CORPUS CHRISTI
C O N N E C T I N G .
E L E VAT I N G .
I N S P I R I N G .
RISING STAR STEPHANIE WHITE Focus on People and Enjoy the Journey
BREWER There’s No Place Like Home Photography By Shoocha Photography HMUA: Hair and Makeup by Lulu
PREFERRED PARTNER FIDELITY NATIONAL HOME WARRANTY, REPRESENTED BY BETHANY MARIN Helping Homeowners Maintain Their Investment LEADERSHIP IN THE LIMELIGHT POV by Josh Henderson
DECEMBER 2021
We Were Built To Work with YOU “THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS GREAT! Juan and the
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2 • December 2021
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#HeilClosingTeam Established in 2018 The Law Office of Jacyr Heil, PLLC is a full service title insurance agency located in Corpus Christi. Our team is committed to providing the highest standard of Title, Escrow and Closing services available in the real estate industry. We are experienced, professional, friendly, and accessible. Utilizing the latest systems and technology, be assured that we are equipped to handle your transactions.
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 3
TAB LE OF
CONTENTS 12
14
18
Publisher’s Note: Embracing Failure
Preferred Partner Spotlight: Bethany Marin
Community: Choice Living Community
22
28
34
Rising Star: Stephanie White
Real Producer: Romy Brewer
Inspiring: Leadership in the Limelight
If you are interested in contributing or nominating REALTORS® for certain stories, please email us at amanda.carmichael@realproducersmag.com. DISCLAIMER: Any articles included in this publication and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of The N2 Company d/b/a Real Producers but remain solely those of the author(s). The paid advertisements contained within the Corpus Christi Real Producers magazine are not endorsed or recommended by The N2 Company or the publisher. Therefore, neither The N2 Company nor the publisher may be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies.
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6 • December 2021
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MEET THE
CORPUS CHRISTI REAL PRODUCERS TEAM
Amanda Carmichael Owner / Publisher
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PREFERRED PARTNERS
This section has been created to give you easier access when searching for a trusted real estate affiliate. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the businesses sponsoring your magazine. These local businesses are proud to partner with you and make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and thank them for supporting the REALTOR® community!
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ATTORNEY The Law Office of Jacyr Heil, PLLC (361) 986-1509 HeilTexasLaw.com AUTO REPAIR CC Transformations (361) 882-9611 CCTAutoRepair.com COACHING/CONSULTING Ellison Helmsman Inc (361) 355-4970 EllisonHelmsman.com
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LANDSCAPING & LAWN South Texas Curb Appeal LLC (361) 541-3652 SouthTexasCurbAppeal.com MARKETING AGENCY JBBM Marketing (361) 334-0261 MORTGAGE / LENDER Alterra Home Loans (361) 492-9353 juang.goalterra.com First Community Bank (361) 888-9310 fcbot.com Home Source Mortgage (361) 334-8370 www.closedwithclaudia.com Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. Leanna Gonzales (361) 214-5105
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 11
Embracing
FAILURE publisher’s note For some of us, an upcoming new year means a fresh start. A time to celebrate our achievements. For others, it’s a reminder of the goals we didn’t achieve. While many of us are beginning to goal-plan and strategize for the upcoming year, we often forget the most important elements of setting goals. Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” We live in an incredibly fast-paced world. Taking the time for reflection is underutilized through the year and reserved for year’s end. Reflecting requires pressing pause on the chaos of life and simply taking the time to think and ponder about your life. It’s an incredibly valuable practice. A lack of reflection causes us to simply keep running, trying to keep up with things even if things aren’t going well. We feel like we’re simply trying to keep our heads above water. We end up doing the same things repeatedly, even if those things aren’t producing the results we had hoped for. What goals did I achieve? What goals didn’t I achieve? What unforeseen goals did I acquire? What impact did I make on others?
12 • December 2021
Winners and losers have the same goals. Goal setting suffers from a serious case of survivorship. We concentrate on the people who end up winning—the survivors—and mistakenly assume that ambitious goals led to their success while overlooking all the people who had the same objective but didn’t succeed. Surprisingly, those who sharply focus on the goal are typically the losers, while those who found joy in the process end up winning. Goals often restrict your happiness. The implicit assumption behind any goal is this: “Once I reach my goal, then I’ll be happy.” The problem with a goals-first mentality is that you’re continually putting happiness off until the next milestone. When you fall in
love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy.
