Donor Spotlight: Josie Liu

Starting as a team member for a State Farm agent in 1999, Josie Liu climbed to the top to become an agency field leader for State Farm Insurance. With great success, she leads an agency sales team of 40 independent contractor agents and their respective teams as they meet customer needs and increase market growth and penetration of State Farm products in Orange County East, California. As a way of giving back to the community, State Farm has been a generous supporter of Tiger Woods Foundation’s STEM Studio professional development teacher training program. In her own words, Liu reveals why she firmly believes in being generous and serving others. 

What’s the best advice you’ve received and given?

The best advice I’ve received is to do what is right — always. In my role I give advice often, but recently I think the best advice I have given is to be gracious to yourself. If you can’t love and forgive yourself, how can you do this for others?

Tell us about someone or something that inspired you greatly.

Although it may sound cliché, my mom is a person that inspires me greatly. As a Chinese immigrant in the late 1960s, she came to the United States, learned English and became a Registered Nurse to support her husband and three children. Over the years she lost both her oldest daughter and her husband to cancer, and has been the center of strength for her six other siblings as others have gotten ill and passed away. Now as a grandmother of eight grandchildren, she can experience new joys and delights in the blessings of having a large family. My mom doesn’t brag about what she does, or complain about the burdens placed on her. But rather she faces each day with amazing faith, peace and joy. She’s an inspirational example of a woman with quiet and unquestionable strength, and someone I hope to emulate.
 
Describe yourself in 10 words or less.

Mother. Believer. Encourager. Work in progress.
 
There are several common traits our staff and scholars possess — traits we believe lead to success. Which trait do you identify with and why?

I most identify with “undefeated.” I believe I am undefeated because it’s a state of mind — and the only way I will be truly defeated is if I quit and give up on myself. In every situation I can learn and grow. Whether the world would say I “won” or “lost,” I know that I can still grow from that situation.
 
How or why did you choose this profession?

I choose to be a sales leader in my organization because I truly believe our company helps people, families and businesses. My goal is to help those I lead to become better listeners to their customers — and in turn better helpers to solve our customers’ problems. I truly enjoy seeing people learn and grow and reach goals they didn’t think possible. In my leadership role, I get to be a part of this every day. 

What’s the greatest strength of your organization?

I believe the greatest strength at State Farm is our focus on the customer. With our focus on the customer, it can keep us grounded during times of change, as well as excite individual employees and agents to go “above and beyond” because they can see the impact they have on others.

Champions of the unexpected for 20 years.