Well here we are, 9 years from the date I was officially licensed to trade in real estate. What an incredible journey it has been, amongst getting married, moving homes, having 3 kids and establishing my career in real estate and home staging - it's been a lot of ups, some downs, and I am excited to share a bit of my journey.
When I decided to start working in real estate my husband and I had just purchased our first home and I was absolutely underwhelmed by the service we received by our realtor.
I thought to myself - I can do this - I love homes, decor, people, so hey this is just a perfect career option for me! I was working in marketing for home builders at the time, so it seem like a natural transition!! I also knew I wanted more flexibility in my day to day as we wanted to start a family.
I started part time for a few years, too afraid to take the leap on a 100% commission based salary - I am a fairly conservative person, optimist but always cautious on risk tolerance.
I met my business partner James Mink along the way who believed in me and knew I could take the jump. We co-founded the Mink Group, I took the lead with the marketing, brand and positioning as this was my background. James has an incredible background in sales and negotiation, so he really helped me develop my sales skills, my story and confidence in the real estate industry.
Looking back, I am so happy I took the plunge and go in this career full time.
But this is tough industry and not always as glorious as social media or other realtors make it seem. I’ve learned so much about myself, consistently having to adapt and definitely built a thicker skin (I’m a fairly sensitive person as it turns out) - I mean, every single time I meet with a new client, it’s like a job interview, with knot in my belly, dry mouth, you name it! Always wanting to ensure I can strongly communicate how I can help without being too detailed, boring or in your face, explain my knowledge in a simple way and negotiate my salary every single time, and you can get rejected!
But every time, you have to get back at it and know it’s not personal.
When I get to work on buying or selling a home - I get such an adrenaline rush, (almost like I’m playing a game of ping pong - which I'm incredibly competitive at) I just care so much - as if I was buying or selling these homes for myself. I get tremendous satisfaction and I am always so pleased to be helping others. This is why I do this job. I am so happy to truly be a part of this process, I am passionate and I like sharing my knowledge and along the way help achieve what my clients want.
Here I am reflecting on the last 9 years - after just being voted #1 Real Estate Agent in the Burlington Post Readers' Choice Award - Knowing a little more than I did back then - but still a lot to learn and grow.
I hope to continue to work in the field that I love and help share a bit of my knowledge along the way. While still improving and better compartmentalizing life and work. My life at home with a husband and kids can get a bit messy and the guilt never goes away - striking a balance between both will be a constant I think. But cheers to my first 9 years and I hope many many more!