Andrea Harbin has been an insurance agent for 22 years. She did not grow up expecting to be an insurance agent, but she has fallen in love with what she does.
“If you would have asked me 23 years ago, I would have said there's no way,” said Harbin. “The last thing I ever thought I wanted to do in life was to sell anything for a living. If I had to sell something, insurance was the last thing on my list.”
Harbin graduated from Clark High School and was able to go to Purdue University in West Lafayette on a full-ride volleyball scholarship. She ended up coming back and graduating from Purdue Calumet (now Purdue University Northwest). Her background was in biology and chemistry.
“I went to graduate school with intentions of becoming a professor or a research biologist for the National Park Service,” said Harbin. “When I was in graduate school, my mom unfortunately passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. She was taking care of my dad at the time who was terminally ill. When my mom passed away, I was working at the Indiana Dunes doing small mammal population studies in hopes of a zoology career. I quit working and I quit graduate school to take care of my dad for the next 5 and ½ years until he passed away.”
Needing some work, Harbin started part time at her State Farm agent’s office in Whiting. She eventually took the opportunity to become a State Farm agent. Despite the curveballs and experiences, Harbin credits them with helping get to where she is today.
“I would have never gotten where I am today if it weren't for all the experiences that guided me to where I am,” said Harbin. “I have my own business and a career where I meet and help guide people. It does not get any better than that. I couldn't have written the script of my life any better.”
Nowadays, a big motivation for Harbin is her family. She has two kids, Beau and Calla.
“I handle a lot of things, especially my family,” said Harbin. “My son Beau has just turned 17 and is going to be a senior in high school. I also have a 15-year-old daughter named Calla, and she has Down syndrome. Calla has definitely shaped our whole family and anyone who knows her in amazing ways. Doing what I do in helping people is fulfilling. It's satisfying. I enjoy meeting people, sitting down and talking.”
Harbin currently lives in Whiting.
“I love the small town feel of Whiting; you can walk anywhere that you need to go,” said Harbin. “It's truly a community that supports each other. It's just really cool and eclectic. We've got everything; there is Whihala Beach and the Whoa Zone. This is really like a vacation destination.”
Harbin’s advice to her younger self would be to trust the process.
“The biggest advice that I would give my younger self is that everything's going to be okay,” said Harbin. “Trust the process of life. God's got your back.”