Get to know the individuals that ignite the insurance industry as they answer our icebreaker questions. 

Olivia Schmitt started her insurance career with Wisconsin-based Tricor Insurance, where she moved from client relations to managing a commercial lines team. From there, her career journey took her into marketing, sales and operations with Total CSR, b atomic and Catalyit, respectively.

Now at Vertafore, the host of the “You Don't Know Schmitt!" podcast can now be found mostly on LinkedIn, insurance fangirling and sharing weekly words of wisdom and professional encouragement in #MondayMagic—sometimes in her pajamas, sometimes in a costume.

Olivia, thanks for joining us. You're a hard person to track down ... What's your biggest pet peeve?

People who don't use turn signals! Or pay attention when driving. Just be a courteous driver, please! I've almost been hit so many times when I'm out running.

Gas is so expensive that runners are the real winners anyway. How often do you run?

I run five days a week, bike, hike and try to do strength training on my non-running days. I'm not fast and I can't bench anything crazy, but getting up and working out every morning kickstarts my day.

So, if you were in the Olympics, what would you compete in?

Maybe luge or bobsled. It's just a big slide, right?

Exactly, all downhill. And while we're talking sports, we're right in the middle of the play-off season. What are your favorite sports teams?

Nebraska Cornhuskers because I was born in Nebraska and still consider it home. Also, the Green Bay Packers. I dated a Packers fan over 20 years ago, and I've just stuck with them since.

Ah, to be young, in love ... and a cheese head. Who was your first celebrity crush?

Joey McIntyre from “New Kids on the Block."

And what is something you're looking forward to at the moment? Not the Super Bowl, obviously.

This may sound silly, but seeing what my kids look like when they grow up. I've wondered about it from the time they were born, and now that they are getting older, it's fun to see how they change!

Have your kids ever made you laugh so much you cried?

My 9-year-old had a lot of birds and bees questions … which I tried to take seriously, but she was just so worried.

We don't ask those types of questions here, so you're good. Was that the moment that you realized you were an adult? Or was it sooner than that?

I think it was when I had my first child in 2006. Up until then, it was all kind of fun and games, but once another human needs you, everything changes.

It's not about the birds and the bees, but here's one last hard-hitting question: What one piece of advice would you give to your great-grandchildren?

Be kind. Always. To yourself and to the people around you. 

This is a new monthly column for Independent Agent magazine and iamagazine.com. To be featured, email hello@agencynation.com.