Influential Woman · Insurance Sales, Ministry Leadership
Lashai Rhone
Senior Agent, Hartford Insurance Group
Edmond, OK
Her Story
About Lashai
My professional journey spans over 30 years in sales, with the last 20 years dedicated to the Hartford Insurance Group where I serve as a Senior Agent. In this role, I sell home and auto insurance while taking on significant leadership responsibilities including mentoring new agents, leading daily team huddles with my lead manager, and serving as the health and wellness champion for our teams. I'm really into health and wellness now, especially after having some health issues, and I use this passion to support my colleagues. As one of the main team leaders, I coordinate several different chats to make sure everybody's on one accord, and I leverage my gift of encouragement to keep everyone motivated and bringing their best selves to work every day. My faith is first and foremost in everything I do. I come from a long lineage of ministry as a pastor's wife of 20 years, a pastor's daughter, and a pastor's granddaughter. I currently serve as the State President of Pastors, Ministers, Wives, and Widows for the Oklahoma State Convention, in my first year of my second term after completing my first term. I'm also a motivational speaker and teacher who works with women on both state and national levels. At my church, I oversee the women's ministry and lead 'The Living Room,' a post-service gathering where women come together to discuss how biblical teachings apply to everyday life, covering topics from menopause to marriage, depression to raising children. I teach pastors and ministers' wives about being more than just a role, focusing on character and relationship with the Lord. My husband and I have been married for 41 years, and together we lead a marriage ministry at our church. We have one daughter who is in her third year of residency as an OBGYN doctor in Dallas. Throughout my career, I've achieved high sales and received recognition including Salesperson of the Month awards and advancement through the ranks from associate to consultant to senior level. What drives me is my relationship with Christ and my commitment to bringing excellence to everything I do, whether in my professional work or ministry, always working unto the Lord rather than unto man.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lashai
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my relationship with Christ. That's the honest-to-God truth. If you knew my story, you'd understand why my faith is so central to everything I've accomplished. My relationship with the Lord has been the foundation that has carried me through everything and enabled me to achieve what I have both professionally and personally.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received came from my husband, and it's actually taken from the Bible: you work unto the Lord rather than unto man. Because of that principle, you're going to bring your best foot forward. It's more than just being mediocre, it's about being excellent. So the advice is to be excellent in all that you do, even when no one's looking and no one's listening. That's where your character and integrity really come in.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Especially if you're a Christian woman entering into a career, one of the biggest pieces of advice I would give is to never feel like you have to choose between your faith and your ambition. Let your integrity speak louder than your title. And one last thing on that: let your character speak louder than your accomplishments. These principles have guided me throughout my career, and I believe they're essential for any woman who wants to succeed while staying true to who she is.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge for me right now is probably getting older. Because I am so involved with so many things outside of my job, I've never been able to take on the managerial positions they've always wanted me to take. I love what I do, and sometimes I end up doing things behind the scenes that are managerial, but to be able to actually take on the position officially has been difficult because of my obligations outside of work. So maintaining that work-life balance is probably the biggest challenge, trying to balance my professional responsibilities with everything else I'm committed to in ministry and my personal life.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being true to myself is fundamental to everything I do. But what's most important is that character is everything, and integrity is everything. One of the things I was taught by my dear mom is that your word is your bond. These values guide every decision I make, whether in my professional work or my personal life. I believe in always bringing your best self regardless of what's going on in your life, because every day is a new day, and you should show up with love and excellence.
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