When did your family first come to Snellville?
My mom and step dad moved here 22 years ago. I CAME KICKING AND SCREAMING. It was my senior year of High school, so you can imagine what that was like for me. Snellville was not like it is today. 124 was still a two lane and mostly still family farm land. I was in complete culture shock.
You were part of the championship team at South Gwinnett High school in 1995, tell us about that.
That was awesome, such a great group of girls and awesome coach. It seems like a life time ago. It is nice to be in the history books at 33-0 for that season. Has our record been broken? I guess that is my claim to fame, but you just don’t realize how precious those memories are when you are living them.
Tell us about life from 1995-2016
Jeesh that makes me feel so old!!! Well, I went to the University of Kansas on scholarship, did well. But I could never have imagined what life had for me after that. The year after my eligibility was up, I coached at a small high school in Topeka, Kansas and was a waitress at a steak house! I thought it was time to finish school and get married and have some babies. God had different plans for me.
I went to a tryout for the WNBA and the rest is history. I spend 11 years as a WNBA athlete, and 14 years overall playing internationally. It was awesome. In 2014, I hung up the sneakers.
Where did you play professionally?
I played in 8 different countries- 9 if you count the United States. France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Belgium, South Korea, and Russia. In the WNBA the majority of my career was spent in Washington, DC with the Mystics
All those places you traveled, why did you settle back in Snellville?
I would love to say something Cliché like, there is no place like home…..which is true. However, it was an easy decision. My mom is here, and when she kicked me out( our inside joke), I bought a house around the corner from her. She couldn’t get rid of me. Every year my life changed professionally, Snellville was my one constant thing. When I got ready to retire, it was still home to me.
Wow, eventful 20 years it seems. How do you top that, what is next for Nakia Sanford?
I heard it said once “make your next thing your best thing”. That is what I am doing. I always knew I would be an entrepreneur, I just had no idea what that would be. I tried my hand at a few things and had some great life lessons that brought me to where I am today.
I decided financial services was the way to go. I wanted to help people, have flexible hours, and of course control my income. I looked at several platforms and decided to hang my sneakers up at the doors of my own Primerica Agency. Now I am in heels, and coaching people toward Financial Independence, instead of on the court. It has been better than I could have imagined.
Interesting fact, one of the biggest Primerica brokers was a basketball coach out of South Gwinnett high school, Bobby Buisson. It is an honor to carry on his legacy in his actual office building. I am in one of the first Primerica offices from 1977!
Where is your office and how can we as a community help you in your new endeavor?
We are located at the cross section of 124 and 78.
First, just come see me!! I know you have your choice of financial services providers and we have some great established businesses in Snellville. But if you are looking for new representation, I would love to earn your business. Our level of service will surely set my office apart. I have over 50 years of experience represented in our office.
Secondly, join our family of part timers! I have been gone for 20 years. I need help expanding into our growing community. I want to be a big contribution to the economy here in Snellville. What better way to do that than helping to put more money into our citizen’s pockets!
