100 Women in Insurance

Summary
In this episode, Laura speaks with Shanika-Marie, about what really happens behind the scenes of recruitment, and what happens when your own career suddenly takes an unexpected turn.

What begins as a conversation about recruitment quickly becomes a much more personal discussion about resilience, confidence and rebuilding. After unexpectedly losing her role and spending 16 months out of work, Shanika shares honestly how redundancy affected her confidence, mental health and sense of identity, and how therapy, family support and a belief in herself helped her navigate one of the most challenging chapters of her career.

Alongside her personal story, Shanika offers a fascinating insight into the world of Talent Acquisition, what candidates often misunderstand about the hiring process, and how employers can shape the candidate experience.

She also shares practical advice for anyone navigating today's competitive job market, from making your CV stand out to understanding the growing impact of AI on applications.

For anyone who has experienced redundancy, a career gap or the uncertainty of searching for their next opportunity, Shanika's story offers a powerful reminder that your career is only one chapter of your story.

Key Takeaways

In a competitive job market, how you present yourself, including your CV and social media presence, matters.

AI is changing the way candidates approach applications and how recruiters assess them.

Try to detach from the outcome during your job search and avoid allowing individual rejections to define your confidence.

Your personal brand is something to protect and build throughout your career, not only when you are looking for a job.

Leading people who are more senior than you can be an opportunity to grow rather than something to fear.

Redundancy can affect far more than your career. It can impact your confidence, identity and mental health.

A career gap doesn't have to be something you hide or apologise for. You can own your story and explain what that period meant for you.

Your career is only one chapter of your story, it does not define your whole identity.

About the Guest

Connect with Shanika-Marie John on LinkedIn.

About the Host

Connect with Laura Witcher on LinkedIn.

Sign up to Coffee with Sandra to stay up to date with 100 Women in Insurance and future podcast episodes.

Join The Pink Book — a private LinkedIn community connecting women in insurance through mentoring, speaking opportunities, networking and career support.

Summary

What if the biggest opportunities in your career come long before you feel ready for them?

In this episode, Laura Witcher is joined by Hannah Connolly, whose career is proof that confidence isn't something you're born with. Instead, it is something you build by saying yes, asking questions and stepping outside your comfort zone.

Hannah shares her inspiring journey from leaving school at 16 and starting as an office junior to becoming a Commercial Director leading one of the UK's largest speciality insurance portfolios.

Along the way, she reflects on the moments that shaped her career, the managers who opened doors for her, and why saying yes before you have all the answers has been one of the most valuable decisions she has ever made.

The conversation also explores how becoming a mother transformed her perspective on leadership, why she stopped making the tea simply because she was the only woman in the room, and how small moments like these can quietly shape confidence and challenge long-standing workplace habits.

Together, Laura and Hannah discuss what compassionate leadership really looks like, why relationships matter more than job titles, and how creating opportunities for others is one of the greatest responsibilities of leadership.

Whether you are just starting your career, considering your next promotion or wondering if you are ready for the opportunity in front of you, this episode is a reminder that very few people ever feel completely prepared and that is okay.

Key Takeaways

Why saying yes before you feel ready can accelerate your career.

The mindset shift that helped her progress from office junior to Commercial Director.

Why confidence is built through action, not certainty.

How great managers can change the direction of your career with small acts of belief and encouragement.

Why asking questions is one of the most underrated career skills.

How motherhood reshapes confidence, priorities and leadership style.

About the Guest

Connect with Hannah Connolly on LinkedIn.

About the Host

Connect with Laura Witcher on LinkedIn.

Sign up to Coffee with Sandra to stay up to date with 100 Women in Insurance and future podcast episodes.

Join The Pink Book — a private LinkedIn community connecting women in insurance through mentoring, speaking opportunities, networking and career support.

Summary

In this episode, Sandra Lewin speaks with Manja Kollmann about one of the biggest misconceptions many professionals still believe:

that being professional means hiding parts of who you are.

Drawing on a career that has taken her across multiple countries, cultures and leadership roles, Manja shares why the most successful careers are not built by trying to fit in, but by understanding who you are, what you stand for, and having the confidence to let others see it.

Together, they explore what professionalism really means in today's workplace, why authenticity and credibility are not opposites, and how many of the unwritten rules of "executive presence" were created for a very different world.

