Connected Conversations In Insurance

The Long Game: Career Pacing and Ambition in Insurtech | Brenna JohnsonWhat does sustainable ambition actually look like?In this episode of Connected Conversations: Women in Insurance, Carrie sits down with Brenna Johnson, SVP of Product Management at EZLynx, to explore what it means to build a meaningful career in insurtech without losing yourself along the way.Recently recognized by Big I Magazine as one of the women driving innovation in insurtech, Brenna shares the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership journey—from learning to stop imitating others, to embracing her authentic leadership style, to understanding that slowing down for a season doesn't mean giving up on your ambitions.Whether you're just starting your career, considering a move into insurtech, or navigating your next leadership opportunity, this conversation offers practical advice and encouragement to trust your voice and embrace growth—even when it feels uncomfortable.

Community isn't just a buzzword—it's the thing that can completely change the trajectory of your career. In this episode of Connected Conversations, host Carrie sits down with Ashley Engl, Director of Technology, Learning, and Innovation at Walsh Insurance, chair of Big "I" New York Next Gen, and a Big "I" National YAC representative, to dig into why professional community—especially women-only spaces—matters so much in insurance.Ashley shares her winding path from banking to benefits to agency operations to her current role in insurtech, and opens up about the women's summits, roundtables, and networking spaces that have shaped her career. If you've ever felt like networking is intimidating, or wondered how to find "your people" in the industry, this one's for you.Connect with Ashley Engl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyengl/

In this episode of Connected Conversations, host Carrie (Canopy Connect) talks with Brooke Liu, SVP at MarshBerry and leader of MarshBerry Connect, about the “quiet, creeping” burnout high achievers often hide—what Brooke calls operating in “low power mode.” Drawing from her work with her peers and her own intense travel schedule, Brooke explains that burnout is a capacity issue, not a motivation problem, and shares early warning signs like fatigue and declining sleep quality. They explore why women may carry extra burnout weight through credibility pressures, emotional labor, and difficulty delegating, and why asking for help can protect credibility more than masking struggle. Brooke offers practical strategies—accountability partners, communicating priorities, time-and-energy audits, and rejecting constant work-life balance in favor of seasonal grace—plus organizational ways to spot and reduce burnout through surveys, benchmarks, staffing, process standardization, and technology.Connect with Brooke:Email:  [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookeacliu/Marshberry LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marshberry/

This season, we have talked about confidence and self-advocacy. And now Dawnyel Smink arrives to ask the harder question: what gets in the way of both? Dawnyel is the President and CEO of Canyon Lands Insurance and CLI Select Agencies—a network of more than 80 affiliated agency locations across 18 states. She is the co-founder of WIISE, Women In Insurance Sharing Empowerment. She is the author of Don’t Project Your Sh*t on Me! And she has spent more than 15 years building a philosophy of personal ownership that is equal parts framework, fire, and radical honesty. Her ‘I’ll Own It’ framework is built around a single conviction: that real leadership—and real freedom—comes from doing the hard internal work. Breaking toxic cycles. Owning your choices. Stopping the unconscious habit of putting your unprocessed stuff onto the people around you. And then she goes somewhere that almost no one in this industry goes.She talks about what women are managing biologically across a career—and doing it mostly in silence. Pregnancy and postpartum. The years of raising teenagers while building a business. Aging parents. Perimenopause. Full menopause. The hormonal, neurological, emotional reality of being a woman whosebody is changing while the world keeps expecting her to perform at full capacity. Dawnyel has lived all of it. She is talking about it openly because she believes the silence costs women more than the conversation ever could.She wants you to know something. You are not alone. And you are not crazy.Connect with Dawnyel: Website: https://dawnyelsmink.comDon't Project Your Shit on Me: https://dontprojectyourshitonme.comWIISE: https://wiisewomen.com/home

In this episode of Connected Conversations, host Carrie speaks with Megan Bell, SVP of Marketing at Falvey Insurance Group and creator of the Insure podcast, about self-advocacy, presence, and navigating conflict. Megan shares her path into insurance from consumer products, her motivation to spotlight women leaders through Insure, and why women often struggle to ask for what they want due to self-consciousness, comparison, and workplace dynamics. They discuss how male-dominated environments and informal networks can affect visibility, and how conflict can be calm, fact-based, and focused on resolution. Megan offers practical strategies like preparing, starting tough conversations in writing, finding mentors, building confidence through small steps and communities, and leaders creating open communication channels and recognizing women’s ideas.Connect with Megan: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-bell/InsHER Podcast: https://www.insherpodcast.com/