In this episode, Agnesa Bakhshyan joins Lorie Jones to discuss the delicate art of juggling motherhood with a thriving career in insurance. Agnesa shares her strategies for success, including the importance of support systems and the art of boundary-setting.
You will gain insights into the unique challenges faced by working mothers, especially within male-dominated industries. The conversation will also touch on the significance of female mentorship and the personal fulfillment that comes from both career achievements and family life.
Tune in for an honest, revealing discussion that highlights the realities and triumphs of being a fearless female in today’s world.
Show Highlights:
- How early immersion in work produces great careers. [00:04:33]
- Delve into the powerful impact of strong homemakers. [00:10:38]
- The importance of managing mom guilt as a professional. [00:14:22]
- Explore the biggest pain points affecting working mothers. [00:21:48]
- Practical tips to advocate for women in the workplace. [00:27:45]
- Why a career in finance is a solid choice for women. [00:31:35]
- Career-fueling advice for young women to drive success. [00:36:46]
For more information or to connect with Agnesa Bakhshya:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnesa-bakhshyan-cic-trs-3aa5b211/ and https://buckner.com/our-people/management-team/
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review!
For more information about Lorie Jones, go to http://fearless-females.com/.
00:02.23
loriejones7
Thanks for joining us today. We're here with Agnesa Basshan and she works for buckner company. She's a chief growth officer and um, I'm going to let her tell you a little bit about what she does. But. First I've got my all-important question. This is my favorite question to ask which is I am a reader I love books what is your favorite.
00:25.40
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, absolutely I Also love books and I'm the type that still likes to go the bookstore I like to to feel it smell out of the whole experience. They get my coffee and walk around and it's so nostalgic for me. But as far as a favorite book. It's it's. Super difficult for me to just pick one and it's usually like the one that I'm currently reading or I just finished um and one that I'm reading right now that I want to share with you I don't know if you've heard of it but invisible women have you heard of that Super Interesting. Um.
00:48.60
loriejones7
Eating.
00:55.45
loriejones7
Ah huh.
01:02.71
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Basically and I believe it author is carol perez but she goes through and and analyzes data for gender bias in our in our society and from something as simple as the design of of a cell phone and who's.
01:19.64
loriejones7
Ah.
01:20.76
Agnesa Bakhshyan
It was created for the size of the average size of a man's hand right? So it's a bit large for for ours down to up until like ten years ago the test dummies were of the average male so you were 50% more likely to die in a car accident as a woman.
01:36.58
loriejones7
Um.
01:40.66
Agnesa Bakhshyan
So this world is designed by men foreman and it was yeah it's it's It's been really eye-opening for me. Um, yeah, you you really have to check it out. It's It's kind of ah, a hard read because there's a lot of data and it's it's lengthy, but if you actually kind of get through it and you sit back and you're like.
01:46.00
loriejones7
A lots one I definitely have to put on my list. Well's so interesting.
01:59.76
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Wow that that is so interesting. Oh.
02:03.77
loriejones7
Yeah, data is my bread and butter. You just said my favorite words if you added return on investment and finance in there. We'd be great. So so tell me, um.
02:13.11
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Ah, there you go.
02:16.53
loriejones7
Little bit about your journey. Um, what do you do there at beckner and and kind of how did you get where you are to date tell me a little bit.
02:23.28
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah I'll so I'll start from the beginning so we moved to this beautiful country in 1988 from Armenia which was a former former Soviet Union country um and my parents came this country with $50 in their pocket. And and with the american dream and actually they ah they want to visa through lottery system. So the odds of that right? We we were destined to to be here. Um, but they they made the dollar stretch further than anyone that I know.
02:45.65
loriejones7
Oh wow.
03:00.14
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And we did have a few family members here in the Us so that did help but failure was was not an option especially when you grow up hearing your parents talk about rationed food or ah electricity that was not available around the clock.
03:14.49
loriejones7
Um.
03:19.23
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Um, and to hear those struggles down to I when we're talking about books there they didn't have access to every book that was out. It was very limited right? Whatever the government thought that you should read and so um to me I took that. Personally I'm like my parents fought to be in this country and yeah failure was was never my vocabulary I was going to make them proud and and we I come from very humble roots. So for me to have even. Back-to-school clothes I had to figure out how to make money and so I'll never forget I was I started out when I was eight years old I would help the neighbor next door she would deep clean her house every summer so I did that for 7 years and I'd work all summer and it make six seven hundred bucks and I'd do all my back-to-school clothes shopping.
