Maria Elena Cisneros is the current Prospera Regional Board Chair in South Florida and the owner of State Farm Cisneros Insurance Agency. She is a successful business owner, an admired leader and mother, and a generous volunteer and donor. Read below to learn more about this esteemed Prospera champion.
- What are your workplace’s mission and services?
Our mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. We are here to add value to people’s lives and truly make a difference; to guide and help others make better financial decisions in their lives. Serving the community since 1991, Maria Elena Cisneros State Farm Team provides quality customer service and claims processing 24/7 and is recognized in the community as a caring office with professional staff committed to meeting the needs of the individuals we serve. Our clients are our #1 Priority.
- What led you to serve or continue serving on Prospera’s Board?
Serving on Prospera’s Board is an honor. The impact that Prospera makes on the future of Hispanic entrepreneurs ties in perfectly with my mission in my business. It is extremely rewarding to see the success of Prospera’s clients due in large part to the contributions Prospera has provided, i.e. business consulting, training, assistance in obtaining loans, etc. The Prospera Team is smart, dedicated and passionate about helping people. That’s the type of organization I am proud to serve.
- What is the most important lesson you’ve learned throughout your career?
One of the most important lessons I have learned in my 28 years as a business owner is the importance of keeping up with the changes in the market and in the way we do business. You have to be flexible – you can’t be set in your ways. We cater to different types of clients – and we have to listen to what they have to tell us. There is the Relationship Seeker, who values the personal relationship with the agent. There is the Self-sufficient client who knows what they want and looks for quality products with a reputable company. A Passive client wants to do business in an easy, convenient manner and with a good price. The Frequent Shopper is all about best price and service, and enjoys shopping. As a business owner, we have to connect with each one of the different types of client we serve and provide the service they expect.
- What is your favorite place to have a meeting outside of the office?
We love to meet at the park, bowling alley and at community events. For many years we have gathered for our annual Cisneros Family Picnic. We get to know everyone better, share fun times and create memories. We also have promotions during the year and my team gets to pick from several options and one of the favorite family activities is bowling. We all participate and have lots of friendly competition! But one of our most important meetings is the Cisneros Blood Drive. Once a year we have several blood mobile units come to our parking lot on a Saturday and my team, friends and neighbors come together to help our community. We send invitations to our clients, advertise on the radio and spread the word to as many people as possible. It has been a very successful event and the satisfaction of giving back to our community is enormous.
- What is one item still on your bucket list?
I have many items on my bucket list – it’s so difficult to choose! The first that comes to mind is going back to India. Several years ago, I was able to cross out my trip to India but… on the third day of my trip, while in Udaipur, I tripped and fell, fracturing my humerus in three places. Surgery was necessary and Udaipur was not the best place for that, so the next day we had to fly to New Delhi for surgery. It was very disappointing but I was able to experience something few people get to do. I fell in love with the caring, loving people that took care of me and made me feel like I was the most important person in their world. What an experience! Unfortunately, I was not able to continue my trip and so, still in my bucket list is my return. I long to visit the many other places I did not get to visit and meet more of the lovely people that I found in India.
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