June 22, 2023 • 23 mins
James Lott Jr (host) chats with EVP and Regional Managing Director Southwest of Newfront, Linde Hotchkiss.They discuss diversity, inclusion and equity being important for Insurance Company success. And we get to know how she got into the business and why IIABCAL is good for you! newfront.com
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Episode Transcript
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(00:02):
Hello, Welcome to another edition ofIndependent Voices. I'm your host, James
Logi here here on jail j Mediowithin Association, I abycow dot Org.
I've got to be here. Wehave to bring you independent voices, and
that's what I do. And Ihave an independent voice. It's here in
Insurance. She's a regional managing directorSouthwest for Grect New New New. I
(00:25):
gave my own handwriting the new frontNew Front. I had writing New Front.
It's also an executive I president um. She says, I saw a
part of her bio risk Taker,which I love. Inclusion champion. That's
like my favorite agile strategist. Sheis somebody I'm excited to have on the
shown. That's Lindy Hotkins. Hi, Lindy, Hi, happy to be
(00:47):
here. How are you? Firstof all, how are you? I'm
fantastic actually good. UM. Thismonth as we're recording this, today's Juneteenth
Team, which to me is Americanhistory. UM. And it is also
a federal holiday actually for me sincetwo thousand and nineteen or twenty okay.
(01:07):
Also it's African Caribbean American month,so I'm Caribbean American. So may that
And if you're lgbt QI plus anally it's Pride month, so you have
a lot going on in June umand so what can I buy for all
of those? I celebrate all ofthose. And so I'm I'm gonna start
with the light question with you,the light question how important is inclusion personally
(01:34):
in your life? And then onthe flip side, professionally in assurance.
Thanks for asking, And I thinkinclusion is critical just for living our best
lives. And so you know theway that I like to look at things,
diversity is about counting heads. Inclusionis about making heads count. Said
(02:00):
another way, diversity is a datadriven exercise and inclusion is a choice.
And I lead unconscious biased workshops.I've committed to being visible so that I
can create a space of safety andbelonging for others. And so I tell
people to look across every room everyconversation, think about who or might be
(02:24):
feeling like an outsider, and door say something to bring them into the
conversation. Many times it will surpriseyou, and you know that you know
at new front. One of thethings that I love is our ethos,
which is work, love, play, And you have to fill each of
those three buckets to be fulfilled inlife, and so there's a lot of
(02:45):
that overlap between work and play andlove. And so it's the same answer
for me personally and professionally. Yes, I always you know, I've had
many I've sought out on purpose,and I have had many insurance folk from
different backgrounds on the show. Becausepersonally, when I was an insurance industry
(03:05):
for eleven years back in the twothousands, um, I didn't see.
I didn't see folks look like mein the business. Um. I know,
I know there's a few. MarkTodd is one, my buddy Mark
Todd, and no one who's black, um like me. But I didn't
see. I didn't see a lotof I don't say minorities. I called
nobody's minors, So I don't saythat word anymore, but marginalized people who
want to get into the business.And I want curious if you, if
(03:28):
you agree with you on some level, I feel like we have to reflect
what's out there, the neighborhoods,the businesses. They're diverse, so sometimes
they might be apt to want towork with someone that looks like them in
insurance. So what so, what'sthat part of someone you're thinking to you
or how you think? Also,Yeah, absolutely, we have to mirror
(03:52):
the communities that we work in.And you know, unfortunately there are very
very few black insurance professionals and UM. So there are two ways that we
can, you know, work tochange that. And one is obviously,
UM you know the ones that wehave, do everything we can to help
(04:13):
them learn and grow and develop andbe promoted. And the other thing is
start young, meaning right out ofcollege. We're we're recruiting UM in in
the places that we need to inorder to attract and and and then bring
on board that next generation of insuranceprofessionals. And so I think it is
(04:33):
something that needs to change. UM. You know, when you look at
some of the studies that McKinsey andother organizations have done, when when you
look at diverse organizations UM the Fortunefive hundred, there was one study that
that takes the Fortune five hundred andlooks at those that have the greatest diversity
(04:54):
across their executive leadership and their boards, and those that have the most gender
diversity UM outperform their peers by fifteenpercent compound annual growth rates over time.
But then you look at those thatUM look take into account race and gender
that that outperform goes up to twentythree percent better over time Fortune five companies.
(05:20):
It's it's very clear, and soit's it's that's the business case for
anybody who is thinking, oh,I need a reason to do this UM.
Other than it being the right thingto do UM, it actually has
a long term effect on your businessperformance. Well, you know, an
in insurance or in any industry.We're talking about insurance because an insurance show,
(05:40):
we're always looking for a perpetuation domy big words say? And also
regeneration. You just said you gottaget next. You should always looking for
next gen next. Jane should alwayslooking for that UM. And I like,
as you said, so I noticedmaybe to shoot just a little more.
