My first "adult" job was a school bookkeeper/Principal's secretary, I am grateful to Fabian for hiring me and teaching me a lot. I was actually still a teenager, but married and paying my own bills. After just a year the superintendent changed and he was out for blood with the principal I worked for and transferred him to another school and I got a new boss that really just wanted me out because the former principal has hired me. Mid way into my second year I was out of there. (1984-1985)
Next I was working as a graphic artist and was the night shift supervisor for years at a newspaper. I loved my job and most of the people there. I was actually on vacation when the company announced "re-organization" and I got a new boss. I wasn't thrilled and within 6 months I was out of there. I went overnight from having a job I loved to having one that aged me 10 years in a span of 6 months. I was grumpy and it was good for my baby girl. Quitting that job was so very liberating. (1985-1991)
My next job was at a radio station. I was hired by Dave and Al was my supervisor and I met Tonya and Troy and to this day we remain friends. I met a few others there I remain in contact with via Facebook as well. Fun job, met lots of great folks and saw myself doing it long term. But when the owners replaced my boss with a woman who clearly did not like me, I knew my time there was short lived. "sigh" Quitting that job was fun. I really messed with her after I knew I had landed my next job. She paged me relentlessly and I put my pager in her desk drawer. (1991-1992)
So when about two years into my time at Lane Realty I was finishing up my real estate classes and taking my test to get my license and my broker said "I'm going to retire and sell" I was floored. He actually almost made a deal with a former associate broker that I really did NOT want to be my new boss. That person eventually did buy a brokerage and it's no longer in existence today and he's no longer in the business. While he was waiting to hear back after making "that guy" an offer I made him an offer of my own. (1992- present)
So what it boils down to in the end was those three previous times and the "almost" time of having a job that I absolutely love being turned into something that I truly hated made me take the leap of faith to buy the firm I worked for and take control of my own destiny. I was a young single mom to a 6 year old. I was just 29 years old. I actually borrowed part of the money from my parents. When I had "that" conversation with them they were skeptical. They even made an appointment to visit my broker to ask if he thought I "had what it takes" to run the business. I beamed when my former broker's answer to that was "well she's been running it her way since she walked in the door."
It's 24+ years later and I am still go to work happy and love what I do. It's rewarding, lucrative, and always has offered me the flexibility to be with my family more when I needed to than any traditional job could have. I've doubled the size of my company both with a new physical space and love the agents currently licensed here. I feel like "family" with the agents at my firm. So I'm glad that I got those three new bosses that I didn't like. It gave me the courage to NOT let it happen to me again. I've always considered it fate that I ended up where I did when I did, but when the time came for me to step up to the plate I looked the pitcher dead in the eye and said "bring the heat". Bad experiences can be turned around into something good almost every time. I've always been a silver lining kind of gal. And the silver lining to the three times I hated my job because I didn't like who I worked for anymore turned out to be my saying "not again". So it was really the combination of the save "event" happening over and over like groundhogs day (the movie) that was the event that led me to where I am today.
How did that former life experience shape my real estate career? Well being that two of them were advertising gigs I certainly had a heads up on marketing to most new agents and I feel I still do. I always get compliments on my ads. And every job I've ever had... from the first one where I bagged groceries and picked up trash at the convenience store in my neighborhood when I was 8 to save money for a new bike, I have worked with the public. I have always gotten along well with others and my mom always said I've "never met a stranger" and I love people. The bookkeeping gig certainly got me ready for the "financial" aspect of running a business and balancing the books and paying the taxes. Understanding media from the newspaper and radio lead me to believe "don't put all your eggs in one basket" so I continue to do some print ads and even some radio and movie theater spots that might not bring direct business, but I believe they are important for branding and keeping my logo familiar and top of mind. And being the secretary of a real estate firm gave me an insight to business from every level... I met buyers and sellers, I set appointments, I typed offers, I worked with attorneys on title problems, I spoke with lenders to get updates for the agents and became very aware of the processes from listing presentation to follow up after closing. I believe that everything I have ever done prior to real estate has shaped my career.
And I had courage even when things were seeming to head into a recession to build a new office (in the photo) and trust that God and being a good broker would give me a way to pay for it. That was 13 years ago and I haven't missed a payment yet. I also more than halfway through that mortgage. Just over 7 years to the end of the payments. And I'm blessed with the freedom that I get to have my grandson at my job whenever I want. I remarried in 2002 and my husband now also has his real estate license and helps out when needed. In fact he just sold a house because he ended up showing on a day we were all busy recently. I love my life. I love God, family and work.
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