04:00.61
loriejones7
And.
04:11.16
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I didn't want to burden my parents and it's always been that way paid for my own braces my own college education. Whatever I could to help help out the family and and but my parents were also very that.
04:14.88
loriejones7
Um.
04:20.34
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
04:28.81
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Ah, super conservative conservative Helicopter Mom She would not let us out of her sight and new newer to the country so she didn't really know the system trust the system So I was not able to even just walk down to the grocery store.
04:37.45
loriejones7
And.
04:45.99
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Have sleepovers none of that right? and and I I'm a free bird and so I had to figure out a way to to get out of the house and out of my parents' control and ah the only way I could do that is if I was to get ah a job a real job right.
04:46.56
loriejones7
Yeah.
05:03.27
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And I told my parents that this was the plan and they said all right? Well we we support you but can't be a grocery store. Can't be fast food. It needs needs to be an office job because they didn't think and at that time I was thirteen that I could even find an office job so during um.
05:03.55
loriejones7
Um.
05:21.11
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Lunch break in junior high I overheard a friend talk about that she was doing tell marketing in the evenings at a local insurance agency and the light bulb went off I immediately asked her to you know, get me in touch with the owner and yeah I I was. 13 I went and interviewed his name's Keith Coby he's passed since and and he said you know I like you but I can't hire you till you're 14 and my birthday was three months away on my birthday I showed up in his office. He said. Okay, you start tonight and and I did and I absolutely.
05:39.69
loriejones7
Wow.
05:58.24
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Loved it. I averaged more quotes than anyone there and so they shortly thereafter they moved me up to filing receptionist the day I turned 18 I got licensed I put myself through college working at this. Local independent agency and I was actually recruited right from underneath their nose by nationwide um, and they had heard about me and they were doing a westward expansion. Well they didn't realize.
06:24.90
loriejones7
Ah.
06:30.78
Agnesa Bakhshyan
How young I was and so initially they threw an opportunity hey we'd love for you open up an agency then they figured out how old I was like ah well let's let's align you with another gentleman who's opening up shop. So what I ended up doing is this gentleman had a benefits background.
06:49.56
loriejones7
Um, here.
06:49.86
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And he ran the benefit side of the business and I grew the Pnc site I grew up fast and I managed a team and I was in my early 20 s he later did some things that upset nationwide and so and I was with him for 2 years I said well okay I proved myself I now want.
06:56.13
loriejones7
Wow.
07:07.72
loriejones7
Ah.
07:09.30
Agnesa Bakhshyan
An opportunity to open up my own agency yet again they doubted me and said okay, why don't you do the starter program so they put me on a a two year program to again grow book and then they would give me some capital to open up an agency and I was. 1 of 2 that finished that program in the nation and ended up opening up my insurance agency when on some fun trips with nationwide nationwide is great company I kind of outgrew that um I wanted to be challenged and.
07:39.31
loriejones7
Um, ah.
07:47.71
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Personalized space. There's only so much you could do and nation life appetite was really limited on the commercial side and bugner had been a brokerage that had always come across my desk I had had great things about Terry Buckner the the Ceo so i.
07:56.70
loriejones7
Um, and.
08:06.41
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Showed up to an interview and this this next story will sum up who I am to the core I had done my research on the website and I'm doing the interview and and ah Terry Buckner was there and he said look tell tell me why you're here. You know what? what interests you about buckner I said well. On your website and I noticed that everyone is male pale and stale and that you could use some diversity here and I knew that could go you know multiple directions but and but but that's truly how I felt and luck to me and he said you know what? you're absolutely right? We've been looking for someone like you.
08:35.84
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, yeah.
08:45.86
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And that's where that journey started I've had great mentors here. Um, who have helped me along the way many of them or other females and last year there there was an opportunity after 25 years in the business I I felt like it was time to.
09:03.87
loriejones7
A.