Are there more colleges cowboys start tooffer insurance? Broke out? How
(06:02):
are we recually got the people?I'm excuria, It's like, how are
we getting there? Yeah? They'rethere are more UH universities every day that
are that are adding risk management degreeprograms because that that is something that is
pretty broad and pretty hi able.So the colleges are looking at, you
know, where can we have astrong stream of jobs that our graduates can
(06:27):
go into and obviously insurances as afantastic um career for for anybody. UM.
But I think, you know,it's interesting when I when I started
in this industry, you know,thirty years ago, Yes, it was
two schools. It was Temple Universityand Georgia, and so it's definitely much
(06:49):
much bigger than that now. Andyou know, we've also hired folks from
economics programs, finance programs because they'rethey're in jacent to risk management and risk
and so it's not always risk management. But yeah, there's there's a lot
more out there, and there's alot more ways to engage with students with
(07:11):
some of the you know cohorts thatthey have on campuses and BGTQ centers,
um, you know, black students, etc. I mean, the affinity
groups that we can engage with oncollege campuses. Is it makes that proposition
a lot easier. So outreach basicallythere it is outreach and marketing, marketing
(07:32):
outreach, right, Yeah, that'sI think that's also because yes, I
know I've done this show and Iactually I have I have followers from other
things that I do, but theyhave kind of slid over here to watch
this program because they actually like theinterviews. They get to know people.
I mean, I said, Ididn't know insurance provided um work couple of
(07:53):
hours. We could still go toyour kids baseball games. I didn't know
insurance could last. I had noinsurance had a vast um You could be
in marketing, you could be inpodcasting, you could be in this,
could be and then like it's it'sprobably casually it's home life and likes.
They didn't realize how diverse and vastindustry is because you know, insurance and
sexy the car across and sexy.We gotta you know. So it's like
(08:16):
I always like that's always a hurdlefor just anybody to get into anybody.
Insurance is paint right absolutely, Andyou know, I mean when I came
into the insurance industry, what Ipictured was, you know, my grandfather
who sold insurance. And so here'shere that that traditional image in his fedora
and is you know, a littletrench coat and is said at somebody's dining
(08:39):
room table and tell them insurance andso um, yeah, but when you
look at some of the things thatwe're doing that are you know, outside
of the box. We're using ourcompany is using aim very significantly to add
lift and create opportunities for our teammembers to do the work of their career.
(09:00):
So that's I mean, insurance isvery exciting, especially now it is.
I will say I went to yourwell, went to the new front
website. I liked it. Itwas very it was very easy to navigate
a number one at the old school, that's easy for me. But two,
it was very diverse. I like, I did like the messages you
had, messaging you had in inthere. Did feel it didn't give me
(09:24):
not from the Bay Area, soit gave me very much a Bay Area
feel like it's kind of like weall, you know, with a little
birdole up there. But it's likebut it's all about but it's all but
seriously, it's about people. AndI think one of your people, I
think I saw one of your executiveswas head of people, Like literally that
was the title. And I actuallyreally appreciate that. That's we're forgetting insurance.
It begins relationships, doesn't it.Yeah? Absolutely, And you know
(09:46):
we have four four values at ourfirm, and uh that's it's blaze a
trail. They're not in any particularorder. For my teammates who might be
talking and blazing trail. So wewant to be different. We want to
be on the on the UM,on that edge that is creating change and
disruption in our industry. UM.We have UM focus on people. That
(10:13):
is that that is a core valueof who we are. Every single one
of our employees has equity in ourfirm, so that also reinforces that right
we have act like owners because everysingle employee is an owner, and then
deliver results and so you know,I think it's it's important that we have
that focus on people as part ofour core values. Because I don't care
(10:39):
how good the AI is, insurancestill comes down to relationships, relationships between
our clients whom we love and usand then us and the carriers that we
find solutions with. And so someof that, some of the tasks can
be automated and replaced with AI,but you know, the people part of
(11:00):
it and telling stories and positioning ourclients in the best way to the marketplace
is still. UM. It's anart, it's not a science. To
have inclusion and equity a job,UM, I believe you have to work
sometimes, you have to work onthe work culture. What are some of
your thoughts on bettering that or justare just kind of shifting it a bit,
(11:24):
because um, I know the faceof the insurance broker and agent is
changing. It is it's not morewomen. And I shout to all the
women who were in the blaze trails. I interviewed many of them who blaze
trails in his business where they're likethe one woman in the room. Um,
we are we arguing some diversity inthat, of course, but you
know, how do we kind ofhow do we work? What is your
(11:46):
thoughts are to try to change thework culture? So, um, I
think it's everything starts with the toneat the top. And I will tell
you a story about when I wasleaving Willis and I actually reached out to
a dear friend who probably wouldn't mindme mentioning. Her name is Donna Wilson.
