Linda GarciaLinda@mortgagesbylinda.com
(904) 591-3662
Nick Garcianick@mortgagesbylinda.com
(904) 651-7179
"Nick has been with Mortgages By Linda as a mortgage loan originator for 3 years and is licensed with NMLS (National Mortgage License System). Nick is also the Marketing Director for Mortgages By Linda. He graduated from the University of North Florida with a degree in Advertising as well as a Master's degree in Psychology."
Ti any Vealti any@mortgagesbylinda.com 904-813-8573
"Ti any is a native of Jacksonville and serves as the Customer Relations Manager at Mortgages
By Linda. She has over 30 years of professional experience in many di erent industries that were usually strategic planning focused. Ti any is the mother of four and loves to spend time with her family and to participate in anything outdoors."
"Linda has been in the mortgage business for 20+ years and is licensed with the NMLS (National Mortgage License System) for Florida. She was raised in Panama City Florida and relocated to Jacksonville in 1987. She has 2 children, Danielle and Nick that were raised here in Jacksonville Florida. She loves to spend time with her family, shopping, fine dining, and traveling. She started her career in the mortgage business after being a stay at home mom with her 2 children for 10 years. She started out working with a large national bank and then transitioned to the broker world shortly after. She established Mortgages By Linda in 2013 and has proven to be one of the top-producing licensed Mortgage Loan Originators (MLO) in the state of Florida."
Matt Morinmatt@mortgagesbylinda.com 904-881-4183
"Matt joined Mortgages By Linda as a Loan Originator and the Director of Business Development. His outstanding personality is the perfect match for him to interact with clients and other professionals. His goal is to provide top notch customer service and fast closing times. Matt’s prior experience was as an environmental consultant where he performed due diligence assessments for commercial property transactions. This experience is what sparked his interest in the real estate industry. His passion for the industry and strong attention to detail make him a great addition to the team. When he is not crushing it in the mortgage industry he loves spending time with his family. Matt is a graduate of the University of South Florida. "
8833 Perimeter Park Blvd Suite 403 | Jacksonville, FL 32216 (904) 591-3662 | mortgagesbylinda.com
#TeamMBL
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!
ART
John Beard Collection (904) 860-6690 johnbeardcollection.com
Collins Builders (904) 575-0400 CollinsBuilders.net
Blue Moon Estate Sales of Jacksonville
Valerie Sprague (904) 477-4871 bluemoonestatesales.com
HOME BUYER
Mac Home Development Inc (904) 887-4015 machomedevelopment.com
HOME WARRANTY
2-10 Home Warranty (904) 652-5931 2-10.com
First American Home Warranty (904) 718-3685 firstamrealestate.com
Old Republic Home Protection (904) 994-6620
ORHP.com
AmeriSpec
Inspection Services (904) 448-5016 amerispec.com/locations/fl/ jacksonville
LunsPro Inspections (904) 249-6523 LunsProFlorida.com
River City Home Inspections (904) 654-4732 rivercityinspect.com
INSURANCE AGENCY
Brightway Insurance - The Pihl Agency
Michele Mcilmurray (904) 262-2886 BrightwayJax.com
Atlantic Trust Mortgage (904) 338-9356 AtlanticTrustMortgage.com
CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC (904) 829-8631 crosscountrymortgage.com/ My-CC-Team
Dan Ribler (904) 575-3290 FiberMortgage.com
First Coast Mortgage (703) 627-1775
FirstCoastMortgage Funding.com
Future Home Loans Mary Walker (904) 494-6000 future.loans
Gaye E. Jones (Annie Mac) (904) 599-2551
GayeJones.Annie-Mac.com
Heroes First Home Loans (904) 539-3790 heroesfirst.com
Jet Home Loans (904) 479-7468 JETHL.com
Loan Depot Tracy Hayes (904) 513-7950
Loandepot.com/branches/ jacksonville-fl
Mortgages By Linda (904) 591-3662 mortgagesbylinda.com/
Movement Mortgage Carlos Wilcox (904) 253-0940
NEXA Mortgage (904) 614-1146 scottneeley.com
North Florida Mortgage Brokers Timothy Newman (904) 755-0307 northfloridamortgage brokers.com
MOVING COMPANY
Jaguar Moving (904) 323-6978
JaguarMoving.com
Ocean Movers (904) 269-4430 Oceanmovers.net
OUTDOOR LIGHTING
JoyLights (904) 474-1768 WeBringTheJoy.com
PEST CONTROL SERVICES
Kingfish Pest Control (904) 595-5300 KingfishPest.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Renee Parenteau Photography (904) 236-5337 ReneeParenteauPhoto.com
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Collage Day School (904) 900-1439 CollageDaySchool.org
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS
Summit Properties International FL LLC (980) 253-5661
REAL ESTATE LAW
Head Moss Fulton & Griffin Law (904) 278-8200 hmfglaw.com
