“A Positive Influence”

Monika Bolkun-Robert, COO of Schaefer Enterprises, defines her career aspirations and operating principle with her favorite quote: “If your dreams don’t scare you, it means you are not dreaming big enough.”

"Monika Bolkun-Robert serves as the chief operating officer of Schaefer Enterprises. Bolkun-Robert began her insurance career in New York as an assistant to the president of an insurance and bonding brokerage firm on Wall Street, working her way up to become the vice president of the insurance division only two years later. In 2010, Monika joined Schaefer Enterprises and facilitated the exponential growth of the firm as partner, vice-president and most recently, as chief operating officer."

By this maxim, Monika has worked to become a leading insurance producer in the construction industry in New York City, the most competitive and aggressive market imaginable. “There are many times where I’m the only woman in a meeting, which makes me proud but also drives me to help open up opportunities for other women in this space,” she says. “As such, I am driven to break boundaries and grow my business every day, which, as a leader, means not being afraid to take a risk when my experience and industry knowledge tells me that a great opportunity is knocking.”

Being a leader means having the ability to influence people to work hard, join together, and be the best they can be at what they do. In a client situation, sometimes this means creating relationships where none existed and where other people might find it difficult or impossible to break through. Through hard work, Monika has learned to provide customers with unique solutions depending on their insurance needs, and she has developed the skills required to positively influence underwriters and capitalize on premium credits and coverage advantages.

Following the leadership examples of her mother and sister, Monika has always been a strong supporter of women as leaders and has never doubted achieving success because she is a woman. “I once read the following words in Forbes magazine which I’ve held close to my heart ever since, ‘Women alone have power; collectively they have an impact.’ That’s part of the reason why I am a member of Professional Women in Construction Organization, where we work to support and promote diversity in businesses,” explains Monika.

As the mother of a daughter, she also has another level of responsibility to her and young girls like her and her friends. “Imagine my delight when I heard my daughter speaking with her friends telling them, ‘Don’t worry, my mommy just gets things done.’ I couldn’t have been any prouder and I think that’s a key for women in all fields,” says Monika. “Getting things done is what succeeding in business is all about. Hard work is what helps women break through, which is why it’s important that we raise our daughters to be strong, confident women in their own right.”

When Schaefer Enterprises opened its doors in 2010, Monika quickly recognized several industries that were lacking appropriately designed insurance programs that could help business leaders manage their unique risks. For example, Schaefer Enterprises developed exclusive programs for the urgent care market, the food industry, and the construction industry, which is her area of specialization. Since then, the company has expanded to offer a broad range of insurance coverages to owners in several industries, including medical, food, retail, professional athletes, senior living, nonprofits, restaurants, and hospitality.

Schaefer Enterprises provides knowledge and options to customers so that they can make informed decisions. Most of their new customers were under-informed by their prior insurers and usually paid for insurance policies that were not only inadequate but wrong for their needs. Schaefer Enterprises are experts in industries where other insurance brokers either have zero or little knowledge of the risks associated with those organizations operating in these spaces. They can provide credibility, experience, responsiveness, and superior value to clients, backed with a commitment to customer service that is second to none.

Monika and her team are planning on organizing semi-annual meetings in their office with loss control experts from their carriers, legal teams, and claims adjusters and managers to help explain to clients the importance of proper contracts, risk transfer, and detailed language in the policies. Last year, Schaefer Enterprises was acquired by a private equity firm that has added them to its network of insurance professionals around the country. “This new partnership gives us access to new markets and specialty insurance products to better serve our clients,” says Monika. IEWL