(12:09):
She is the CEO of Manat,which is a fairly large law firm
out here on the West Coast.And I went to her for some advice
because she had recently moved at thetime from Buckley Sandler to Manat and I
wanted advice on navigating that because Ihad only been at two companies my entire
(12:30):
life. I was at Marsha mcclennonfor twenty one years and then Willis for
ten and so now I'm I'm steppingout and looking to make a change.
And she said, Lindy, finda way to introduce or say something about
your wife in a conversation with theexecutive leadership of the team of the company
you're you're you know, sort ofyour final I'm like, no, no,
(12:54):
Like that's terrifying. I like,what if they then don't like what
if they you know, it affectsmy ability to have them even get to
know me any further. And shesaid, Finny, if they don't like
you because of that, or ifthey, you know, give it away
from you, then it's not acompany you want to work for. And
(13:16):
I'm like, that's true. Andso I you know, it was scary,
but I did it. And Iwas having a conversation with Kurt de
Gross, who was the president ofAVD, which is the firm that I
joined that is joined now New Front, and Brian Hendrington, who was the
(13:37):
chair and I told them, youknow, something like oh my wife and
I blah blah blah blah blah,and they it was like a pause and
their eyes got big, and I'mlike, oh, here it comes,
you know, let us tell youabout our d and I and we just
stood up like you know, ourcounsel and we did this and we did
that, and oh my god,you do all these different things and then
(13:58):
this, oh, this is amazing, this is great. And I was
like, well that went pretty well. Ye yes, And so you know,
I mean that that is that sortof inclusion at the top creates an
environment that trickles down. You getpeople like me who are are all about
(14:20):
team and teammates and and working togetherand driving change and driving results. And
you know, it's it's absolutely adifferent environment when when you when you start
at the top and then you youbring it all the way down. You
reinforce your your ethos with um youknow, rewards and equity for everybody,
(14:43):
and that sort of alignment really backsit all up and and and puts a
nice bow on it. Yeah,because as we both know, we've been
around a wild it's not always acase um. It just you can't always
talk freely and and you think,you know, and right now we have
a lot of UM and tie LGBQgood plus plus laws out there happening and
(15:05):
bills, so we have to kindof watch that. But yeah, there's
you know, it's a time Icouldn't say anything. Um and I will
tell you I was insurtant that Isaid, let me, I was okay
to I was okay for me tobe open with most people I talked to
you, they were fine with it. It was more about can you do
the job? And I always feellike that's what should be. That's what
it should be about the job.Can you perform the job you're hired for,
no matter what you you know,quote unquote say quote unquote are otherwise.
(15:30):
It's like, can can can leaveyour job? Can she actually perform
and deliver what she what she's promisedus? And I think that should be
And if they can look at youopenly and honestly and just and just like
look at that and go okay,I think that's again another great thing.
Yet I do think there's there's one, you know, other factor out there,
and that is you know, biasis always going to come in,
(15:52):
and bias, you know, it'sbiological and so it literally is we are
wired for bias because the brain isis barrage with eleven million data points at
any given time, and you know, your brain has to take shortcuts in
order to survive. Um. Youknow, so you walk into that cave
(16:15):
with a you know, sabertooth tiger, do you, you know, want
some time to to think it outor do you want to say, oh,
I'm gonna be dinner, I'm outof here, right, So it's
a it informs that fight or flight, and so, you know, I
think the more that the companies doon um also, you know, creating
an awareness of bias. And again, bias is not bad. And I
(16:38):
will tell you I love affinity biasbecause you know, it's it's it is
one of those things if you ifyou teach people one thing, um,
and that is to find the onething that you can connect with this other
person on. It's it's absolutely fantastic. So you and I have had a
conversation, we can connect on youknow, probably fifteen or twenty different things
(17:00):
at this point. UM. Butthat allows us to then create trust,
and business moves at the speed oftrust. Right, So we've got to
leverage affinity. Bias were a positive, you know, find that affinity,
leverage it, and that helps youget to trust faster. I agree,
(17:21):
I did, I agree? Withthat to I agree with that. I
know it's just it's and what's itsounds great and wonderful and all that,
but I know that it takes.It takes ally ship and the person and
the folks you are marginal lives areothered to both kind of work to kind
of come up together. And Iknow, folks, give be hard because
(17:41):
you're at work, your this isyour professional life. You're trying to be
a professional. But like what you'resaying, it can't be done. Like
it can't. So I want tofolks you are watching anything, I'm just
so scared. I just I'm like, oh, I don't know, but
it can't be done. It canbe done, right, Absolutely, It's
possible, folks. It's as possiblethat I ask you, why insurance for
(18:02):
you? Well, it was certainlyby accident. I can always be for
all of us sloy by accident,grow up doing this. So yeah,
So I had an opportunity to Actuallymy girlfriend at the time had interviewed at
this company called Frens James in Boston, and uh, she said, well
you should go. You should gocheck it out, like our insurance you
(18:23):
know, I don't know. Um, And I went and and I actually
came into insurance through finance. SoI was on the finance side of the
business, made the shift over tooperations, and now i'm you know,
in sales leadership and leading geography andso um. I've seen people come through
through sales, through service, throughUH finance, obviously, through operations,
(18:48):
through technology. There's so many differentways that somebody can come into insurance.
