Rising Star: Shylo Ochoa

rising star SHYLO OCHOA Written by Dr. Kasia Suarez Photography By TresPiña Photography HMUA: Hair & Makeup by Lulu

Shylo Ochoa is the true definition of a Rising Star, and she is on an incredible journey. She is accomplishing her goals with passion, joy, and a focus on serving others. Her goal as a teacher, a REALTOR®, and a creative artist is to continue doing things for the highest good of others. Shylo seeks to empower students and their families, clients, and her community with knowledge. Shylo Ochoa wants people that come into her life and path to know and feel that they are important to her.

Ochoa dreamed of becoming a business woman. She had struggled in school and did not really learn how to read until she was in fourth or fifth grade. Shylo experienced near-paralyzing anxiety, but she was afraid to ask for help. Her eighth grade teacher saw her internal battle, and took the initiative to reach out to Shylo. When Shylo was 15, her mother passed away. “Losing her empowered me and made me view life a little differently. A lot of the time when I do things, I think of her.” Shylo recalled, “Granny swooped in, like saving grace, and she is my rock.” She said it’s nice to still have the stability of a mother figure to go to when she wants to think over new ideas, and she loves that she can be vulnerable and candid with her grandmother.

Even though things were very difficult after her mother’s death, Shylo says the result of being raised by her grandmother was very wonderful.

Her grandmother used to tell her, “If you are going to do something, do it well,” and Shylo still lives that out today. She said,”I definitely wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for those two women.”

Stressed and grieving, Ochoa dropped out of high school, but then she went back to earn her GED. She attended a trade school to learn bookkeeping, and began working at Del Mar College. After getting married and starting her family, she took a tutoring position to bring in extra income.

Through this tutoring position, Shylo was able to connect with students that struggled in school like she did. She reached out to them in the same way her eighth grade teacher had reached out to her. “I try to observe and see what’s not seen and address it in a way that they can walk away with more confidence, and keep their dignity,” said Ochoa.

Shylo found her first calling, to become a teacher. She faced a lot of challenging years. Ochoa wanted to help the students become the best version of themselves. The ones who needed her help the most seemed to be the greatest challenge to her, emotionally and professionally.

She will never forget the burden she felt to help struggling students. Students like the little kindergartener who had a very difficult

time trying to learn the fundamentals. She wondered how she would reach her students, and she questioned her abilities.

Shylo reached out to the right people. She never gave up and continued to put her heart and soul into teaching. Three years later, she reached a turning point. Ochoa received a note on her classroom door from the struggling kindergartener, who was now in third grade. The note said, “Mrs. Ochoa, Thanks for being by my side.”

That note changed her whole perspective on teaching. It changed her life. “That little baby kept this for three years, and whatever connection we had stuck with him,” she reminisced with tears in her eyes. “And then there are all the hugs I get from my former students, who are now fifth graders. This is an incredible feeling!”

Ochoa continues to teach to this day and doesn’t plan to quit. She also brings joy to people’s lives through her beautiful creations. Shylo had learned the art of making jewelry from her grandmother. Ochoa had always been drawn to crystals and things that sparkled, and she enjoyed learning to craft unique creations.

Making necklaces, rings, and bracelets was a fun hobby that helped her decompress. The more she made, the more creative she became. Soon Shylo’s friends told her that she needed to create a Facebook page and share her pieces with the world.

At first she said no, feeling that it would make her vulnerable, and open herself up to the criticism of others. But when she finally decided to share her jewelry, and launch her business Works of Heart by Shylo, she received nothing but positive reviews. One of her early customers was a gentleman who asked Ochoa to make an engagement ring for his future wife. Ochoa was in disbelief that he wanted her to make such an important gift.

While teaching and creating jewelry allowed her to follow the passions in her heart, her head was still fascinated with design, floor plans, and structure. She loved old houses and antiques because of their beauty and because of the stories behind them. Like her carefully crafted jewelry, a home was built for people to enjoy, and to be the foundation for the creation of memories. When she and her husband bought their first house, they felt that their agent hadn’t kept them informed, and remembered feeling like the entire experience was scary. She wanted to inform and empower clients who are making one of the biggest purchases in their lives.

One day at recess, Ochoa told her coworkers that she was going to become a real estate agent. They knew how much she loved teaching, and did not believe her. She had her own misgivings, feeling she needed to stay focused on teaching, but the idea continued bubbling up in her heart and mind for four years.

Shylo decided to enroll in a real estate course, promising herself that if she didn’t pass, she would not pursue it, but if she passed, it meant she needed to follow through and impact the world as a REALTOR®.

As she progressed through the classes, she continued to pass the tests. Ochoa remembers saying to herself, “God, are You sure?” When it came down to the State and National exams, she knew it was “sink or swim” time. She has always tried to allow things to be organic, and if something was not meant for her, she would let it go and not allow herself to feel stressed over it.

Shylo started her career as a REALTOR® in November 2019. She sets herself apart from other agents in the way that she incorporates her background in education, helping her clients feel informed and empowered about the choices they can make. She is very detail-oriented and shares numbers, charts, and data with her clients. She wants the experience to be as effortless and worry-free as possible.

Ochoa credits her success with Keller Williams to the support and education that they provided her. In 2019, Ochoa received a bronze medal for her volume during her first year as a REALTOR®. Shylo was grateful, but told friends, “Next year is gold!” The following year, Ochoa’s production was $1.2 million and she received a gold medal!

Art credit: Corpus Christi Portrait Artist, Alison McLean Schuchs

In a room full of professionals, Ochoa knows she belongs there and wants others to know that she belongs there as well. Her advice to others is to not let people take advantage of them, or see them as “less than.” She encourages others not to be afraid to put themselves out there by asking for help, and by celebrating the successes of others.

Shylo has also learned that not every client that comes her way is meant for her. There can be great wisdom, and peace, in referring a client out. She discovered that it is ok not to be everything to everyone. If an agent is not compatible with a client, the best help they can give is to connect them with someone who is a better fit for their expectations and values.

Ochoa thinks of her clients and her students as her friends, and treats them that way. Shylo tries to create a safe little community with others, caring about them as people, and not just talking about business. Shylo believes in being transparent. “What you see is what you get. I don’t pretend to know everything, but I know where to find the answers,” she said.

While juggling three professions, Ochoa continues to focus on her own growth. With everything going on in the real estate market, Shylo said it is important for agents to stay informed and keep expanding their knowledge. She continues to perfect her skills by reading and learning about what the market is doing so she can understand the trends she sees. Shylo also enjoys being able to lay it all out on a canvas.

Teaching in itself is demanding. Adding her growing Works of Heart by Shylo, and then pursuing real estate as well may seem overwhelming to some, but not to Shylo. She believes it’s not about balance, but about prioritizing. “You need to do what you need to get done, when it needs to get done,” she laughed, adding “Just let that energy flow as you complete it.”

Ochoa’s husband of 23 years has been very influential in her life. “He has this ability to remain calm in chaos, and deliver what needs to be delivered effectively,” she said warmly. “I wear my heart on my sleeve and I see it, feel it, and say it in the moment. But he is my calm in the storm, and I look up to that.” She said her husband’s generous, selfless nature teaches her by example, and he is her biggest encourager, supporting her in all that she does.

“It is possible!” Shylo said. “I feel like my life has been a little bit of everything. Education, real estate, and art all picked me. I really feel like the thing that keeps coming to me it’s possible, and I must remind myself of that. Life is good.” Through the ups and downs, the bumpy roads, and the hardships, Shylo has held on to her joy. This Rising Star is making the world a better and brighter place for others.

Location provided by Bloom City Coffee