100 Women in Insurance

Summary

In this special 100th episode of 100 Women in Insurance, the roles are reversed as Laura Witcher interviews founder Sandra Lewin about the journey behind the podcast, the movement it has become, and why the next chapter is only just beginning.

Sandra reflects on her path into insurance, from trying to avoid the industry entirely to building a career across broking, consulting, project management, and ultimately founding one of the most recognised communities for women in insurance.

She shares how the original idea for the podcast was planted years earlier during a leadership coaching session, where she realised that many of the most valuable career conversations only happened once people reached senior positions. The podcast became her way of making those insights, stories, and role models more accessible earlier in people’s careers.

Together, Laura and Sandra discuss the evolution of 100 Women in Insurance from a simple idea into a powerful community that has connected thousands of women through storytelling, networking, events, and honest conversations.

Sandra also opens up about the moments that nearly made her quit, the reality of building a business alongside a full-time career, and the messages from listeners that reminded her why the platform mattered.

The conversation explores the recurring themes that have emerged across 100 episodes, including taking risks before feeling ready, having difficult conversations, creating your own opportunities, defining success on your own terms, and learning who you truly are.

They also reflect on the future of leadership, visibility, and gender equality in insurance, challenging outdated assumptions around ambition, flexibility, and career progression.

This is a conversation about courage, community, and what becomes possible when people feel seen.

Key Takeaways

Career success rarely follows a perfectly planned path.

Taking risks often creates the biggest opportunities for growth.

Difficult conversations are usually necessary for meaningful progress.

Creating opportunities is often more powerful than waiting for them.

Defining success for yourself is more important than following traditional expectations.

Knowing your strengths also means understanding what is not aligned to you.

Networking and relationships remain one of the most valuable parts of the insurance industry.

Leadership and workplace culture are being redefined by future generations.

Visibility matters, but authenticity matters more.

Communities thrive when people feel welcomed, supported, and seen.

About the Guests
Connect with Laura Witcher on LinkedIn.

Laura is an insurance recruiter and advocate for amplifying women’s voices across the insurance industry.

She will be joining Sandra as a co-host for the second series of 100 Women in Insurance series.

About the Host
Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn.

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

Join ‘The Pink Book’ Collective — a private LinkedIn group connecting women in insurance to find mentors, speaking opportunities and more.

Summary

In this episode, Sandra speaks with Dr Abbey Atkinson and Emma Eccles about breaking gender myths and barriers at work, and why many of the conversations around women’s careers still feel surprisingly familiar.

Together, they explore the hidden assumptions that continue to shape progression in corporate environments.

Emma shares her journey of becoming one of the first part-time partners, challenging the idea that flexibility means reduced ambition or lower value. She reflects on the comments she received after becoming pregnant at 29, and why she refused to delay either her career or her family plans to fit outdated expectations.

Abbey brings insights from her PhD research into gender imbalance and organisational culture, unpacking concepts such as tokenism, hypervisibility, and the pressure women often feel to change themselves in order to fit leadership environments designed around traditional norms.

Sandra, Abbey and Emma also discuss:

Why assumptions are one of the biggest blockers to female progression

The “Queen Bee” effect and why some women struggle to challenge systems they had to survive themselves

Why organisations need to stop “fixing women” and start redesigning systems

How flexibility is not about doing less, but doing work differently

Why role models matter, especially male role models when they show vulnerability and authenticity

And why the future of work must be designed around humans, not outdated structures

This is an honest conversation about culture, leadership, ambition, and what it really takes to create workplaces where people do not feel they need to shrink themselves in order to succeed.

Key Takeaways

Flexibility does not mean reduced ambition or commitment.

Organisations often lack imagination when designing roles around real life.

Women frequently adapt their behaviour to fit workplace expectations.

Leadership should not require people to change who they are.

Diverse organisations create stronger ideas, better culture, and better outcomes.

Vulnerability and authenticity from senior leaders create psychological safety.

About the Guests
Connect with Emma Eccles on LinkedIn.

Emma is a Partner at Waightmans specialising in large loss litigation and is a passionate advocate for flexible working and inclusive leadership.

Connect with Dr Abbey Atkinson on LinkedIn.

Abbey is founder of Insight Change and a researcher specialising in gender imbalance, workplace culture, and organisational change.

About the Host
Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn

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

Join ‘The Pink Book’ Collective — a private LinkedIn group connecting women in insurance to find mentors, speaking opportunities and more.