09:04.45
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Step into leadership so we had some internal changes and I approached Terry Buckner again I had a vision I I drew out a business plan and we. Both agreed that it would be a good fit and I'm about a year into the role I'm still learning I'm still developing my leadership skills I do wear 2 full time hats now. So I I lead and I have my own book of business and my client and it's very challenging. Ah, but it's it's.
09:29.85
loriejones7
Ah.
09:35.28
Agnesa Bakhshyan
The right fit for me right now.
09:37.52
loriejones7
And ah, you strike me as someone who just really needs to always be learning and growing And yeah, yeah, yeah I had that problem too I get that entirely.
09:43.23
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yes, I get bored very easily. Ah.
09:48.38
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah I was four when we moved to the states. Yeah I have one older brother. Yeah, most armenian families are 2 to 3
09:49.91
loriejones7
So were you how old were you when you came over to the United States 4 years and how many siblings did you have how many kids did your parents bring over so it was just the 2 of you when you came. Ahead.
10:08.38
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Very rare that you'll find yeah a larger household.
10:13.93
loriejones7
Well, that must have been an amazing experience and it just really shows your gumption and grit I I admire that and um, it's it's inspiring.
10:25.14
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I I credit a lot of the women in my family even though most of them were homemakers. They were very powerful women who you know they they taught me respect from early on.
10:44.86
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah.
10:44.88
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Never to take no for an answer and I feel like some of the success I've had is because I wanted them to kind of live through me and they didn't have an opportunity for higher education or you know and so it's it's it's.
10:55.21
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah.
11:04.56
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Been a fun fun journey.
11:06.32
loriejones7
Yeah I find it interesting I I actually was able to stay home with my kids for the first twelve years of of their growing up and I I ah I find the you said you know they were just a homemaker I found that.
11:13.18
Agnesa Bakhshyan
That's beautiful.
11:22.78
loriejones7
It was so hard that was such a hard job and and looking at like your respect and your um I don't know just the way that you feel about these women in your life and their example in your life. You can tell that you you get that you know I I Once told one of my sisters I'm like.
11:23.66
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Oh absolutely.
11:41.80
loriejones7
I'm like your job at we're are yeah I said your job staying home with kids is like way more is way harder than the yeah no.
11:48.32
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Absolutely I I couldn't do it and and I ah I apologize if it came out a different way because I didn't mean it that way I mean my mom she was the first one for school pickups. She was right up front and and that makes ah a difference even though she can speak english.
12:01.60
loriejones7
Um, it does? Yeah yeah.
12:05.10
Agnesa Bakhshyan
She was at all the pta like she was so involved with us and that truly defines who I am today if I went home to an empty house who knows the trouble that we would have gotten into. Yeah, so definitely credit to both my parents.
12:12.89
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, no I didn't take it as as a negative sort of thing. It's just that a lot of times people do look at ah you know someone who's staying at home and they're like oh they're just a. You know? and and yeah, yeah.
12:33.80
Agnesa Bakhshyan
No, not at all have you seen the image where it's like a woman and she has multiple arms because you know she's cooking. She's cleaning. She's making appointments I you know total respect to um so I call him Domestic engineers.
12:45.55
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, yeah, ah domestic managers is my title. But yeah, that's exactly that it just it's so so so much work and I think so little recognize sometimes just how much effect they have.
12:50.99
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Ah, yeah.
13:03.70
loriejones7
On that next generation and and and what they brought to the table to to make you into the person that you are. That's ah it's an amazing story.
13:11.31
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, and and the amount of confidence too and you know ever since I was a little girl whether it was about your you're beautiful or or you're smart. You're strong like just can hearing that continuously over the years you start you start believing it right? and.
13:22.35
loriejones7
Yeah.
13:28.80
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
13:30.97
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And my my grandma she spoke 7 different languages and she would help me. You know if I was memorizing poetry which I just remember she she would practice with me. She got hey put it underneath your pillow and when you wake up in the morning like just. Yeah, just strong women all around who were there and yeah.
13:46.69
loriejones7
yeah yeah I I love that I love that image because I have those same strong women in my life and made me into who I am today and I credit that in fact, part of the reason that I do this podcast is because I feel like as.
13:57.54
Agnesa Bakhshyan
S.
