Today we’d like to introduce you to Bianca Watkins
Hi Bianca, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I worked for The University of Georgia, my alma mater, right out of college. I was an Assistant Director of Admissions, which is fancy for Admissions Counselor. When I was ready to spread my wings, I interviewed at State Farm for the underwriter role. After 20 years and a few role changes, I stepped out on faith to open my own insurance agency. I was 45 years old when my agency opened its doors. This has been a fairytale story in the making. Today, I am 47, and I tell people all the time that this entrepreneurial journey has grown me up tenfold. I could certainly write a book on all of the learnings I have experienced, both personally and professionally.
The agency opportunity means the world to me. I am extremely passionate about life insurance and small business insurance because I have personal testimonies for both. I feel like it’s my ministry to educate people on the importance of protecting your most valuable assets and leaving a legacy to those you love.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha! It has not at all been a smooth road. Business acumen is a phrase I’ve grown very close to. I’ve surmised that business acumen comes easiest when you have owned a business. Before this opportunity, your girl had not. Managing people, finances, time, the physical office, and all that comes with owning a business has been challenging at best. When I first opened, my office build out was not complete. I had to learn the “glass full” analogy fast, quick and in a hurry because my glass was dry to the bone. LOL!
As you know, we’re big fans of BB Watkins Agency – State Farm. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The mission of BB Watkins State Farm is to educate, empower, and equip individuals to uncover their insurance needs and discover their financial potential, utimately filling in the gaps and making them whole. I have a team of 5 amazing insurance professionals, all women. Brand wise, I am very proud of my team, affectionately known as Team BB. I didn’t set out to have a team of women, but it has become a very integral part of my branding and our presence in the community. Our team is intentional about speaking the “same language,” meaning each team member can speak with a customer or prospect with the same knowledge, professsionalism and exceptional customer serive they have come to expect. No day is the same in my agency, but the goal is to help people uncover their insurance needs and help them to protect what’s most valuable.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love what Atlanta and metro-Atlanta has become. People come here to visit, relocate their families, make it big in the music industry, start a business and more. We’ve even become the new Hollywood, with movie production sets popping up all over. What I like most about my city of Lawrenceville is the diversity and growth. The traffic won’t let me be great, but Gwinnett County is no longer a faraway place with nothing to do. We have the shopping, restuarants, career opportunities, school systems and entertainment that Atlanta has been known for. With growth comes traffic, homelessness, and lack of resources. That is what I like least about Atlanta and surrounding cities, but I’m confident we are putting people and policy in place to make positive change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bbwatkinsinsurance.biz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sfagent_bbwatkins/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbwatkinsinsurance
Image Credits
Kate Hill Photography
