LEAH HULAN "THE BOND GIRL"
B i o g r a p h y
Leah L. Hulan
1LT, Unites States Army Military Intelligence
Miss MTSU 1990
Miss Tennessee 1992
Miss Tennessee USA 1994
Owner, Grumpy’s Bail Bonding, LLC
Leah Hulan is the “Bond Girl”, and owner of Grumpy’s Bail Bonds -the leading, privately owned bail bond company in Tennessee. She has a mission to help people in need, and exclaims, “If you work for relationships, success will come because it’s all about helping people!” Leah is a former Miss TN and also a former United States Army officer in Military Intelligence. She’s also a published author of a book titled Pain Behind the Smile.
Voted Woman of the Year 2012 by the National Association of Professional Women for being a leader and role model in the bail bond industry, Grumpy’s Bail Bonds serves 23 middle TN counties. Leah states, “If you’re in jail, needing bail – call me, and I’ll set you free!”
Leah is a strong leader in her community and balances the difficult roles of motherhood, fugitive recovery agent, and writing bonds 24/7/365! Leah began her company with a vision of helping people in need and worked out of her basement for many years. 13 years later, Leah has 38 agents and 6 offices throughout middle Tennessee.
Leah is very involved in the community. She is a member of about 15 Chambers of Commerce and supports the community in all types of events. Grumpy’s participates in the annual Christmas parades, career fairs, beauty pageants, Banana Pudding Festivals, police balls, Titan’s football games, little league sports, high school sports, music festivals, wrestling events, Turkey Trots, etc. You name it – Grumpy’s will do it and support it!
Leah is quirky and enjoys showing her sense of humor through her marketing. She creates her own commercials which sometimes are crazy and other times are serious. You never know what she is going to do next. Leah says “to know me is to love me.”
For an escape from the often stressful bail industry, Leah enjoys finding old and often historical buildings to renovate in very eccentric ways with bright colors and interesting décor and then uses the real estate to promote her bail bonding business until she decides to “flip” them in order to make a profit. Also, Leah is a competitive ballroom dancer and competes all over the United States.
Factoids:
Leah was raised on a beef farm where she raised animals and then slaughtered and processed the meet for food.
Leah was a clogger (she calls it Tennessee Appalachian Buck dancing) for her talent in Miss TN and the Miss America contest. She actually won the talent competition as well as the swim suit completion.
Leah’s step dad owns 2 bars in Murfreesboro and the bars are often the family meeting place for holidays and special events.
Leah’s family also owns a hair salon called Tangerine. The 3 very different sisters often have differences of opinions over family matters and raising children that often has to be discussed in “foils” or under a “dryer”.
Leah spent 3 years in treatment and believes that treatment is an effective cure for addiction; thus, she hosts AA meetings at one of her facilities every week.
Personal testimonials from people who have really made a positive change in their lives due to Leah’s reaching out to help them are very powerful and humbling. There are so many people all over Tennessee that have made it to “the other side” in part…to Leah’s love and concern…and they are always so good to want to share. However, the business is also a tragic business. This year alone, 7 people who Grumpy’s had on bond have died tragically or by suicide. It’s a tough reminder that most people who get bonded out are suffering.
Leah runs the show. She manages the business and orchestrates the fugitive recovery missions. She builds the business and pays the bills. She does all the promotionals and creates all the advertising herself. Most people think she hired a marketing company or at the minimum majored in marketing in college. Leah accepts the compliments . Seriously, growing up in a home of 9 kids, if you needed something you had to go after it yourself. I’ve always been driven, and if you want to do it right, well you might as well do it yourself!”