But once I was here, youknow, as you said, you can,
you can never leave, You'll leavethe family. You don't, folks.
I mean seriously, I was godlike fifteen year and it came back.
I'm like, I just think I'llbe back. He said, it
come back another way. I said, Okay, it works. It's only
works that's coming. Um. Welike insurance. Insurance is good for you,
(19:11):
and we'll should have insurance. It'sone of the few professions that goes
from child to adult and home toauto to business. It just one was
brought brought things. UM. Myquestion is, how would you like a
basic way if someone says to you, Lyndy, why should I come into
(19:33):
insurance? We just named some thingshere, but you know, I mean,
I'm I'm I'm a gay Latino orI'm a gay Asian or I'm a
gay Asian or a non binary wherelike, why do you think that we
as this kind of community should comeinto this business. Well, I think
that there's been a lot of groundthat's covered been covered in the last five
(19:56):
years. Let's just say a lotof focus on creating and that atmosphere where
everyone belongs and everyone has a place. And then our company has seven different
employee resource groups to support you know, different different groups, and not one
was created from the top down.They've all been created from the bottom up.
And so I think, you know, from that perspective, is it
(20:19):
is a welcoming industry that you canbe yourself at it most firms. I'm
not going to say all firms,because not every industry is perfect. But
I also think that it is avery very good kept secret because if you
are good at sales and connecting withpeople right because it's it's that connection and
(20:41):
then advocacy that drives outcomes and results, if you're good at that, you
can make a boatload of money,so you can build personal wealth to the
point where it's generational wealth that youcan pass on and so you know,
you get out of this industry,what you put into it. And I've
always said to people, you know, at at Marsh and at Willis,
(21:06):
Hey, there's you know, atMarsh sixty six thousand jobs. At Willis
you know forty five thousand dollars.What do you want next? Right?
And so you know there's there's alsoa lot of opportunity when you look across
the spectrum, as you said,within the brokerage space, you've got all
of the different functions marketing, you'vegot placement, you've got finance, you've
(21:27):
got sales, you've got service,you've got operations that in itself is a
pretty big spectrum. And you've gotall the insurance carriers that you could work
for. And then there's a tonof vendors that support our industry, and
so the options are broad, andum, there's there's a lot of opportunity
here. Yeah. Lastly, whyI aby cow, why should people join
(21:52):
an association? I always think it'sgreat for prestige reasons networking products services,
So why why why do you thinkit's it's cool? Well, I think
I think you just covered it right. And and the associations that we have
in our industry are important because theybring people together. We can rally around
certain elements, you know, thingsthat are changing regulations, um and and
(22:15):
create an environment where uh, youknow, instead of being competitors for a
day, we could you know,brokers and agents can come together and actually
drive change in our industry. Yes, thank you for being on the show.
You're delightful. Thank you very much. Thanks for all of your hard
work too that you do every dayfor for inclusion, diversity and inequity.
(22:37):
I think it's it's very it's veryimportant. That's my pleasure. Thank you.
Tell them what it can FI followyou if they want to, if
they want to work with Usually sheworks. So what what what they found?
Um? Uh, you know you'recovering new Front all that whatney follow?
I would say, uh, findus at newfront dot com and find
me at Lyndy Hodgkiss on Twitter.I'm not really that good at But let's
(23:03):
let's go with LinkedIn, which isa great great way to find me.
Yes, please do that. Atibycow dot org is the is. You
go there and check out all thekinds of things they have over there.
If you're not a member already considerit to you look over they see what
they're offering. There were lots ofservices, classes, programs, all kinds
of stuff. This podcast is everywhereyou want to be, so so every
(23:23):
audio streaming service platform you can thinkof, I could think of, and
on my network Jail Jamie on YouTubebecause you have this interview and many others
that are on there. For that, I'm James Junior. Enjoy the rest
of your June and we'll see younext month.
