Mariah Davis | Small Business Owner
Bailarín Cellars celebrates those who do what they love. Their passion for life is unstoppable and their enthusiasm is infectious. We celebrate these heroes and learn from their words of wisdom as we chase our own pursuits.
This month we celebrate Mariah Davis, a small business owner and partner of Bailarin. She is the founder of Oakview Insurance Services where she enjoys supporting small businesses, families, and individuals with their insurance needs.
WHAT MAKES YOU DANCE?
“Serving others in a time of need.”
The running joke in my industry is that no one knows why they got into insurance. This certainly holds true for me and like many people, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I graduated from college. Fortuitously, the idea of being an insurance agent came from one of my favorite television programs at the time. So with nothing to lose at 22 and with no prior experience, I talked Farmers Insurance into giving me an agency contract. This accelerated experience was invaluable to learn the industry and how it can help folks in times of need. I enjoyed running my Farmers Insurance Agency until 2010 but felt compelled to become an independent broker to give my clients a broader range of solutions. This decision was tough as I had to leave all of my old clients behind and start over. My journey had its fair share of lessons and bumps in the road, but I soon hit my stride and have never looked back. Fast forward to today and it was the best decision I ever made! Today, I lead Oakview Insurance Services, Inc. overseeing an amazing team of agents providing insurance services throughout CA, NV and ID. My agency focuses on Auto, Home, Life Farm, Flood, and Business Insurance products.
I love what I do and have a true passion to serve. As an insurance agent, every day is different and tends to present unique challenges and opportunities. One day I’m helping a client navigate through a wildfire claim and another I might be helping a small business or farm secure coverage. These aren’t always easy conversations but helping people through these challenging times can be very rewarding. At the end of the day, I want people to be treated like family, not a transaction.
Early on, I determined I was going to make charitable giving a cornerstone of our agency. I paired my passion of insurance education with regular giving back to the community. Every quarter, Oakview identifies a deserving charity and supports their cause. One of our favorite charities is SAYLOVE. This amazing charity gathers on the last Saturday of the month and invites everyone in the community to participate in a day of community regional beautification. It’s inspiring, uplifting, and so rewarding.
I’m also deeply passionate about breast cancer awareness. In 2020, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Luckily, I detected it early on and just recently completed chemotherapy and radiation. The most important thing I learned throughout my journey was that a with a positive outlook and support, you can overcome anything. One pillar of support for me was Amy Carraba, a board member of Albie Aware. I am very excited for Bailarin Cellars to support Albie Aware for the entire month of October!
