Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharie Withers.
Hi Sharie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am about to celebrate my 15th year as a businesss owner. I bought an Allstate insurance agency in 2011, it was very small and since then I have increased it by 5x. I am an award winning agent in the Allstate system and one of my greatest joys is that I have brought my adult son into the business and taught him all I know and now he runs my sales team. Watching him as an adult and a leader has given me great joy. I have about 9 employees.
In early 2025 I had a business idea to open a Blo blow dry bar in Tyler because there was nothing like it here and because I love all things “beauty” centric. I do not have a background in that industry except as an enthusiastic consumer but I do have some discretionary time now that my son mostly runs my insurance agency and I do know how to run a successful business. And – sales is sales, whether selling insurance or beauty products/services. So now I wear that hat as well and am focused on growing that business where I have another 7-8 employees. My joy there is pouring into the lives of my young stylists and the women we serve and bringing beauty and joy into their lives and watching these young women that work for me grow and evolve in their careers.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nope. At one time I literally sold my wedding ring to make payroll. It has never been a smooth path. But in 2025 agency became debt free which was a huge accomplishment. I also have had family working for me which is not always easy. And the insurance industry as a whole is very competitive and often has a bad reputation with consumers as an industry. I had to work hard for the success we have had and have had to work hard to stand out and make customers choose my agency and continue to choose us every time their policy renewed. And the employees! Finding and keeping good employees has always been hard but more especially since 2020. I pay out over half a million in payroll annually and the employees are the biggest challenge by far.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
There is very little about insurance that you can be creative with so when I opened Blo in Tyler in October 2025 I was so excited that I could finally do something fun and creative with my professional life. I’ve always said if I could have redone my career I would have been a makeup artist, as I was always doing my daughters and their friends’ makeup. Finally at my Blo blow dry bar I am getting to do that. I’m a professional makeup artist now! I’m still growing and honing my skills, but yes, I am finally getting to live the dream as a makeup artist. Blo is all pink and girly and I get to serve women in fun and creative ways such as helping them come up with a look for their wedding or a creative corporate thank you event for their team or their customers. I also manage my own social media and marketing (for both businesses) so that is something that also is a creative outlet for me.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I don’t get up to Dallas much, but would love to show off our East TX hidden gem of Tyler. Anyone in Dallas who wants a day trip out here could really find a whole day’s worth of fun and there is quite a bit to experience out here that most Dallas-ites don’t know about. They tend to think we are backwater hicks out here. My own daughter lives in Dallas and was coming to visit recently and wanted to know if we had UBER! (OF COURSE, we do!) Come see us in Tyler and check out our vibe.
