International Women’s Day 2023: Interview with Michaela Cowan

Tell us a little about your background. Why did you decide upon a career in insurance?

When I finished high school I was keen to get right into the workforce. There was a lot of pressure to have a career path mapped out and to chase a dream, but that was not the case for me. What I was keen to do was to understand how a business operates and get some real-world experience.

My plan was originally to stay for a year, earn some money, gain some experience and move on but I made some beautiful friendships and now look after my own book of clients.

Now, I love what I do. I feel lucky to have had an interesting, diverse, and challenging career in the insurance industry to date.

What did you dream of becoming when you were younger?

I dreamed about being a journalist that would write about travel, the environment, economics and things that mattered.

Which innovative woman do you admire the most and why?

My mum is the person I admire the most. She’s been so inspiring – to watch her balance her career and family time – she’s never let life’s challenges get in her way. Her resilience is admirable.

How do you believe NewSure supports women?

One of our initiatives is a monthly meeting with the female team to discuss challenges and support each other in overcoming them. These meetings, along with the continual learning and training mean we always feel supported – and it definitely keeps me on my toes.

What do you think the insurance industry needs to do to attract more women and create more of a gender-equal future?

Flexibility is critical to ensuring women are attracted to the industry.

What’s advice you’d give to the women of the future/women who are looking to join the insurance industry?

Patience is your best friend. Everything takes time and it’s normal not to not know everything when you start out. Seek opportunities to work with people with different skills than yourself and widen your perspective. This has helped me find great opportunities throughout my career so far.

Michaela Cowan is a Broker Assistant at NewSure. We offer complete insurance solutions for all types of businesses – from start-ups to medium and large size enterprises. Let us help you.

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