Hello, Welcome to another edition ofIndependent Voices. I'm your host, James
Logi here here on jail j Mediowithin Association, I abycow dot Org.
I've got to be here. Wehave to bring you independent voices, and
that's what I do. And Ihave an independent voice. It's here in
Insurance. She's a regional managing directorSouthwest for Grect New New New. I
(00:25):
gave my own handwriting the new frontNew Front. I had writing New Front.
It's also an executive I president um. She says, I saw a
part of her bio risk Taker,which I love. Inclusion champion. That's
like my favorite agile strategist. Sheis somebody I'm excited to have on the
shown. That's Lindy Hotkins. Hi, Lindy, Hi, happy to be
(00:47):
here. How are you? Firstof all, how are you? I'm
fantastic actually good. UM. Thismonth as we're recording this, today's Juneteenth
Team, which to me is Americanhistory. UM. And it is also
a federal holiday actually for me sincetwo thousand and nineteen or twenty okay.
(01:07):
Also it's African Caribbean American month,so I'm Caribbean American. So may that
And if you're lgbt QI plus anally it's Pride month, so you have
a lot going on in June umand so what can I buy for all
of those? I celebrate all ofthose. And so I'm I'm gonna start
with the light question with you,the light question how important is inclusion personally
(01:34):
in your life? And then onthe flip side, professionally in assurance.
Thanks for asking, And I thinkinclusion is critical just for living our best
lives. And so you know theway that I like to look at things,
diversity is about counting heads. Inclusionis about making heads count. Said
(02:00):
another way, diversity is a datadriven exercise and inclusion is a choice.
And I lead unconscious biased workshops.I've committed to being visible so that I
can create a space of safety andbelonging for others. And so I tell
people to look across every room everyconversation, think about who or might be
(02:24):
feeling like an outsider, and door say something to bring them into the
conversation. Many times it will surpriseyou, and you know that you know
at new front. One of thethings that I love is our ethos,
which is work, love, play, And you have to fill each of
those three buckets to be fulfilled inlife, and so there's a lot of
(02:45):
that overlap between work and play andlove. And so it's the same answer
for me personally and professionally. Yes, I always you know, I've had
many I've sought out on purpose,and I have had many insurance folk from
different backgrounds on the show. Becausepersonally, when I was an insurance industry
(03:05):
for eleven years back in the twothousands, um, I didn't see.
I didn't see folks look like mein the business. Um. I know,
I know there's a few. MarkTodd is one, my buddy Mark
Todd, and no one who's black, um like me. But I didn't
see. I didn't see a lotof I don't say minorities. I called
nobody's minors, So I don't saythat word anymore, but marginalized people who
want to get into the business.And I want curious if you, if
(03:28):
you agree with you on some level, I feel like we have to reflect
what's out there, the neighborhoods,the businesses. They're diverse, so sometimes
they might be apt to want towork with someone that looks like them in
insurance. So what so, what'sthat part of someone you're thinking to you
or how you think? Also,Yeah, absolutely, we have to mirror
(03:52):
the communities that we work in.And you know, unfortunately there are very
very few black insurance professionals and UM. So there are two ways that we
can, you know, work tochange that. And one is obviously,
UM you know the ones that wehave, do everything we can to help
(04:13):
them learn and grow and develop andbe promoted. And the other thing is
start young, meaning right out ofcollege. We're we're recruiting UM in in
the places that we need to inorder to attract and and and then bring
on board that next generation of insuranceprofessionals. And so I think it is
(04:33):
something that needs to change. UM. You know, when you look at
some of the studies that McKinsey andother organizations have done, when when you
look at diverse organizations UM the Fortunefive hundred, there was one study that
that takes the Fortune five hundred andlooks at those that have the greatest diversity
(04:54):
across their executive leadership and their boards, and those that have the most gender
diversity UM outperform their peers by fifteenpercent compound annual growth rates over time.
But then you look at those thatUM look take into account race and gender
that that outperform goes up to twentythree percent better over time Fortune five companies.
(05:20):
It's it's very clear, and soit's it's that's the business case for
anybody who is thinking, oh,I need a reason to do this UM.
Other than it being the right thingto do UM, it actually has
a long term effect on your businessperformance. Well, you know, an
in insurance or in any industry.We're talking about insurance because an insurance show,
(05:40):
we're always looking for a perpetuation domy big words say? And also
regeneration. You just said you gottaget next. You should always looking for
next gen next. Jane should alwayslooking for that UM. And I like,
as you said, so I noticedmaybe to shoot just a little more.
