It is not easy to start an insurance brokerage business. A looming talent crisis; the increasing demands for digital adoption – not to mention an ongoing pandemic – all these things put additional pressure on those trying to run a business.
And it does not get any better for women brokerage owners, who – on top of facing those issues – must deal with the additional challenges that women face in the industry.
That is what makes Rose Freeman’s story and her accomplishments even more impressive.
Recognized as one of Insurance Business Canada’s Elite Women 2022, Freeman is the owner of Willow Insurance. Her journey towards brokerage ownership was not an easy one, as she had to serve as a mother to both her business and her children.
Read more: IBC Elite Women 2022 – Rose Freeman
Freeman first became the owner of what would become Willow Insurance when she bought an insurance brokerage in Shell Lake in 2013. Although she had a background in corporate finance, she had next to no broking experience. With only a short window to complete the relevant education and licensing requirements, she managed to get the brokerage up and running in less than a year later – all while expecting her first child.
Her journey does not stop there, as years later she later chose to expand Willow Insurance through the purchase of a second brokerage in Debden – while pregnant with her second child. She is currently a full-time entrepreneur and mother, leading a five-strong team across two locations.
“In the past nine years, my children have grown with the business – from infants sleeping on my desk to toddlers sitting in on Zoom meetings, to children doing homework at their own desk,” said Freeman of her experiences.
Freeman is always looking for ways to further improve her other child - Willow Insurance. That is why participated in the Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan’s (IBAS) Leaders Forum, which brings together broker professionals from across the insurance industry for a year-long peer mentorship program. She was part of the first cohort of the association’s initial pilot phase.
