In this episode, I sit down with Keri-Lynne “KL” Shaw, Founder of The Salary Bump. KL’s career began in the automotive industry before she built a long career in HR, eventually serving as a Chief People Officer. Along the way, she discovered a calling: helping professionals confidently own their worth, navigate career transitions, and negotiate for the pay and opportunities they deserve. I admired her calm authority when I first heard her speak, and in our conversation, KL shares the same mix of strategy, authenticity, and actionable tools that make her work so impactful.

KL also explains how salary negotiation is about so much more than just numbers, it’s about alignment, self-worth, and creating win-win outcomes that empower both professionals and organizations. KL also reflects on the ways women, in particular, can step into their power by reframing the conversation around value, not just compensation. Whether you’re in insurance or not, KL’s approach will inspire you to take the driver’s seat in your career and find a road that feels both ambitious and authentic.

In this episode, I interview Paige Roepers, CEO of Ocean Ledger, whose career path took her from marine biology to banking, consulting, and ultimately to creating a company at the intersection of the Blue Economy and insurance. Paige shares how her passion for the ocean inspired her to build technology that uses satellite imagery and machine learning to map coastal risk, offering insurers and real estate investors sharper insights into storm surge exposure. What started as curiosity about the lack of financial support for marine conservation has evolved into a mission-driven business bridging risk gaps across the globe, from the US Gulf Coast and Northeast to APAC and the Caribbean.

We also discuss Ocean Ledger’s participation in Lloyd’s Lab, where Paige’s team demonstrated how their shoreline data could have generated significant savings during past hurricane events. Paige opens up about her experience as a young female founder navigating the insurance space, her belief in collaboration over competition with existing risk modeling vendors, and her vision for making insurance more inclusive and equitable, from simplifying industry jargon to prioritizing cultural fit and diverse skillsets in hiring. Paige shares how building a sustainable insurance future is about acting as the “glue” between stakeholders and staying anchored in transparency, equity, and innovation.

In this episode, I interview Gemma Ros, Chief Technology Officer at The Zebra, to talk about her fascinating journey from Wall Street to tech leader in insurance. Gemma shares how her passion for technology and problem-solving ultimately led her to The Zebra, where she’s on a mission to simplify insurance shopping through innovation, personalization, and intelligent automation. We explore how her teams are modernizing data infrastructure, cutting quoting times, and enhancing the customer experience, while never losing sight of the human side of insurance.

What really struck me was Gemma’s commitment to building teams, and products, that reflect the world we live in. She describes The Zebra’s inclusive culture, from its Employee Resource Groups to its support for different work styles, and shares why connecting everyday work to a bigger purpose is critical for engagement and decision-making. We also talk about the value of risk-taking, learning from failure, and creating psychologically safe environments where innovation can thrive.