Through school and university, Bethan had done several work experience stints with insurers, getting to know different sectors of the industry. But when she arrived at the broker Tysers in their events team, she knew she had found her happy place.
“I love the broking side because I see the entire process from start to finish” said Bethan. “An insurer only sees the bit they are involved with. Our clients see us trusted advisers, like their lawyers, we are the first call they make when something is going wrong.”
“The best bit is dealing with events and artists that you like and admire all the time, and there is something for everyone. On any given day I can be dealing with a classical violinist, bass and drum in a field, a rap artist or a rock legend.” You also learn about everything that goes on behind the scenes at an event – might someone get hurt, what could get damaged or stolen. “I am a bit geeky when I go to events, pointing out to my not very interested friends all the risks”.
While the mass cancellation of live events through the COVID-19 pandemic was a shock for the business, Bethan took the opportunity to looks at new areas that she could develop. Clearly having a creative mind and an entrepreneurial streak is helpful and she began to look at protecting musicians against the possibility that they might be accused of stealing someone else’s tunes or offending someone on social media.
Bethan went to Nottingham Trent University and studied Philosophy and History, but her view on what it takes to succeed is admirably pragmatic. “This is an industry where you can succeed whether you do a degree or not. You learn from others and from doing – people skills and thinking of your feet are not things you get taught in education. You become part of an amazing community, where people compete and collaborate every day and you always have something to talk about”.