Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Barnett Occhino.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am, Michele B. Occhino a serial entrepreneur. Since I was a child, I have had hobbies that blossomed into business ventures, from a beverage stand, toner recycling company, sleep cap manufacturing to an insurance brokerage. I have always wanted to be a business owner. I love the energy I get from solving problems, the freedom I have to chart my own course, and the ability to impact the lives of others. This is what entrepreneurship is about and I genuinely love every element of it!
I practiced law for over 20 years where I focused on contract law and intellectual property. In this role, I assisted clients when something went wrong, served as the ‘clean up’ committee. I utilized my legal training to assist me in the insurance industry because insurance policies simply put are just contracts. My legal training gives me the expertise to understand the policy language.
I worked as a State Farm Agent for two years and gained incredible operations and management skills and insurance knowledge from an industry leader. I transferred those skills and experiences to Bradley & Barnett Agency which I started in Fall of 2016. My brokerage provides insurance, real estate, and legal services, we assist clients with insurance placement, risk management, real estate acquisitions, business formation, and contract review. The Agency is able to serve individuals and businesses at all stages of their lives.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey has been enjoyable not smooth but by the grace of God, I am still here! I would not change one thing about the journey the minor missteps and hiccups have provided me with valuable knowledge and growth opportunities.
As a minority-run insurance brokerage in an industry dominated by men who do not look like me, I have had to employ creative brand awareness strategies and I have partnered with amazing industry leaders to develop relationships with key corporate and government decision-makers. The journey is far from over and I expect the future will hold more success than the past.
As you know, we’re big fans of Bradley & Barnett Agency Inc. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Bradley & Barnett Agency is a full-service brokerage that provides insurance, real estate, and legal services. As an independent insurance brokerage, the breadth of our services includes property, casualty, risk management, life, and employee group health benefits. Our real estate services include residential and commercial purchase, relocation, and sales; complimented by legal services which include contract preparation, review and negotiations, business formation, and estate planning services.
We seek to provide clients with one-stop shopping for all insurance, real estate, and legal services. If a client is purchasing a home or business, we have the expertise to assist with purchasing/leasing residential and/or commercial contracts as well as provide insurance placement and risk management services.
Our consultative approach is well suited for our clients who are high net-worth individuals and start-ups to mid-size business owners. We are able to uniquely meet the needs of our clients because we provide a comprehensive array of services (insurance, real estate & legal), multi-jurisdictional licensure for clients that work and play in different states, 24-hours white glove availability, and access to top rated carriers.
Every day we earn the privilege of doing business with our clients because we are accessible, easy to deal with, and personable Beyond that our clients know that we use the breadth of our knowledge and relationships to exceed expectations and ensure they are protected.
Any big plans?
Our plans are to grow the team in Dallas, TX, New York, NY, and West Palm Beach, FL to meet the increased demand for our services. We plan to secure talented team members to support our growth. We are currently planning to add group benefits to our service offerings and expand into Atlanta, GA.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@bradleyandbarnett.com
- Website: www.bradleyandbarnett.com
- Instagram: instgram.com/bradleybarnettagency
- Facebook: facebook.com/bradleybarnettagency
Image Credits
Kindred Hues Photography
