Trading Pig Skins for Leather Shoes

Jun 30

Jun 30 Trading Pig Skins for Leather Shoes

Many people know BJ Coleman as a former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, but he’s hung up his jersey and traded in for a nice suit.

In 2016, BJ decided to make the transition from football to insurance because he had developed a large network and wanted to make a name for himself in the business world.

“I’ve found that there are a lot of parallels in both worlds,” said Coleman. “BB&T is a company I had connections to through my football career, and it worked out.”

As Assistant Vice President William Taylor said, “Coleman has a competitive nature, and is very personable. I see him as a fresh face; a young person who’s willing to put in the hours, hard work and sacrifice over the years to learn the business and grow within the company.”

Taylor is grooming Coleman to take over his role within the company sometime in 2020.

“I’m very young, and as a predecessor to Willo, it truly is an honor,” said Coleman. “My job over the next three years is to be a sponge; learn, fail, and get back up. It’s all about the people you surround yourself with, and Willo and Donna at the BB&T family have been everything.”

BB&T is the 5th largest brokerage firm in the U.S. “BJ and I are on the employee benefits side of business,” said Taylor. “We work with employers to control their healthcare costs, enhance the perceived value of benefits to their employees, and simplify the administrative process, keeping employers in compliance.“

BB&T hopes that BJ Coleman will lead their office in matching the growth that has arrived in Nashville. “The target for our company in the next 10-15 years is to leave a large footprint in insurance services sector, and to be the spearhead for that is a big honor.”

“You can’t get overwhelmed; it goes back to athletics. That’s the model I use,” Coleman said.

“You have to believe in yourself. People are made, but also successful companies are made when they invest in people. That’s how the community is built, and if you can invest in that, you’ve got a shot.”