Every experience, no matter what the outcome, adds richness and depth to your life. Your failures were not a waste of time but rather blessings in disguise. Failure allows you to tell compelling stories and take away important lessons that victories just don’t. With the positive moments, you
build joy, and with the difficult times, you build strength.
Everyone has a story…a history…a series of failures and mistakes that have shaped them into the person they are today. I, for one, believe we shouldn’t be ashamed of our story. Our story is what helped us become the person we are. That story is what taught us great life lessons that we might not have learned otherwise. That story is what will help us make better and wiser decisions in our future. That story is who we are…it is us. @realproducers
What Drives You?
Excellent Service, Safety & Getting You Back On The Road Asap Are Our Top Priorities! Collisions & Repairs When I hear others share their life stories, it is those mishaps and failures and even mistakes that end up having the most profound impact on me. Their stories of overcoming hardships and standing up after falling…those are what inspire me to want to be better in my own life. Those stories are what speak to our hearts. And how unfortunate would it be if those stories hadn’t been shared by that person….how different would my life have turned out if I hadn’t been inspired by hearing from them? While you continue to plan your 2022 goals, incorporate self-reflection and let your failures be your testimony. I wish you all happiness and joy over the holidays with your loved ones. Amanda Carmichael
Corpus Christi Real Producers, Publisher
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preferred partner spotlight Written By Dr. Kasia Suarez Photography By TresPiña Photography
F I D E L I T Y N AT I O N A L HOME WARRANTY
bethany MARIN
Bethany Marin felt content working as a fitness manager and personal trainer at a luxury health club, pool, and gym. She really enjoyed her job at Life Time Fitness, just outside of Chicago. Bethany never imagined that she would move hundreds of miles away from family, find a job selling home warranties, and discover her niche in life!
14 • December 2021
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In 2007, Bethany started her career as a group fitness manager and a personal trainer at Life Time Fitness in the suburbs of Chicago. She enjoyed what she did, but while on a trip to Texas to visit relatives, Bethany met her future husband. In 2012 she moved to Corpus Christi to start a new life, but she teased her family that she gave them up in exchange for warmer weather. Bethany arrived in Corpus Christi and immediately obtained her real estate license. She continued to work as a fitness trainer while she started building her real estate business. One day, the local Fidelity National Home Warranty representative called Bethany to say she was moving away. She recommended that Bethany fill the role. Bethany was intrigued. She read all the home warranty brochures cover to cover, and even created a spreadsheet comparing the companies. Bethany analyzed the data and realized that Fidelity National Home Warranty cost clients the least and gave them the most coverage. Bethany prayed about it and decided that if she was going to represent a home warranty company, she was going to choose the best one. Bethany started her new, rewarding career with Fidelity National Home Warranty in 2014. She loves what the company stands for. At the end of the day, Fidelity National Home Warranty always does what is best for the client, and they stand by their contract. A home is the biggest investment most people make in their lives, and a home warranty helps offset the cost of maintaining that investment. A home warranty covers the cost of fixing systems and appliances that break due to normal wear and tear. “My family’s home was built in 1962, and I love the character,” Bethany shared. “But it seems like
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I’m calling Fidelity National Home Warranty every few months! They’ve fixed our air conditioner, water heater, garbage disposal, garage door opener, pool pump, and washing machine, just to name a few items!” Bethany truly enjoys educating agents and homeowners on how, and why, the warranty works. People often ask why a homeowner can’t just go get a new dishwasher and send the bill to their home warranty company and get reimbursed. Bethany counters with this question: can you get a new car and just send the bill to your auto insurance company? Just like the auto insurance company needs to know if you actually got in a car wreck, or just wanted a new car, a home warranty company needs to know the reason for the requested change. Was your dishwasher repairable, or did you remodel your kitchen, and just wanted a new dishwasher? The first situation is covered by a home warranty. The second one has to come out of the homeowner’s budget. Home warranties seem like a small piece of the real estate transaction. In actuality, they help limit the liabilities of all the parties involved. It’s a win-win when the home warranty policy will cover the cost to fix something, rather than the potential buyer having to go back to the seller to ask for repairs. A home warranty contract is a binding contract in the same way that a real estate contract is binding. When there is a contract in place, the policyholder can’t do whatever they want; they have to honor the contract. At times, Bethany has to inform a client that the home warranty does not cover an item. When she does, Bethany will gladly recommend a trusted professional to complete the client’s project. Bethany contributes her success with Fidelity National Home Warranty to the fact that she suits up and shows up. Bethany quips, “Showing up is half the battle!” Marin said it is the same principle as teaching fitness classes. Sometimes showing up to the gym is the hardest part. Then once you are there, it’s easy to do the work.
