Where did you attend college, and what was your major/field of study?
I attended the University of Iowa and majored in Marketing, though I also earned a Certificate in Event Planning!
How did you first hear about Cottingham & Butler and the intern program?
A family friend of mine mentioned Cottingham & Butler and convinced me to submit my application before a career fair. I had no intention of selling insurance and met the C&B recruiting team out of sheer circumstance by bumping into them at the fair entrance and helping them pick up some items they dropped. Some might say it was fate!
Describe your experience in the Cottingham & Butler internship program. What did you learn during the program that you still use today in your full-time position?
My experience was incredibly hands-on and gave me a great idea of what my career would be like at C&B. I spent multiple days a week on the road traveling with various producers and watching them prospect, win new clients, and strengthen relationships with current ones. I balanced my weeks between cold calls, meetings, and working on a project that helped support an exclusive insurance program that many of my clients are in today. The internship created a foundation of knowledge and experiences that helped me to launch my career even faster once I joined full-time.
What’s your favorite memory from your time as an intern?
I attended an industry conference at the beginning of the internship that gave me an inside look at our clientele and C&B’s reputation in the industry. I sat down with many of our clients and learned about their business, how it’s grown, their struggles and successes, and how C&B has fit into that picture. One of the first clients I met said, “There’s a lot of things I have to worry about every day running a trucking company, but with C&B I know insurance isn’t one of them.” I left the conference feeling like I could see myself in the producer role, and that many of the clients were cut from the same cloth I was.
What do you think the Cottingham & Butler internship program offers that other internships don’t?
C&B's internship is incredibly hands-on with unparalleled access to C&B’s leaders and top producers. There is no shortage of opportunities to shadow, travel, dive in, or share your ideas on how C&B could be more efficient or effective. We’ve had multiple interns create full-time roles within our walls based on ideas they had during the internship or the projects they worked on. My project was about the feasibility and demand of a hazmat-focused insurance program, and with the help of many others at C&B, we created that program and it’s still thriving today.
What drew you back to Cottingham & Butler after graduation?
It was a mix of the people, the programs, and the opportunity. While I never anticipated I would work in insurance, I focused more on the clientele, the resources that C&B had to support me, and the incredible people I had met throughout the internship. As bad as I wanted to succeed, within a few short weeks I had made connections with people who I felt almost wanted me to succeed more, and would assist me in any way they could. Not many are lucky enough to end their career at the same place they started it, but I knew C&B was a place I could do just that.
How have you seen yourself evolve as a professional at Cottingham & Butler?
I’ve become much more collaborative than I was before. I’ve always loved celebrating wins and successes with others but have been slow to trust. I’ve always had a “live and die by my own sword” type mentality but at C&B I’ve learned that you can’t do things alone. You'll get a lot further when you trust others to deliver on what they specialize in. I’ve also developed a strong passion for industry advocacy and with C&B’s encouragement and support, I’ve been able to explore that interest as well.
What do you love most about your current role?
Every day is different and it's impossible to get bored. Each prospective customer is like a mystery that we need to solve. It’s our job to peel back the curtain, figure out where the risk is, and then find the best way to cover that risk. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and I’m able to utilize my attention to detail, alongside my amazing team and resources, to help our clients rest easy at night.
Why should college students consider the Cottingham & Butler internship program?
As someone who said, “I will sell anything but insurance,” and has now been doing just that for 6 years, you have to look past the “product” you are selling and look at the opportunity, the clientele, and the support system you are going to receive from the company you are interning for. At a minimum, you'll receive weeks of valuable hands-on experience and learn from others who are at the top of their field. At best, like me, you'll find the place you want to spend your entire career and be given endless resources and opportunities to succeed.