14:06.60
loriejones7
You know as working women today we we owe a debt of gratitude to those who came 20 years before us and broke ground and so like to give back to those that are 20 years behind us trying to move up. So.
14:10.67
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yes I agree I agree wholeheartedly? Yes, Yes, absolutely.
14:22.91
loriejones7
Tell me about the best investment that you made in yourself through this journey is there something that you could say oh I'm so glad I did that that really made.
14:36.60
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Outside of my college education I would say when my son was six months old I went on a girls trip to New York and it was the first time I I stepped away um from from my son and and I'm so glad I did because.
14:43.54
loriejones7
Um.
14:53.67
Agnesa Bakhshyan
If I hadn't I'd be the type that could never leave my child just that's just who I am and there was a lot of judgment like oh, he's still baby's only six months and and it was just like a four day trip. But when I did that I needed it I needed to feel like myself I needed to be around other women I needed that ah I needed to just detach and because I did that I was able to refocus on myself and.
15:10.73
loriejones7
Yeah.
15:19.38
loriejones7
Um, you.
15:27.87
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And on that trip these women helped me to they're like you can't operate with Mom guilt and I was a ah mom later in life and so they all had teens and and I needed to hear that.
15:43.40
loriejones7
It is.
15:45.61
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And I needed to process some things and and so that was that was critical for me to just prioritize myself even though this baby needed me my career needed me my husband needed me and and now I get it I used to um, react a certain way when my girlfriends. So I have a couple of them who on their birthday. They tell their husbands that they want two days alone in a hotel in their own town and I'm like I would have like such a hard time understanding. So like it's your birthday. You want to be alone in a hotel and I get it now I absolutely get it.
16:17.10
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, a hundred percent I I think it is important to have that distinction between um, you as a person.
16:23.50
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, yeah.
16:31.72
loriejones7
Like Nessa and what you who you are and you as a mom or as a wife. It's a different if it's a different person and you need to be really comfortable and secure in the fact that you are your own person too.
16:35.14
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yes, yep.
16:47.51
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yes, a hundred person. Yeah I apologize I thought I'd muted this and it's not muted. Ah.
16:57.78
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And you art.
16:59.66
loriejones7
Yeah, so um I will ah admit that ah that was that was one of my mother's day that was always my mother's day gift is that David would take care.
17:09.86
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Oh yeah.
17:13.73
loriejones7
The kids and take them I don't know to the mall to the movie theater anywhere and it was just quiet for one full day that's all I needed.
17:18.29
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, yeah, we yeah you you don't have to be serving anybody or attending to anyone's needs. Oh I I get it a hundred percent now yeah
17:30.92
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, um, so what is the worst advice you have ever been given and did you take it or did you learn from it tell me about that.
17:40.61
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I Don't know if this is necessarily advice but this is a moment that was very impactful I had a colleague a very successful colleague tell me when I was pregnant that I couldn't be a successful insurance. Professional and a mother and I had such a hard time with that. Um, but instead of being angry about the comment I took that and I ran with it and every time I was having. Ah, hard day or I needed to make another call go to another meeting I didn't want to go to I would just remember this this remark and and I actually I've forgiven I've confronted and forgiven him for it because I put myself in his shoes and and in his world and. The women in his life are all domestic engineers and have chosen that path so he had never seen a woman succeed with with wearing both hats I Think since then he's gained more respect for me.
18:48.60
loriejones7
E.
18:50.94
Agnesa Bakhshyan
But really I probably should thank him because it just drove me harder and further.
18:57.49
loriejones7
Straightened your spine and made you walk on right? Yeah, so um, how did you? that's something that's really difficult to do is is adjust to.
18:59.55
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, yep, yeah I used it as motivation.
19:13.97
loriejones7
A mom and um, you know a professional and successful professional at that tell tell me how some of that went like what what are the things that you did to help you there.
19:25.46
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I did 1 thing that I would have done different I only took six weeks off from maternity and I I work the whole six weeks and whenever I have a woman around me that's pregnant I tell it do not do that. Enjoy those three months
19:40.75
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
19:43.28
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Work will always be there. Um, but what it's I'm not going to say it's it's easy. It's very difficult but I do have help I have an amazing husband and partner. Um he he works. As well. But we had my mom. My mom helped raise my son the first three years of his life. He's bilingual which is really cool for second generation and and but yeah it it really does take a village and um and I've had I've had great help and support.
