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Out With The Old, In With The New

By
Real Estate Agent with Falcon Property Company

If you've been on ActiveRain for any length of time, you know there are certain people who stand above the rest in giving of their time and talent to this platform. Personally, I have four heroes in The Rain. Craig Daniels is at the top of that list.

When someone suggested a way to bring our AR presence into the current decade, it didn't surprise me that Craig was one of the people behind it. My signature was at least a decade old. I figured I should throw my hat in the ring since it might be time for a change. 😇 

When I first created my signature on AR, I specialized in Victorian Homes in Downtown Colorado Springs. Part of the "Victorian vibe" is fancy and fru-fru, and that's what my signature reflected. 

Since then, I've updated my logo (now it's just my name), updated my website, and toned down some of the "distractions." I wanted my new signature block to more closely sync with my website, so I pulled elements from there. My goal was to make it easier to read, easier to click, and more in keeping with who I've become in the last few years of my real estate journey.

Here are the changes:

Mimi Signature Before and After

And I'm sure we'll keep updating now that we have had such great encouragement.

image.png

I have several goals for the coming year.

My website is a continual journey but it's coming along nicely. I want to progress in adding relevant, interesting, and fun content. Currently (in my down time 🙃) I'm transcribing my pdf links to searchable pages and posts.

The past few months have been an enjoyable process of revising old blog posts, adding more photos and headers, continually updating my monthly market reports (which help me keep a pulse on what's actually going on in my market), and trying to make it an attractive, inviting space.

For a long time I've been active on Social Media, but have been refining and redefining it over the past months. I've got a comfortable presence on Facebook (feel free to send me a friend request to personal account [not business]- links in signature! 😉). I'm trying to be more active on Instagram - finding a balance between business and personal.

With the encouragement of Craig Daniels, I started doing YouTube real estate videos last year and had tremendous success. One of my videos went viral and had over 125,000 views! I've closed several deals from viewers finding me there. Those people come feeling like they already know me. 

In autumn of last year, we moved into a big new house on the north side of Colorado Springs. I couldn't understand what compelled me to get a bigger house and not do the "reasonable" downsizing people my age should be doing. Within a week of our move, my oldest daughter's house burned down. She got out with her life and her pets - not even a pair of shoes. Everything else was a total loss. Her family moved in with us and will be here for the next year or so (summer 2023) while they rebuild.

Knowing the state of shock she was in, I flew in all my daughters for a November "love fest" to help regain some balance. Most of us came down with Covid. It was a long month, and I "recovered" by painting and decorating my new home.

Then we had a massive windstorm (ninety mile per hour winds) and a hundred-foot blue spruce toppled and went through the roof of another daughter's home. They also moved in with us for a while, and business took a back seat for a few months.

I'm ready to start my YouTube channel up again. (If you're interested in learning more about creating a site, Karin Carr has an informative course to help you get your own channel up and running.) 

On the side (in my spare, spare time), I'm an author. Having heard good things recently about Pinterest being an excellent site for selling books and showcasing listings, I'd like to pursue that platform as I can.

Thank you, Craig and Eileen, for not only encouraging us on this journey, but giving us the tools to actually make it happen. I appreciate you! 

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Selling homes throughout
Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, Manitou Springs, Monument,
and surrounding areas

Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Mimi,

Good to see your smiling face again.  Glad to see you back, and very nice signature update.  A

Mar 31, 2022 06:00 AM
Mimi Foster

Good morning, A. Thank you. I lurk, but hopefully will be a little more involved again. Hope you're well.

Mar 31, 2022 06:48 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

So nice to see you in the Rain. You are correct about Craig, he is really an amazing resources. So happy to hear you are finding success with video. Good for you, Mimi. 

Mar 31, 2022 06:41 AM
Mimi Foster

Hello, my friend! You were instrumental in that, and always so encouraging. (Definitely one of my heroes!)


Hope you are doing well. I miss the misty days in Camas. Hope to visit again this autumn. Huge hugs.

Mar 31, 2022 06:54 AM
Debb Janes

Back at you. Would love to get a visit again. 

Apr 01, 2022 08:40 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I like the transformation, that is a sharp-looking signature that definitely catches the eye!

Mar 31, 2022 07:18 AM
Mimi Foster

Thank you, Brian. Love your new one, too

Mar 31, 2022 01:01 PM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

I couldn't help but chuckle when I read about your "spare time" Mimi. You continue to amaze me, how you do it all and do it all so well! You are very inspiring, just in case I haven't told you so lately. 

I liked your before signature, but there's just something about that postcard format. It looks great! 

Mar 31, 2022 09:31 AM
Mimi Foster

Hello, sweet lady. Thank you! I loved my old Victorian 😥 This one is, of course, more modern. Hugs to you!

