Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 26, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 17 WE ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE AN OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN BUSINESS! Your YouthConnectWorcester partners • Boys and Girls Club of Worcester • Friendly House • Girls Inc. of Worcester • United Way of Central Massachusetts • YMCA of Central Massachusetts • YOU, Inc. • Worcester Youth Center • YWCA Central Massachusetts Congratulations, Liz Hamilton F O C U S Branscombe never saw failure as an option BY GRANT WELKER Worcester Business Journal News Editor W hen Karin Brans- combe looks back on the founding of her own insurance brokerage agency almost 40 years ago, she jokes now she's fortunate to have had some ignorance back then. "I didn't know what I didn't know, and that was a good thing," she said. Branscombe did know a few things, of course. She had enough of a business sense and the determination to start her own office in 1981, what is today Quaker Special Risk, an agency in downtown Worcester helping insurance agencies and brokers develop specialized plans for their clients. e 45-employee office, with about 3,000 clients across New England, was sold this year to Jencap, a New York- based group of independent firms. Branscombe, Quaker's longtime CEO, has now settled into a slightly less in- tense role as chairwoman. "I can only now, aer 40 years, be reflective, and I'm grateful that this country gave me an opportunity," said Branscombe, who grew up in Germa- ny and came to the United States aer college. "If you told me 40 years ago this would happen, I would have said, 'Never.'" Branscombe had insurance experi- ence before starting the Worcester office, a second location to an existing one in New Jersey run by a business partner, Frank Walsh. If Quaker's Worcester office failed, Branscombe was confident she could find work. But she didn't think about it that way. "In my mind, failure was not an option," she said. "I was going to figure it out and make it work." Quaker works as an intermediary of sorts between insurers across a range of industries – from health and automo- tive to business and casualty – to find coverage if a major firm won't provide it because of high risk, for example, in what's known in the industry as surplus or surplus lines. One of its regular partnering firms is Sullivan Garrity & Donnelly Insurance in Worcester, whose president, Tom Sullivan, has known Branscombe since at least the founding of Quaker's Worcester office. It's no mystery why Quaker and Branscombe have been successful, Sullivan said, describing her as having the intelligence, thoroughness, and work ethic to keep the business growing. "If you put those three things togeth- er, that's usually a good barometer for success," he said. Quaker, as a small office, has benefits, Sullivan said. "If I have a problem and it's Friday aernoon at 4 o'clock, if I'm dealing with a national broker, I might not get a hold of them," he said. "But she'll pick up when you call." e Worcester resident has made time to serve in areas of passions for her, in- cluding as a trustee at the Worcester Art Museum and on the Worcester Coun- try Club board, where in 2019 she was named the club's first female president. Branscombe has worked to mentor both men and women, and made it a priority to value workers as she would have wanted to earlier in her career. e average tenure of an employee at Quaker's Worcester office is 20 years, she said. "I was an employee once," Branscombe said, "and I knew how I wanted to be treated." Karin Branscombe Chairwoman Quaker Special Risk in Worcester Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Germany What are the keys to success? Focus on being the best, and do not worry about things you cannot control. It's easy to compare yourself to your com- petition, but your time is better spent on things you can positively change. Ballroom experience: Several years ago, I took ballroom dancing lessons for a fundraiser sponsored by Preservation Worcester called Dancing with the City. I was terrified of standing in front of a large audience in stage makeup, paint- ed from head to toe with a fake tan, and wearing a skimpy, sequined dress. Long story short, I did it. It clearly pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but I was proud I overcame that fear. What is your advice for women in business? The women in my world are busy multi-taskers. They juggle home, careers, children, grandchildren, aging parents, interests, volunteer work, etc. My advice is simple. Be the best you can be in all you do. W

• Cover