Derrick McGary
National Black Business Month Spotlight
Derrick McGary
Derrick McGary State Farm Insurance
Give a brief description of your business.
Derrick McGary State Farm provides insurance and financial services to help customers protect and grow their assets. We offer several insurance products such as auto, home, life, short- and long-term disability, and many more. Altogether, we offer over 100 products and services.
What is your company’s mission?
The State Farm mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. We live that mission every day and always remember that every customer’s needs and dreams are unique.
Why did you go into business for yourself?
I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Being able to have the freedom and flexibility to serve individuals without the boundaries of a nine-to-five has always been a dream of mine. The best part of being an entrepreneur is that it provides another way to give back to the community and better serve organizations I feel passionate about.
How did you get into this industry?
The best career move I’ve ever made was when I accepted a job offer from my former boss (and friend, now colleague) Kelli Ashbrook. Working in her office made me realize the insurance/financial services industry is where I need to be until I retire. Had she not offered me a job and set me on the path to becoming a State Farm agent, I honestly don’t know where my career would be now. It’s the best business decision I’ve made, without question.
What are your future goals for your business?
As we grow and expand, we never want to lose sight of the fact that people come first and everything else is second. In this industry, we serve people when they are in the most helpless situations. They need our help and we have to deliver on the promise we made to them to be there. I heard someone say, ‘An insurance person is like a kicker on a football team, you don’t even know that he’s there until you need him.’ No matter how fast we grow or how big we get, we will always remain focused and never forget that our customers and community are who we serve; they need us, and we should give back to them even more as we thrive.
What makes you stand apart from your competitors?
We want you to not only be our customer, we want to be your friend. We don’t just give you a price. If you have coverage but that coverage doesn’t protect what you expected, you won’t be happy when you have a claim. We are here to offer advice and let you know your options and how having the right product may better suit your needs. Just because you’re insured doesn’t mean you’re protected. 
National Black Business Month, celebrated in August, brings awareness to the important contributions of black-owned businesses. According to blackdemographics.com, “Black-owned businesses in the United States increased 34.5% between 2007 and 2012, totaling 2.6 million,” and “employed 975,052 people,” with “payrolls that totaled $27.7 billion.” Texarkana is no exception to that growth trend. “The Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce has seen some outstanding businesses become members of our organization, looking to network and grow.” said Executive Director, Mike Malone.
Texarkana Monthly is highlighting some of the incredible black-owned businesses in the community to encourage your support of these locally owned establishments. Shopping local is important every month of the year, as it nurtures job creation and keeps the local economy healthy. The black-owned businesses of Texarkana provide quality goods and services from trusted friends and neighbors. Support them, not just in August during National Black Business Month, but all year long!
