Meet Carol Jones | Insurance Agent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carol Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carol, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
For 20 years, I worked for my Uncle. He too is an agent and I quickly discovered how much of an impact entrepreneurship can have on a community, a family and team members. From that standpoint, I considered a few things….how can I best impact my city and more specifically my community. How can I best be an asset to my family and create a comfortable life for myself? Lastly, how can my business provide a career for others.

What should our readers know about your business?

On any given day in Metro Atlanta, one can spot several insurance offices. Each offering the basic premise of providing insurance for the things we must protect and for the things that we love. Yet, insurance is a fingerprint. Each person’s needs are different; each person, no matter how similar must approach insurance in a manner that is absolutely specific to them. As an agent, it is my duty to make sure that I uncover the intimate details that make the insurance contract specific to my client. I cannot use a cookie cutter approach and give my customer a one size fits all kind of policy. People will say ” I need insurance”,  yet often times they  are incredibly unsure of what the insurance covers, how it protects them and all that must be considered for the end result to be peace of mind and sufficient protection. My role is about education, a healthy does of understanding and all about wanting to be a servant to my community.

So , my role is a delicate balance of product knowledge , empathy for the consumer when considering price, and commitment to my company and the individuals that I service. Some of my best conversations have come with the prospects that I don’t turn into clients. There have been many, many times that I have said firmly, this company and my product are not the right fit for you at this time. From there, I give my best recommendations for  carriers  that are  more suited to the need in that moment. In more times than I can count, lots of these individuals have come back to me, when the time and fit is better. That is one key that sets me apart….. I don’t have to acquire everyone that I encounter, yet there is a real blessing in doing my best to help everyone.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I absolutely adore Atlanta. I was born and raised in this city and I have watched her grow, improve and become home for so many. If I had to entertain a friend for a visit….I know exactly what I would do…our first stop after the airport would be the SW Atlanta Corridor…that is my home base. It is  where I spent my formative years and still the home community for my Mother. For me, it’s where I learned about politics it’s where I have built lifelong friendships and it’s the foundation for many African Americans. It  was absolutely common to be in the company of Mayors and other political leaders, to see those that have been influential in television and music and it was the home for the late Hank Aaron, & the late Dr. Joseph Lowery. The SWATS, (Southwest Atlanta)  as it is known by the natives is indeed worth visiting. It  is a history lesson all by itself.

Spelman is an incredible gift and so no visit would be complete without the Atlanta University Center being a stopping point. As a 1992 graduate of Spelman College, I count few gifts as memorable or meaningful above my days at Spelman. It’s just not my feeling….ask any SPELHOUSE alum and they will tell you the same.

What says comfort more than a good meal? I would certainly take my guests to two of my favorite places for dinner….. Baltimore Crab and Seafood in SW Atlanta and Houston’s….few things make my heart happier than a consistent, good meal.

I think that one of the most impressive things in Atlanta right now is The Atlanta Beltline. Walking, biking, running or skating your way through the city is the best. Not only can you get a healthy dose of exercise, you can shop, eat, meditate, sightsee or simply learn about the city. It is indeed a necessary stop on a visit to Atlanta.

You know what else I would do? Go from Bankhead to Buckhead. As a native of Atlanta, I have seen the changes in this city. Most of them good and some of them, well, no so good.  I would like to see some of the old stuff remain. I have great memories of riding through the West End  and stopping at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Likewise, I remember trips to Lenox Square Mall for Easter dresses and school shopping. In addition, I have witnessed the complete transformations of neighborhoods and what it has meant for the city as a whole and also some of the displacement of some of it’s senior residents.  It’s the displacement that breaks my heart, we must always consider our elders. 

And I would take them to church, after all my faith is the foundation of my life.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Jimmy Jones, Insurance Agent . My uncle, my friend and my mentor. My uncle introduced me to the world of insurance . I was a freshman in college, I just wanted a part time job; something to do to earn some money while in school. I thought he was giving me a job, yet what he gave me is a fulfilling career and an opportunity that I never considered or imagined.

My uncle is a natural at business. Before insurance, he was a banker. In 1985, he opened his agency. Three years later, I was his employee. Fast forward three decades, here I am, an  insurance agent with my own office and with an opportunity that has given me a chance to help others every single day. I certainly love my career and I owe this beautiful gift to a man that saw something in me that I never knew existed.

Website: www.cjonesinsurance.com

Image Credits
Ty Pleas