3 minute read
The Bradleys: One and The Same
Story by: Samantha Chery
Working as a consultant in Atlanta, Greg Bradley was living the life he always wanted — until he recognized the different life that he needed.
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He said God urged him to leave the corporate world and buy the local Gainesville Allstate agency that his father, the Rev. Winston Bradley, retired from about 20 years ago.
Greg’s fate has resembled his father’s many times throughout his life. Winston was a member of multiple boards at Santa Fe College that Greg also participated in. For Winston, helping the community he was born and raised in came naturally.
Both father and son also loved the historically black institutions they attended; Winston graduated from Bethune-Cookman and Greg graduated from Florida A&M. At their respective schools, they said they proudly pledged to the same fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. Out of all their commonalities, Greg said their Christ-like values were the most important. Because of his Christian upbringing and the example of his father, he said he learned that honesty, integrity and respect are necessary to succeed in business.
“I respect him more than I respect any other person,” he said.
While a lot of his affiliations mirror his father’s, the pair had different life experiences as well. Winston Bradley spent most of his life in Gainesville. He briefly lived in Cocoa, Florida, and a friend’s offer to become an Allstate agent brought him back to his hometown. In contrast, Greg Bradley traveled nationally and internationally to pursue his dream of becoming a leading business consultant.
After graduating from FAMU, Greg Bradley worked as a financial analyst for Hewlett Packard in California. Once he gained enough experience, he applied and was accepted into the business program at his top-choice school, the University of Virginia, on a full scholarship. As Greg was entering UVA, his father was considering retiring and offered the Allstate agency to his son. But Greg declined because he had other plans and the first step was in reach.
Reverend Bradley remembers being supportive, “I wanted him to do what he wanted to do.” The Reverend wasn’t upset about his son’s decision because he knew Greg was doing what was best for his future and was going to be successful in any endeavor he pursued.
“I wasn’t ready to move back to Gainesville because at the time, I was 25. I just moved from California,” Greg said. “I had just learned that the world is not black and white. I had learned that the world truly is a melting pot.” Greg graduated from UVA and continued to pursue his dreams of corporate success. To continue enhancing his business and leadership skills, he participated in the Leadership Atlanta program. This program provided useful information for his career, but there was one question asked that provoked him: “What do I need to do to die a good death?”
”Then I realized, if I don’t go back to Gainesville, what God has told me and put on my heart to do, I will not be able to die a good death,” he said. “No matter how much money I make, no matter how many positions I have, it’s not going to matter.”
But he didn’t move back immediately. In October 2017, Greg attended Leadership at the Peak, an intense weeklong program he described as “Myers-Briggs on steroids.” After days of hiking, yoga and dieting, the participants had to write notes to their future selves. After deep reflection, Greg was certain that Gainesville was where he needed to be.
Although living close to family was a perk of coming to Gainesville, Greg cites God’s plan as the sole reason why he decided to move back to his hometown. As he began to plan his return to Gainesville, Greg learned that the Allstate office that his father retired from and offered to sell him years earlier was on the market. This was further confirmation for him, and he took advantage of the opportunity to purchase the Allstate agency.
When Greg’s father learned the news, he was surprised and happy for his son, who now uses his experiences in problem-solving and building relationships to excel in his new position. Greg never thought he would move back to Gainesville and resisted many times. Now that he has, he admits to be happy and excited to see where God will take him on this new path.