Corpus Christi Real Producers • 15
“As a Home Warranty Representative, I try to get in front of agents as often as I can,” explained Bethany. “If I can’t get in front of agents at their offices, I plan events to get them to come to me. I have done REALTOR® bus trips, pedicure-and-learn CE classes, headshot events, and other things to add value to REALTORS® and continue to stay top-of-mind.” When Bethany took over Fidelity National Home Warranty, she was still new to Corpus Christi and had to get creative in order to meet new agents. Bethany would attend open houses on Sundays and bring agents a snack just to introduce herself. Bethany went from no sales, when she took over the position, to being a gold producer. Part of that is because she continued to be persistent. Other home warranty agents come and go, but Bethany didn’t leave just because things weren’t easy. Bethany got her unstoppable attitude from her mother, who contracted polio when she was vaccinated at 8 months old. Bethany’s mom didn’t seek pity or feel sorry for herself. She just lived her life like a normal person, even though she had to wear a brace her whole life. Bethany never thought of her mom as having a disability because her mom never acted like she was unable to do things. She did everything that everyone else did; sometimes, she just did them at a slower pace. Bethany would answer the questions her friends asked, but she never drew attention to her mother’s brace.
act like a victim, or expect people to treat her differently. My mom never applied for disability or government aid when I was growing up. She led by example and showed me that no one has to have the mindset of a victim. She never let that define her, and I honor her for her strength.” Bethany loves supporting the Coastal Bend community. Bethany donates her time and resources in actively supporting New Life Refuge Ministries, and gets involved in as many New Life events as she can. Bethany helps out at First Baptist Church and sits on different committees for CCAR so she can stay connected with real estate agents. Bethany enjoys a healthy work-life balance. When not helping homeowners or REALTORS® with home warranties, Bethany stays busy with her family. Her daughter is almost 5 and keeps Bethany on her toes. Bethany teaches a couple of fitness classes each week. Bethany loves to paddle-board, play tennis, and rollerblade for fun. She also finds it enjoyable to teach TREC-approved CE classes for REALTORS®. Just give her a call! “Just remember,” Bethany smiled, “A home is the biggest investment most people make in their lives, and Fidelity National Home Warranty helps offset the cost of maintaining that investment!”
“I always had so much respect and admiration for my mother, and I feel I had even more respect for her as I became an adult,” shared Bethany proudly. “She didn’t ever
16 • December 2021
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 17
CHOICE LIVING COMMUNITY
community
Written by Ruth Gnirk
Celebrates Two Years As A Coastal Bend Resource, Providing Training for Adults With Disabilities
Following the footsteps of her grandmother, Jennifer Scott chose teaching as her profession. She worked with special education students in the public school system in the Houston, TX area for several years. She had seen hundreds of these students who needed additional training, and the routine of the school environment, but had “graduated,” or aged out, of public education. Her heart ached for these adults because she recognized their potential as well as their additional needs. Jennifer knew these special students would not only function but flourish with continuing enrollment in programs that promoted independence in the area(s) of vocational, social, and life skills. So she earned her doctorate in special education and started sharing her vision with 18 • December 2021
others. Then two years ago this month, she made her idea a reality by registering Choice Living Community as a 501(c)(3) and opening the first location in the Coastal Bend. “Choice Living Community helps adults with disabilities maintain a critical and consistent schedule by providing an individualized approach to working on transition skills once they have left public education,” Dr. Scott explained passionately. “We implement projects that respond directly to the needs of the individual. We also encourage community stakeholders to create and develop projects that our clients can help to complete. We believe in facilitation; allowing the individual adults to take ownership of the projects themselves, empowering them to face the challenges affecting them, and also ensuring that they are sustainable and inclusive.”
