I've Got a Gal
I first met Meg McKeen when I was gifted a spot in the audience for a live recording of her Bound & Determined podcast in May 2025. I’ve followed her journey ever since, and when she announced a Founder’s Retreat earlier this year, I decided to sign up.
This past weekend, I traveled to Union Pier, Michigan, where Meg hosted the retreat at a lovely bed and breakfast about a mile walk from Lake Michigan.
The retreat came with a flexible agenda and room for deep conversations among the six women attending. We were at different stages of building businesses or exploring what entrepreneurship could look like for us. Together, we thought more deeply about our goals and how we could help each other grow and thrive.
Over our two-ish days together, a phrase came up several times: “I’ve got a gal.”
We were already imagining the connections we could make based on what we were learning about each other. Someone needs help recruiting for an insurance agency? I’ve got a gal. Kristin.
When I meet people at networking events, I try to go deeper than exchanging business cards and elevator pitches. But in a room with 30, 40, or even 100 other people, that is often a challenge. I enjoy those meetings, which frequently lead to deeper conversations over coffee. This retreat gave us time to truly get to know each other.
We shared stories about our personal lives and how those experiences had shaped or inspired our work. Some conversations went deeper as we helped someone think through a challenge, consider another perspective, or explore an idea.
We learned about each other’s goals, dreams, and ideal clients. That level of understanding is difficult to develop at a chamber luncheon or over a single coffee chat.
Spending a few days together gave us room to ask questions, share meals, get vulnerable, and even sweat together in a HIIT class. That’s high-intensity interval training, and yes, it was intense!
We already have four follow-up calls planned to check in, support each other, and share our progress.
I came home with five women whose strengths, experience, and goals I understand well enough to confidently connect them with others. I now know more than what they do. I know when to say their names.
For my readers in the insurance industry, let me introduce these rock stars:
Meg McKeen is a speaker, facilitator, consultant, and host of Bound & Determined. She brings people in insurance together for honest conversations about leadership, confidence, boundaries, and more. If your organization is planning a women’s leadership event, team workshop, or retreat, I’ve got a gal. She created the experience that brought us together.
Kristin Heideman calls herself “The Insurance Recruiter People Remember.” She helps women-owned insurance operations find the right people for their teams. Kristin is funny, smart, and knows her stuff. If your agency is hiring, you need to give her a call!
Heather Blevins may be better known to you as The Insurance Rebel. Through insurance publications and LinkedIn, she shares a blend of truth and humor that leaves you learning something new. She loves to talk about challenges in the insurance industry, especially in claims. If you need a speaker or trainer who knows that world, she’s ready to enlighten your audience.
Meg Allwein helps insurance agencies with 18 to 84 employees create strategic plans and follow through on them. We all loved how specific and memorable that target is. She brings nearly three decades of experience at the intersection of strategy and operations. If your agency needs help turning its goals into action, give Meg a call.
Melissa Barr is the workflow management queen. If I owned an insurance agency and needed help with processes and procedures, I would trust Melissa to sort them out and train my employees to put them into practice. If your team needs a clearer, more consistent way to get the work done, she’s your gal.
Doris Dunn: You may hear from me every week, but you may not know what I offer. I’m a business coach who helps you create a long-term vision and a plan to get there. I also speak to groups large and small about clarity, communication, and how our beliefs and behaviors influence the choices we make. If your group needs help getting clear on what matters, communicating more effectively, or building the confidence to move forward, I’d love to talk.
After spending so many hours with these women, I was reminded how much we can do to support each other, regardless of our industry. When someone shares a challenge, we may not have the answer ourselves. But we may know someone who does.
Make the introduction. Share the name. Tell someone why you thought of her.
For women building businesses, a thoughtful introduction can open a door we might otherwise struggle to reach. The more we understand each other’s work, the easier it becomes to recognize those opportunities and make the connection.
The next time someone tells you what they need, consider who you know. You might get to say, “I’ve got a gal.”
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