image4-550?v=1

Ava Calhoun at Sara Anglin State Farm

Sara Anglin knows precisely how she wants to support women in business: giving the next generation a head start. 

"Insurance can be a very tough career," says Sara, who opened her own State Farm Agency in Nashville a year ago. "I am more than willing to take any young person interested in the business under my wing and show them the ropes … to teach them the benefits, the pros, and the cons." 

Sara found a willing recipient of that knowledge when she hired 14-year-old Ava Calhoun.   

"I'm there as a resource and happy to help. I make calls, and I ask people if they're interested in getting quotes, whatever Sara needs me to do," says Ava. Ava started helping Sara with events in the summer of 2021 and was hired to work at State Farm officially in October of last year.  

"It gives me a spark of energy and hope," says Sara, "seeing someone so excited to do everything in life, and Ava's successful at everything she tries."  

Working for State Farm is only one example of Ava's talent and dynamic nature. She has her own Etsy brand, Made by Ava, specializing in clay earrings. As a content creator, she posts about her jewelry, lifestyle, and faith on her YouTube channel. She's also musically gifted. In fourth grade, Ava participated in a school music program in which she wrote a song that she was then chosen to perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The confidence to take the stage comes naturally to her. "I have grown up being on stage. My dad's a musician in a band (Ben Calhoun of Citizen Way). That's not to say I don't still get nervous … but I had a great teacher and family and friends there to support me."

Ava's drive to take chances and her will to succeed was irresistible to Sara as an employer. "We're very similar, hard workers … very ambitious. One of the biggest things - why I wanted to be where I am today - is to show my daughter what can be accomplished. You can be a female dominating, wherever. To be able to show someone how it's done is a blessing." 

Ava is grateful for the mentorship, as well. "Sara is able to tolerate so much in the business realm and then take care of her family … it's very inspiring to see her do that. She's an amazing boss. She definitely inspires me to work hard, to push through a lot because of how much she's able to take on. Really inspiring."

You can follow Ava on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MadebyAva

And find out more about Sara Anglin State Farm:

https://www.saraanglin.com/

Related Businesses

Related Articles

See More