By: Ethan Rogers

Jennifer Barbee’s journey to becoming the president and owner of Telephone Marketing Services, Inc. (TMS) is unconventional. Instead of following a traditional path, her story began with a series of personal missteps. Barbee, once consumed by addiction and facing an uncertain future, was given a second chance. Today, she hasn’t only turned her life around—she has also used her position to do the same for others, transforming the company that first took a chance on her into a space where opportunity meets redemption.

Founded in 1999, TMS has grown into a well-regarded hub for telemarketing. The outbound call center specializes in generating high-quality, exclusive leads for insurance agents across the United States. It’s known for providing an efficient infrastructure for managing lead generation, team performance, and customer engagement, all from a single cloud-based platform.

Besides its advanced platform, TMS boasts a dedicated team. Barbee stresses that telemarketing is by no means an easy job. “Each TMS telemarketer makes roughly 1,300 calls per day. That’s 1,300 chances to be hung up on, berated, ignored, or insulted,” says Barbee. “They might go through that list and only generate a handful of solid leads.”

Undeterred by the challenges, the TMS team perseveres to add value to clients. Barbee notes that their motivation isn’t solely the paycheck. She shares that for many of the employees, this job is a lifeline. Some come from backgrounds where opportunities are scarce or non-existent.

“They don’t have the luxury to walk away when it gets tough. And what they do is incredibly tough. Some of the agents who rely on these leads underestimate the labor involved. They think they could just make the call themselves. But not everyone can withstand the emotional toll, the high-pressure pace, the rejection day after day,” Barbee says. In many ways, the services the TMS team offers are highly valuable. They do the groundwork and heavy lifting that allows agents to focus on closing the deal.

TMS’ expertise has been developed throughout the years. When Barbee stepped into leadership, she did so on the shoulders of a man who laid a strong foundation. Chris Wilson, the founder and former owner of TMS, was cautious, steady, and focused on keeping the business afloat through careful planning. Barbee brought a daring spirit shaped by years of resilience. She worked under Wilson for over a decade—first learning, then observing, and finally strategizing. Barbee was quietly planning the future of TMS in her mind even before the ownership transition from the founder to her was public.

New leadership has brought bold moves. Barbee, alongside her Assistant Rhonda Flournoy (who has been with the business for over 24 years), has expanded TMS’ services. The company added life and group insurance leads, diversified its offerings, and embraced a more ambitious approach to growth. These efforts proved successful, with orders increasing significantly. Barbee, known for her warmth and persistence, gave out her personal number to clients, building genuine relationships. Through her guidance, charisma, and hustle, potential leads turned into loyal customers.

“Chris once joked we had to stop taking orders because the demand grew so high,” Barbee recalls. She didn’t, however. She found a way forward, streamlined operations, refined the platform, and scaled the business. Today, TMS is thriving, with nearly triple the staff it had when Barbee took over.

All of this is influenced by Barbee’s journey. She was 20 when she began using drugs. Her life spiraled into addiction, arrests, and years of instability. When she gave birth to her son, her perspective changed. Since then, she’s been sober. Still, rebuilding her life wasn’t smooth sailing. Doors closed at every turn due to multiple felonies and misdemeanors on her record. Then came the opportunity to work at TMS, where she was given a second chance—where Wilson believed in her when nobody else would.

Given this story, it’s no surprise that the spirit of second chances is embedded in TMS. Barbee accepts everyone with open arms, including those fresh out of prison, people in recovery, and individuals who have lost hope but are willing to fight for something better. “Many of our employees feel TMS is the only place willing to give them a shot. But that shot comes with expectations,” says Barbee. “They work hard. They take pride in their roles. They support each other.”

To employers who hesitate to hire individuals with criminal records or addiction histories, Barbee offers perspective: “I wish more people gave second chances and didn’t judge so much. People do change. I’m proof of that. And I have a team of employees who are proof, too. It’s one of the greatest opportunities in the world to be the person who believes in someone when no one else will because when someone’s drowning in obstacles, a job and a little faith can keep them from giving up. That belief can save a life.”

Indeed, Telephone Marketing Services doesn’t only specialize in creating leads by making calls. It prides itself on answering the most important one: the call to believe in someone when it matters most.

Published by Joseph T.