Blake Sonka State Farm in Godfrey, Illinois: The undeniable parallels that exist between athletics and entrepreneurial excellence explain why so many athletes possess an innate capacity for startup success. The tenacity, teamwork, goal-orientation, dedication, resilience, process-minded mentality, and self-belief honed through athletic achievement are remarkably transferable to the entrepreneurial journey.
Blake Sonka grew up in Ellsworth, Illinois…a small town just east of Bloomington, Illinois. Participation in sports was an important part of his upbringing, with nearly year-round involvement in activities such as basketball, baseball, and golf. While growing up, he always had a feeling he wanted to be his own boss…he just wasn’t sure how it would come to fruition.
An Entry to Entrepreneurship
Blake came across an opportunity that was just the spark he needed. He told us, “I was lucky enough to work for another State Farm Agent, Trevor Halloran, for 3.5 years, during which I not only learned the ins and outs of the business but was surrounded by other great agents who showed me the potential of what a successful insurance office could look like.”
Utilizing SBA 504 Financing
In 2023, Blake utilized SBA 504 financing to begin construction on his office building. “I was ecstatic. Getting the 504 loan helped me build a new building and plant my roots in the community of Godfrey, Illinois…a community I’ll serve for the next 30-40 years. Plus, having a new building on the main road in Godfrey has been great. When describing the location, people know right where we are and we got lots of compliments on how nice it looks from the road”, he said.
“Getting the 504 loan helped me build a new building and plant my roots in the community of Godfrey, Illinois…a community I’ll serve for the next 30-40 years.”
When asked why the 504 was an attractive financing option, Blake told us, “Working with the 504 Loan Program was a super easy process. Everyone along the way was professional and responded in a timely manner, making the process much more enjoyable and helping me achieve my goal of owning my building. As a business owner, I think we all want to build equity in the building we operate out of so having that luxury instead of paying rent has set me up for the future and increased my assets along the way.”
Since opening this office, Blake said he has qualified for Ambassador Travel every year with State Farm, which is based off life insurance sales goals. “I’m very proud we’ve qualified each year.” Not only that, but he was able to encourage and mentor his older brother along the way, saying, “I’ve had my older brother working with me, and he was recently accepted to take over his own office in Columbia, Illinois. It’s been awesome to help him achieve his goals and start his own business, which is slated to open in January of 2025.”
When asked if he had any advice or anecdotes for anyone else looking to start or expand a business, Blake said, “As I was contemplating whether or not I should apply for agency I was told that no one is ever ready…sometimes you have to jump and build your parachute on the way down. That really stuck with me. As humans we always have something that could prevent us from starting, but at some point, you have to take that leap and bet on yourself.”
The construction of this business created jobs in a community with a comprehensive revitalization and community development plan in place.
To read more about Blake Sonka State Farm, visit https://www.statefarm.com/agent/us/il/godfrey/blake-sonka-l22z38bdngf, or go to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/Blake-Sonka-State-Farm-Agent-100037961149742/
Do you have a story of how Growth Corp’s SBA 504 Loan Program helped your business succeed? Become a 504 Success Story!