Today we’d like to introduce you to Shamsieh Jahangiri.
Hi Shamsieh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
A few years ago, during the devastating Texas freeze of 2021, I was working as an insurance adjuster for a local insurance company in Houston. That experience opened my eyes to something I hadn’t fully realized before: how little many homeowners understood about their insurance coverage, and how much of a difference the right policy could make when disaster struck.
As I reviewed claims, I noticed that some homeowners had policies that didn’t provide the protection they could have had, sometimes for the same price. I remember seeing relatively new homes insured for actual cash value rather than replacement cost, leaving homeowners responsible for expenses they never expected. In some cases, people were staying in hotels and paying out of pocket for repairs because their policies didn’t cover certain damages caused by the freeze.
It was heartbreaking to see families going through such difficult situations, especially knowing that some of those financial burdens might have been avoided with better guidance and a clearer understanding of their options.
That experience changed the way I looked at insurance. I realized I didn’t just want to help people after something went wrong. I wanted to help them before it happened.
That’s what inspired me to start Lionyx Insurance in 2021. I wanted to build an agency where educating clients was just as important as finding them coverage. My goal was simple: to help people understand what they’re buying, know their options, and make informed decisions that truly protect their families, homes, and businesses.
Today, that same philosophy continues to guide everything we do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think that’s part of building something meaningful.
My business partner, Marzi Rafat, and I are both immigrants. When you’re starting a business in a country where you didn’t grow up, you don’t necessarily have the same connections or established networks that others may have spent a lifetime building.
In the beginning, most of our connections were within our own community. We had to work harder to reach new clients, build relationships, and earn people’s trust. It took time, patience, and a lot of persistence.
We also started our business in 2021, during a particularly challenging time for the insurance industry in Texas. Between the devastating winter freeze, flooding, and other weather-related losses, the insurance market was becoming increasingly difficult. Some insurance companies were pulling back from Texas, while others weren’t accepting new agent appointments. As a new agency, that made it much harder to establish relationships with carriers and build our business.
There were definitely moments of frustration, but those challenges also taught us to be resourceful, patient, and persistent.
We learned that relationships aren’t built overnight and that trust is something you earn through consistency and genuinely caring about the people you serve.
Looking back, I’m proud that we kept going. We didn’t have a big network or an easy path, but we had a clear purpose, and we believed in what we were building.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Lionyx Insurance is an independent, women-owned insurance agency based in Houston, Texas, founded by my business partner, Marzi Rafat, and me.
We help individuals, families, and business owners protect what matters most to them. Our services include home, auto, health, life, Medicare, and commercial insurance, as well as surety bonds.
But what really sets us apart is our approach.
Having worked in different areas of the insurance industry, including claims adjusting, underwriting, and sales, we’ve seen insurance from both sides. We understand how policies are written, how claims are handled, and, most importantly, how confusing the whole process can be for someone who isn’t familiar with the industry.
We believe insurance shouldn’t be something you purchase without fully understanding what you’re getting. We take the time to explain coverage, answer questions, and help our clients understand not only what’s included in their policies, but also what’s excluded.
As immigrants ourselves, we understand how overwhelming it can feel to navigate unfamiliar systems. We also recognize how important it is to have someone who speaks your language and understands your concerns. That’s why we’re especially proud to serve our diverse community, offering services in both English and Farsi.
What I’m most proud of isn’t the number of policies we sell. It’s the relationships we’ve built and the trust our clients place in us.
To me, success is when a client walks away from our office feeling confident, informed, and knowing that someone genuinely has their best interests at heart.
At Lionyx, we’re not just here to sell insurance. We’re here to build lasting relationships and help people protect the lives and businesses they’ve worked so hard to create.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I grew up in a small village in Iran, where my family had been farmers for generations. I spent most of my childhood outdoors, surrounded by nature, and some of my happiest memories are from those simple days.
One of my favorite memories is of a little secret hideaway my friend and I discovered beneath a large blackberry bush. The bottom had naturally hollowed out, creating a small space that felt almost like a cave. To us, it was our own little world, hidden away from everyone else.
We would spend entire afternoons there, making little plates and bowls out of clay with our hands and collecting pretty stones that we proudly called our precious jewels.
We didn’t have fancy toys or need much to entertain ourselves. We had our imagination, nature, and each other’s company.
Looking back, I realize how special those moments were. We were creating something out of almost nothing, finding beauty and value in the simplest things.
It’s a memory that has stayed with me all these years, and I think, in many ways, it still reflects who I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lionyxllc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionyx_insurance
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lionyxllc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LIONYXLLCINSURANCE
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/lionyxllc
