Photo from Rosa Sou’s Facebook Page for Westboro Village’s Billyard Insurance Group.

After Rosa Sou and her business partner, Brian Powell, worked as insurance agents for the same large insurance company for eight years each, they wanted to make a change. “Instead of working for a corporation, we wanted to open up a brokerage where we could stay customer-focused, and service our customers in the manner that we think is right,” said Rosa.

This became even more keenly felt after the pandemic hit, when the business had completely transitioned to virtual service, further distancing them from the ability to connect with customers. “We kind of lost touch. And the transaction just became like a sale and that was it,” Rosa said.

She said it was at that moment that they decided to make the switch. They partnered together, and bought a branch from Billyard Insurance, which opened in Westboro Village in January. The original brokerage is in Welland, Ontario, with other branches open across the country. Rosa said they opted to go with Billyard because doing so allowed them to operate their business independently, while also benefitting from the supports and guidance of a principal broker.

Now that she has the flexibility and freedom to tailor the products offered to customers based on their needs, Rosa said she feels so much more job satisfaction. “I love it. I feel useful. I’m excited because the customer is always thrilled. I feel like I’m doing the right thing for people.”

Part of her excitement stems from the fact that as a broker with Billyard Insurance, Rosa is able to shop rates and products for customers across the top insurance providers in Canada, where before she was limited to the range of products and rates that the large brokerage had set for its agents.

“So when one customer calls in, we don’t just shop one company. We shop all the companies, and then we just present the top two,” said Rosa. “It’s awesome.”

Rosa said she loves that every day, she is faced with a new challenge to find the right product for the customer based on their unique needs, and does so in large part by having that “personal touch” in connecting with her clients.

Instead of a customer who called in being on hold for 15 minutes, Rosa said her insurance business is set apart by being accessible and giving people the ability to email and phone them directly.

“Being the frontline face of the insurance business is more valuable than making tons of sales and then shooting them into the abyss,” she said.

Things have gotten off to a fast start for them in Westboro, and they’re already looking to expand their team in the spring. They’ve been offering commercial policies to people drumming up new business ideas, and as the world begins to open up more, Rosa said they’re looking forward to offering travel policies, too. “We’re just excited.”

To learn more and get a quote for an insurance product with Billyard Insurance Group in Westboro Village, you can visit their website, Twitter, or Instagram, or reach out to Rosa directly on Facebook.