|
Tamara Mourino knows first-hand the value of being in the right place at the right time. She moved to the Miami area from Cuba as a teenager and was signing up for her first auto insurance policy with her mother when she suddenly found herself working in the insurance business herself.
“The manager at the insurance agency needed help and offered me a job,” Tamara explains. “I took it right there and started filing papers.”
Tamara was only 18 at the time and still wasn’t sure what career she wanted to pursue. As she earned her degree at FIU, she thought about becoming a teacher, a lawyer, or a computer programmer. But Tamara’s boss and mentor at the insurance agency convinced her to remain in that field, and by the time she turned 21, Tamara was running her own agency as the youngest manager at Estrella Insurance.
“He said this is the best business, and you’re the best at it,” Tamara says. “And I really do believe in insurance, which is why I fell in love with it. It gives the client peace of mind and helps them get back on their feet if something bad happens. These days I don’t really sell insurance anymore, I’m more like a supervisor and advisor. I’m really in charge of making sure the client has the best customer service experience possible.”
Tamara now runs a GreatFlorida Insurance agency, where she still focuses on giving her clients peace of mind. She’s also helped give our local businesses peace of mind since January as the Chairwoman of the Palmetto Bay Business Association (PBBA). The group, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary, aims to unite local businesses so they can explore shared goals and seek solutions to common problems.
“You get inspiration and knowledge from other businesses, and you reenergize yourself,” Tamara says. “That’s what I feel PBBA is all about. You get businesses together to learn something new, to network, and just to be with other business owners in the same position as you. It’s like a support group where you help each other, you trade ideas, and you get out of your normal routine. It’s so important for your mindset to get out there and know you’re not alone.”
Tamara has lived in Palmetto Bay since 2016 and relocated her insurance office here in 2021. Being in the right place helped her launch her career, and being in the right place now has bettered her life in more ways than she can count.
“I have no complaints about anything,” she admits, “and I think that has to do with being comfortable in the area where you live and work. I really do love the Village. It’s the neighbors, it’s the housing, and the fact that people enjoy their space and respect each other. I think that quality of life is what draws businesses to Palmetto Bay. It’s beautiful. You can raise your kids knowing they’re going to be in an environment that’s positive.”
| 
