Roxana Andreea Gherman – professional journey and vision in life insurance

Roxana Andreea Gherman, Metropolitan Life manager, discusses her transition from retail to life insurance, professional decisions, financial education, and building long-term impact for families.

Roxana Andreea Gherman is a manager at Metropolitan Life, with a professional journey built around people, consistency, and continuous adaptation. After 10 years of experience in retail, an intense, results-driven field, she chose, in October 2024, to enter the life insurance sector, embracing an entrepreneurial path in an industry that is growing in Romania.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: The first 10 years of my career were in retail, a field that shaped me through pace, discipline, and constant interaction with people. It was an environment that taught me that results come when you show up every day and build relationships based on trust.
The transition to life insurance, in October 2024, was not a break but a natural continuation. I found many common elements with retail: dynamism, performance pressure, and the importance of the relationship with the person in front of you. In July 2025, taking on a management role came as a result of consistent work and adaptation to a field different in depth, yet similar in rhythm.

C&B: What was the most difficult moment, and how did you overcome it?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: Changing fields during a period of economic instability was, for me, more of an opportunity to ground myself more deeply in what I do. We live in times when many Romanians feel real financial pressure and health-related concerns, and these directly influence how people view their future.
Public data confirms this reality: only a small portion of Romanians prioritize saving, and for many, monthly expenses come very close to income levels, without a clear long-term plan. This financial vulnerability is closely linked to a low level of financial education, which often leads to postponing decisions related to protection and prevention.
Coming from retail, I was used to reacting quickly to needs and achieving immediate results. In insurance, I learned to build over time, with patience and responsibility. The mentorship I received from Cristiana Shahruri was extremely valuable at this stage—not through imposed solutions, but through clarity, calm, and personal example. It helped me see this transition not as a difficulty, but as a process of consolidation, both professionally and personally.

C&B: Is there a dream or direction that has guided you?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: I want to reach as many families with children as possible and help them build education annuities. This is a very personal goal, because I myself was the child who, about 25 years ago, benefited from such an education annuity arranged by my mother through an insurance company. That money later helped me study in another city and gave me the chance to continue my education in a way that would otherwise have been much more difficult.
There are studies showing that when just one person in a family gains access to quality education, the positive impact can be felt across the next five generations. This thought motivates me deeply. If through what I do I can contribute to a child’s future, I know the effect goes far beyond the present. For me, this is the direction that gives meaning to my work.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how have you changed?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: At the beginning of my professional journey, I was very focused on pace, efficiency, and making things work well in a demanding environment. Retail teaches you to be present, manage many situations at once, and stay connected to people, even when pressure is high.
Over time, my perspective became more nuanced. I began to look beyond immediate results and pay more attention to how relationships and decisions are built. In insurance, consistency remains just as important, but real value is seen over time—through trust built step by step and the lasting impact you can have on people’s lives.

C&B: What do you think your collaborators would say about you?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: They would probably say that I am a consistent and involved person who tries to understand each individual’s context. In a field where decisions are sensitive and personal, this matters greatly.

C&B: What was the most important professional decision you made?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: The most important professional decision was choosing a new beginning. After many years in a familiar field, the change came with fear, but also with enthusiasm. I chose not to let fear stop me, but to turn it into motivation to learn and build step by step.
The transition to insurance pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me see work in a deeper way, where consistency and patience make the difference.

C&B: How did you develop your decision-making approach?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: My way of making decisions was built gradually, through experience and observation. Retail taught me to make quick decisions, while insurance taught me to make them carefully, with attention to long-term impact.
The training I completed through Maxwell Leadership helped structure this balance, allowing me to apply more consciously the principles I was already using, especially in my relationships with people.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: A typical day is intense and very varied. In addition to my own entrepreneurial activity, a significant part of my time is dedicated to my role as a manager: coordinating the team, supporting people in their development process, clarifying objectives, and providing direction.
I want the people I work with to have clarity, support, and a healthy framework in which to grow. We talk about results, but also about challenges, pace, and balance. The insurance field is fast-paced, and performance comes from consistency and discipline; however, I believe my role is to help the team build for the long term, not just reach short-term goals.
The most valuable moments are those when I see people gaining more confidence in themselves and in the work they do.

C&B: What values guide you in what you do?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: Responsibility, honesty, respect for people, and continuous development. These are values I have always had and try to apply consistently, both in my relationships with clients and in working with the team.
In a field that is still growing in Romania and in a society with a low level of financial education, I believe these values are essential for building trust and stability.

C&B: If you were to share a message with people who follow your example, what would it be?
Roxana Andreea Gherman: I would tell them to be patient with themselves and not to be discouraged by the context. The labor market is challenging, and the pressure to succeed quickly is high; however, durable things are built over time.
Whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur, the difference is made by consistency, the desire to learn, and the way you choose to work with people. True success is knowing that you did things the right way and with purpose.

The interview outlines a professional journey shaped by consistency, responsibility, and continuous adaptation. Roxana Andreea Gherman’s experience highlights the importance of well-considered decisions and trust-building in a field essential to people’s long-term financial security.