Are there more colleges cowboys start tooffer insurance? Broke out? How
(06:02):
are we recually got the people?I'm excuria, It's like, how are
we getting there? Yeah? They'rethere are more UH universities every day that
are that are adding risk management degreeprograms because that that is something that is
pretty broad and pretty hi able.So the colleges are looking at, you
know, where can we have astrong stream of jobs that our graduates can
(06:27):
go into and obviously insurances as afantastic um career for for anybody. UM.
But I think, you know,it's interesting when I when I started
in this industry, you know,thirty years ago, Yes, it was
two schools. It was Temple Universityand Georgia, and so it's definitely much
(06:49):
much bigger than that now. Andyou know, we've also hired folks from
economics programs, finance programs because they'rethey're in jacent to risk management and risk
and so it's not always risk management. But yeah, there's there's a lot
more out there, and there's alot more ways to engage with students with
(07:11):
some of the you know cohorts thatthey have on campuses and BGTQ centers,
um, you know, black students, etc. I mean, the affinity
groups that we can engage with oncollege campuses. Is it makes that proposition
a lot easier. So outreach basicallythere it is outreach and marketing, marketing
(07:32):
outreach, right, Yeah, that'sI think that's also because yes, I
know I've done this show and Iactually I have I have followers from other
things that I do, but theyhave kind of slid over here to watch
this program because they actually like theinterviews. They get to know people.
I mean, I said, Ididn't know insurance provided um work couple of
(07:53):
hours. We could still go toyour kids baseball games. I didn't know
insurance could last. I had noinsurance had a vast um You could be
in marketing, you could be inpodcasting, you could be in this,
could be and then like it's it'sprobably casually it's home life and likes.
They didn't realize how diverse and vastindustry is because you know, insurance and
sexy the car across and sexy.We gotta you know. So it's like
(08:16):
I always like that's always a hurdlefor just anybody to get into anybody.
Insurance is paint right absolutely, Andyou know, I mean when I came
into the insurance industry, what Ipictured was, you know, my grandfather
who sold insurance. And so here'shere that that traditional image in his fedora
and is you know, a littletrench coat and is said at somebody's dining
(08:39):
room table and tell them insurance andso um, yeah, but when you
look at some of the things thatwe're doing that are you know, outside
of the box. We're using ourcompany is using aim very significantly to add
lift and create opportunities for our teammembers to do the work of their career.
(09:00):
So that's I mean, insurance isvery exciting, especially now it is.
I will say I went to yourwell, went to the new front
website. I liked it. Itwas very it was very easy to navigate
a number one at the old school, that's easy for me. But two,
it was very diverse. I like, I did like the messages you
had, messaging you had in inthere. Did feel it didn't give me
(09:24):
not from the Bay Area, soit gave me very much a Bay Area
feel like it's kind of like weall, you know, with a little
birdole up there. But it's likebut it's all about but it's all but
seriously, it's about people. AndI think one of your people, I
think I saw one of your executiveswas head of people, Like literally that
was the title. And I actuallyreally appreciate that. That's we're forgetting insurance.
It begins relationships, doesn't it.Yeah? Absolutely, And you know
(09:46):
we have four four values at ourfirm, and uh that's it's blaze a
trail. They're not in any particularorder. For my teammates who might be
talking and blazing trail. So wewant to be different. We want to
be on the on the UM,on that edge that is creating change and
disruption in our industry. UM.We have UM focus on people. That
(10:13):
is that that is a core valueof who we are. Every single one
of our employees has equity in ourfirm, so that also reinforces that right
we have act like owners because everysingle employee is an owner, and then
deliver results and so you know,I think it's it's important that we have
that focus on people as part ofour core values. Because I don't care
(10:39):
how good the AI is, insurancestill comes down to relationships, relationships between
our clients whom we love and usand then us and the carriers that we
find solutions with. And so someof that, some of the tasks can
be automated and replaced with AI,but you know, the people part of
(11:00):
it and telling stories and positioning ourclients in the best way to the marketplace
is still. UM. It's anart, it's not a science. To
have inclusion and equity a job,UM, I believe you have to work
sometimes, you have to work onthe work culture. What are some of
your thoughts on bettering that or justare just kind of shifting it a bit,
(11:24):
because um, I know the faceof the insurance broker and agent is
changing. It is it's not morewomen. And I shout to all the
women who were in the blaze trails. I interviewed many of them who blaze
trails in his business where they're likethe one woman in the room. Um,
we are we arguing some diversity inthat, of course, but you
know, how do we kind ofhow do we work? What is your
(11:46):
thoughts are to try to change thework culture? So, um, I
think it's everything starts with the toneat the top. And I will tell
you a story about when I wasleaving Willis and I actually reached out to
a dear friend who probably wouldn't mindme mentioning. Her name is Donna Wilson.
