“I didn’t dream of becoming an insurance agent. I’m not sure anyone grows up with that dream,” laughs Selina Martire. “I did know I always wanted to do something to help people and make a difference ever since I was a kid.” But before stepping into the position as an insurance agent at State Farm, Selina worked at a non-profit as a case manager in a residential shelter with domestic violence and sexual assault victims, facilitated support groups at the local jail that taught healthy relationships, and was a legal advocate, supporting clients in the courtroom.
“I wore a lot of hats working at the non-profit,” says Selina. “I loved what I did, but it was also emotionally and mentally exhausting. I knew I needed to change. I’m the third State Farm agent in my family and the fifth employee. My family asked if I had ever thought about becoming an agent, and I said, ‘No, no one thinks about that, it sounds very boring.’ But, after a few conversations with others in the company, I realized this is a field where I can still do all those things to help people and really make a difference. It can make or break someone’s life, taking something potentially financially catastrophic and turning it into something that is only financially inconvenient.”
Selina started her own agency, Selina Martire - State Farm, after working as a team member for two years. However, Selina’s desire to help people extends beyond her clients, and why she is starting an all-female BNI (Business Network International) group where women can have a space to connect, refer business to others they trust, build their personal and professional networks, and learn from each other.
“As a female business owner, I love to help people who are in the same position as I am. I also want to go even further by helping the next generation of women just entering college, high school, and elementary school and letting them know, ‘You can do what you want to do,’” says Selina.
The idea for the BNI group came about a year ago. “A lot of my close female friends are entrepreneurs of some kind, and when we got together, we would have the same conversations around our businesses — what are the struggles, what can we do to help each other? So, we thought, why not start our own all-female BNI group? It’s an area where I think most women feel safer and are more confident in a room full of women,” reflects Selina.
Selina is also currently in the process of creating a networking system with women’s groups at the University of Minnesota, including partnering with the collegiate chapter of Gamma Phi Beta, of which Selina is an alumna of the UW-Milwaukee chapter, and with the Women in Business group at the U, which her State Farm team member, Liz, was also a former member of.
“We want to create a welcoming space for the next generation of like-minded women who have the entrepreneurial spirit,” says Selina. “So often those ladies are going into very male-dominated fields, and we want to assist them along the way, supporting them with potential jobs and internships, connecting them with a mentor, or just giving them the boost of confidence to pursue whatever their goals are!”
Selina is also a sponsor of Girls on the Run, an organization that blends physical activity with life skill development for elementary-age girls. “I love how Girls on the Run teaches girls that confidence piece starting so young, giving them the skills to go after what they want,” says Selina.
Whether it’s her customers, team, friends, or family, Selina’s approach is the same – asking what’s important to them and how she can help them get there. You’ll see Selina and her team visiting local businesses each month to see how they can support them and their business, even if it’s something as simple as liking and sharing social media posts. “We love doing referral gift cards for local businesses, and especially women-owned businesses,” says Selina. “We want to bring awareness to the great businesses here for folks who haven’t been there before. And we always typically leave with $100+ of gift cards to give out to clients.”
Selina hopes to get the all-female BNI group off the ground soon. “The plan is to meet at least once a month, and possibly bi-monthly with one virtual meeting,” says Selina. “I’m excited to connect like-minded ladies and generate a larger network of support for personal and professional growth. I want to help! And I would welcome and love it if more people came to me and asked!”
To connect with Selina, visit: https://selinamartire.com
I want to go even further by helping the next generation of women and letting them know, ‘You can do what you want to do.'