With over 25 years of experience in the Canadian insurance and financial services industry, Lucy Lukic has worked hard to build a reputation as a trusted business professional known for her strategic thinking and in-depth knowledge of financial planning. Currently an Insurance Advisor with iA Private Wealth Insurance in Hamilton, Ontario, Lucy has also held senior roles at top firms like CIBC Financial Planning, Burgeonvest Bick Securities, Burgeonvest Insurance Corp, and yourCFO Advisory Group. Lucy Lukic has spent her career advising clients from all backgrounds and walks of life, and is known as a masterful relationship builder in Hamilton’s close-knit community.
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Q: Within your profession, you’ve developed a reputation for establishing trust and maintaining relationships with your clients. What’s your secret?
LUCY LUKIC: There’s no secret. I just try to approach my clients the same way I would my friends, neighbours, and even family. I ask how they are, how their families are, and genuinely listen to their responses. Something as innocuous as meeting up for a coffee and a chat once or twice a year can go a long way toward forging a lasting relationship. I find interactions like that come naturally to me, mainly because I care about my clients and want them to be financially secure and achieve their life goals. Beyond that, from a business standpoint, you just have to always keep your clients’ interests in mind as the main criteria for product selection and then act accordingly. You have to do what’s best for them. It’s honestly just that simple.
Q: Building on that answer, what skills do you think are most important for someone running a client-focused business?
LUCY LUKIC: The number one skill, without question, is genuinely listening to people. First and foremost, to clients, but also workplace colleagues and other industry professionals. The benefits of listening are disproportionate to the little bit of effort it takes. Not only is it the polite and civilized thing to do, but by listening carefully and asking the right questions, you can uncover a client’s true goals, fears, and priorities simply by giving them the space to speak and the assurance that you’re hearing them. Listening to co-workers is key to keeping the workplace efficient and healthy. And listening to thought leaders and insurance experts is the best way to stay informed of important developments.
Q: How do you handle situations where a client’s needs and budget don’t match?
LUCY LUKIC: You just find a way to help them, through research, through contacting – colleagues for information, through chasing down any lead necessary to get them the coverage they need. It’s hard out there! Let’s be honest: the modern world is exhausting and difficult enough to navigate without adding insurance homework on top of everything else. After working all week, raising kids, and running errands, the last thing people need is to be left trying to steer through the insurance industry labyrinth on their own. That’s why professionals like me exist—to help sort through the mountain of options and figure out what’s best for specific circumstances. To match needs and budgets—whatever they may be—to products that give peace of mind.
Q: If you could go back and give yourself advice at the start of your career, what would it be?
LUCY LUKIC: I think if I could hop into a time machine and visit the younger version of myself, I would tell her to worry less and trust herself more. You don’t need to have every answer on day one—you just need to be open to finding them. I’d also say “be patient.” Building a career based on trust takes time. Focus on doing the right thing in the here and now, and success will follow. I would also say, “Don’t forget to celebrate the small wins—they matter more than you think.”
