BIP Winter 2025

The program draws from the REALIFE Process framework developed by author Teresa McCloy, whose book, Do What Matters: Live from Rest, Not Rush, has become a touchstone for leaders seeking balance and purpose. “Everyone in our industry understands rush,” Bechtold says. “We live in it every day. This program helps people discover what it means to live and lead from rest instead.” Building a new kind of leadership framework REALIFE SHE-EO combines structured business strategy with personal alignment. Each of the six sessions devotes half its time to professional development — clarifying goals, decision-making and communication — and the other half to the individual’s own “rule of life”: identifying what matters most in their current season and how to align actions with values. The program begins with a kickoff meeting followed by six virtual, interactive sessions focused on leadership development, self-care strategies and business acumen. Each cohort forms a supportive community designed for collaboration and accountability, with the option to add one on-one coaching sessions for continued growth. The program concludes with an opportunity to meet in person, celebrating progress and reinforcing the lasting network participants build along the way. “It’s not just a seminar you attend and then go back to the same routine,” Bechtold explains. “It’s about creating a sustainable model for growth

where your personal and professional priorities finally support each other instead of competing.” The small-group format builds accountability and connection, something Bechtold believes women in the industry especially need. Participants collaborate throughout the Capitol Conference or Annual Convention to share progress and inspire new cohorts. Why focus on women first While the REALIFE Process framework can apply to anyone, Bechtold and McCloy chose to begin with women for a reason. “Women face a different set of program and meet again at NABIP events such as

pressures,” she says. “Many are balancing leadership, caregiving and personal responsibilities that never really stop. This is a space where they can breathe, connect and grow with people who understand.” Future versions of the program may include men’s or young professional cohorts, but for now, the focus remains on women — especially those in benefits and insurance — who want to redefine what professional success looks like. Bechtold calls it “a permission slip to lead differently.” “REALIFE SHE-EO gives women a community and a framework to do meaningful work and live a meaningful life,” she says. “You don’t have to choose between the two.”

For more information on the program, visit forteatlanta. com/she-eo

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