Small Business Profile: Amy Brown with State Farm Insurance

Small Business Profile - Amy Brown 

State Farm Insurance and its subsidiaries provide property and life insurance, banking products and mutual funds and have been in business for more than 100 years.  "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there" --who isn't familiar with that slogan?  It is also a perfect company for Amy Brown and who she is as a local business owner. 

Amy Brown has been with State Farm for 19 years, 11 of those with her own agency.  She is a University of West Georgia graduate and longtime resident of Carroll County along with her husband Jason and two beautiful daughters, Allison and Lindsay. 

Local is important to Amy as well as giving back to her community.  Amy is a busy lady heavily invested in her church and the local nonprofit scene.  She serves on the board for Partners Advancing Student Success (PASS), and on the advisory committee for Villa Rica Rise N Shine.  Committee work is how our Chamber became so acquainted with Amy.  Amy has served on the Business Development Committee for many years and is the current co-chair.  In addition, she is also a past chair for our Chamber Board of Directors and is the most recent recipient of our Horizon Award. 

Her top 3 favorite local small businesses
1.  Chat & Choo
2.  Cover Me Southern
3.  Bowdon Coffee Roasters

Her Q & A  questions and answers:

What was your biggest "A-ha" moment?
Employees will come and go, but I am my own brand.  Customers expect to see me and talk to me when they do business with me.

How do you market your business?
I have been in business for 11 years.  I have a corporation, and I market through my community involvement, local radio, direct mail, and social media.  The very best marketing I have is customers who recommend me to their friends and family.

What are the non-work habits that help you with your work-life balance?
I have attended a Monday night Bible study group for over a decade.

What is one way that operating a business today is the same as 10 years ago and one way it is different?
Customer service still has to be the number one priority.  We may use different methods to serve our customers than we did 10 years ago, but customer service is still number one.  It is harder to find good employees now.

What were you like as a teenager?
Not much as changed!  I still love to be in charge.

What were some of the biggest lessons that have influenced the way you work?  What was the lesson and what was it like before and after?
Always be ready to change if a change needs to happen.  If you know something is not right and needs to be changed, waiting around isn't going to make it go away or make it easier.  Be ready to act.


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