20:12.88
loriejones7
Here.
20:18.61
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I Do tell my team that if I am off and and then the same thing goes for them. But if I'm on vacation or if I'm off I am off I'm not taking any calls or emails. My family time is extremely important to me because the rest of the time. It's the balancing Act. And I'm doing calls and emails. So and I'm in within my son's presence and so when when I have that that designated time to be with them and they do respect it and it's the same way I like if they're on vacation I do not bother them.
20:51.53
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah I love that I I could probably learn from that to tell you the truth. But.
20:54.69
Agnesa Bakhshyan
You know? and so yeah, now. But but but it's difficult right? because then you come back and you've got a gazillion emails and yeah.
21:05.57
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah I I will admit I have taken a day off and come back and been like I never taking a day off again because yeah, but yeah, but I but I do think that balance is really important and it's important to set those boundaries and.
21:14.58
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Why did I do that? ah.
21:24.96
loriejones7
And be present in in those moments and although I'm not great at it I I do encourage my team to be better I'm like excel where I'm failing what about regrets.
21:35.33
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Um, yeah.
21:42.16
loriejones7
Looking back if there is a situation or something that you could have changed and done differently.
21:48.74
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Regrets I don't have a ton of regrets in my professional life I've always been kind of fearless and just gone after um, but I I do feel like.
21:52.60
loriejones7
You.
22:05.14
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Because I was chasing success all the time that I wanted more children and I feel like now I'm out of time and I will maybe 1 day adopt from Armenia that's a goal of mine. Um, but I always put career first because of that you know, but.
22:10.52
loriejones7
A.
22:24.23
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Biological clock ticks and I really wish I had had at least and 1 1 or maybe 2 more children and and so but those are sacrifices I made and and luckily I have 1 child that is extremely well-rounded and.
22:38.99
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah.
22:42.39
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And he makes life really interesting and and I could give the 1 child a great life. You know lavish vacations and private education and all those good things. But um, but yeah because I made my career priority I I only have one kid and I wish that was different.
22:47.68
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
23:00.41
loriejones7
Would there have been something that like is there ah something that the company could have done to it was did you feel like you couldn't take time off to have kids or you know something.
23:08.66
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, that's a great question I have to tell you when when I was pregnant it was the beginning of my second year here which is the time period. You're trying to prove yourself prove your worth and.
23:21.80
loriejones7
Issue.
23:25.44
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And I came in on a ah ah, decent salary which they do while you while you build your book right? I was terrified to tell um my leaders that I was pregnant I pushed it off several weeks Um I was very concerned. They had made a huge investment you should never feel that way you should never but I did and and I got 2 very different reactions and.
23:49.64
loriejones7
Yeah.
24:03.90
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And I I will never forget I was I went into labor three weeks early and it was because of stress at work that particular day I was at work from 8 a m to 8 PM working on my largest account I went into labor and I and and I thought that I had.
24:11.49
loriejones7
Um, oh wow.
24:22.93
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Secured this renewal everything goes great. We were supposed to go pick up a check Monday I go into labor I tell my sales officer hey I need you to go pick up this check Monday. Well this gentleman decided because now I'm a new mom that I'm not going to be able to. Assist him with his insurance needs. So I'll never forget I'm I'm holding my baby and I'm just molling because I'm thinking my career is over and I I since then this particular client has come back to me and I have i. Confronted him about this and how difficult that was and and so we've we've worked it out but that was very difficult that was a very impactful moment in my career and but I thought to myself I probably don't want to do business with someone that.
25:05.50
loriejones7
Here.
25:19.78
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Will just drop a woman because she birthed the child and and he figured it out over the years my worth in the value that I brought to the table and so was it was kind of nice when he kind of crawled back? Yeah yeah.
25:22.29
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah.
25:33.60
loriejones7
They have validated validated. Yeah yeah, um, but it probably impacted that you know I I remember getting my kids the you know the very first. Our. It's just a special experience and that's it's hard to have that impacted by something that's happening andward. Yeah yeah, and your crazy crying mess loves smart. But.
25:50.29
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Oh totally and your hormones are out of whack. You're already crying about everything and and it did take from the moment I never thought about that. But you're absolutely right? He kind of robbed me of that. Yeah yeah.