Two years ago, Dr. Scott was collecting data to confirm Coastal Bend’s need for Choice Living Community. At that time, there were members of more than 155,000 Texas families on a waiting list for special needs programs and safe places for these vulnerable adults to live. The Texas Education Agency reported that a single Corpus Christi school district had nearly 1,200 special education students. They also reported that Nueces County had over 800 special education students in the class of 2020. “Our mission is to provide a day transition center that continues to deliver innovative and individualized programs to advance the achievement and knowledge for adults with disabilities in the areas of vocational, life, and social skills,” explained Dr. Scott. “Our vision includes a full-time residential facility that will provide an opportunity for adults with disabilities to live as independently as possible.” Dr. Scott and Choice Living Community are making their mission a reality. The first annual Unity In Community fundraising gala and silent auction was a @realproducers
success. It allowed the community to spend time together creating fun memories while they learned more about Dr. Scott’s vision and excitement for what is already happening for Choice Living Community, and what is on the horizon. The fun continued as Choice Living Community transitioned into its fall and winter program. Dibros Pianos donated a beautiful new stand-up piano, as well as continued support through other donations. Choice Living Community clients have also been enjoying their social outings on Thursdays and have gone to places such as the Texas State Aquarium and The Lunch Guy. Choice Living Community is currently utilizing a building on the Annapolis Christian School campus while they search for the best location for their permanent home. The summer 2021 program was held in their former, smaller location and served 10 clients. The ongoing program is currently
serving seven clients. The new center is able to provide independent programs for up to 85 clients and has full and part-time options available. The future center will include a centralized teaching and community building which will continue to provide the same structured programs, both individual and group-style, Monday through Friday. The future campus will eventually include residential housing where independent special needs adults will live. Dr. Scott is eagerly anticipating making the vision a reality! “I want to leave a legacy that shows the God-driven path I was on,” shared Dr. Scott, “and that He gave me the strength and courage to proceed during a time in our society where positivity and love were not the first impulse. I want people to see the love and strength that I poured into opening a facility where our clients have a community of support, and where they can live out their lives in a safe and
secure environment. My encouragement for others is, do not give up, even when times are tough. Hold your head up high and follow your dreams!” If you would like more information on the programs offered by Choice Living Community, or if you want to learn how to become a volunteer or donor, you can contact Dr. Scott at admin@choiceliving.org
Capturing Life, Creating Art 361-742-0333
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 19
20 • December 2021
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 21
S
tephanie White came into real estate to help people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives. She wants to help others make their dreams come true, but she learned not to be too focused on the end result. Stephanie encourages other REALTORS® to shift their focus off of the goal of completing a transaction and instead seek to enjoy the process of helping clients. She reminds herself and others that the closing will come. When REALTORS® passionately help their clients, the end result will happen. Stephanie was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. When she was in the seventh grade, her parents told her that her father could no longer extend his tour in Corpus Christi, because the U.S. Coast Guard needed him in New Orleans. Stephanie missed all her friends so much that she cried the entire eight-hour drive to their new home. Four years later, Stephanie’s parents broke the news again. Because of where her father was being stationed, they were going to move back to Corpus Christi. Stephanie was heartbroken. She had finally gotten accustomed to New Orleans and had made new friends.
STEPHANIE
WHITE
22 • December 2021
@realproducers
rising star Written by Dr. Kasia Suarez Photography By TresPiña Photography HMUA: Hair and Makeup by Lulu
Stephanie didn’t want to be a “new” student her senior year, so she worked hard and graduated one year early. Her parents found irony in Stephanie’s reluctance to move away and then return. They still chuckle about how she cried all the way there and all the way back. After Stephanie graduated from high school, a temp agency placed her in an off-campus bookstore for Del Mar College. Many of her coworkers had worked at the bookstore for 15 years or more, but Stephanie distinguished herself through her diligence and her cheerful attitude, and soon the owner offered her a permanent position. Stephanie worked hard and saved her earnings. A year later she was able to purchase her first property. She was the proud owner of a townhouse, and she was only 19! When she was 23, Stephanie met her future husband on a blind date. His daughter was 6, and Stephanie’s daughter was 4.
