Why I Joined LineSlip
It Started with a Transcription Machine
When my father retired from the Air Force in the late 1980’s and started a career in the insurance industry, my insurance career also started, in a way. Not many people can say that they earned spending money in college by using a transcribing machine to type up their father’s loss control reports, which he dictated on microcassette and then mailed via the US Postal Service. I had no idea that this unassuming task would teach me about accountability, process, insurance jargon, and leave me with mad typing skills—all things that would serve me on my journey to becoming the risk and insurance executive before you today.
Later, directionless and on the verge of graduating college, my father put the want ads in front of me for an entry level claims adjuster position. From that first position, several themes that would give shape to my career began to emerge and I found that helping people and problem-solving really spoke to my values. Risk and insurance, which came particularly easy to me, was a tremendous vehicle for amplifying these ideals. And while I enjoyed the bulk of my work, I was most fulfilled by establishing and growing authentic relationships and being of service to others.
For me, that meant:
Seeking better ways to say “yes” to challenging scenarios that helped achieve business goals.
Amplifying the accomplishments of my colleagues to their leaders.
Taking time to learn about the priorities and pain points of others.
Building trust by being consistently responsive and empathetic to their needs.
Earning respect by offering unvarnished and objective truths when asked.
If they needed to make sure world-class, one-of-a-kind artwork was protected, we found a way to insure it. If they had a terrible vehicle accident, I counseled with them every step of the way. If they needed documentation to allow a costly construction project to continue, I secured the necessary info and interceded with the compliance teams. If leaders needed to know strategic pain points, I shared observations of process improvement willingly.
Finding my voice as an agent of change for organizations was transformational, and I am so excited to now transfer these skills to helping LineSlip clients reach their goals.
Why LineSlip?
I joined LineSlip because I am energized by the idea that a data reporting tool—when leveraged by people who deeply understand their organization’s stakeholders and priorities—can spark an evolution. It’s high time for risk professionals to stop being perceived as simply “insurance buyers” and start being recognized as necessary, strategic risk executives with an elevated voice.
Using LineSlip, all the manual efforts I made as a business partner are now efficiency gains for the risk professional and their companies. Instead of spending most of our available time being reactionary in finding and arranging data, we can now source meaningful insights and use those insights to inform strategy: buying strategies, making strategic decisions about the company’s risk profile, and supporting our strategic stakeholders.
The Technology Evolution
Looking back on what feels like an adventurous career spanning multiple business sectors like aerospace and telecommunications, I have looked to technology to add value and drive strategy. It’s astonishing to see how far we’ve come in just 20 years. Imagine our next 20 years (and beyond) with the accelerated pace of change and continuance of disruptive innovation.
This evolution is primed. The business imperative to be nimbler and more effective in the face of competition speaks soundly to the must-have resource that is LineSlip. Although I still think fondly of my days at the transcribing machine, there’s no time like the present to catch lightning in a bottle.
Michelle Bennett is the Director of Strategic Account Management at LineSlip. Prior to this role, she was the Senior Director of Executive Staff Operations at CableONE. Michelle is a seasoned risk professional with experience in risk transfer, risk mitigation, insurance placement and claims management roles for various industries including, natural gas public utility, global manufacturing, aerospace & defense, hospitality & gaming, and telecom.