26:07.21
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, but um I think that I I think that you've since proved them wrong I mean you I was told a lot of times you're a girl girls don't do math you know so I'm a financial adviser. I'm like well but girls don't do that. That's not their job. They don't do math you know and and I had to kind of overcome that sort of um idea or or stereotype or whatever. Um, and so I but I I see that you've you've moved past the well.
26:26.98
Agnesa Bakhshyan
That.
26:34.78
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah.
26:42.13
loriejones7
You can't be a good mom and a good insurance agent. You absolutely can.
26:44.76
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Absolutely yep! Well even being Armenian you know I was I mean in my twenty s and early 30 s like what are you gonna have children you need to have children and. Ah, the pressure and and why are you a career woman. It's a man's job to take care of it What you know I Yeah I've I heard it All. Ah.
27:08.25
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, so if you could go back and talk to that 20 year old self and give her some advice. What would you tell her.
27:22.19
Agnesa Bakhshyan
You're amazing I was twenty I had purchased a condo and I will never forget that I was holding the key I walk in I'm in this empty condo and I'm bawling. And bawling because my family is upset. They're upset because you're not supposed to leave the house until you get married I dealt with this identity crisis my whole life I'm too armenian I'm too american and and you know. Values and my family's very conservative but I mean more liberal and um, but in that in that moment being twenty years old I should have just been so proud of myself. What an accomplishment right? and and I would tell her.
28:15.39
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Don't worry about being a pleaser. Don't worry about pleasing your parents and that it's it's gonna be all right. Everything will everything will work out. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, that's a good question. That's.
28:27.39
loriejones7
Um, give yourself a little bit of grace. Yeah.
28:35.80
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Especially you know I'm I'm gonna turn forty this year and you you start reflecting on the last two decades and so yeah, thank you thank you for doing that for allowing me to go back to be time.
28:48.51
loriejones7
I I found it helpful for myself as well to kind of look back and say really, you're you've done amazing things because we talked about the mom guilt and you know you you always aren't doing enough. You aren't. You aren't doing enough in your family. You aren't doing enough as a mom you aren't doing enough as a daughter a lot of times that's the way I feel is I'm just not doing enough and if you have a chance to look back on all you've done you are Amazing. You are Incredible. You really have. Look at where you came from and where you are now and all the lives that you've Impacted. You're enough.
29:32.95
Agnesa Bakhshyan
yeah yeah I needed this today Laurie I really did ah.
29:43.30
loriejones7
So what? yeah you we've talked a little bit about some of them but did you are there any particular challenges that you kind of faced just because you were because of your gender I know that you know we maternity leave is an issue that that comes up my my sister. Um. Said that she had her third baby just so she could get some time off because she needed a little bit that is there anything that.
30:04.95
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I Love that.? Ah yeah, quite a few you and I are both in a very male dominated industry right? and at our firm. We only have two 3 other female. Brokers that you know can cause lots of challenges and issues and for you to have a voice at the table. Um, as women we have to be more Prepared. We have to be Louder. We have to be more present active and and um.
30:40.19
Agnesa Bakhshyan
So yeah, it's it's been quite the journey I I do remember there was 8 of us pregnant at the same time here and everyone's trying to pump and we didn't have enough facilities and so to put that.
30:44.73
loriejones7
Wow.
30:56.98
Agnesa Bakhshyan
On their radar. You know like some of us were pumping in the supply room and again designed a world design for men right? and but we we've we've progressed though you know like it's.
31:00.15
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
31:05.66
loriejones7
Is.
31:12.50
Agnesa Bakhshyan
and and Utah's usually a bit more behind than the rested nation on certain things. Um, but but yeah, definitely and and it also makes me think of the time when when I had my nationwide agency I had a gentleman walk in. And he said I'm here to speak to the owner and he was an older gentleman I said you're you're speaking to her and like blew his mind like he thought I was lying and like no, that's my name on the door. You know? Ah yeah.
31:46.18
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, like is your daddy home is your.
31:49.84
Agnesa Bakhshyan
But I you know what one of my initiatives here at Buckner's I do want to hire more female um Insurance Brokers and salespeople we bring some very unique traits to the table we gain trust much much easier. We.
