Deidre Wright is the Founder and Chief Risk Officer at SMW Risk, a risk management company that helps big and small organizations add enterprise value through operations and opportunity risk management. Deidre Wright is her daughter and the founder of Strategic Stories. Strategic Stories is a business that provides brand consulting services with a focus on diversification. Soroya specializes in risk management, financial analysis, and strategic planning while Deidre’s skillset revolves around branding, marketing, and public relations.

---

In today’s episode, Soroya and Deidre join us to discuss diversity in the insurance industry. They share their professional and career highlights and why they decided to join the world of insurance. Soroya describes what the industry was like when she first started out and how difficult it was for minorities to become a leader in any industry. Deidre explains why companies will benefit greatly from diversifying their workers and the barriers that currently exist for minorities entering the insurance industry. They also share how the George Floyd incident made them feel and what they realized from the protests that followed.

What you’ll learn:

• Diedre and Soroya’s professional milestones and specializations.
• What it’s like being a minority in the insurance industry.
• Why they decided to pursue a career in insurance.
• Their thoughts on the successes and failures of diversity in the industry.
• How successful white men mentored and helped them grow professionally.
• What Diedre says minorities should do to become successful in America.
• Why Soroya says professionals should specialize in at least one thing.
• How being charismatic and having the right personality is critical in any industry.
• The benefits of diversifying a company’s employees.
• The barriers that hinder minorities in entering insurance.
• What Soroya noticed in the industry today compared to when she started.

Key Takeaways:

• Companies that have diverse workers are more capable of generating strategies that can make them stand out.
• You have to be aware of the opportunities you have before you start your success journey, especially in insurance. 
• We have to speak up in the memory of those who fell victim to hate crimes, so history doesn’t repeat itself.

Connect with our Guests:

• SMW Risk
• Soraya’s LinkedIn
• Strategic Stories
• Deidre’s LinkedIn

---