Connected Conversations In Insurance

Canopy Connect

Connected Conversations in Insurance – A Canopy Connect Podcast Welcome to Connected Conversations in Insurance, the podcast by Canopy Connect where we dive into the stories, strategies, and technology shaping the future of the insurance industry. Each episode, we sit down with top agents, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the challenges they face, the solutions they’ve found, and how they’re streamlining their processes to better serve clients.

  1. 5 days ago

    Staying Nimble: Adaptability as Your Greatest Competitive Advantage — Showna Jones

    Staying Nimble: Adaptability as Your Greatest Competitive Advantage — Showna Jones In this episode of Connected Conversations (Canopy Connect podcast, Women in Insurance), host Carrie interviews Showna Jones, who spent over 20 years in insurance—primarily in claims, catastrophe, and compliance—after serving in the U.S. Army as a medic. Showna shares how an accumulation of corporate experiences and a pivotal conversation with an agency owner led her to launch Timeless Insurance Agency in Hampton Roads, Virginia, then quickly grow by acquiring a retiring colleague’s agency and earning key carrier appointments. She frames adaptability as a deliberate choice to pursue growth before it’s forced, built through stretching yourself, networking, mentorship, and community groups like CPCU and NAIFA. Showna discusses navigating male-dominated environments, redefining success as control and well-being, and encouraging women to get comfortable being uncomfortable and trust that no experience is wasted. Connect with Showna: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/showjones/ Phone Number:  757-324-3747 Timeless Insurance Agency: https://timelessinsuranceagency.com/

  2. 20 Oct

    The Long Game: Career Pacing and Ambition in Insurtech — Brenna Johnson

    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.

  3. 13 Oct

    Better Together: The Power of Community — Ashley Engl

    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/

  4. 6 Oct

    Low Power Mode: Recognizing and Recovering from Burnout — Brooke Liu

    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:  brooke.liu@marshberry.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookeacliu/Marshberry LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marshberry/

  5. 29 Sept

    Own It: Personal Ownership, Emotional Intelligence & the Biology Nobody Talks About

    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

  6. 22 Sept

    Owning Your Voice: Self-Advocacy and Presence — Megan Bell

    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/

  7. 15 Sept

    Building Confidence from the Inside Out — Sharilyn Tanaka

    Building Confidence from the Inside Out — Sharilyn Tanaka In this Connected Conversations episode launching season four on women in insurance, co-host Carrie Thornbrugh interviews Sharilyn Tanaka, Executive Vice President and Unit Manager for Business and Personal Insurance at Atlas Insurance in Honolulu. Inspired by a YWCA Oahu women’s leadership program, Tanaka explains that confidence can be built and shares five practical strategies: build expertise through education and designations, track successes and impact, act before you feel fully ready, use your voice consistently, and build a supportive “village” including mentors and sponsors who advocate for you when you’re not in the room. She discusses navigating self-doubt—especially as an introvert in male-dominated rooms—by focusing on preparation, speaking up, and accepting imperfection, particularly for working mothers.

  8. 2 Jun

    CCII: Michael Ley

    Michael Ley on Agency Networks, Tech Stacks, and the HawkSoft Purple Cow | Connected Conversations in Insurance In this episode of Connected Conversations in Insurance, Ray Huang sits down with Michael Ley, Director of Network Relations at HawkSoft, to talk about what agency networks and aggregators are doing to stand out and deliver real value beyond commission splits. Michael shares his journey from a family-owned agency to HawkSoft and breaks down what agencies should look for before joining a network—from book ownership and carrier access to contract terms, transparency, and technology investments. They also dive into the modern agency tech stack, why the AMS is at the center of it all, and the tools helping agencies work smarter, including CRM, texting and VoIP, e-signatures, and streamlined intake solutions. Plus, Michael talks about HawkSoft’s customer-first “Purple Cow” philosophy and wraps things up with a fun travel-themed round of “Where Would Michael Sit?” 0:00 Networks Look Alike 00:46 Meet Michael Ley 01:37 What Network Relations Means 03:23 From Teacher to Agent 06:01 Networks vs Associations 06:33 Network Pain Points10:35 Agency Network Checklist 15:27 Tech Stack Talk 17:28 Open APIs and Data Ownership 21:35 Must Have Agency Tools 29:15 Purple Cow Branding 32:35 Culture and User Community 34:10 Travel Game Setup 34:54 Aisle vs Window Debate 35:47 Bathroom Row Stories 36:47 Family Travel Tradeoffs 37:10 Accidental Private Jet 38:02 Subway Seat Strategy 39:42 Rental Shuttle Tactics 41:19 Doctor Waiting Room Picks 41:53 Conference Room Power Seats 43:16 Movie Theater Sweet Spots 44:43 Best Seats in the Stadium 47:39 Airplane Selfie Side Eye 49:28 Season Wrap and Sponsor

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Connected Conversations in Insurance – A Canopy Connect Podcast Welcome to Connected Conversations in Insurance, the podcast by Canopy Connect where we dive into the stories, strategies, and technology shaping the future of the insurance industry. Each episode, we sit down with top agents, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the challenges they face, the solutions they’ve found, and how they’re streamlining their processes to better serve clients.

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