KIM MUSSER ‘S STATE FARM CLIENTS
OFTEN BECOME HER FRIENDS
INTERVIEW BY Martha Thomas PORTRAIT BY Meredith Tankersley
Kim Musser has been with State Farm Insurance since 1990 and worked her way up to agency field consultant, and eventually to a post at the State Farm Headquarters in Bloomington, Ill. In 2005, she opened an agency in Columbia, where she currently has a team of five agents, all women. Along with her work for several nonprofits, Kim is a member of Business Women’s Network of Howard County (BWN) and past board member. Last spring, she was presented with the BWN’s Woman of Distinction award. QWhat drew you to being an insurance agent?
I wanted to own my own business, but never really saw myself as a salesperson. I came to realize that being an insurance agent is more about helpin
g people. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s about sitting down and educating people and letting them make their own decisions. I sometimes feel like more of a teacher than a salesperson. I have the best job because I own my own business and at the same time, I’m doing something every day to help people.
Q Can you describe a situation that has made you feel gratified?
There are a lot that anyone could think of, where someone has a car accident and picks up the phone. But it’s so much more powerful than that. Eight years ago when I opened my business, I had a young couple who were buying their first house. They didn’t have kids yet and didn’t think they needed more coverage. At the age of 30, he got cancer and he passed away. I had never seen the need for more insurance so clearly. She’s since told me it could have made such a difference. He was sick for two years, and she used all her FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) time, her sick time, vacation time, so she could be with him. When he passed, she said it would have been nice to know she had that nest egg, so she never would have to question whether spending that time with him was the right thing. She’s sent me so many referrals since then, and she’s allowed me to share her story, hoping it will make a difference for the next person.
Q What about the reverse, where someone did have coverage?
Oh, I’ve also had many similar situations where there was a good bit of coverage, so there wasn’t a question about whether the kids could go to college, or if the family could stay in the house. Those are the ones that motivate you. I guess the potential for tragedy on tragedy increases without coverage – a parent dies, the family may have to move out of the house, kids may have to change schools. The family doesn’t just have one loss, they may have multiple. It’s the loss of how life had been, having to sell a house vs. being able to stay in a familiar place.
Q At the Business Women’s Network lunch you talked about your sister as a role model.
I’ve known a lot of strong women who have been a great influence. My sister’s life wasn’t going where she wanted it to go. She found that she was strong enough to walk away from a bad relationship and moved from Pittsburg to Colorado. She was able to take charge, find a life for herself, where she could be happy. Sometimes when bad things happen, we tend to fall into victim role. We need to search deep down and believe that as women we can do great things.
Q Have there been times in your life when you’ve acted on that advice?
When I was in the corporate office nine years ago, I’d just had my second child. I was on a plane one week out of every month, flying to headquarters in Bloomington, Ill. It was a great job, but I realized I couldn’t be away from this wonderful little baby. I had to make some personal decisions, and I decided that the most important thing in my life was family. I decided to walk away from a corporate position and create my own business. We have to create our own destiny.
Q You took a financial hit to step away from the corporate job.
I went from a stable paycheck to taking over and having the expense of an office and a team, and building it from there.
Q You’ve talked a lot about empathy and getting to know clients. Do these qualities mean that women make uniquely good agents?
I can teach you insurance, but I can’t teach someone to be positive and to care about others. Those are the two big things I look for in people I hire. All the women who come through my office have been that way.
Q Are you a soccer mom?
I’m a softball mom. I have a 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. Just about everything is focused around the kids, but I’m involved in a lot of community things myself.
Q You are very active in the Business Women’s Network.
I served on the board for four years and on a number of committees. It’s a great organization with a lot of women who are so supportive of each other. There are two other insurance agents in the group and I have learned so much from them. We’ve even traded referrals, if we think it’s a better fit. I have gotten so much more from BWN than I can give to them. I get to talk to other business owners and learn how they are going through the same day-to-day issues I’m going through. It’s nice to walk into a room and see the same faces; it feels like you’re walking into a family reunion.
Q Are you married?
I’m still married, which I like to say is a verb, not a noun. Because it’s a work in progress. Peter is a psychologist here in Howard County. We’ve been married for 22 years.
Q Your job sounds like there’s a little psychology involved.
I had a woman working for me. Her true passion was to be a pastor. She wanted to go back go school. I didn’t want to lose here. Peter opened my eyes that by giving her the flexibility she needed, she would be much happier. She ended up staying here another two years. He helped me realize that if she was happy, that would end up making everything work for us. Now she’s in her church full time, and is so