REAL ESTATE
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOS
The Listing Edge (904) 994-9176 listingedge.net
REAL ESTATE SCHOOL
Eagles World Real Estate School (904) 337-1392 eaglesworldrealtyjax.com/ real-estate-school/
ROOFING
Mighty Dog RoofingJacksonville FLA (914) 543-6067 mightydogroofing.com
ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION
South Edge Construction (904) 799-8000 southedgeconstruction.com
SPORTS TEAMS
Jacksonville Jaguars (904) 633-3348 Jaguars.com
STAGING & HOME DESIGN
Simply Dwell (904) 524-9835 simplydwell.com
TITLE COMPANY
Atlantic Coast Title & Escrow (904) 853-5591 atlanticcoasttitle andescrow.com
Landmark Title (904) 367-2525 LandmarkTitle.com
Milestone Title Services (904) 716-7285 milestonetitlesvcs.com
North Florida Title Company (904) 502-8813 NFTC.biz
Omega National Title Agency, LLC (904) 456-0858 Omeganationaltitle.com
TITLE SERVICES
Covenant Closing (386) 986-4623 covenantclosing.com
Who are you hanging out with the most?
As a former middle school teacher, I often heard others say, “They’re hang ing out with the wrong crowd.” I think most agree that it’s important for kids to be around other children who are good and not getting into trouble.
But to that point, I never really thought about how later in life it is still so important who we choose to surround ourselves with. I guess I just assumed that as long as I am hanging out with “good people” then life should be fine.
But I’ve learned there’s a lot more to it than that. There are a lot of “good” people in the world, but are they helping you or hurting you from becoming the person you want to be?
It’s so true that who you surround yourself with really does matter. If you set a goal to run a mar athon, then hanging out with people who do not have a healthy lifestyle (no matter how nice they are) and staying up late partying probably won’t help you reach your goal. But, if you hang out with people that focus on healthy eating, sleeping and
took a recent trip to Michigan to hang out with different business owners from around the country. Surrounding myself with like-minded, driven people has helped me elevate the person I want to be.
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn says that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.
In sports, players often play up or down to the skill level of the people they are playing with. Same thing in business. If we’re constantly around super stars, we will naturally pick up on their success habits, while the opposite is true if we spend most of our time with low performers.
That’s what Jax Real Producers is all about. Making connections with other top producers and business leaders who have similar mindsets. This commu nity helps one another reach the future they want.
Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.
The people you’re hanging out with today are shaping the person you will become tomorrow.” UNKNOWN
The importance of being genuine in this industry has been stated many times, but it can never be overstated. For every REALTOR®, broker, loan officer, manager or whatever part you play in real estate, the client will always know if you believe what you say. In this industry, you must truly love what you do, or else that insincerity will seep into your business.
That is why there is never a doubt about Kelly Capozzi’s genuine love for her job. Kelly is with First Coast Mortgage Funding (FCMF) and is the relation ship manager for Jason Kindler and Aaron Bacus, the two owners of the company.
“My job is to develop relationships with our REALTOR® partners, grow our sphere of influence, add value and provide support to agents,” Kelly explains.
“My dad served 30 years as an officer in the United States Army, so my sister and I were raised as Army Brats,” Kelly shares. “Then I continued my military life by marrying into it! In fact, my dad retired and my husband, Tony, commissioned within only three days of each other.”
Kelly goes on to explain how she has moved a total of 16 times. She has never lived in one spot for very long, with the longest stretch of time being a total of four years for college. “I went to Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA, and I earned a degree in public relations. Although I have lived all over, I claim Georgia as home. My parents were both raised there and always ensured we were ‘home’ in Milledgeville, GA, every Christmas and summer to be with family.
“My husband graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and then served in active-duty Army for 13 years. We have loved our life in the military, but after careful reevaluation of our long-term goals, we decided to transition to the Army Reserves and find a location to put down some roots for our three children.”