Mar 31, 2022 01:03 PM
Joan Valverde
HomeSmart - Colorado Springs, CO
GRI,CDPE,CNE,MRP,SRES Colo Sprgs, Blk Forest, Monu

Hello Mimi,

 

Always a joy to see your smiling face!  I love this business for the fact that you can, pretty much STOP, and love on our families when they need us, then resume business.  God has blessed us for sure.  Facing cancer last year, I was so thankful that I could keep doing business when I could, I know you know that too!  I am so glad you have had time with your girls this last year, sorry for the reasons, but what precious time!

Mar 31, 2022 09:41 AM
Mimi Foster

How are you doing? Is your hair growing back? Are you going to get chemo curls? Several friends got gorgeous thick curls. I got thin and gray 😭


It really was a precious time. One daughter and family gone. One will be here for another year. I overheard my son-in-law say to someone, "Saying that you're living with your mother-in-law can sound awful, but we're having a blast." It hasn't been bad at all. (Except for the dogs, but that's another story. LOL)


Let's talk soon! Hope you're on the road to complete recovery.

Mar 31, 2022 01:08 PM
Joan Valverde

Yes I am on the road to recovery, thank goodness.  Chemo ended on November 1,  my hair started coming back in Jan.  I believe.  M y head is not fully covered, not much length yet.  Gray is the color!  Yikes...  Folks ask, are you going to keep it short?  I answer back, I am grateful for what I have... but would like options.  lol  I love how God returns our hair to us!  Yes let's get together sometime,  I would love that!

Mar 31, 2022 02:58 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Yes!  For my birthday every year I make myself my favorite meal for dinner - beans and franks in a big bowl.

No kidding.

That was my favorite meal growing up and still is.  It's the only time all year that I consume so many carbs at one sitting.  But loving every one...

I used to comment on many home inspector posts and receive comments from them and other home inspectors.  Then one by one they dropped off, and my little group went kaput.  Once I went for a CE class at Firestone in Indianapolis.  We paid for the flights.  Firestone paid for the hotel and food, and really treated us right.   I met about 15 home inspectors there that "knew" each other on line, and it was like getting together with an old club.  We all knew each other pretty well!  And had a great time.  But, alas, no more.

I wrote a blog about it on AR, but, again, not many people actually read it.  But I thought it was pretty funny!

https://activerain.com/blogsview/1863922/home-inspector-continuining-education

Mar 31, 2022 10:34 AM
Mimi Foster

Oh, my goodness. That looks like so much fun! Are you still actively working as an Inspector?

Mar 31, 2022 01:47 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Mimi you are our very own ActiveRain WONDER WOMAN!  What a year you and your family went through - together.  Your positivity is electrifying!  Love it!  And your new signature - WOW!  It really POPS!

Mar 31, 2022 10:52 AM
Mimi Foster

Hello! Hello! Thank you! It's been an enjoyable time despite the circumstances. Hope you're well!

Mar 31, 2022 01:48 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Ok.  I just looked at one of your You Tube blogs.  And here I found myself mired in the "quicksand of discrimination" (your words exactly) right away!

When I married my wife, a century ago or so, I discriminated (which means to choose, nothing more) in terms of her age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, race, familial status (she's an Irish redhead), handicap (she was a good golfer), hygiene (she brushed her teeth and bathed), and, also, apparently, her national origin (not that I really considered that too much, but she be American...)  So, wow, like, I mean, you know, like, am I in violation of federal choosing laws?  Don't tell anyone!  I don't want a knock on my door by the federal choosing police!  Cuff me, Dano!

Now I'm afraid to look at any more of your videos for fear of seeing how wrooooong I am and maybe have been! 

Maybe I should swerve into romance novels to get my mind off my obvious and egregious misbehavior.  Know any good authors?

Mar 31, 2022 11:28 AM
Mimi Foster

You might learn a thing or two LOL It's been a while since I recorded those. Just after chemo. I should go back and look 😱

Mar 31, 2022 01:49 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Madam Young Thing -- I looked at a half dozen of your YT blogs and enjoyed them all.  Well done!  You young people sure are good at this newfangled stuff! 

Bummer, I can't get Mimi Song out of my head.  I'm swaying a little bit as I walk around and it swirls, swirls, swirls inside my head!

Iff'n I can figure out how to do a You Tube blog I will come up with a couple of useful topics and see what I can do.  Maybe I'll need you to fly out for some special counseling and for your youthnessity to rub off.

Thanks for the idea!

Mar 31, 2022 11:38 AM
Mimi Foster

All you need is a phone and a topic. Piece of cake 😂

Mar 31, 2022 01:50 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Nice job on the signature and also for being a safe haven for the family issues

Mar 31, 2022 04:35 PM
Mimi Foster

Thank you. I couldn't figure out why I was compelled to move. And I should have been downsizing but I didn't. It all worked out well! Thanks, Ed!

