose that path even to the extent of declining to be the best man at a close friend's wedding by prioritising work commitments. He said, "I wouldn't deem it a work priority today. I'd be at the wedding!"

"I think you deliver great results if you can develop a great culture". David Leach attributes his success to six key aspects he has had to develop to add value in his CEO roles: Communication, Professional Relationships, Knowledge and Expertise, Tools, Time Management, and on-time delivery and attitude. Based on his experience in other industries, he also believes that the insurance industry needs to develop a culture around innovation and have people on your team who are used to change and comfortable with a faster-paced rate of change.

"Success comes when you proactively embrace and lead with integrity and passion." Suzie White is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusivity. Having helped shape women's careers over many years, including her own, Suzie has made it her mission to foster, mentor, and support career growth for both women and men.

"Coming in with a really open mind and an eagerness to listen and learn has served me well, and it still does." Prue Monument spent 20 years in government roles, but nothing could have prepared her for the profound impact of supporting Syrian refugees. This work deeply shook her confidence and worldview for a time. Reflecting on her journey, Prue credits her parents for instilling a sense of passion and purpose in her. She says, "They had a talent for encouraging us to pursue what we loved. I didn’t always know what I wanted to do, but I kept following what brought me joy."

"That's one great thing about our industry: people will always give you the time no matter who they are, how high up they are or wherever they are." Considering the enormous risk of purchasing a brokerage, Jonathan Lam didn't realise how many hats he would wear as a business owner, knowing that the buck had stopped with him. One significant advantage has been spending time with his young family and sharing the business with his wife. His advice: Back yourself in, work hard, and it will work out!

"You're at work for a long time, so if you don't enjoy it, go and find somewhere else." Discussing the varied roles in his working life, Mike Edmonds has always had a strong desire to win, whether swimming, rugby or playing in a pipe band. In this podcast, Mike says that one of his key learnings, as he has developed his career, is that, these days, “I'm probably a bit more measured than I once was. A little bit more patient than I once was”.

"I’ve always been motivated and largely happy at work." Having seen the evolution of insurance claims for over 30 years, David Gow is still amazed at the education his role gives him. He cites one learning that he was unaware of: that Easter eggs are made all year round. He also notes the privilege of being able to assist people in their most difficult times.

"It's natural to be nervous in certain circumstances, but you have to be fearless at the same time." When Kerryn moved from a country town in Victoria to Melbourne at the age of 21, she knew she would have to prove herself. Kerryn has seen her career grow and develop by focusing on a positive mindset, educating herself, learning from mentors, and listening to podcasts.

"We're here to serve, and you serve by leading, but you also lead by serving." Moving from South Africa at the age of 12, Richard always believed that resilience was at the core of his survival. Speaking of life’s challenges, Richard says, "What you can control is how you respond, and what you can control is how you prepare."

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand something. What's important is that you want to understand it!" Adapting constantly to change since the age of 2 has given Oren Jacobi a unique view of what is required to become truly resilient. His career journey highlights just that and is also reflected in what he feels is essential in his personal life. He states his purpose: "I realized years ago also that I was put on this earth to help people. It’s a fundamental part of who I am.”

"I’ve seen favouritism in businesses before, and it acts like a virus!" Meg Long has firm views on what Diversity should and shouldn’t mean, what Ai is likely to do to the industry and why she loves seeing people build their businesses within the business she works in.

"Purpose and passion are important in anything you get to do, whether it's your work role or a side interest." Paul's desire for financial independence started early—at the age of 14. He started in insurance at 18 and, in addition to his day job, is a huge influence on the insurance community when it comes to making a difference for the LGBTQIA+ and other diverse communities through his involvement as co-chair at InsurePride.

"So (ESG) is not all about minimizing the risk; it's actually about seeing and seizing some of these opportunities, and that needs leadership that sees beyond the quarter-by-quarter reporting cycles." Having worked in various areas, including market research, teaching English, TV ratings, local government, ethical funds manager, and elite sportspeople, and having spent time in Rural Ireland, Dublin, and Japan, Ciaran decided his employment passion really was in the environment. Moving to Australia, he aimed to become a wildlife ranger, but the world had bigger plans for the kid who grew up on a dairy farm in Ireland.

"When I started out originally, I said to myself, ‘How awesome would it be to be in every major state I wanted to be in?’." By his own admission, Franz Du Plessis has made quite a few mistakes in the last few years, but that has not stopped him from acquiring multiple businesses in various industries. Driven by his mantra of just being happy and enjoying what he and his team do and learning every day, something new, Franz believes that if you fail, you see that as a lesson - you learn quicker, and you just start up again.

"How do we get out of our own way so we can be transformational leaders?" Speaking of the insurance industry, Lyle Steffensen says, “We're an industry of mavericks. We're an industry of people who don't fit other places”. She follows that up with, “But I don't think I've met many people who know that.” It is clear that Lyle has a passion for the insurance industry, but it isn't the usual ‘I fell into it and loved it’ story.

"I've never been good at being a specialist at anything so I became a generalist at everything." Like many people in this podcast series, mine is a migrant's story infused with the generous support of so many people, particularly from within the Insurance Industry. The ability to develop relationships and create a career working across so many diverse sectors of the insurance industry has ensured that I have had massive opportunities to learn, grow, and develop.