Episode 26
Belinda Scott
“We (the insurance profession) might get it right 98% of the time, but the 2% we get wrong, we get really wrong!”
Belinda Scott believes it is a privilege to hold insured’s hands through troubled times but she is critical of our increasing habit of sitting behind a computer and send emails. She believes work enjoyment is a direct result of getting to really know clients, finding common interests with them, learning from them and creating relationships. In her words, “I can’t make insurance ‘sexy’. If you want to enjoy your job,…get out and (get to) know your Clients.” That client focus has enabled her to create an extraordinarily success insurance brokerage.
Take-aways:
- Embrace the chaos
- Go easy on yourself
- Your word is your word – stand by your morals and your ethics
- Communicate, communicate, communicate!
- Have a growth mindset – if you think you know everything, you’re not going to add value!
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About Belinda Scott:
Belinda grew up in the Insurance industry, working in her fathers business Concord Underwriting Agencies, surrounded by many insurance professionals. She studied a Bachelor of Commerce with a Double Major in Insurance and Management at Deakin University under Gary Gribbin and obtained a cadetship at the then Mercantile Mutual. At Deakin she met her now husband Allister, a dairy farmer from Inverloch which led to her starting BJS Insurance Brokers in 1998 with an office on Phillips Island, 1 employee and a GWP of $350,000. Her aim was to educate clients to make informed decisions about their own specific risk management and insurance needs and to provide high level training and personal development opportunities to staff. Belinda is very passionate about honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability and has been fully supportive of the steps taken to improve our industry image.
Since its humble beginnings BJS has grown through both acquisition and organic growth to be a national broking group, employing 150+ staff, in 13 offices with a GWP nearing $140M. As part of the Management team she has worked hard to establish the BJS Insurance Group brand as a respected professional brokerage within the industry, something which has been achieved by ‘living’ the ethics and values promoted throughout the Group. BJS aims to provide ‘beyond just service’ in all that they do.
BJS is a strong advocate for women in insurance, employing many women in senior positions across the Group and promotes a culture encouraging mothers to return to work ensuring their professional training and knowledge is not lost within our industry. Being a Mother to 4 children, she has learnt to maintain a happy work/life balance, something she believes is vital to appreciate and encourage as a business owner and something that the industry undersells itself on.
To sum up, Belinda is a passionate professional who has become addicted to the endless challenges and opportunities our industry creates for anyone who chooses to make Insurance their career.