A flexible approach to work and study is a winning strategy for broker Gemma Gould.
Next year, 28-year-old Gemma Gould will celebrate a career milestone, chalking up 10 years in the broking industry. Like many young professionals, she got her start as a school leaver, working in life insurance for both RSA and ING.
The experience she gained working in the life arena gave her a good grounding in the industry, so when an entry-level position opened up at MGA Insurance Brokers, the Sydney firm where her father Trevor Gould works, she gave it a go and hasn’t looked back.
Having sold his brokerage to MGA, Trevor Gould now works as an Authorised Representative for the firm, where the two manage a sizeable joint portfolio with a good mix of both commercial and domestic clients. Gemma Gould joined NIBA College shortly after starting with MGA and has been an “active student” ever since.
Her self-directed program of professional development reached a pinnacle in mid-2010 when she completed the Advanced Diploma of Financial Services with NIBA, and was named NIBA Student of The Month for August.
Then, in March this year, her commitment to the industry was further recognised when she was successfully rewarded one of 10 scholarships to NIBA’s CPIB Program. Gould has no doubt that putting the effort into work and study has been well worth it and she looks forward to broadening her skills through the education initiatives offered by NIBA.
“The courses are challenging, but also very rewarding and the online support is advantageous,” she explains.
“I’ve learnt a lot about the nuts and bolts of running a brokerage, and have gained a good insight into marketing and sales strategies. Furthering my education through NIBA has given me an inroad to other areas of specialisation and management that I will utilise during the course of my career.”
Looking to the future
Building on her existing skills and qualifications will come in very handy when the time comes for her father to retire and leave the management of the portfolio in her capable hands. “That’s why I’m making sure I have the experience and knowledge, as well as the formal qualifications, to be able to profitably handle the transition."
She enjoys the whole broking process, with her strength being the ability to cultivate and add value to client relationships. “Broking is a service industry, with every quote I undertake and every relationship I’ve ever built, honesty and ethics are at the core. I have learnt to never take a client’s business for granted.
Every day is a good day and each day is an opportunity to prove your worth to your clients."
Working for her father can be challenging at times, she admits, but working with family definitely has considerable advantages. “We always communicate effectively both in and out of work; ultimately it underpins every task we undertake. But above all else, our long-standing clients really appreciate the family connection and the longevity we provide. MGA is very much a family-oriented broking platform."
After nine years as a broker, Gould now has a winning system of blending work and study: weeknights are devoted to hitting the books, which leaves most weekends free for catching up with family and friends.
She is a strong advocate of NIBA’s education courses and hopes to ‘give back’ to the industry by encouraging others to consider undertaking further study. “Broking is so rewarding – if you get the right start, you can make an amazing career out of it."
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