Agent Spotlight - Lisa Harkey, AlaCoast Insurance

Lisa Harkey, AlaCoast Insurance

Our latest agent spotlight is on Lisa Harkey, Owner/Agent of Alacoast Insurance with 2 Alabama locations in Mobile and Saraland.  We visited Lisa and asked her to share why she enjoys being an insurance agent, provide advice to future insurance agents and tell us a little about herself.  

How many years have you been an insurance agent?

I started working in insurance when I was 18 years old.  After leaving the business for about 10 years to raise my family, I re-entered the field about 11 years ago.  I now have close to 25 years of total insurance experience.
  
What is your favorite thing about being an insurance agent?  

I genuinely LOVE to help people.  I take a lot of pride in helping my clients get the best coverage that they can afford.  Not everyone has the same sized wallet, but everyone deserves good coverage and that’s what I enjoy helping them find.  It always makes my day when I’m able to save someone money and still achieve their needs.

What advice would you give someone who wants to be an independent insurance agent?  

Don’t spread yourself too thin or you’ll run around trying to be the best at everything, but you can’t.  Accept that! Find a niche and become laser focused on it. Be prepared to spend day and night in your agency to make sure it’s run properly.  Never trust anyone else to take care of your business; you need to be in it everyday to be successful. I’ve spoken with a lot of younger agents that want to step into an agency and start reaping the rewards, be the “manager” and sit back while everyone else does the work, but it doesn’t work that way.  You have to put in a lot of sweat equity if you want to be successful.

What is one of your guilty pleasures?  

Traveling.  But I never feel guilty about it!

What is something about you that would surprise people?   

Well now, that’s my secret.

Where’s your favorite place in the world?  

That’s a tough question.  My absolute favorite place in the world is between Ireland and anywhere in the Rockies.  Ireland is such a magical place, almost mystical. You get caught up in the history, legends and lore, it’s like stepping back in time and your imagination can run wild.  However, the mountains have always called my name. I feel completely at peace when I’m there. How can Man argue that there is no God when you stand and behold such beauty and majesty?

If you could visit anywhere in the world you’ve never been, where would you go?  

The top of my bucket list is New Zealand.  I’ll get there one day!

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?  
My Mama’s chicken and dumplings with baked sweet potatoes on the side.  It’s carb overload! Oh well, I guess that is one more of my guilty pleasures!

Thanks, Lisa for sharing with us.  To learn more about AlaCoast, visit their website www.alacoastinsurance.com.