(12:09):
She is the CEO of Manat,which is a fairly large law firm
out here on the West Coast.And I went to her for some advice
because she had recently moved at thetime from Buckley Sandler to Manat and I
wanted advice on navigating that because Ihad only been at two companies my entire
(12:30):
life. I was at Marsha mcclennonfor twenty one years and then Willis for
ten and so now I'm I'm steppingout and looking to make a change.
And she said, Lindy, finda way to introduce or say something about
your wife in a conversation with theexecutive leadership of the team of the company
you're you're you know, sort ofyour final I'm like, no, no,
(12:54):
Like that's terrifying. I like,what if they then don't like what
if they you know, it affectsmy ability to have them even get to
know me any further. And shesaid, Finny, if they don't like
you because of that, or ifthey, you know, give it away
from you, then it's not acompany you want to work for. And
(13:16):
I'm like, that's true. Andso I you know, it was scary,
but I did it. And Iwas having a conversation with Kurt de
Gross, who was the president ofAVD, which is the firm that I
joined that is joined now New Front, and Brian Hendrington, who was the
(13:37):
chair and I told them, youknow, something like oh my wife and
I blah blah blah blah blah,and they it was like a pause and
their eyes got big, and I'mlike, oh, here it comes,
you know, let us tell youabout our d and I and we just
stood up like you know, ourcounsel and we did this and we did
that, and oh my god,you do all these different things and then
(13:58):
this, oh, this is amazing, this is great. And I was
like, well that went pretty well. Ye yes, And so you know,
I mean that that is that sortof inclusion at the top creates an
environment that trickles down. You getpeople like me who are are all about
(14:20):
team and teammates and and working togetherand driving change and driving results. And
you know, it's it's absolutely adifferent environment when when you when you start
at the top and then you youbring it all the way down. You
reinforce your your ethos with um youknow, rewards and equity for everybody,
(14:43):
and that sort of alignment really backsit all up and and and puts a
nice bow on it. Yeah,because as we both know, we've been
around a wild it's not always acase um. It just you can't always
talk freely and and you think,you know, and right now we have
a lot of UM and tie LGBQgood plus plus laws out there happening and
(15:05):
bills, so we have to kindof watch that. But yeah, there's
you know, it's a time Icouldn't say anything. Um and I will
tell you I was insurtant that Isaid, let me, I was okay
to I was okay for me tobe open with most people I talked to
you, they were fine with it. It was more about can you do
the job? And I always feellike that's what should be. That's what
it should be about the job.Can you perform the job you're hired for,
no matter what you you know,quote unquote say quote unquote are otherwise.
(15:30):
It's like, can can can leaveyour job? Can she actually perform
and deliver what she what she's promisedus? And I think that should be
And if they can look at youopenly and honestly and just and just like
look at that and go okay,I think that's again another great thing.
Yet I do think there's there's one, you know, other factor out there,
and that is you know, biasis always going to come in,
(15:52):
and bias, you know, it'sbiological and so it literally is we are
wired for bias because the brain isis barrage with eleven million data points at
any given time, and you know, your brain has to take shortcuts in
order to survive. Um. Youknow, so you walk into that cave
(16:15):
with a you know, sabertooth tiger, do you, you know, want
some time to to think it outor do you want to say, oh,
I'm gonna be dinner, I'm outof here, right, So it's
a it informs that fight or flight, and so, you know, I
think the more that the companies doon um also, you know, creating
an awareness of bias. And again, bias is not bad. And I
(16:38):
will tell you I love affinity biasbecause you know, it's it's it is
one of those things if you ifyou teach people one thing, um,
and that is to find the onething that you can connect with this other
person on. It's it's absolutely fantastic. So you and I have had a
conversation, we can connect on youknow, probably fifteen or twenty different things
(17:00):
at this point. UM. Butthat allows us to then create trust,
and business moves at the speed oftrust. Right, So we've got to
leverage affinity. Bias were a positive, you know, find that affinity,
leverage it, and that helps youget to trust faster. I agree,
(17:21):
I did, I agree? Withthat to I agree with that. I
know it's just it's and what's itsounds great and wonderful and all that,
but I know that it takes.It takes ally ship and the person and
the folks you are marginal lives areothered to both kind of work to kind
of come up together. And Iknow, folks, give be hard because
(17:41):
you're at work, your this isyour professional life. You're trying to be
a professional. But like what you'resaying, it can't be done. Like
it can't. So I want tofolks you are watching anything, I'm just
so scared. I just I'm like, oh, I don't know, but
it can't be done. It canbe done, right, Absolutely, It's
possible, folks. It's as possiblethat I ask you, why insurance for
(18:02):
you? Well, it was certainlyby accident. I can always be for
all of us sloy by accident,grow up doing this. So yeah,
So I had an opportunity to Actuallymy girlfriend at the time had interviewed at
this company called Frens James in Boston, and uh, she said, well
you should go. You should gocheck it out, like our insurance you
(18:23):
know, I don't know. Um, And I went and and I actually
came into insurance through finance. SoI was on the finance side of the
business, made the shift over tooperations, and now i'm you know,
in sales leadership and leading geography andso um. I've seen people come through
through sales, through service, throughUH finance, obviously, through operations,
(18:48):
through technology. There's so many differentways that somebody can come into insurance.