As Stephanie was weighing her options, her husband encouraged her to take time off from working, but Stephanie could not just sit back. Within a month, she began working part-time as an office manager for a local engineering firm. Within a year, Stephanie realized she needed a full-time job. She contacted a friend with a credit repair company. Soon business was booming and Stephanie decided to focus on credit repair full time. She was working with REALTORS® and loan officers daily, and they kept telling her she would make a great real estate agent.
Three years later, they were married in her parents’ backyard. They toured Europe for two weeks. She enjoyed Spain and France, but her favorite memories are from the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Stephanie worked at the bookstore for a total of 12 years. She had started as a cashier, then worked her way up to accounts receivable, and finally earned a position as an assistant manager. Eventually, a managerial position became available at the on-campus bookstore, and Stephanie immediately accepted. She was able to triple sales from $800k to $2.4 million. However, the position was not what she had hoped for. Stephanie worked there for nine months but became overwhelmed and stressed out. Before resigning from the bookstore, Stephanie was offered a job as an insurance processor. That’s how she met one of her lifelong friends. Stephanie also discovered that sitting at a desk in silence for eight hours was not a good fit for her high energy or her passion for communication. However, she and her best friend believe God placed Stephanie there because He knew they needed to be a part of each other’s lives.
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“I read so many Facebook posts about how REALTORS® did all these amazing things for clients, and they were so happy,” Stephanie explained. “It seemed much more rewarding on that side of the transaction, so I decided to help clients on the home-purchasing side.” The first broker Stephanie worked with holds a special place in her heart. She believed Stephanie would make a great agent, and found Stephanie a real estate training Groupon for $200. Stephanie soon decided to focus on real estate full time, setting aside her work in credit repair.
Corpus Christi Real Producers • 23
Two months into her career as a full-time REALTOR®, Stephanie heard about eXp Realty and joined the cloudbased brokerage. By the end of her first year, Stephanie had sold 38 houses and had $6.7 M in volume. She received eXp’s Icon Agent Award. Stephanie worked hard. She never judged a book by its cover because she knew how much it hurt to be judged by others. A REALTOR® never knows who they may come across, or what their needs are, no matter how they look or what kind of house they are looking for. “I was ready to buy my first property when I was 19, but lenders wouldn’t take me seriously. I was trying to get pre-approved for a mortgage, and I felt like the lender was judging me because of my age. They asked if my mom would co-sign, and I said ‘No!’ Finally a third lender actually pulled my credit, and I got approved for a condo,” Stephanie shared. Today, Stephanie White is an agent with KM Premier Real Estate. She loves the culture, values, family atmosphere, expectations, mindset, and
high standards. Stephanie is surrounded by people who know more than her, and that is how she grows. KM Premier won 2021 Best of the Best Real Estate Company, and her colleague won the Best of the Best Real Estate Agent! Stephanie feels blessed because of what she learned during her journey, and as a REALTOR®. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. Stephanie leads by example and supports other agents even if they make a mistake. She likes to take advantage of an opportunity to instruct newer agents, so they don’t repeat her mistakes. Stephanie believes in integrity and honesty. Many of her clients have commended her for that. She never pushes a sale on a client. Stephanie does the right thing, even if it costs her something. She is always available, answering her phone and being relatable. Although before this journey began, Stephanie didn’t view herself as a truly religious person, now she knows that God has been the reason for her many blessings. Stephanie said God has taught her a lot about relating to people, especially through her past customer service
STEPHANIE SAID
GOD HAS TAUGHT HER A LOT ABOUT RELATING TO PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH HER PAST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCES. 24 • December 2021
@realproducers
experiences. She has always wanted to help people. In the past, Stephanie didn’t realize what she was preparing for or what her life was building up to, but now she can relate to anyone! Stephanie guides her clients through the entire process. Because of a negative personal experience she had while purchasing her second home, before she was a REALTOR®, she is careful to explain everything. Her transparency sets her apart. Stephanie’s family, including her mom, is her biggest reason for success. She is grateful for their love and support. She also appreciates the training she had over the years. Stephanie is grateful for her contacts and other agents she can call her friends.
