Meet Your Tinubu Team: Sarah Drinnan, Managed Services

From selling roses (yes, the flowers—not the wine) to owning a Jiu Jitsu academy and supporting nonprofit work, Sarah Drinnan has always had an entrepreneurial drive. Today, she channels that same energy into her managed services role at Tinubu, where she’s fully embedded with one of our carrier clients to streamline workflows, solve challenges, and help them grow. Learn more about Sarah, why she loves working in Surety, and how there's an interest overlap with space travel…

Q: What’s your day-to-day like at Tinubu?

A: I’m a Managed Services Business Consultant dedicated to one of our carrier clients. That means I’m their go-to for anything system-related—whether it’s training their team, troubleshooting issues, or improving workflows. My role is to know their business inside and out: processes, integrations, best practices. Because I’m fully embedded in their operations, I can anticipate challenges and resolve them quickly, keeping everything running smoothly.

Q: How long have you been at Tinubu, and what did you do before?

A: It will be six years in January, and 11 years total in the Surety industry. Before I came to Tunubu, I worked as a CSR [customer service representative] at an agency, so I worked with producers, underwriters and clients assisting in reading the contracts, writing the bonds, and doing preliminary reviews of financial analysis and work in progress.

Q: How did you get into Surety?

A: My best friend. She still works for the agency that I left to come to Tinubu. Before Surety, I was in sales. I used to sell roses. But I was the girl out at the farm in her high heels, and I thought, ‘you know, I don’t belong here.’ So I was chatting with my best friend over a glass of wine, and she told me her agency was hiring. We had a heart-to-heart about the career opportunities in Surety, and I decided to give it a shot. I just ran with it, and I absolutely love it. I don’t think I’ll ever leave the industry. 

Q: What do you like about Surety?

A: I like the constant challenge you get from it, because nothing is ever the same. I always tell people Surety isn’t black or white, and things are constantly evolving. I find that extremely interesting. Also, I think the level of protection that it provides to make sure people are able to complete projects is really important. I always say Surety is kind of a hidden gem; you either love it or you hate it, because you get it or you don’t. I find it fascinating.

Q: What do you do when you’re not working at Tinubu?

A: My brother runs a nonprofit, so I try to assist if he ever needs a helping hand. My husband and I own a Jiu Jitsu academy—he’s a black belt, but I don’t personally do martial arts—and we’re also part owners of a wellness center for recovery for people who are in sports. So we spend a lot of time working on that.

Q: Where are you based?

A: I’m in our Maitland, Florida office; I was born and raised in Florida. Unfortunately, I don’t like to sweat, so summer can be a challenge. But being in Florida did mean I was able to go behind the scenes on a project we’d bonded at the Kennedy Space Center. I was out there in my hard hat, in the boots with my reflector vest on: it was very cool. And now, because of Surety, I know so many different aspects of what that exhibit really means.