Member SpotlightUncategorized

Johnston & Associates Insurance

 

Get to know Scott Johnston, owner and founder of Johnston & Associates Insurance, and hear how his passion and strong work ethic drive him to provide a service that surpasses the competition in this week’s newest Member Spotlight.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?  How long have you lived in the area?

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, in the city of Palo Alto, the epicenter of Silicon Valley. I moved to Brentwood in 2000.

What is your business and how/why did you start your business?

I’m in the insurance business and here’s a brief story of why I got into this business over 25 years ago.

It started in 1991, when my grandparents lost everything they ever owned in the Great Oakland California Fire. They were in their mid-80s and suddenly found themselves with no earthly possessions. To boot, they were vastly under insured. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a personal agent to help them through the process of putting their lives back together. Unbeknownst to them, what they got was an inexperienced salaried employee who failed to ask the right questions during the underwriting process. Several months and several lawsuits later, they finally received a fair settlement – but only after lots of haggling with lawyers and living in hotel rooms. This event was the catalyst that inspired me to become an independent insurance agent. I vowed to make sure my clients would never be caught under insured – and that they would be well protected when the big one came.

Tell us about the events that led up to where your company is now.

I started out as a captive agent, meaning I represented only one carrier. I then realized I could be of greater service to my clients by representing numerous companies, which is why I became an Independent Agent in 2009.

What is unique about your business (what sets you apart from the rest)?

We offer a unique service in that we will proactively shop out our client’s policies if they ever go up. We then call them to help evaluate which option is the best fit for them. This service requires almost no effort on the part of our clients, since we personally handle all the transactions in house.

What is one piece of advice you’d give?

Look beyond yourself to find where you fit into the big picture. Keep searching for that spark that makes you come alive, and don’t stop until you find it. Are there people in your life that are hurting or in need of a friend? Get outside of yourself and lift them up, you’ll do wonders for your soul – and come alive in the process.

Why did you choose Williamson County to open your business?

Unbelievably awesome community of caring, friendly people on all levels. Great schools, parks, low taxes, low crime, lots of churches.

In your own words, why is it great to do business in Williamson County, TN? How has being a part of the overall business community in Williamson County helped you?

The Williamson County business community has helped me tremendously in growing my business. This has been done through education, network groups, and my church community. I appreciate that I’m able to do business with people who do business with me as well.

Given your business expertise and the nature of what you do, what advice (general or specific) can you offer to the readers?

Have a written plan with measurable, accountable goals, find people who will help you shape it, and ask them to keep you accountable. Do a little bit more than everybody else, eventually you will surpass your competition. Don’t be afraid to fail, embrace it as a learning experience. And never, ever, ever, ever give up.

How can readers take advantage of your products and services?

You are always welcome to stop in and say “hi” at our office located at 321 Billingsly Court, ste 18, Franklin TN 37067, or give me a call at 615-716-2123 or email at scott@jainsurancetn.com. To learn more about Johnston & Associates Insurance, visit www.jainsurancetn.com, if you are unable to find what you are looking for, please contact me and we can help.