Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael JaNae Blackmon.
Michael JaNae, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story began in 2007 as a high school Business Education teacher. If you had asked me at that time what my 5, 10- or 20-year goals were, they would have all been related to education. However, in 2013, I departed from the classroom and entered the world of entrepreneurship. The same skills that I had once taught my students had now become my reality. My husband and I opened an independent insurance agency in the bedroom of our home (with just a cell phone and a laptop). In 2015, we opened our first Community Insurance Group location in Southwest Atlanta.
CIG remains a vital part of my everyday world but in 2018, I realized I was longing for more. It was during this time that I remembered just how much I missed the interaction with my students. So, I decided to build a brand that focused on empowering youth/young adults. Therefore, I created Moment with Michael via social media. Moment with Michael allows me to empower all to embrace their journey and authenticity.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My journey has not always been easy, but it sure has been worth it. The decision to leave a world of security to enter a world of uncertainty was scary. However, we had a vision and determination, so it was no turning back. I often tell people the story of how our cell phone never rang when we first started the agency, but here we are, six years later no longer operating out of our home and the phone is ringing. We had to learn how to be innovative and resilient if we wanted to make it as entrepreneurs. But even with the growth and success of our agency, I found that I was losing myself in my roles of “mother, wife and insurance owner.” It took me losing myself to find myself again. Moment with Michael has allowed me to speak of my roles as well as my journey and embrace them.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Community Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency that offers insurance through many carriers such as Progressive, Travelers, All-State and more. We specialize in auto, home, life, and commercial insurance. We are more than just an agency; we are a part of our community; hence the name. We take great joy in giving back to our community through scholarships, toy donations, and athletic sponsorship. We placed CIG in the heart of the community in which we were raised, so it’s important for us to truly be a part of our community.
Since the community is a big part of who we are, it was only right for me to create another platform that continued to uplift and empower our communities. As a former educator at the same high school, I graduated from I was often asked,” how was it teaching at the same school you attended.” My response was always “it’s different being on the other end of the spectrum… I think students today face more than we did.” I left one classroom, but through Moment with Michael, now I enter many classrooms to help students face and embrace their journey.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was very outspoken and active. I had a thirst for learning new things. I can honestly say if something piqued my interest, I tried it out. If it didn’t fit, then I would go on to the next “interest of the week.” I can recall participating in soccer, tennis, piano, flute, drama. You name it, I probably tried it at some point. I guess you can say, I pretty much the same—–always open to trying something new!
Contact Info:
- Address: 4545 Butner Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30349 - Website: www.comminsgroup.com
- Phone: 770-969-0888
- Email: jblackmon@comminsgroup.com
- Instagram: mike_the_c.h.i.c.k
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.
