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Meet Trailblazer Kimberly Parks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Parks.

Kimberly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I come from humble beginnings. We weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor and if we were… I never knew about it. My parents worked so hard every day to give myself and two siblings the life they didn’t have. They were tough but fair and I was always expected to be great in school and thus to be great in life. My dad lost his mom when I was very young and she didn’t have life insurance, just like so many people today. He and my mom were barely trying to figure things out for their family, let alone be faced with the financial burden of burying a loved one. It’s an all too familiar story, every other day, I see a new “Go Fund Me” on social media, for someone who didn’t properly plan and it’s very unfortunate. I used to say, if I could just sit down and have a conversation with someone, one by one, we can make a difference for future families to come and that’s just what we’re doing! I started as a team member for another State Farm Agency. When I interview candidates for my office, I chuckle, as I was sitting in their seat not too long ago and I had the help of some amazing people to get me where I am today. After a few years as a team member, I was promoted to a corporate position as an Agency Field Specialist in the Florida Panhandle, helping drive agents and their teams to success. Once God gave me the vision to have my own Agency, I went full force! It’s nothing like driving up to my office and seeing that BIG sign with my name out front, what a feeling.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Opening a business has its challenges. There’s so much to learn and feels like there’s a never-ending to-do list. The biggest advice I can give is finding a work/life balance. Opening a business is in my opinion, like giving birth to a newborn. You’re gentle, careful, not sure who to trust with it, you spend a lot of time together and it can get exhausting. Which only means you have to make sure to recharge. Whatever that is that fills your cup or keeps you motivated, you have to make time for it. No one is going to be as passionate about your baby as you are, so you have to make sure you stay refreshed!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Kimberly Parks State Farm Agency – what should we know?
Well, aside from being an entrepreneur and agency owner, I like to consider myself to be more of a Risk Advisor. In my line of work, we see all too much, those everyday risks that can impact someone’s life forever. I and my team are here to help uncover those needs, manage those risks and help our customers (our family), recover from the unexpected and protect the people and things they’ve worked so hard to obtain. In a more comedic sense, we’re here to help you cover your ASSETS! I’m most proud of my journey here, it’s a testimony that I can share with woman and men who are looking for a career path that truly develops you and helps you grow. My State Farm Family has been amazing, my experience has been phenomenal. My degree is in Journalism and I dabbled in a little radio and television, I still wouldn’t trade this for anything! I am also proud that within my first year of agency, I ranked #19 in the county, amongst my peer of new agents. I believe my passion for people sets me apart from anyone else. I care about my customers, their families, their well-being, a lot of them really are like family.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
There are tons of opportunities out there for women, we just have to show ourselves capable and position ourselves to be able to receive those opportunities. Being a woman, especially a minority woman, things aren’t just handed to us. We have to be sharper, stronger, and faster than the next person. The time is now to be a woman for sure. There are more women standing up to positions of power than ever before and it’s extremely aspiring to me!

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Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

2 Comments

  1. Mike g

    May 1, 2019 at 3:11 pm

    Great read. Kimberly sounds like a great agent and person. Wish we had more like her. Keep succeeding young lady.

  2. Jermaine Gonzalez

    May 3, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    Awesome, so proud of the success you’ve accomplished so far, and still moving on to bigger things!

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