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Jamie Hartley
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 27
ROMY BREWER
Romy Brewer used to feel like a professional mover. Her husband was a naval officer for 25 years, and during 19 of those years, their
family moved 16 times! Romy knows first-hand about the mixed emotions and stress a move brings to a family, even when the move is a positive one. Romy said, “I feel like I can help ease the stress of that big life event by making my clients’ experience as smooth and wellplanned as possible, trying to stay a step ahead, remembering the challenges of finding a home, meeting that budget, convincing reluctant kids, and then physically moving.”
Romy has always worked in a service industry job, from being a local drug store pharmacy clerk in high school to a waitress during college at the University of North Carolina to a Piedmont Airlines Flight Attendant after flying the coop. She reunited with her high school sweetheart after years apart and after she had completed flight attendant training. She sent him a postcard that read “Marry Me, Fly Free.” They married in 1990. After their children were born, Romy became a stay-at-home mom. Being “home-based” allowed her the freedom to be a room mom for her children’s classrooms and serve as a member of various civic organizations, as well.
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In 2006, Romy’s husband received a military transfer that moved their family from Virginia to South Texas. She still remembers being surprised by, and in awe of, the pride that Texans have in their state. She was also thrilled to find that Portland, TX, was like Andy Griffith’s Mayberry. “In urban Virginia, IF a child was allowed to ride his bike to school, and he had not chained the frame to the bike rack, it would have been stolen in minutes,” Romy explained. “In Portland, TX, many children, even tiny kinder babies, rode bikes and scooters to school alone and then just casually left them at the bike rack. Most didn’t even lock them up! At the end of the day, I was always amazed
to see that their bikes were still there. I knew this was the right place for us!” They rented a house their first year, thinking that they would be moving soon due to her husband’s Navy career. However, the longer the Brewers lived in Portland, the more they loved it and didn’t want to leave. After many nights of family discussion, Romy’s husband chose to retire from the Navy, and the family decided to put down roots in the community. They bought a house with a view they loved, and Romy and her husband started a habit of enjoying the sunset together on their back porch.
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 29
Romy loved being a homemaker, but she was also a people person and had a heart for serving others. As high school graduation loomed for her daughter, Maggie, she knew she was going to have even more time to serve. And with two kids in college, more bills! She wanted to find a way to help others while using her experiences “on the road” as well as her artistic creativity and hospitality skills, to earn an income. Her experiences as a serial mover and her passion for helping people find where they belong prompted her to earn her real estate license in 2014. “During Maggie’s senior year, she would come home to an empty house because I was out showing houses,” recalled Romy, “and I would get text messages from her that said, ‘Mooooooommm, why aren’t you at home making cookies for me?’ She was mostly joking, but it was a big change!” Romy said that although people view a career in real estate as a sales job, she doesn’t see it that way. Her goal is to show clients houses that match what they tell her they are looking for and then watch their reactions. “You can see it go all over them when it’s ‘the one’.” Brewer believes it is her job to escort her clients through the process, start to finish, of buying or selling a home. Her focus is on managing the details to make buying or selling as stress-free as possible.
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Clients sense that I am not under any pressure and that I am not trying to rush them through their decision-making process. I am on their timeline. Because she has so much personal experience as a buyer, seller, mover, and tenant, Romy wants to help make the entire transition better for her clients. “I’m a facilitator!” Romy beamed. “Clients sense that I am not under any pressure and that I am not trying to rush them through their decision-making process. I am on their timeline. I love to shop, and I am more than happy to shop with my clients until they are sure they are ready to finalize things.” Romy started her career as a REALTOR® at Coldwell Banker Pacesetter Steel Realtors. She said that her broker, April Magnuson, gave her a firm foundation in real estate with her calm demeanor, skills, and wealth of professional knowledge. Brewer learned from April for seven years and was grateful for the structured environment and resources available through the national franchise. She has so much respect for April Magnuson and still believes it was the best place she could have started her career.
