- Susan Stewart
- Jan 2
- 4 min read
Leading with Heart, Grit & the Courage to Say Yes Before You’re Ready.
Some leaders are shaped by formal plans. Others are shaped by life itself. Jill Bunch’s journey belongs firmly in the second category—a story rooted in resilience, responsibility, and a lifelong commitment to showing up for others.
Where It All Began.
Jill’s story starts in the 1960s in Lafayette, Indiana, where she grew up as the only girl among four brothers, raised by very young parents who worked tirelessly to provide for their family. Her father spent long hours working for the railroad, while her mother stayed home caring for five children. From them, Jill learned her earliest and most enduring lessons: work hard, take responsibility, and never underestimate the power of love and sacrifice.
Some of her most vivid childhood memories are simple but profound. She recalls her mother loading all five children into an Oldsmobile convertible and driving to the railroad tracks, timing it just right so her father could toss his paycheck—wrapped tightly in rubber bands around a flare—from the locomotive. From there, they’d head straight to the grocery store and laundromat.
“I never knew how poor we were,” Jill reflects. “What I knew was that my parents were loving, devoted, and always showed up for us. That mattered—and it stayed with me forever.”
Early Lessons in Leadership.
Jill entered the workforce at just 14 years old, working at a bustling ice cream shop. One summer day, eager to go swimming, she quit her shift on the spot—leaving her coworker behind to handle the rush alone. What should have been a carefree afternoon quickly turned into a defining moment.
“I couldn’t enjoy myself because I knew what I’d done,” she says. “That was my first real lesson in how not to treat people.”
The guilt and shame of that moment shaped her leadership philosophy from then on. Jill committed herself to honoring her teammates, supporting those around her, and never leaving someone behind—a value that would guide her entire career.
Finding Her Voice in Banking.
At 17, Jill began working part-time at a small local bank, opening envelopes filled with car loan payments and manually applying them to customer accounts. After graduating high school, she stayed on at the bank, choosing real-world experience over college and steadily advancing through various roles.
One issue continued to bother her: student loans. Students regularly came in asking for help, and the bank didn’t offer the product. “It never sat right with me,” Jill recalls. Determined to change that, she immersed herself in learning everything she could about student loans.
When her immediate supervisors weren’t interested, Jill took a bold step. At just 19 years old, she requested a meeting with the bank president. “I walked in with an idea,” she says, “and walked out with approval.”
That moment changed everything.
Over the next 25 years, Jill built a thriving student loan portfolio that eventually reached an $80 million asset balance. She forged relationships with colleges, high schools, state commissions, and banking peers across the industry. At 22, she delivered her first speaking engagement—Why Banks Should Get into the Student Loan Business—to a room of 130 bankers.
“I was terrified,” she laughs. “I’m pretty sure I aged 25 years in one afternoon. But I also found my voice.”
An Unexpected Turn into Title.
When Jill’s banking career came to a close, she planned to take a year off to figure out what was next. That plan lasted only a couple of weeks.
One phone call changed her course entirely. “Jill, you don’t know me, but I know you,” the voice said. “Would you be interested in helping run our small five-person title agency?”
Like many who find their way into title, Jill had no idea what title insurance was. Still, on April 1, 1997—April Fool’s Day, of all days—she walked into the title and escrow business.
“I remember thinking, this has to be a joke,” she says.
It wasn’t.
Building Something Bigger Than Herself.
That small title agency quickly became home. Jill saw opportunity—not just for growth, but for people. She believed that if she could grow the business, even modestly, she could create meaningful opportunities for others.
She leaned into relationships, reconnecting with mortgage and commercial banking colleagues, building trust with realtors, and steadily expanding the company. What began as a five-person operation grew into seven offices across Indiana, employing 26 people today. But for Jill, success has never been measured by size alone.
“I’m most proud of the people,” she says. “Those who are here now, and those who’ve been part of the journey along the way.”
Wisdom Earned & Legacy in Motion.
If Jill could speak to her younger self on that first day in title, her advice would be simple—and powerful:
Trust yourself. You don’t need to know everything on day one. Curiosity, integrity, and hard work will take you exactly where you need to go.
She would also remind herself to lead with heart, take risks before feeling ready, and never underestimate the impact of relationships. “Titles fade,” she says. “But the way you make people feel stays with them.”
Today, Jill often reflects on former team members who’ve gone on to build incredible careers of their own. “If I helped give someone confidence along the way,” she says, “that means everything to me.”
Her Lasting Impact.
Jill Bunch’s story is a reminder that leadership doesn’t always follow a straight line—and that the most meaningful careers are often the ones we never planned.
Built on grit, empathy, courage, and an unwavering commitment to people, her journey is proof that when you lead with heart, the legacy writes itself.
And in true Her.Collective fashion, Jill’s greatest pride isn’t in what she built—but in who she built along the way. We celebrate you, Jill, and all your accomplishments in the title insurance industry!
*Connect with Jill: jill@columbiatitlegroup.com I LinkedIn I Instagram I Facebook
