Shattering the Glass Ceiling with Former Fortune Global 500 Executive

In Part 1 of our conversation, former Fortune Global 500 executive, Maria Johnson, joins me to talk about her rise to the top, her early years working in a then male-dominated field, challenges she navigated, the mentors who helped guide her, & the core qualities & factors responsible for her success. In addition to discussing the evolution of women’s workplace culture, Maria delves into the essential characteristics & personality traits she looked for when hiring, why EQ is often more important than IQ, & the advice she imparts to women (& men) as they pursue a path to professional success. 🔹About Maria Johnson:⬇️ Retired Chubb Insurance Executive Former North American Sales & Distribution Leader, Personal Risk Services Before retiring in October 2025, Maria served as the North American Sales & Distribution Leader for Personal Risk Services, driving profitable growth across the US & Canada. Her primary responsibilities included leading & developing the Sales & Distribution team to achieve growth targets, implementing distribution tier strategies & agency/broker partner programs, creating & promoting adoption & measurement of sales initiatives & best practices in all regions, collaborating with internal teams such as product lines, underwriting, & field administration to reach division sales goals, as well as monitoring competitive landscapes, analyzing financial trends, & identifying new growth opportunities locally & regionally. During her 33-year career at Chubb, Maria advanced through a variety of positions offering progressive career growth. Her special skills include strategic planning, project management, driving transformative change, improving individual staff & territory performance, pipeline management, sales execution, & employee development. Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property & casualty (P&C) insurance company, operating in over 50 countries. 🔹To connect with Maria:⬇️ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maria-johnson-07b77b18/ 🎙️ONCE UPON THE PODCAST Available On:⬇️ Apple Podcasts🔹Spotify🔹YouTube🔹iHeart🔹Amazon Music🔹Audible 🔹 Wherever You Get Your Podcasts🔹 Podcast chapters: 00:05 Intro: The importance of empowering women professionally & personally 01:00 Humble success in an era of loud success 01:33 Maria Johnson discusses her rise from the beginning of her career to becoming a Fortune Global 500 executive. 05:39 Why making lateral moves & backward moves to gain new skills can be essential to upward career mobility 07:29 The immense appeal of a career as s social media influencer & the connection to immediate success & immediate gratification 09:39 The qualities & strengths that Maria believes helped lead her to success, her passion for learning & the business, work ethic, & the importance of believing in what you're marketing & selling 11:01 The mentors & sponsors that encouraged & helped Maria to grow professionally & her experience early in her career working in a then male-dominated field 13:12 Why honest, productive, immediate feedback (positive & negative) is a gift & is critical to the evolution of a person's career & fostering resilience 16:58 The core qualities & personality characteristics that Maria looked over when hiring & how Maria's own attributes allowed her to achieve success 19:42 IQ vs. EQ & why EQ is often more important in business 21:21 Whether Maria encountered any challenges as a woman in the workplace, including, but not limited to, misogyny 22:28 Maria recounts a challenging professional experience regarding treatment that she received from a man outside of her employer & the supportive environment of her employer, Chubb Insurance 28:10 Close: How Maria has never played the role of a victim in her career #podcast #womenempowerment #womeninbusiness #careeradvice #careergrowth