How long have you been working in the real estate industry?
Since 2005
How did you get into real estate?
I started in 2005 working with my mom, also a Realtor®, and felt unsure of real estate as a career. After working about 1-2 years, I remember clearly making the decision to commit full time to making real estate a more serious career path. Ever since that moment my business has increased each year.
What was one of your greatest challenges starting out?
I started so young (26 years old) and lacked self-confidence. As a result, I went to nearly every training opportunity that I could in order to gain more knowledge and confidence in my skills. This commitment to constant learning is still happening today after 17 years in real estate, and is something that absolutely contributes to my overall success.
What support or advice did you find most helpful when starting out in the industry?
Gaining momentum in finding clients and servicing those clients is one of the hardest parts. I think having good mentors definitely helped when I started and other stages of my career. I also think that going in with the mindset of doing whatever it takes to succeed with integrity. When I first started, I was not 100% committed and as a result, I struggled. I think the airplane takeoff analogy is most appropriate, in the sense that you must go all out right away to get the plane off the ground. Then when you’re at “cruising altitude” you can back off a little bit.
What do you enjoy most about working in real estate?
I enjoy the fact that each property is unique and each client is unique. Certainly helping people with their real estate needs is fulfilling, but also I like that real estate is both competitive and collaborative. We may compete for a listing, but as soon as it’s listed, we agree to share the commission and find the right buyer. What other industry is that possible? Also, the longer I’m in real estate, the more open minded I’ve become about different brokerages and business models. There are so many ways to be successful in this industry and I find it fascinating how different people choose their own path.
What is your proudest achievement or favorite memory working in real estate?
When I received an award for 40 Under 40 from InBusiness Magazine. That was a big milestone in my career because it really helped build my self-confidence. This was the first time I had really received any kind of award or acknowledgement of my real estate career, which further validated some of my hard work and encouraged me to go further.
What advice would you give to someone new to the industry, or someone considering real estate?
Be a sponge to learn as much as possible and work really hard to get your business off the ground. After getting licensed, the biggest focus needs to be on generating new leads and building your database. Find a mentor, join a team, or sign up for some coaching.
How has being a member of RASCW benefited you?
RASCW has been great to network and learn from other great agents in our community. I’ve enjoyed serving on the Professional Development community and being involved in some of the programming to help our industry.
How are you involved and making a difference in your community?
I have been involved in many organizations in our community, including our local chamber of commerce, neighborhood groups, church groups, business networking groups, and more. We also give back to various charities or non-profits throughout the year.
If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, alive or not, who would it be?
Tony Robbins
Outside of work, what makes you happy?
Spending time outside with my family. We love to go out boating in the summer, skiing/snowboarding in the winter, and some combination of biking/hiking/travel at any time of the year.