31:57.49
loriejones7
Me.
32:09.18
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Ah, we're very detail oriented. We're organized the skill set that we bring aligned so well with the sales world and it really differentiates us and what we don't come across as a used car salesman. We often do what we say we're gonna do and ah so.
32:19.37
loriejones7
Um, here here.
32:27.63
Agnesa Bakhshyan
For the the right woman whether it's the insurance industry or the financial industry and it allows us the flexibility we need to to be a mother or wear other hats in within the community right? like if I um want to go to my son's Christmas program I don't need to ask for time off and um.
32:35.63
loriejones7
Yeah.
32:47.40
Agnesa Bakhshyan
In in the sales world as long as you hit your numbers nobody cares. How or when you're doing it as long as you're doing it. So I try to preach that to other women that you know this is a great career and you're not capped out. No one tells you how much you're worth an hour. You make what you put into this.
32:50.81
loriejones7
Yeah.
33:01.96
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah.
33:06.67
Agnesa Bakhshyan
And it's like owning your own business without having the headache of overhead and managing people in HR and all that right.
33:17.94
loriejones7
Yeah I found that that that's something that that translates over into finance as Well. That um, you know you you take care of your clients. You make sure that they are getting what they need. But that you can work that around you know kids or taking care of parents or taking care of pets or whatever caretaking opportunity that you're going to have it. It can be a little flexible.
33:38.11
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh and and and that's interesting because yeah, our our caretaker hat kind of changes throughout life right? We we have older parents to care for and I was telling you earlier about my. My aging dog and and it ah it seems to always default to us. Yeah.
34:04.40
loriejones7
Yeah, and and that's just part of the hats we wear and I do think that as we encourage more women to come into these more male-dominated. Um, we have to help help. Prepare a place for them to have the flexibility that they need so that they don't have to you know quit to take care of kids so that they can continue to have a career. It just might not look the same as you know as a 9 to 5 you know in the office.
34:25.27
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Um, yes.
34:31.58
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, definitely and 1 thing that attracted me to the insurance industry is you know a doctor has to be working with their patient an attorney has to be in the courtroom but with insurance and. Beautiful part is residual income right? You could be on vacation. People are paying their premiums and you're still making money. Um and and to me that was really enticing because hopefully the goal is you don't have to work as hard. You know 10 years into this as you did in the beginning you service your clients.
35:02.89
loriejones7
Yeah.
35:07.50
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Get referrals Best kind of businesses referrals for you and I right? And so yeah.
35:11.73
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, and you can make a really a really good life and a really good. You can make an impact in your clients lives as well.
35:19.10
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, yeah I I love helping people I mean the money's great. We all need money to pay our bills and thrills. But you get to help people a lot of people are intimidated by insurance or finances and and.
35:27.25
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
35:33.61
loriejones7
E.
35:36.64
Agnesa Bakhshyan
You know if and if it comes easy to you or if it's something that's interesting to you and you get to help folks and and make money. It's beautiful place to be yep.
35:44.66
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, do what you love right? I think ah um, ah I I find it a hard sell sometimes explaining how exciting finance is.
35:57.50
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Nobody thinks insurance is sexy either Laurie so it's all good. We're trying we have an amazing marketing gal harvard degree and all she's trying to make insurance sexy every day. Ah.
36:07.50
loriejones7
Ah, well, ah, more power to her good luck. Ah so what is the Thingnessa that you are most proud of.
36:12.70
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I.
36:21.14
Agnesa Bakhshyan
I'm definitely proud that I'm able to be an incredible mother and be successful at my job in addition to that I'm so grateful that I'm able to. Like we just got back from Cabo a few weeks back and I I took my dad on that trip. Um that I'm I'm able to show them the good things in life that maybe they weren't able to do for themselves and to to thank them for.
36:42.66
loriejones7
Ah.
36:53.97
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Being brave and coming to this country and giving me and my brother a better opportunity. Um I'm yeah I'm I'm grateful that I can send my son to a Montessori school. You know? and um, it's and at the same time appreciating the small things in life. You know and having a ah roof over our head and we're we're so blessed I've said it before I'll say it Again. We're so blessed to be in this country I mean with everything going on in the world and even our worst day here is it's nowhere near their worst day and.
