Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Neto
Hi Angela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Our insurance agency started as a dream—my husbands dream actually. To give you a little background, my husband Gastao spent over a decade working in the insurance industry in Brazil. He knew the business inside and out—the policies, the claims, the customer relationships. He loved being able to help customers with their needs, and make it fit their budget.
In 2019, Gastao approached me one night, and told me about his experience in insurance. He told me that he wanted to continue his career here in the US, and asked me what I thought about openeing our own agency as partners…with me as a licensed agent.
I basically told him, you’re crazy! (A little about me, I’m a terrible decision maker. When there comes a time that I have to make a choice that could completely affect my life, I get stuck. Big changes scared me. On top of that, I had no experience in the insurance industry, so it seemed like a crazy idea to me.)
Long story short, after a few more times of Gastao expressing his desire to start an agency, telling me his business plan, and his expectation that we would succeed because we could service clients in not only english but portuguese and spanish, the idea grew on me and I gave in. His passion for the industry inspired me, and I knew that, together, we could create something meaningful. I said, “Ok, lets do it, I trust you.”
So I searched for a course, bought the textbooks, and in between my full time job, and also being a mom and wife full time, got to work studying for the exam.
In 2020, I passed the exam. Things were getting real. We had to figure out how everything worked, we looked at each other like, “what do we do now?!”
Gastao handled the marketing, he was visiting dealerships, spreading word on social media that our agency was “coming soon”. People were commenting, rooting for us, showing so much support. That part meant a lot, seeing so many people excited for us to open. I was busy getting everything set up, building relationships with carriers, and getting appointments.
On January 31, 2021, we had our “grand opening” at our first office, which was literally a room, that had enough space for only one desk, that we rented from a car dealership we partnered with. That day was a day we will never forget. To this day we have several clients that are still with our agency from day one— and they have such a special place in our hearts!
Our journey had been filled with challenges, but together, we were able to create a future on our own terms—a business built on trust, teamwork, and a shared dream. We now have 5 employees, that we consider part of our family, and over 1,500 clients that we appreciate so much.
The moral of the story is, we could not have done this without eachother, and we would not be in this place we are now if we didn’t have faith and believe. Do not give up on your dreams!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was not always a smooth road. I struggle with being insecure, not feeling good enough or worthy. There were times that i doubted myself and wanted to give up and settle comfort. But I have learned, that we have to do things that take us outside of our comfort zone if we want to grow.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Carolina Crescent Insurance Co.?
We are in independent insurance agency located in Goose Creek, SC (although we welcome clients all over South Carolina, and additionaly we are licensed in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina). We offer all types of personal and commercial insurance—althought as an agent, my favorite line of business to quote is commercial insurance. I love handling small business accounts—I’m not sure why, maybe because I am a small business owner myself, and I like learning about how other companies work. Workers Compensation, General Liability, etc— it’s a bit more challenging, and takes a little more thought that quoting personal insurance. You have to make sure you clasiffy everything correctly.
I think the thing that sets us apart from our competitors, is our dedication to protecting our clients. What I mean by that is our passion for analyzing the clients needs, really “digging in” and asking questions, to make sure we have everything covered. I have seen other agencies that might be a few minutes quicker to get a quote back, but might have missed some important details. When I quote, I check for all possible discounts, I take time to look at every detail of the risk, to make sure I am sending not only the best price, but offering them adequate coverage- tailored specifically to their needs.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories comes from visiting my cousins in North Carolina. We were a full family of all girls, it was me, my sister, and my 4 girl cousins. We would put on plays for our family, play pretend, dance, just have fun being silly in general. Life was so easy back then! If I could go back just for a day, I definitely would.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carolinacrescentinsurance.com
- Instagram: carolinacrescentinsurance
- Facebook: carolinacrescentinsurance
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-neto-b3610b211?trk=contact-info