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I love to shop, and I am more than happy to shop with my clients until they are sure they are ready to finalize things. This May, Romy transitioned to the family-owned brokerage of K&M Premier Real Estate. She was drawn to it largely because of the KM Cares and KM Support Local programs. KM Cares is the way the KM Premier team makes a regular and intentional impact on the community it serves with events and efforts to recognize our everyday heroes and citizens. “We try to make small gestures of our gratitude with helpful giveaways, such as our upcoming turkey giveaway, to the communities we serve. Sometimes we just show up to express our love and support for our communities, such as participating in Gregory’s recent patriotic parade on September 11.” “I was drawn to KM Premier because of their strong history of community service. I didn’t want to just watch KM REALTORS® serving, I wanted to be a part of an organization doing something positive! Our broker, Kamran Zarghouni, doesn’t just create opportunities to help our neighbors, he attracts that kind of agent to the team to build that culture of caring.” Romy Brewer loves her job and hopes to continue serving clients across the Coastal Bend. “I believe my purpose is to buff the painful, stressful, edges off the moving process for my clients,” she said. “I have seen the high emotions of moving reflected in my children’s eyes. I have been there, done that, many times, and I want to make it better for them, because, ultimately, there’s no place like home.”
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 33
in the Limelight
LEADERSHIP 34 • December 2021
Tears had welled up in her eyes. The conversation we were having was about the growth she was experiencing in all areas of her life. She had Written by Preferred Partner come from a past Josh Henderson of where she had not Ellison Helmsman been seen, where Photography the value that by TresPiña she had was not Photography reflected back to her, and where she had been severely critiqued without kindness by many around her. The conversation was about how to handle the affirmation she was now receiving, as her work was becoming more noticeable to a larger group of people, and her sphere of influence expanded. Leadership is a word often used, a topic often studied, and a skill never fully mastered. But like many words, it has no commonly accepted single, simple definition. We understand it the way we understand a kaleidoscope. We are familiar with it, but each time we take a look, we see something new. One thing is true. Leadership in any context, and at every level, simply comes down to being in a position to help others achieve. Being a source of help is the very core of leadership. And because helping another is an act of service that requires the subjugation of self-interest, then service and sacrifice are part and parcel of true leadership.
with leaders of legendary status in the Corpus Christi real estate market, she has noticed a common thread. “I have to plead with them to let me write the feature on their impact in the community,” she reflected. “They don’t have any desire to take credit for the impact of their leadership.” With near absolute consistency, every leader who has been featured has required great coaxing before they agreed to accept the invitation to be featured. Simply put, a shared characteristic of these legendary leaders is that they have no desire to stand in the spotlight and receive recognition for their leadership. It makes complete sense. Author Mollie Marti wrote, “A noble leader answers not to the trumpet calls of self-promotion, but to the hushed whispers of necessity.” At the core of the impact these influencers have had in leadership, you will find a heart of service.
Since its inaugural issue in June of this year, Corpus Christi Real Producers has presented a feature called Legendary Leader in each issue. As Amanda Carmichael has interacted @realproducers
inspiring
A true servant feels awkward in the limelight. It isn’t about them. It never was. It was always about the achievements of those around them; the people they felt compelled to serve and elevate in their own paths and successes. This is why it is completely predictable that when featured, every single servant-leader has made a point to turn the attention back to the people around them. They give credit to the drive, ambition, vision, loyalty, and dedication of the people who have walked alongside them in their journey. When asked if she found it hard to be recognized for her 50 years of leadership in the real estate community, Phyllis Lee deliberately said, “I’ve always said that team means together each achieves more. I love helping people, and really that is all leadership is.” Developer Mark Uhr confirmed this emphasis on meeting the needs of the team when he said, “It’s all about guiding people through their trials and tribulations and leading them down the path.” Regardless of the countless books that exist on the topic, leadership comes down to a very few core principles, the greatest of which is service to others. Based on the experience Real Producers has had in presenting Legendary Leaders, it seems that this is true even more so in the times that leaders are recognized for their leadership. They do not see themselves as the focus of the recognition. As it was during the times
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Corpus Christi Real Producers • 35
of leadership they’ve demonstrated, the emphasis was always on those they lead. She was wiping the tears away, and it was clear she was prepared to hear what she needed to hear. Now that she had reached this point in her career and was receiving the recognition she had hoped for so long, it was time to move to the next level of leadership. She, like these legendary leaders, would engage in the final and perhaps greatest act of service in leadership. She would accept the opportunity to stand in the limelight. Not because she would take credit for herself, but because she would take the opportunity to receive recognition so that she could effortlessly mirror it back to those around her in her journey.
This is the final act of leadership: to reflect credit back and to let others see into the hearts and minds of real leaders so that they too might become legendary in their service through leadership. This is what makes them legendary.
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