One of the most powerful motivations inherent in each of us is to find our purpose in life. Everyone wants to feel needed, that their contributions are valued and that they are making a difference in the world.
This drive is particularly strong in entrepreneurs, who eschew conventional norms as they pursue their dreams of business ownership. They are the type of people who go through life asking “why not” instead of “why” – the kind who overcome obstacles and who will not accept no for an answer.
Every day, small business owners are helping their communities grow and prosper by providing goods and services that take care of the needs of their customers. Their passion to succeed is evident in all their undertakings, from business dealings to community service.
In Hendersonville, one of the most passionate entrepreneurs is Lauren Tullos, the owner of Lauren Tullos State Farm Agency. The Shreveport native is a 3rd generation State Farm agent who opened her agency in 2022.
“After I graduated from Ole Miss, I went into medical sales in Dallas before relocating to Nashville several years later. While there, I achieved a lot of sales recognition until Covid shut down my clients,” says Lauren. “Since hospital access was limited during the pandemic, I spent a lot of time just sitting at home twiddling my thumbs, and I began to feel that my life had no sense of purpose.”
During the shutdown, Lauren’s inner entrepreneur began to surface, prompting her to reevaluate her career, her goals and what path she wanted to follow next. Soon, she began to hear the siren’s call to join her family in the insurance world.
“At first, I rejected becoming an agent because I wanted to be my own person. I didn’t want to just be known as my father’s daughter,” says Lauren. “However, after thinking things over, I realized that I had already made a name for myself in sales, and I had proven that I could be successful on my own. All of a sudden, joining my family in State Farm seemed like the perfect option.”
Subsequently, Lauren began scouring the State Farm corporate portal for possible agency territories. As fortune would have it, there was an opening in Hendersonville.
“As soon as I saw that Hendersonville was open, I was immediately interested,” says Lauren. “I talked it over the other State Farm agents in my family, including my father, my brother, my uncle and my cousin, and everyone encouraged me to pursue the opportunity.”
With her mind resolute, Lauren acquired the territory and began her insurance licensing process. She served as an agent intern during 2021, learning the ins and outs of owning and operating an insurance agency. During 2022, she secured her Indian Lake office location, and opened for business on May 1, offering a full range of insurance services for both individual and business clients.
Since then, Lauren’s agency has experienced phenomenal growth. She has added five additional team members, and her customer base continues to grow rapidly.
“I have been blown away by the support that customers in Hendersonville and surrounding areas have shown me during my 1st year of agency,” says Lauren. “Being a transplant, I was afraid that it was going to be hard to build relationships and to start a business from scratch. However, Hendersonville accepted me and my team with open arms. I love being an agent in Hendersonville and it’s an honor to serve my community."
Lauren’s first year success is impressive, particularly given her competition in Hendersonville, which includes eight additional State Farm agents. However, she believes in her team, and she is up to the challenge.
“I built my agency to be proactive, not reactive,” says Lauren. “My personable, high-energy teammates and I are charged with delivering the best possible service to all of our customers. We get to know and understand our customer needs, and all of our business processes are designed to be relational, not transactional.”
Lauren Tullos – State Farm Agent
206 Indian Lake Blvd., Suite 11,
Hendersonville, TN 37075
615.348.4196
"I can say with 100% certainty that the pride I feel from being a business owner and a State Farm agent is worth all of the hard work that it takes to succeed."
Lauren Tullos
