A big part of my “why” in real estate stems from my Grandmother. My grandma was a Realtor for over 40 years in the northern suburbs of Chicago. In fact, the year I was born she won Realtor of the Year in Illinois. If reality TV had existed in the 1980s, my grandma would have been the star of Million Dollar agent Chicago complete with her matching skirt suits and signature bright blue eyeshadow.

As a child, I spent several weeks a summer with my grandparents in Chicago. I was always intrigued by the fast paced real estate lifestyle with lots of appointments, coffee, lunches, showings etc…. Grandma was an early adopter of technology and had one of the first cell phones available for consumers which blew my mind as a little kid. Beyond the flashier side of real estate, what I remember most was my Grandma’s dedication to serving her community. She was active in her church, several charities and real estate organizations. She had her hands in just about everything it seemed. Whether you needed a job, a cleaner, directions, advice or a new house, Ruth was your gal.

Earlier this year when I decided to go full time in real estate my Grandma imparted her years of experience and wisdom on me. She shared stories about how it took her a year to sell her first house, but she didn’t give up. She credits her “stick-to-it-iveness” as what was the key to her success in real estate. Her ability to persist, stay consistent and disciplined in spite of market down turns, long sales cycles, and frustrating clients was second to none.

This week my Aunt shared with me this article that was written about my Grandma in the 1980’s, nearly 20 years into her real estate career. Reading through it made me realize how much my Grandmother influenced the fundamentals for my real estate career…writing notes, making calls and developing deep genuine relationships with people. We have nearly identical philosophies and it warms my heart to know I’ve carried lessons learned from her example at such a young age into my career.