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SEAFORD, Del. – A few years ago we met the owners of One Way Insurance Group, a multilingual independent insurance agency offering languages in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. A company that has caused quite a stir in the Delaware small business community, even catching the attention of Governor John Carney.
Now, after only five years in business, they’re creating some first for Delaware: the first cell phone insurance. “I remember talking to my husband Ebens and saying that it would be cool if we had insurance on wheels, like a mobile office, only he was jokingly like, ‘Oh that’s a great idea, let’s do this!’”
Delaware’s first fully operational mobile insurance office, a random idea of One Way Insurance Group owners, Ebens and Gigi Jean. “Whether seminars or workshops, whatever it may be,” says Gigi. “We want it to be an experience. When it comes to insurance, it’s just a chore. They think I just want to get it done, but we want it to be an experience. We want to get you out of your boardroom and into a safe place with all your transactions, everything you need.”
A company that prides itself on helping the community, especially in the hardest to reach areas. A well-known voice in Delaware now has an opportunity to be in the community, no matter where; And after receiving the EDGE grant, they make it happen. “We can quote policy on policy, there’s internet there, there’s air conditioning, there’s chairs, there’s a television, there’s a coffee station, so whatever you need from start to finish we can do with the mobile office. “
Ebens and Gigi originally wanted to make insurance simple, fun, and a company that community members know and trust. Ebens says: “I’m glad we took the risk. Five years ago I looked at my wife and said, this is the plan, this is what I’m going to do, we have to take the risk.” Gigi adds: “But when I think about where we are now in five years standing and how we’ve grown I never thought we’d be here. We are constantly changing the rules of the game and we owe it all to the community.”
Additionally, the ability to work with more companies and their presence on Delmarva is growing. The owners tell us it’s all thanks to the love and support they felt for each other from the start. A love for each other and an assurance that leaves a legacy for their children. “You just see mom and dad working hard to be a woman in this country, a man, a black man in this country,” says Ebens. “We keep pushing ourselves, we keep taking risks, that’s the most important thing we do, so they see that.”
You are also a role model for other small businesses. “So if we can be an inspiration, if I can work with you on some resources that have helped us, we want to go ahead and be that inspiration to go ahead and build more businesses,” says Gigi. Ebens adds: “When you have a dream, when you have an idea that’s in your head, the idea that you have has to come out. You have to get it out there and take the first step.”
One Way Insurance has even caught the attention of other heads of state, such as Senator Tom Carper and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt-Rochester.
However, we are told their journey is far from over and with the van now fully operational having been kitted out by Sound FX, another small Delaware company, they are booking events for the future to be provided by Delmarva and travel to other states. The owners tell us they hope to work with other organizations and businesses to continue their mission of providing easy-to-understand insurance for everyone in the community.