Summary

In this episode, Sandra speaks with Lindsay Davies about the kind of career advice that is often shared quietly, but rarely said out loud.

Lindsay reflects on her 30-year career in insurance, sharing how her journey was shaped not by perfect planning, but by consistent action, visibility, and a willingness to keep moving forward, even when the timing did not feel ideal.

Together, they unpack a conversation many women face early in their careers. The question of whether to slow down in anticipation of future life changes, particularly around family, and the hidden impact that decision can have years later.

Lindsay shares the advice she once gave Sandra, and still stands by today. Don’t step back before you need to. Build your career, keep going, and trust that you will find a way to make it work when the time comes.

Sandra and Lindsay also explore what happens when you spend a long time in one organisation. The strength of building deep expertise and reputation, but also the challenge of putting yourself back into the market after years without interviews, CV updates, or external visibility.

They talk openly about confidence, feedback, and the discomfort of speaking about your own value. As well as the importance of networks that are built on genuine relationships, not just transactions.

This is a conversation about timing, self-belief, and making decisions based on what you want, not what you assume might happen.

Key Takeaways

Don’t slow down your career for a future that hasn’t happened yet.

Career progression is often built through consistency, not perfect timing.

Long-term roles can build strong reputations, but visibility outside your organisation still matters.

Talking about your value is a skill, not a personality trait.

Feedback is essential, and often needs to be actively asked for.

Networks are built through genuine relationships over time.

Transparency at work creates stronger, more sustainable careers.

You don’t need to have everything figured out to keep moving forward.

About the Guest

Connect with Lindsay Davies on LinkedIn.

About the Host

Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn

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

Join ‘The Pink Book’ Collective — a private LinkedIn group connecting women in insurance to find mentors, speaking opportunities and more.

Thank you to BCH for sponsoring this episode.

Summary

In this episode, Sandra speaks with Becs and Charlotte, co-chairs of GIN, about how career opportunities are often created long before a role is ever advertised, and what that means for how we show up at work today.

Sandra, Becs and Charlotte unpack how to build that visibility in a way that feels natural, not forced. How to articulate your value without ego, and why networking is less about events and more about consistent, meaningful relationships.

They also challenge one of the biggest misconceptions about career progression:

That opportunities are applied for, rather than created.

This is a conversation about being intentional, building trust, and positioning yourself for opportunities before they even exist.

Becs and Charlotte, also share the behind the scenes of the amazing network GIN, including its future plans.

Key Takeaways

Many career opportunities are shaped before a role is ever advertised.

Visibility is no longer accidental, it must be intentional.

Relationships should be built before you need them.

Networking is about consistency, not one-off interactions.

You can communicate your value clearly without ego or self-promotion.

About the Guest

Connect with Becs Smith on LinkedIn.

Connect with Charlotte Kleeman on LinkedIn.

Find out more about GIN Gender Inclusion Network.

About the Host
Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn

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

Join ‘The Pink Book’ Collective — a private LinkedIn group connecting women in insurance to find mentors, speaking opportunities and more.

Thank you to BCH for sponsoring this episode.

Summary

In this episode, Sandra speaks with Mandy Hunt about what it really takes to move forward in your career when you don’t feel ready.

Mandy shares her journey through the insurance industry, reflecting on the moments where she chose to step outside of her comfort zone, even when confidence had not yet caught up. Her story is a reminder that progression is rarely about having everything figured out, and more often about being willing to take the next step anyway.

Together, they explore the tension many women experience in corporate environments. The desire to grow, paired with the hesitation to put themselves forward before they feel fully prepared.

Mandy shares how some of her biggest opportunities came not from certainty, but from saying yes and figuring things out along the way.

Sandra and Mandy also discuss the reality of confidence at senior levels, challenging the idea that confidence comes first.

Instead, they reframe it as something that is built through action, experience, and exposure.

This is a conversation about courage, self-trust, and redefining what “ready” really means in your career.

Key Takeaways

You do not need to feel ready to take the next step in your career.

Confidence is often built after action, not before it.

Growth happens outside of your comfort zone, even when it feels uncomfortable.

Saying yes to opportunities can open doors you did not expect.

Waiting for perfect timing can delay progress unnecessarily.

Career progression is shaped by action, not just preparation.

Backing yourself is a skill that develops over time.

About the Guest
Connect with Mandy Hunt on LinkedIn.

About the Host
Connect with Sandra Lewin on LinkedIn

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

Join ‘The Pink Book’ Collective — a private LinkedIn group connecting women in insurance to find mentors, speaking opportunities and more.