The conversation also explores how to build your own career narrative, why opportunities rarely arrive unless people know what you want, and how curiosity, relationships and intentional conversations have shaped Manja's international career.

Along the way, Manja shares the story behind the ducks on her LinkedIn profile, a simple image that has become a powerful reminder that you do not have to become someone else to belong.

This is a conversation about authenticity, courage and redefining professionalism on your own terms.

Key Takeaways

Professionalism does not require you to hide your personality.

You can stand out without compromising your credibility.

People cannot support your career if they do not know what you want.

Your career narrative should be intentional, not left to assumption.

Great careers are built through curiosity, conversations and relationships.

Being different is often your greatest strength, not something to disguise.

The goal is to be the unicorn, not the alien: memorable because of who you are, not because you don't belong.

Success often comes from understanding what genuinely energises you, rather than what you think you should enjoy.

About the Guest

Connect with Manja Kollmann on LinkedIn.

About the Host

Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn.

Sign up to Coffee with Sandra to stay up to date on all things 100 Women in Insurance.

Join The Pink Book Collective — a private LinkedIn community connecting women in insurance through mentoring, speaking opportunities, networking and career support.

Summary

In this episode, Laura Witcher speaks with Laura Hancock, about the leadership lessons she wishes every woman heard earlier in her career.

Laura shares how a chance role at Norwich Union led her into insurance, before taking the leap to co-founding an Insurance company while raising her one-year-old daughter. She reflects on the challenges of building a business from scratch, navigating difficult personal circumstances, and why resilience is often built during the moments that feel the hardest.

Together, they explore what great leadership really looks like. Not through hierarchy or authority, but by role modelling the behaviours you want to see in others.

The conversation also challenges one of the biggest myths around women in leadership:

that ambition and compassion cannot exist together.

Laura explains why she believes the best leaders combine high standards with empathy, why saying "yes" to opportunities has shaped her career, and why many of the beliefs holding women back are not their own, but stories they have carried from others.

They also discuss the importance of building a strong business culture, mentoring future talent, embracing technology, and why the insurance industry has a responsibility to inspire the next generation.

This is a conversation about leading with courage, staying true to your values, and creating opportunities. Not only for yourself, but for those who come after you.

Key Takeaways

Great leaders role model the behaviours they want to see in others.

Ambition and compassion are strengths that can exist together.

Some of the beliefs holding you back may not be your own.

Difficult moments often become the foundations of resilience.

Networking, curiosity and giving back to the profession create opportunities throughout your career.

Technology should remove administration so people can focus on relationships, advice and creating value.

About the Guest

Connect with Laura Hancock on LinkedIn.

About the Host

Connect with Laura Witcher on LinkedIn.

Sign up to Coffee with Sandra to stay up to date with 100 Women in Insurance and future podcast episodes.

Join The Pink Book — a private LinkedIn community connecting women in insurance through mentoring, speaking opportunities, networking and career support.

Summary

In this episode, Sandra Lewin speaks with Rajah Steede about what it really takes to build an international career, and why the opportunities you dream about often begin long before you move countries.

Rajah shares her journey from Bermuda to the USA, London and now Dubai, reflecting on the decisions, risks and mindset that have shaped her career across four different insurance markets.

Together, they explore:

the reality of starting over

building credibility from scratch

adapting to different cultures

learning that your network doesn't automatically move with you.

The conversation also dives into one of the most powerful career tools available today: LinkedIn.

Rajah explains how she used LinkedIn to connect with professionals in a new market before relocating, treating it as a digital business card that helped her build relationships, understand local markets and create opportunities before she even arrived.

Sandra and Rajah also discuss why visibility is not about showing off. Instead, it is about making it easy for people to know who you are, what you do, and how you can add value.

This is a conversation about courage, reputation, and intentionally building a career that can take you anywhere.

Key Takeaways

Build relationships in a new market before you move there.

LinkedIn is your digital business card.

Visibility is about creating opportunities, not seeking attention.

Lead with competence, then build your reputation.

Every new market requires you to rebuild your network and credibility.

Be helpful, but don't become so indispensable that you stop progressing.

About the Guest

Connect with Rajah Steede on LinkedIn.

About the Host

Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn.

Sign up to Coffee with Sandra to stay up to date on all things 100 Women in Insurance.

Join The Pink Book Collective — a private LinkedIn community connecting women in insurance through mentoring, speaking opportunities, networking and career support.