Helping Comes First: My Journey Into Living Benefits

I didn’t plan to work in insurance. In fact, I couldn’t have predicted this life even if you’d handed me a crystal ball at 21. Back then, I was a typical university grad with no real clue what I wanted to do. I had a DEC in applied science—chemistry, physics, calculus—and then pivoted to philosophy at Concordia. That should tell you everything. I was curious. Lost, maybe. And looking for something meaningful.

At the time, I was working at my uncle’s dry cleaning store, picking up shifts where I could, trying to find a rhythm. Then my stepfather got sick. Really sick. And in one of our conversations, he said something that would change everything: “Your mother’s going to need help. I won’t be around. Go help her for a year. You’ll get paid. She’ll get support. And who knows—you might like it.”

He said it so calmly, but it landed with force. I knew he didn’t have much time left, and I think that gave his words a weight they might not have carried otherwise. He wasn’t just giving me career advice—he was giving me direction. And a purpose. Looking back, I realize how gently he guided me onto a path I never would’ve chosen on my own.

Had anyone else suggested I join the family business, I probably would’ve shrugged it off. But this was different. It was a chance to be useful. To help my mother at a time when everything around her was shifting. And to honour a man who had always believed in me.

Something clicked early on—not because I had a passion for policies or premiums—but because I started to see what this business really was: an opportunity to help people. Every file, every client, every conversation had weight. And unlike a lot of other professions—particularly in the field of philosophy, where the impact of your work is mostly theoretical and occasionally debated over coffee—I could actually see the difference I was making.

I didn’t join M Bacal Group because of the products. I joined for family and stayed because of the people.

Learning the business from the ground up

When I first started working with my mother, Monette Malewski, I was overwhelmed. She’s a powerhouse. Truly. Anyone who knows her will tell you that. She has a big presence, deep relationships, and a strong sense of purpose. In the early years, I struggled to figure out where I fit. How could I ever live up to her reputation?

Eventually, I realized I didn’t have to. I didn’t need to be Monette—I needed to be me. I brought my own strengths to the table. I’m wired for detail. I like systems, precision, planning. I make sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. And over time, I carved out my place in the business not as her shadow—but as her complement.

I became certified as a Living Benefits Specialist in 2008 because I wanted to push myself. The products are more complex. The conversations are harder. But the impact? That can be profound.

Why I care so deeply about living benefits

Living benefits—disability insurance, critical illness insurance—aren’t flashy. They don’t come with the same big payouts or commissions as life insurance. They’re harder to talk about. No one wants to imagine themselves getting sick or being unable to work. But that’s exactly why I believe in them.

I’ve sat across from clients who were holding it all together until illness cracked the foundation. One woman—an entrepreneur—comes to mind. She had breast cancer. She’d set up both disability and critical illness insurance with us before she got sick. When the diagnosis came, her benefits kicked in: a lump sum payment and income replacement while she went through chemo and radiation.

She didn’t have to shut down her business. She didn’t have to worry about bills. She didn’t have to make impossible choices between her health and her livelihood. That’s the power of living benefits. They give people room to heal—without the added pressure of financial survival.

I’ve delivered those cheques. I’ve seen the relief on people’s faces. And I’ve thought more than once: this is why I do what I do.

Listening first. Always.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the most important part of my job isn’t what I say—it’s how I listen. I had a coach early in my career who taught me the art of listening. Really listening. Asking open-ended questions. Letting people tell their stories. Because once they’ve shared their reality, their fears, their goals—I can reflect that back to them and show them where the gaps are.

Sometimes, that means telling someone: “You’re good. You don’t need anything right now.” That honesty matters. Clients remember it. And often, they come back when life changes—because they know I wasn’t there to make a sale. I was there to help.

Being in a family business means showing up—for everything

Working in a family business is…a lot. The lines blur. There’s no clean divide between work and home. Especially in the early years, when I was living with my mom, it felt like we never stopped. But we learned how to work together. We respected each other’s roles. And we figured out how to run a business that could thrive across generations.

What I love most about this career is the freedom it gives me to show up for my kids. I’m at their hockey games. Their concerts. Their everyday moments.

Putting clients first is who we are

At M Bacal Group, we lead with values. We believe in service over sales. People over products. Long-term trust over short-term wins. Living benefits may not be glamorous, but they are powerful. They are deeply human. And they are at the heart of how I help.

I didn’t get into this business because I had a passion for insurance. I got into it because I believed someone I loved needed help. And I stayed because I found meaning here—real meaning, in protecting people when life throws something unexpected and unfair their way.

My mother always told me something growing up: “You can’t control what happens to you. You can only control how you react to it.”I used to roll my eyes at that line. But now? It sits at the core of everything I do. Because that’s exactly what living benefits are about.

We can’t stop illness. We can’t always prevent disability. But we can prepare. We can ease the burden. And we can help clients face life’s curveballs with strength, stability, and support.

That’s what matters. And that’s why we’re here.

Lianne Ulin is a Certified Living Benefits Specialist and Vice President of Finance and Administration at M Bacal Group in Montreal. She has been helping clients protect what matters most since 1998, with a focus on compassionate, client-first insurance planning.