But once I was here, youknow, as you said, you can,
you can never leave, You'll leavethe family. You don't, folks.
I mean seriously, I was godlike fifteen year and it came back.
I'm like, I just think I'llbe back. He said, it
come back another way. I said, Okay, it works. It's only
works that's coming. Um. Welike insurance. Insurance is good for you,
(19:11):
and we'll should have insurance. It'sone of the few professions that goes
from child to adult and home toauto to business. It just one was
brought brought things. UM. Myquestion is, how would you like a
basic way if someone says to you, Lyndy, why should I come into
(19:33):
insurance? We just named some thingshere, but you know, I mean,
I'm I'm I'm a gay Latino orI'm a gay Asian or I'm a
gay Asian or a non binary wherelike, why do you think that we
as this kind of community should comeinto this business. Well, I think
that there's been a lot of groundthat's covered been covered in the last five
(19:56):
years. Let's just say a lotof focus on creating and that atmosphere where
everyone belongs and everyone has a place. And then our company has seven different
employee resource groups to support you know, different different groups, and not one
was created from the top down.They've all been created from the bottom up.
And so I think, you know, from that perspective, is it
(20:19):
is a welcoming industry that you canbe yourself at it most firms. I'm
not going to say all firms,because not every industry is perfect. But
I also think that it is avery very good kept secret because if you
are good at sales and connecting withpeople right because it's it's that connection and
(20:41):
then advocacy that drives outcomes and results, if you're good at that, you
can make a boatload of money,so you can build personal wealth to the
point where it's generational wealth that youcan pass on and so you know,
you get out of this industry,what you put into it. And I've
always said to people, you know, at at Marsh and at Willis,
(21:06):
Hey, there's you know, atMarsh sixty six thousand jobs. At Willis
you know forty five thousand dollars.What do you want next? Right?
And so you know there's there's alsoa lot of opportunity when you look across
the spectrum, as you said,within the brokerage space, you've got all
of the different functions marketing, you'vegot placement, you've got finance, you've
(21:27):
got sales, you've got service,you've got operations that in itself is a
pretty big spectrum. And you've gotall the insurance carriers that you could work
for. And then there's a tonof vendors that support our industry, and
so the options are broad, andum, there's there's a lot of opportunity
here. Yeah. Lastly, whyI aby cow, why should people join
(21:52):
an association? I always think it'sgreat for prestige reasons networking products services,
So why why why do you thinkit's it's cool? Well, I think
I think you just covered it right. And and the associations that we have
in our industry are important because theybring people together. We can rally around
certain elements, you know, thingsthat are changing regulations, um and and
(22:15):
create an environment where uh, youknow, instead of being competitors for a
day, we could you know,brokers and agents can come together and actually
drive change in our industry. Yes, thank you for being on the show.
You're delightful. Thank you very much. Thanks for all of your hard
work too that you do every dayfor for inclusion, diversity and inequity.
(22:37):
I think it's it's very it's veryimportant. That's my pleasure. Thank you.
Tell them what it can FI followyou if they want to, if
they want to work with Usually sheworks. So what what what they found?
Um? Uh, you know you'recovering new Front all that whatney follow?
I would say, uh, findus at newfront dot com and find
me at Lyndy Hodgkiss on Twitter.I'm not really that good at But let's
(23:03):
let's go with LinkedIn, which isa great great way to find me.
Yes, please do that. Atibycow dot org is the is. You
go there and check out all thekinds of things they have over there.
If you're not a member already considerit to you look over they see what
they're offering. There were lots ofservices, classes, programs, all kinds
of stuff. This podcast is everywhereyou want to be, so so every
(23:23):
audio streaming service platform you can thinkof, I could think of, and
on my network Jail Jamie on YouTubebecause you have this interview and many others
that are on there. For that, I'm James Junior. Enjoy the rest
of your June and we'll see younext month.
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