Been on a bit of a hiatus from writing for the last couple of years. I hadn’t meant to– I mean, I have written a little, but did not publish much. Have you ever been in this weird space of stifle and frustration? Resting somewhere between those emotions, I was simply stuck. Truthfully, I’m not so far removed from that now, but I have reinvigorated purpose in my passion. And that has me back like I never left.
2020 was a tough year for me both emotionally and financially. It began with such promise and abruptly ended with the Coronavirus pandemic. I went several months without seeing in-person my parents (both who are cancer survivors), my grandmother or my aunt.
My family is close-knit, so that the emotional toll was intense.
Then, there was virtual school and all the challenges that brought. And suddenly, almost all of the business I had in my pipeline dried up. Still, it was a better year professionally than I had in 2019. By 2021, I was having my best year ever. We took several trips and truly lived our best lives. Towards the end of the year, things were starting to slow, but I worked hard to keep them moving.
By January 2022, I hit my 4-year mark in real estate. In Louisiana, you have to work under a broker for 4 consecutive years before you are eligible to complete the course and test for your broker’s license. I did it! I passed my broker’s exam and became a broker in June of 2022. Meanwhile, I had some deals blow up and a personal setback simultaneously, and it just seems like things went downhill from there. While it’s true that I have done better financially with each year of my career in real estate, I was so far from where I wanted to be and felt like I should have been at the time, so I knew a change had to be made.
Time to Look for a New Brokerage Home
When I first started in real estate, I wanted to work in commercial real estate. I thought it was so cool– the architecture, the businesses– when you pause for a moment and think about it, commercial real estate is one of the most creative things in the world. Transforming a piece of commercial real estate can change lives for generations to come. How could you not want to be a part of that?!
The firm I was with at the time did not support commercial real estate deals, and while I did my best to align with those trading in commercial there, it was not enough to satisfy my desire for growth. It was time to look for a new brokerage home. A newly licensed broker, I was excited to reach out to local commercial real estate firms and express my interest in joining their agencies. I researched and looked into who I thought might be a good fit and emailed several managing brokers. Of all whom I contacted, only one responded to me… only to offer me a position in his residential brokerage.
The Coleture Real Estate Brokerage was Born
It was an eye-opening experience. From being intentionally misguided to completely ignored, I have to admit, it was all a little hurtful. Why was no one interested in working with me? I am smart, well-versed, trainable, eager to learn, and autonomous… why won’t anyone help me? I buried myself in trying to find knowledge I could soak up… AND I curated and founded The Coleture Real Estate Brokerage. And, let me tell you, I was back like I never left.
I Found My Way
Over the past few years, I have learned some tough and valuable lessons. I had to learn to trust myself. And although I do not always get that right, I have enough faith in God that if He gives me the dream, He will give me the tools to accomplish it. I have felt lonely, counted out and, if I am being honest, at times, defeated. But though I am bent, I am not broken.
It may have taken me a moment to fully reach this more unapologetic version of myself. Between life and business beating me up, I’m telling you, I have worked hard to meet her again. I recognize the journey it has taken me to get to this space. And while I still have a work to do to get where I want to be, I am officially back like I never left.