What is something you want everyone to know about insurance?
You work hard, you are busy, you put your heart and soul into building your assets for you, for your future self, for your loved ones. While you are busy working hard, do not rush this important decision. Not all insurance advisors are the same. The smallest mistake can be enough to erode all your assets.

What led you to your current profession?
Since I was a little girl, I wanted to help and heal people. That’s why I wanted to be a doctor and chose to study chemistry. Upon moving to the USA in 1997 with very little English and not much money, pursuing medical school seemed impossible in my 20-year-old mind. Soon after beginning a degree in Marketing and Management, I interned for an insurance company, where I quickly realized I don’t need to be a doctor to help others and touch people’s lives. Instead of being a medical doctor, I can still cure people and be their financial doctor.

What's your superpower?
I speak multiple languages, but my superpower is the love and care language that I speak. This is the most important language I speak; when I take care of my two kids, my family, my friends, my clients, anyone that I encounter, and anything that I set out to do. It allows me to be passionate about everything in life.

What's your favorite thing about what you do?
I get to touch many people’s lives daily and in many ways. I am passionate about taking care of people and my business allows me to do that.

How have your perceptions of life changed as you got older?
I just turned 44. I already lost many precious people in my life at a very young age. The wiser me thinks about these losses before getting upset at someone; ask yourself if this person did not wake up tomorrow would you still be upset about what’s upsetting you now? "Anger is a punishment you give yourself for other people’s mistakes." - Gautama Buddha. Shake off what’s weighing you down if you don’t want your load becoming heavier than you can carry. Seize the day!

In the past, what have been your biggest obstacles in business? What helped you overcome those obstacles?
Being a perfectionist and trying to find the perfect balance was my biggest obstacle. Understanding and accepting that there is no such thing as a perfect balance helped me overcome many obstacles. Procrastinating with a purpose can actually help you be more successful. As a woman entrepreneur, I used to believe I needed to be a perfect mother, a perfect boss, a perfect wife, a perfect daughter, and a perfect advisor. Realizing in order to make others happy, you need to start from the core and make yourself happy. Accepting the fact that I need to put on my own oxygen mask prior to helping others allowed me to find real success.

What advice would you give to yourself when you were a young working mother?
You are doing great! You brought these two amazing children to this world, continue prioritizing them . You can always start a new business, change jobs, change careers, change friends, but you can’t go back and redo parenting. When the time comes, be comfortable with imbalance. Do NOT feel guilty. Be present! It’s quality that counts and NOT the quantity.

What gets you up in the morning?
Whose life will I touch today? Whose sunshine am I going to be today? My son’s? My daughter's? My husband's? Or maybe someone I know or someone I don’t know? Whose sunshine am I going to be today?

How would you like people to describe you or see you?
I am often called a “healer” which makes me feel at peace. I wish I could be a healer at all times. My dad used to call me “my North Star” which shines at the darkest time of the night and shows the path to others. They named me Nese. It means happy, joyful. I like to believe I am all of that but mostly I am a driven, hard-working entrepreneur. I like to climb mountains and while I do that I like to bring people with me to the top.

When in your life have you felt most confident and why?
Every day since I got married, I felt the most confident! My husband always made me feel that I am capable and beautiful. He saw sides of me that I didn't know were there. I feel blessed to have two men in my life (my father and my husband) who supported and believed in me even when I didn’t believe in my abilities.

What has been your greatest achievement professionally?
Coming from a world where women weren’t given much chance to succeed, learning a new language, culture and building my life from the ground up. I am proud to say that I was able to overcome all this and build a business where my agency is the top 8% of the agency force.

What is your favorite trait about yourself?
I never quit. If I put my mind to doing something, I give it my all to succeed.

Do you have any exciting ambitions for the future?
My passion is influencing people’s lives. That starts with mentoring young entrepreneurs and helping them find success in our industry. I hire interns from high school to college and mentor as many young aspirants as possible. While I grow my agency, I help others grow and be successful in this industry.

What have you learned about leadership that doesn't get taught in schools?
Believe in people! Lead by example! Be the first person to arrive and the last person to leave at work. Always go that extra mile, answer that one extra phone call, take time to talk to that one extra person. Be genuinely interested in people.

What's been the best career advice you've ever received?
Surround yourself with positive, encouraging people. Stay away from naysayers.

Do you have a favorite quote?
"She who starts her journey with no exhaustion in mind will never get tired." --Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Nese Sahin is an Insurance and Financial advisor with State Farm where her and her team offer insurance products for Life insurance, auto insurance, antique cars and collectibles, home, condo, renters, rental property, antique arts, jewelry, Personal Umbrella, Commercial Umbrella, supplemental health insurance, recreational vehicles; Motorcycles, ATV, RV, Boat insurance, and many more. She manages the everyday risks that anyone can face. She can be reached at shelteryourfuture.com.