Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Faith Mason

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: One piece of advice is hard because success is not a single event, success is a lifetime professional journey. The thing that has stood out to me the most has been developing a smart, strong, and supportive network and this network should include but is not limited to a mentor – someone who can coach you up and teach you things, a sponsor – someone who has access to rooms you don’t even know exist and is willing to speak of your talents, a peer – someone who is going through the trenches with similar goals and aspirations, and a mentee – someone you are guiding along the way so there are more people like you in whatever rooms you enter.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: I’m a casual sports fan. As a resident and proud Philadelphian, I am obligated to say I support The Sixers and The Eagles. If I had to chose between the two I would say The Sixers because I prefer Basketball to Football.

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: Hmmmm, I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t motivated and if that is the case I have to say that my parents have been my strongest motivators. I am my mother’s child and my father’s daughter. More than my parents I am the village that supports me (aunts, uncles, sister, brother, friends and chosen family) and I want to make them proud. So there’s always a fire inside me pushing me to represent not only myself but them.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: I would say no, unless experiences count. I’m more an experience something with people vs a material possession person. Don’t get me wrong, I like nice things but I value a great conversation or learning something new with family and friends over a physical object.

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: I’m a problem solver. So the thing that keeps me coming back to my job is figuring out the puzzle of things or improving how things are done so not only are folks working smarter but also better serving our customers. Insurance, at it’s core, is really a people business and if what we do does not solve peoples’ problems or resolve pressing issues, why are we doing it? I also think I gravitate to the idea of the safety net, and that is honestly how I see insurance. Instead of the person you can always count on, it’s a system that we should always be able to tap into when something doesn’t go as planned. And that system should work properly without unnecessary barriers. I like to think of myself as a barrier breaker and that gets me excited to continue because there’s always a new barrier to break.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: I wish I knew that it’s ok to not know something. It doesn’t make you look bad or hinder you from succeeding. The best leaders surround themselves with the best and the brightest because they recognize they alone will not have all the answers.

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: As a young kid I was obsessed with cowboy boots. I made my mom get me a pair and I wore them with everything…and I mean everything LOL. There’s definitely a Christmas morning picture of me as a young kid in a nightgown and cowboy boots pretending to play a guitar.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: The community and collaboration amongst the RISE network is second to none; aligning with RISE has allowed me new avenues to expand my own knowledge of the insurance industry and meet great people along the way.