Giving women a shot at insurance leadership

Watch now: Is it more difficult being a woman in insurance?

In a recent interview with Insurance Business Canada, Boulineau spoke of her experiences in the early days, and how she managed to prove herself.

When asked if being a woman made her career more challenging, Boulineau cut right to the chase.

“I’ve been in the industry for such a long time, and I would be lying if I told you that I didn’t have my fair share of challenges,” she said.

The vice president explained that when she first entered the insurance workforce long before TD Insurance, she was initially full of optimism and ambition, and that she wanted to get into management. However, she felt that she was being subtly excluded by her superiors.

“I was always told that I was doing so well as a sole contributor, and that management was ‘boring’ and not for me.”

This was dangerous, as Boulineau explained that she started to believe that maybe it was true – that she would be better off as a contributor and was not fit to lead anyone.

“And so getting the wrong advice didn’t really help my confidence level, and I started doubting myself, and my abilities to achieve my career goals,” she stated.

But luckily for Boulineau, she had a strong support system in the form of her family, she told Insurance Business. Moreover, she also had friends in the industry that told her never to give up, and she listened to them.

“And I kept pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, and I eventually got the leadership role,” said Boulineau. “The executive who hired me for the job saw diversity as a strength, and not a weakness, and he decided to give me a shot.”

Giving a woman, a POC, and a member of the LGBTIQA+ “a shot” may seem to be a very small gesture, but it could be the perfect opportunity for an individual to prove to themselves that they are up for the task, regardless of their gender.

“Sometimes, that’s all people really need,” added Boulineau.

Boulineau was hired by TD Insurance six years ago. Under her leadership, the insurer’s high net worth insurance unit flourished. In her own words, the unit became “the first direct-to-consumer insurance service in North America designed to preserve [the company’s] clients’ lifestyles and wealth.”