In September 2019, Jade let us know that she and her family were planning a move to Cairns. While we were happy for her personally, we were we sad at the thought of losing her from our team given her insurance experience and expertise as a broker. But Jade then floated the idea of working remotely from Cairns and we quickly jumped at the chance to keep her as part of the team.
As a business, one of our core values is our commitment to helping our staff achieve their work/life goals and we were delighted to be able to make this work for Jade and for us.
We asked Jade a few questions about life up north –
What prompted you to move to North Queensland?
Jade: The cold, wet and windy Torquay weather! Despite living in this “idyllic beachside town” for five years we were able to count the times we swam at the beach on both hands.
What has been the most challenging aspect about the move?
Jade: Being away from our family and friends which has been exacerbated by COVID19. We had planned to see our family a few times a year but this hasn’t been possible yet. The actual move itself was also challenging. We had an 8-week turnaround to pack up our whole life, buy a house, rent our Torquay home, ship our cars, then fly ourselves and our dog to FNQ!
What’s the best part about working from home? We have seen photos of you taking a dip in your pool at lunchtime – this makes us quite jealous.
Jade: Being able to run/ride our son, Kai to and from childcare each day (4km round trip). Not having to wear makeup, straighten my hair and drive 40 minutes to work each day! The ability to do odd jobs, make dinner or take a nap in the wet season during my lunch break (the heat is very energy draining).
To alleviate the myth, I think I have only had one or two swims in the pool at lunch time! But it is nice to be warm and surrounded by palm trees while eating my wrap.
Have you found it difficult to work remotely?
Jade: It has its pros and cons. The peace and quiet of working from home is nice until your hubby is on a day off and comes to ask you about dinner in the middle of writing an email! But on the other hand, not having colleagues just across the room to bounce ideas off has been a bit limiting. Overall, I find that I am much more productive which is great.
It was great to be able to attend the Steadfast Insurance Brokers seminar in Cairns and touch base with some local brokers. It was good to hear that we all have the same ups and downs with regards in organising insurance and dealing with technology!
How are you finding the lifestyle in Cairns?
Jade: We are very lucky to have an extended friendship group that I met in Cairns 11 years ago on a charity mountain bike ride. We have built relationships and been on many adventures with them since then. We have also met many new friends since the move and find the lifestyle and community to be very friendly and inclusive. It might be because we love to be outdoors (mountain biking, running, hiking, fishing, camping, spear fishing on the reef) and find other people with similar interests to be super friendly.
Are you feeling guilty about us Victorians being locked up while you Queenslanders enjoy the sunshine?
Jade: We feel very grateful that we can live a relatively normal life in FNQ. We are careful to comply with any Covid safe plans in place when on our day to day business. We feel the pain through our families that we speak with regularly during this difficult time.
How long have you been working as an insurance broker and what do you love about it?
Jade: I have been working as a Commercial Insurance Broker since 2004 and enjoy learning about a myriad of industries that we need to place cover for. I enjoy reviewing different quotes and being able to find the differences (premium, excess, clauses, endorsements, policy wording) then passing this information on to the client so they can make an educated decision regarding the cover they decide to take.
Are there any specific types of insurance that really interest you?
Jade: You could say my niche is anything sport or tourism related. Loving the great outdoors and participating in many running, mountain biking, multi-sport events and Mountain Bike Clubs gives me a deeper understanding of the industries and their nuances. But that said, I do like to assist a variety of clients as it makes the day interesting!
How can someone requiring insurance in the Cairns area contact you to get a quote or some advice?
Jade: Via any of our channels, email, phone, website, Facebook etc
Please contact our office to receive a quote or complete our online quote form here .
