Meet Larry McElhaney of Stay Covered LLC and CoreLink Courier LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry McElhaney.

Hi Larry, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in a military family, I moved around a lot as a kid, so I learned pretty early how to walk into a new environment, meet people, and communicate with different personalities. Over time, that became one of my strengths.

In 2000, I joined the Army, following in the footsteps of my dad and grandfather. I learned a lot during that time about discipline, responsibility, and serving others. After my first child was born in 2003, I realized I didn’t want to spend my entire career in the military, so I made the decision not to reenlist.

In 2004, I was given an opportunity to sell life insurance. That was really my first introduction to professional sales, and I discovered that I enjoyed connecting with people, understanding what they needed, and helping them find a solution. I realized pretty quickly that sales was something I had a natural ability for.

At the same time, I was learning another side of business from my dad, who had retired from the military and started his own business. Being able to watch him build something for himself gave me my first real look at entrepreneurship and planted the idea that one day I wanted to do the same.

In 2010, a friend of mine, Lewis Wright, and I started our first business venture, Direct Network Enterprise. We did everything from roadside assistance to cable and internet services. It wasn’t perfect, but it taught me what it really takes to operate a business—dealing with customers, solving problems, managing the day-to-day, and learning from mistakes.

Fast-forward to today, and my wife and I own and operate two businesses, Stay Covered Insurance and CoreLink Courier. Looking back, I can see that every stage of my life—from growing up constantly meeting new people, to the military, to sales, to entrepreneurship—gave me another piece of the skill set I use today.

So I think the biggest thing about my journey is that I didn’t necessarily have the entire plan figured out from the beginning. I kept learning, adapting, and taking the next opportunity in front of me, and that eventually led me to where I am today.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The path was anything but smooth. There were a lot of trials and errors, and honestly, I’d like to believe that I’m still learning and growing today.

One of my biggest challenges was learning to manage my competitiveness and separate my work life from my home life. I’ve always wanted to be the best at whatever I put my mind to. If I wasn’t at the top of the leaderboard, I could spend hours trying to figure out how to get there.

That drive helped me accomplish a lot, but there was also a downside to it. There were times when I was so focused on winning at work that I missed valuable time with my family. And eventually, I had to ask myself, “What’s the point of being successful if I’m not present for the people I’m doing it for?”

Learning to embrace the journey instead of constantly focusing on the next accomplishment did not come naturally to me. I’m still competitive, and I still want to be the best, but I’ve learned that success isn’t just about the leaderboard or the next goal. It’s also about being present, growing as a person, and being able to look back and know that I didn’t sacrifice the things that matter most to me in the process.

That’s probably one of the biggest lessons my journey has taught me: ambition is a good thing, but it has to be balanced with purpose.

We’ve been impressed with Stay Covered LLC and CoreLink Courier LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Stay Covered Insurance is a small, family-owned independent insurance agency based in Douglas Georgia. My wife and I built Stay Covered because we wanted to create an insurance experience that felt different from what we had experienced ourselves—one where people weren’t treated like a policy number or a transaction.

We specialize in helping individuals, families, and businesses with Home, Life, and Commercial insurance. But what we really specialize in is helping people understand what they’re buying and why it matters. Insurance can be complicated, and too often people focus only on the price. We believe the better question is, “What are you actually protecting, and what could happen if you don’t have the right coverage?”

That’s become a big part of our philosophy: coverage over price. We want our customers to understand their protection well enough that when they walk out of our office, they feel confident about what they have—not just happy about what they paid.

What sets us apart is the relationship we try to build with our customers. We’re a family-owned business, and we genuinely want our customers to feel like they’re part of the Stay Covered family. We focus heavily on communication, education, and being there for our customers beyond the initial sale. Our goal isn’t simply to write a policy; it’s to build a relationship that lasts.

I’m probably most proud of the brand we’ve created. Stay Covered and CoreLink isn’t just a name we put on a sign. It’s the promise behind what we want people to experience when they do business with us. We want people to know that when life happens, they have someone they can call who knows them, understands their situation, and is willing to help them navigate it.

We’re still growing, and we’re nowhere near finished. But I’m proud that we’re building these businesses the same way we believe relationships should be built—with trust, communication, compassion, integrity, and genuine care.

If there’s one thing I’d want readers to know about Stay Covered, it’s this: **we’re not trying to be the biggest insurance agency. We’re trying to be the agency our customers know they can count on.**

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I really enjoy reading, and a few of my favorite books probably say a lot about what interests me. *David and Goliath* by Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorites because I enjoy looking at things from a different perspective and challenging the way we normally think about success and adversity.

I also really enjoyed *Trauma-Informed Teaching: From Reaction to Restoration* by Dr. Annise Mabry. I appreciate books that help me better understand people and what shapes the way they respond to the world around them.

And one of my favorite books is *Birth From Brokenness*, written by my lovely wife, Reneasha Mcelhaney. I’m obviously a little biased there, but I’m incredibly proud of her and what she put into that book.

Outside of reading, I love anything that keeps me motivated and learning. I use the Peptalk app quite a bit because sometimes you just need that extra push, and the motivational videos are great for that.

And if I’m on a road trip, there’s a pretty good chance I’ve got the *Dear Wifey* podcast playing. It’s a great way to spend a few hours on the road, and, as you can probably tell, I like surrounding myself with things that challenge me, encourage me, and keep me growing.

I think that’s probably the common thread through all of it. Whether it’s a book, a podcast, or a motivational video, I’m always looking for something that will give me a different perspective or help me become a better version of myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stay-covered.com