5 minute read
Josephine Knowles - Knowles Insurance Agency
Josephine Knowles
Knowles Insurance Agency
By Terry L. Watson
Photos Provided by Josephine Knowles
For Josephine Knowles, being a servant of God and ensuring that her children have access to generational wealth is very important.
The Huntsville, AL, resident is the mom of three boys, ages six, eight, and 18. She was born in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and raised in Hallandale Beach, FL. Her parents moved to Marietta, GA, during the second half of Josephine’s junior year in high school, and she eventually graduated from Marietta High School. Next, she attended Life University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 2004. Josephine’s original plan was to become a pediatrician, but after realizing the cost of medical school and becoming pregnant in 2005, her attention shifted to her more pressing priorities.
In 2006, Josephine launched her first business, a men’s urban clothing store in Talladega, AL. “My oldest son’s father had some friends in the city and brought the idea to me, believing it would do well since people were driving to Birmingham or Atlanta for that type of apparel. As an entrepreneur and a mom, things seemed to be moving in the right direction. My business was doing well, and I thought I could sustain myself while eventually returning to medical school. However, I enjoyed the freedom that entrepreneurship offered. Unfortunately, the economy took a turn, and in 2011, I was forced to close the doors of my store as a result,” she says.
Life continued to happen for Josephine. In 2012, she met the guy whom she would eventually marry the same year, Julian. “At the time, he was pastoring, and we decided to start a daycare within the church. The daycare grew rapidly, and things went well until another shift occurred. In 2017, the church closed, and so did the daycare. After months of searching for employment with no success, I reached out to someone I knew, who gave me an Allstate Insurance business card. I asked if her office was hiring, and her reply was “yes”. I sent over my resume and I was interviewed, and within four weeks, I obtained my insurance license and began working for the largest Allstate agent in the southeast region,” Josephine says.
My business was doing well, and I thought I could sustain myself while eventually returning to medical school. However, I enjoyed the freedom that entrepreneurship offered.
In 2020, the insurance industry shifted, and Josephine started thinking about starting an agency. She says she wanted to offer more than just one product to her clients. After doing some research, she finally took the leap and started my own independent agency, Knowles Insurance Agency, in 2023. Josephine remarried her husband in 2024 after being divorced for three years.
With her agency, Josephine sells Home, Auto, Motorcycle, RV, boat, and Life insurance products from Travelers, Nationwide, The Hartford, Progressive, Geico, and more. When asked what she loves most about what she does, Josephine says it’s being able to educate her clients about their insurance products and help them understand the right coverage for their needs.
With most businesses, there are some challenges and obstacles that may present themself from time to time, and with The Knowles Insurance Agency, it has happened also. Josephine says, “One of the challenges I faced was carriers closing their books to independent agents, with Allstate being one of those companies. This meant that the carriers I had hoped to write business for were no longer an option, leaving me with fewer choices to help my clients. Additionally, carriers began to prefer business written for homes that were less than 10 years old. I managed these challenges by seeking out additional insurance carriers to write for and continuing to build my network with Realtors, loan officers, and new construction builders’ agents to write policies for the carriers’ preferred.”
Josephine says her children have had the greatest impact on her. “I wanted to have the ability to pass down generational wealth and show them that if you put God first, He will guide you, and you can trust His plan for your life, even when things don’t go as expected or as you’ve planned,” she says.
While things have not happened in life the way Josephine wished they had, she admits that she wouldn’t change anything. “Everything I’ve experienced has helped shape and motivate me to look past problems and find solutions. It has taught me that if you’re willing, you’ll find a way.” Her advice to others who may follow a similar path in life as hers is to put God first in all things. She also says to seek out individuals who are doing what you aspire to and ask for advice and guidance to avoid some trial and error.
Everything I’ve experienced has helped shape and motivate me to look past problems and find solutions. It has taught me that if you’re willing, you’ll find a way.
Looking ahead, Josephine plans to continue to grow her network and focus on self-development. “I hope that with each encounter I have with individuals, they experience the next best version of me,” she says. To learn more about the Knowles Insurance Agency, please visit their website.
