Through personal and professional growth, I found a new way to help others and stay actively involved in my community.

In 2016, after retiring from a long and successful career in the restaurant industry, I found myself at a crossroads. I had spent over three decades climbing the ranks, becoming a district manager overseeing hundreds of employees. But as the company I worked for began to change, moving away from its people-oriented approach to a more numbers-driven one, I knew it was time for me to step away.

For much of my career, I balanced work with raising my kids, going to all their events and serving as a PTA president, treasurer, and multiple other positions, leading both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troops, acting as team mom for their sports teams, and helping to form and lead the Cheer Booster Club when my daughter became a cheer captain. If there was something the school needed help with, I was there! As I entered retirement, I thought being involved with my grandkids and continuing to be a Girl Scout Leader would keep me busy.

However, I quickly realized I needed a new challenge, something that would allow me to continue growing and contributing in a meaningful way. That’s when a friend suggested real estate. At first, I dipped my toes in, thinking I’d work part-time. But it is not in my nature to do things halfway. I quickly realized real estate was exactly what I had been searching for!