37:31.24
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, just being able to and I give back to my community as well and and being able to to hopefully inspire other women both here at my firm and and within the community both my armenian community and. And the community here in Utah and just given back to to to women.
37:50.80
loriejones7
Yeah I Think that's a really powerful statement just that that we are so blessed and you know our our worst day is not anywhere close to. We're not looking for food or Shelter. We're not worried about our kids. Not coming home. You know we're we're so so blessed and being able to give back.
38:11.52
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, beginning of covid I went on a humanitarian trip with a couple friends of mine to Cuba internally I I really wanted to go just to see with my own eyes. What my parents talked about my whole childhood right. Being that it's it's communist nation and the people there they were so beautiful. They didn't have much but they were so thankful for the little bit that they did have um and I i. Even though it's a bit difficult you have to have a specific reason I would recommend everyone to go to Cuba just to see that themselves and um I came back feeling even more grateful as an american I mean their buildings were so run down. You can see that at one point that there was so much wealth and beauty there right.
38:52.82
loriejones7
Yeah.
39:02.61
loriejones7
Um.
39:07.74
Agnesa Bakhshyan
But the buildings weren't taken care of and yes I I saw people stand in line and get their rationed chicken and rice I walked into a grocery store and there were 2 items on the shelf I walked into a market and 1 toothbrush was $25 Did not have soap paper towels toilet paper. You would go to a fine dining restaurant and you would have to buy a sheet of Tp I I mean talk about you know, just jaw dropping experience. It. It was.
39:44.14
loriejones7
Um, fell.
39:45.77
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Every American needs to see that because we sit around and we complain about first world problems.
39:52.60
loriejones7
yeah yeah I I I will ah do that sometimes I'll I'll be telling all of my horrible woe to you know Harley upfront and I'm like this is a real first world problem Carly.
39:59.56
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Ah, yeah, yeah I always preface to before I vent to someone about my first world problems but but I need I need to vocalize them still. But.
40:08.15
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, So so looking back at young lady who maybe is starting on a path that you've are you're already more than halfway down. What. Advice would you give her to be successful like you.
40:29.64
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Never take no for an answer I tell myself that every day still um, surround yourself with other positive men and women um be curious.
40:36.60
loriejones7
Um.
40:46.94
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Curious whether that's asking questions speaking up insert yourself in places that may get them comfortable. Maybe you know that you don't think you belong there but continue to to learn and i. And Jack of all trades and sense. So when when I was younger my parents would take me along to translate for everything Grandma's doctor's appointments. Um every credit card transaction and that helps to break the ice.
41:11.54
loriejones7
Listen.
41:24.40
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Right? And and being in sales you you often have a few seconds to a couple minutes to break the ice and and to to be relatable. So yeah, just continue to to learn um and and and be fearless Really just.
41:42.83
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Don't let the unknown hold you back and you might fail I mean I I fail all the time I still have to do a cold co and I I didn't what yesterday and I got to know and it sucked but it's like it. That's okay, lawb numbers. You know make 10 more calls and someone will say yes right.
41:44.18
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
42:01.11
loriejones7
You know? yeah I like I Really like that idea I like ah do it scared fearless is not not having fear fearless is working through that fear. Do it anyway.
42:02.72
Agnesa Bakhshyan
So just make yourself back up.
42:10.42
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yes, yes, yes, absolutely now.
42:15.51
loriejones7
But well thank you so much for your time today agnesa it's just been I I've loved this conversation. It's just an amazing where can people find out more about you if they want to.
42:30.26
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Yeah, um I have some online presence with with the Linkedin. Um, but if if anyone has any interest in learning about whether it's sales or the insurance industry more than welcome to email me. Could set up some time. Um, my email address is just agnessa a g any s a at buckner b ucknerdotcom but yeah would would love to have a conversation and provide direction and know a lot of people within the community. Even if it's not insurance and it's. A different area would love to align folks.
43:08.88
loriejones7
Um, well thank you? Thank you so much for your time today I've just really enjoyed this. Thank you for letting us get to get to know who you are.
43:17.99
Agnesa Bakhshyan
Thank you Laurie I appreciate your time.
43:21.39
loriejones7
All right I'm going to push.