Jeff Stokes | Goosehead Insurance
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
STORY BY ZACHARY COHEN | PHOTOS BY NESTED TOURS
Doing What’s Right
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the spring of 2020, the world as we know it was upended. As a yet unknown virus circled the globe, entire industries shuttered their doors. Many professionals were forced into new work-from-home situations, while others were forced to shift careers entirely.
At this time, Jeff Stokes and his wife were preparing to move into a new construction home they had built. The day after they signed the contract on the completed house, Jeff was laid off from his job in the oil and gas industry. After 16 years in oil and gas, he was ready for a change.
“I was already in the mode of wanting to get out of oil and gas and looking for something more stable,” Jeff reflects. “So, while it was a scary time, the timing was right to make a change. At 37 years old, I needed to pivot."
Jeff had already been exploring alternate career options and had settled on starting an insurance agency. In July 2020, he officially opened the doors to Goosehead Insurance - Stokes Agency in Edmond.
“Insurance might not be anything sexy, but in oil and gas, the prices would swing every few years, and I’d worry, ‘Do I have a job?’ I know a ton of people in insurance, and if you put your nose to the grindstone, it’s a great career,” Jeff continues. “I knew I could remake myself, and I really wanted to help people. I didn't have anything holding me back. It was time.”
Fun Fact
Jeff and his wife, Amanda, met on July 5, 2009. Jeff opened Goodhead Insurance - Stokes Agency on July 5, 2020. “It was coincidental,” Jeff says. “It’s the way God gave it.”
Over the past three years, Jeff has developed a reputation for being one of the top insurance providers in Edmond. His background in sales has helped him understand that taking an educational, not a salesy, approach to business is the way to win long-term and repeat clients.
“We’re here to educate and be a fiduciary for our clients, and we want to win their business. If we meet those two standards, we will win their business,” Jeff says frankly.
Jeff’s agency has the benefit of offering clients the power of choice. He can shop 37 carriers in Oklahoma and over 60 in Texas. In just three years, Goosehead has grown quickly; now, they are looking to hire additional insurance agents.
Outside work, you’ll find Jeff playing golf or ice hockey, visiting his son at Oklahoma State University, or working out (Orangetheory Fitness is his go-to). He and Amanda also own Budget Blinds of Oklahoma City and Yukon. Amanda handles sales for that business, while Jeff manages the financials, backend, and installations.
Jeff and Amanda also have a son, Daylan (22). Daylan is actually Jeff’s stepson, but at 22 years old, he asked Jeff to adopt him — a meaningful gesture of family and commitment.
While Jeff is grateful for his work in insurance, it’s not what defines him. He prides himself on being an honest, loving, God-fearing husband and father.
“I’m a God-fearing man,” Jeff says proudly. “I love my wife, I love my kid, and I want to be good at what I do. Goosehead Insurance is a place where, if you need advice or help, we’re open to helping you out, even if it means we don't get your business. We do what's right for the client, not what's right for our pocketbooks — every time.”
Jeff Stokes leads Goosehead Insurance - Stokes Agency. Based in Edmond, Oklahoma, his team serves the Oklahoma and Texas markets. For more information, visit https://www.goosehead.com/agents/ok/edmond/jeffrey-stokes.
