More than ten years ago, I took a seven-month sabbatical to do something that had nothing to do with insurance, distribution, or business strategy. I wanted to be of service, to learn, to contribute, and to expand my perspective.
Those seven months changed the way I lead, the way I live, and the way I define success.
Experiences That Shaped My Perspective
In Malawi, I joined eleven other women from the U.S. and England to raise money and help build a school. We participated in the village’s groundbreaking ceremony and spent three days hauling buckets of dirt from the riverbed to the construction alongside local women. These women not only carried these heavy buckets on their heads, but with an infant strapped to their backs. We lived with local families who had no running water, no electricity, and no modern conveniences, yet they had an abundance of generosity, laughter, and connection. We had conversations with the village leaders and a women’s circle to learn about our similarities and our differences.
In India, I lived and volunteered in the international office of a yoga and meditation organization for over two months. My days were spent welcoming guests from all over the world, orienting them to the grounds, temples, the rhythm of the center, and helping with special projects. It was a lesson in mindfulness—how presence, patience, and kindness transcend language and culture.
In Tanzania, I worked with young girls between the ages of 9-11 who were learning to raise chickens to fund their secondary education. We talked about their dreams, their fears, and their hopes for the future. We took them on a field trip to a zoo and to the airport, where many of them saw an airplane take off for the first time. The look on their faces, the pure wonder, was something I’ll never forget. It reminded me how exposure to new experiences can ignite possibility and confidence.
And closer to home, in the U.S., I volunteered at shelters for women and children, organized food drives for local homeless communities, and helped co-found a nonprofit for women in the insurance industry that focused on mentoring, education, and service. Every experience reinforced the same truth: across cultures and communities, people want to feel seen and appreciated.
Lessons That Still Guide Me Today
That sabbatical didn’t pause my career, it transformed it. It gave me a renewed perspective on what it means to lead and to serve.
I learned that every human being wants the same fundamental things: to feel valued, to have purpose, and to know their contributions matter. Parents everywhere want their children to be healthy, safe, and to live a better life than they did. And despite what we often see in the headlines, there is far more good in the world than bad. When we open our hearts and step outside of our comfort zones, we start to see and feel it.
These lessons have stayed with me ever since, shaping how I approach business, leadership, coaching, and relationships. Whether I’m working with brokers, colleagues, or clients, my first question is always: How can I be of service?
Leading With Purpose, Not Position
In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure business environment, it’s easy to equate leadership with achievement or authority. But I’ve learned that true leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about impact. It’s about how we show up for others, how we listen, and how we create space for people to grow.
For me, that means helping brokers strengthen their businesses, supporting teammates in reaching their goals, and ensuring every interaction leads to a win-win outcome. It’s about connection, not competition. Collaboration, not control.
When we lead with empathy and intention, we build trust. And trust is the foundation of every lasting partnership, whether it’s in a village in Malawi or in a boardroom in the U.S.
The Ripple Effect of Service
That sabbatical taught me that service isn’t something you step away from your career to do, it’s something you can integrate into every part of your life and work. Service is listening deeply and having an open mind. It’s lifting others up. It’s using your experience and influence to help people find their own strength.
If there’s one thing I hope others take from my journey, it’s this: service and success aren’t opposites, they’re interrelated. The more we focus on contributing to others, the more meaningful our own work becomes.
So today, my goal remains the same as it was all those years ago: to be of service. To make a difference in every interaction. And to support others see what’s possible, because when one person grows, we all rise together.
