If you have talent, if you believe in yourself, and if you have something to offer the world and nobody knows it, what are you going to do?
All the great leaders in the world be it a president, teacher, philosopher, architect, preacher, they all start at the bottom with nothing but their God given passion and a mass of obstacles.
I wanted to share with you how I got started in this business, maybe it will help some of you. I did not have the luxury of a college degree when I began. I began with a talent. That is it! I was in my early thirties and had 2 boys to raise.
Year one - Used my rent money and bought a "kit" from Transart and made $800 my first sale to my dentist. After the gravy sales it went dry...had to market myself...stress set in as a companion. I met an interior designer that did model homes. I asked her if she could use my art in the homes. Her budget did not allow for my retail pricing so I reduced it for the volume. I asked her if I could help her accessorize. She said yes. I worked for her for ZERO dollars for one year, learning the business and living off what little profit I made.
Year two - At the beginning of the second year I had my own subdivisions and 7 designers and staff members working under me. I made minimum wage plus commissions. Costly mistakes were taken out of my commissions. We used to kid around about "The house that Sheron built" because I owned every blind that was ordered wrong, every table that came in that was the wrong size, every stitch of drapery fabric that was ordered wrong. I learned the hard way.
Year three and four - Still working for the studio and my friend at minimum wage plus commissions but I had learned how to hang on to my cut. Landed all the models for companies like Grupe and Valley Construction, Shubin and Paulis. The studio was my home and I loved it.
Year five - My friend got married and sold the studio. I moved to a little beach town and went to work for a prominent designer. Later that year I opened my own studio in San Clemente, Ca. The struggles didn't stop but for the next 21 years no one had to tell me what to charge or how to market myself...I knew! I knew what I could do and I knew what I was worth. No one else could know that better than me. I earned my stripes and I have decorated multi-million dollar homes, a castle, Fortune 500 businesses, a beauty queens home, and many, many more.
I have been semi-retired for almost 10 years now while raising my granddaughter, taking only the jobs that I want to. I started a web based business 2 years ago and love being home.
I am a firm believer that "Learning is in the doing" and if you don't stop you will get to the top of where ever you want to go.
My advice to those of you who are just starting out and are wondering what to do, just walk into your local real estate office with your tool belt on and ask them which one of them would like you to stage their oldest listing absolutely free. If you are any good you will be busier than a cat in a rocking chair factory.
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