Your Name: Melissa Wilson

Your Position: Owner

Business Name: Melissa Wilson State Farm Insurance       

Website: Insurebuff.com

Phone Number: 716-652-6090

Business Address:  2331 Bowen Road, Elma NY 14059

Industry: Insurance

 

What prompted you to start your own business? Insurance has been in my family for several decades and I always knew it was my dream to be like my father, who has been an Insurance Agent in our community for over 35 years.  I opened my agency because I wanted to help people understand their insurance options and be educated on their coverages to provide the best protection for their families. Having someone to contact locally and who will answer the phone in a time of crisis is greatly beneficial, and we offer that for our customers every single day! I always wanted to be able to help those close to me and being able to service the town and areas I grew up in is an incredible thing!

 

We assist everyone in our community with:

Auto Insurance

Life Insurance

Health Insurance

Homeowners Insurance

Renters Insurance

Commercial Insurance

Snowmobile Insurance

Personal Liability Umbrella Insurance

Personal Articles Insurance

Pet Insurance… and much more!

 

How many people does the company employ? I have 3 team members currently, but we are hiring for a sales position and a summer intern position if anyone is looking!  Our office is 5 minutes away. :)

How long have you been in business? I took over for a previous agent in April 2022.

 

Anything extraordinary/unique your company does? We spend time getting to know our customers and we make sure that they have the right coverage based on the season of life they are in.  Things change, and life happens, and it is important that you don’t just set up your insurance and forget about it as these life changes happen.  We make communicating with us super easy, and the customer can even text the office if they need assistance. We also have a 24/7 support line that is available for our customers.

 

How did you decide on this industry? At Kent State University, I studied Entrepreneurship, and I knew it was always my goal to want to own my own business. Years later the perfect opportunity in our area was presented to me, and I knew it was something that I wanted to pursue.   Insurance has been in our family for decades and being able to lead, train, and develop a team of future leaders while helping everyone in our community is truly an exciting thing for me.

 

Given your business expertise and the nature of what you do, what advice can you offer to the residents of your neighborhood?  Find an insurance agent that is willing to sit down and go through all of the coverages with you.  Life changes and you shouldn’t have the same coverages that you had when you were 18.   Take the time to sit down annually and discuss your plans and make sure that everything is appropriate for the stage of life you are in. If you have any questions, I would be more than happy to sit down with you and discuss your coverages and make sure that you and your family are properly protected!

 

Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Lancaster, NY about 5 minutes from where I live now. I went to college at Kent State University and lived in Ohio for many years, and then in Las Vegas for a few! But, before we had children my husband and I knew we wanted to move back to where my family was here in Buffalo. #GOBILLS!

 

What section of the neighborhood do you currently live in and how long have you lived in the neighborhood? We are the new kids on the block, having moved in this past October. We are loving our new home on Pear Tree Lane!  

 

Tell us about your family. My husband and I have been together for 13 years and we have a beautiful son, Parker Kent!  We recently moved into the neighborhood, and we are excited to expand our family here as we are expecting our second son come September 13!.  We are also a house divided as my husband grew up in Ohio and is a fan of the Cleveland Browns (unfortunately), but we are in Bills Country, and he has learned to love the Bills just as much as I do! We love being active and going outside and you will find us hanging in the backyard with a beverage in the summer!   We enjoy traveling and we are excited to continue to bring our son along on adventures all around! We love our new neighborhood and can’t wait to continue to meet more of you!

 

What are your hobbies/interests? We love to read, binge a good Netflix show, play a fun board game, and watch sports!  We love playing outside with our son and traveling to places we haven’t been before.  We also enjoy a fun wine tasting from time to time!