Mar 31, 2022 04:43 PM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Mimi Foster 
Have to echo Jan Green - So great to see you here!
I appreciate all I have learned from you over the years.
Love the new signature!
All the best - Lynn

Mar 31, 2022 08:43 PM
Mimi Foster

Oh, Lynn. How kind of you, thank you! Hope you're well!

Apr 01, 2022 12:33 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Yes, when contracts allow for inspections!   I leave my clients shaken, not stirred.  Nobody does it better.

I check in to AR nearly every day.  There are still a group of people I follow who rarely post anything.  But when they do, as I did with you, I will comment.  It's always fun to comment on your stuff!

Apr 01, 2022 04:57 AM
Mimi Foster

Bless your heart, thank you. I agree. I check in most days, follow the old timers, find a few new, fresh faces, but usually have an unseen presence here 😉

Apr 01, 2022 12:34 PM
Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker
Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE
Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

Hi Mimi!! Miss you!! Been a long time ago that we both hung our license at Re/Max Real Estate Group!!  Hard to believe that For me it is closing in on 19 years ago. 

I like your new signature section and  I will need to update mine as well. I also need to get more active again on AR.

I have a blog that really needs to be written asap about a very recent client who found me from reading my AR Bio!  Only a $1.2 million dollar sale that closed last week!!

Glad to see you are feeling better!! Give the family a hug from me...they were pretty young the last time I saw them.   Regards... Mike

Apr 01, 2022 05:51 AM
Mimi Foster

Hello! Hello! Been a long time for me to be active here, too. That's SO EXCITING about the sale! I still get and give referrals to the 'family' here. Write that post! I'd love to see it!


Can't even believe it's been that long. You know what that means, don't you? We're getting OLD, Mike! Thank you for stopping by. Always good to hear from you! You're still one of my favorites.

Apr 01, 2022 12:37 PM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Wow, Mimi... what a year. They say God never gives us more than we can handle so he knows you're a strong, resilient, woman!  You came through like a champ, putting family first.

Love the new signature. 

Apr 01, 2022 08:42 AM
Mimi Foster

Thank you, Carol. I appreciate the kind words. And I appreciate all you do here and on Peeps. You're a GEM!

Apr 01, 2022 12:39 PM
Carol Williams

Awwww, thank you Mimi Foster.

Apr 01, 2022 01:03 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Mimi Foster, Your signature is beautiful and classy just like you.

I read your post with awe and what you have been through this year. Such a strong family with everyone working together.

My favorite was your son-in-law's comment, "Saying that you're living with your mother-in-law can sound awful, but we're having a blast." 

 

Apr 01, 2022 06:28 PM
Mimi Foster

How kind you are, Margaret. Five distinctly different daughters, one big conglomeration of love. There were weeks during the aftershock that we just kept repeating - everything with a heartbeat made it out alive. That was the important thing. Thank you for your gracious words.

Apr 01, 2022 08:49 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

So wonderful that you are pulling everything together to reflect your more precision, current business, Mimi! I love your new logo and AR signature too - full of class, for sure!

Apr 01, 2022 06:43 PM
Kris Collis, Associate Broker
Smart Way America Realty - East Stroudsburg, PA
Professional Results you Expect 570-801-5525

Great job Mimi, you inspired me to do likewise, what a difference the technology makes for signature to key in on your brand and focus..

Apr 02, 2022 12:41 AM
Mimi Foster
Falcon Property Company - Colorado Springs, CO
Voted Colorado Springs Best Realtor

Have a hard time sleeping last night, Kris Collis, Associate Broker? 😴 Be sure to tag me when you get yours updated. I'd love to see it!

Apr 02, 2022 09:30 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Impressive transformation! I LOVE the new look. Well done Mimi!

Apr 02, 2022 12:43 PM
Mimi Foster

Thanks so much, Sharon. Appreciate it.

Apr 03, 2022 08:22 AM
Mayra Espinosa Realtor San Mateo Pacifica Homes
Mayra Espinosa Broker- Realtor | Call 650-996-8961 - Pacifica, CA
San Mateo County Real Estate | Buy | Sell | Invest

You did a great job, Mimi. I was inspired. I saw your videos, and they were informative and fun to watch. They also have great content. Congratulations!

Apr 02, 2022 03:45 PM
Mimi Foster

Thank you, I appreciate that. They say you need to do 100 before you're good. I think I have about 94 to go 😂 And in my down time I've been studying, so I'm ready to get back in the saddle. And I love your signature transformation. It's exciting to me to see the "modernization" of our posts.

Apr 03, 2022 08:28 AM