They knew that they wanted to be closer to family when they were going to settle down. With both of them being from the East Coast, they decided to take a spring break trip to Jacksonville to check out the area, as Kelly’s sister and her family live nearby. They both immediately knew that this is where they wanted to be, and so they moved to the Sunshine State in January of this year. “We love the area and appreciate the strong military presence and community here in Jacksonville!”
Kelly’s oldest son, Vinny, was born at 28 weeks gestation and weighed only 1 pound, 13 ounces. Kelly admits that this was the most difficult time in her life as her husband was also deployed to Afghanistan at the time. “It was a rough time, and I leaned heavily on my faith to get me through,” she shares. “I was 24 years old at the time, and I pretty much grew up overnight. I was suffering from post-par tum depression. I had a baby in critical con dition and a husband trying to make it back from the other side of the world.
“We were blessed with an amazing NICU staff; one of the doctors was pivotal in getting the emergency Red Cross message started to get Tony sent home. … Tony made it home two weeks after the birth. Vinny stayed in the NICU for two months and four days and still came home three weeks before his due date!”
Vinny is in great health 11 years after his premature birth.
“God has used my situation for His glory many times since; I have become the go-to for anyone who knows someone with a preemie, always available to answer ques tions and offer support! And I am pretty much an open book when it comes to my post-partum anxiety/depression and a strong advocate of mental health aware ness,” Kelly says.
Kelly was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years as she supported her husband in his full-time military career. “During that time, I served in several volunteer positions, including five years of service as the publicity chair for a military women’s ministry called Protestant Women of the Chapel. In that role, I facilitated their social media page and content, as well as all market ing and print ads.”
Her transition into the real estate industry happened rather quickly. “I happened into this industry purely by accident and through personal connections. I was connected to Jason and Aaron because of my background in communications and public relations. The experiences I’ve had through life as a military brat and then military spouse have developed my skills in relating and connecting to others and building community, which have translated wonderfully into my new role.”
Kelly explains, “Spending my life as a child, then spouse in the military meant that moving every two to three years was just normal for me. I can say that these life experiences have 100% made me good at what I do for First Coast. I did not real ize that walking into a room of strangers and finding someone to talk to is a skill. Or being able to find some common ground when talking to someone new. Or asking good questions to get to know someone.
“Jason and Aaron are great at what they do — mortgages — but they were feeling like there was something missing. They wanted to be able to go beyond providing excellent service; they wanted to really get to know their agents in order to meet their needs and form strong partnerships.”
It is here that Kelly and her superb communi cation skills come in. “I meet with agents one-on-one to get to know them and learn how we can best support them. I help bridge that gap.”
Kelly loves meeting new people and learning about them and what they do. “Most people in real estate have had previous careers or jobs, and I’m always fascinated to hear the journey that brought them to where they are now.
“One of my favorite things about working for FCMF is that Jason and Aaron truly care about their team and growing them professionally. We frequently share motivational podcasts or book recommen dations. They encourage me often to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. I have already grown and learned so much in my role since I started working for them a year ago.”
It is clear that you will always have an exceptional experience when working with FCMF and Kelly Capozzi. With a pro like Kelly as the head of relation ship building, that love and joy that you expect will always be undoubtedly genuine.
Website: firstcoastmortgagefunding.com
MY JOB IS TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR REALTOR® PARTNERS, GROW OUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, ADD VALUE AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO AGENTS.
Everyone has dealt with loss at some point in life, and most people receive a wake-up call after it happens. For Leah Maieski, one decision changed everything.
Leah Maieski is a REALTOR® with Slate Real Estate who leads her life by this quote: “You can fail at some thing you don’t love, so you might as well take a chance on something you do love.”
Leah grew up in a small town in the Hamptons on Long Island, NY, the old est of three girls. She knew she wanted to go to school in Florida and eventu ally settled on Jacksonville University. “Jacksonville had the beach, a city and a football team, so I was sold,” Leah says. At JU, Leah joined Tri Delta, which helped her “gain confidence and leadership skills.” Currently, Leah con tinues to be involved in Tri Delta as the president of the Jacksonville Tri Delta Alumnae chapter.
While Leah met her husband, Jimmy, in 2008 through a mutual friend, they didn’t start dating until 2010. In 2014, they tied the knot, and the two were happy and ready to begin their next chapter when Leah’s childhood best friend committed suicide two months later. This sent Leah spiraling into a depression for a long time.
Four years later, heartache struck again when Leah and her husband began to experience infertility. Leah says she hopes to be a mom sooner than later, but her infertility has slowed down this goal immensely, especially since her insurance has refused to pay for any IVF treat ments. Leah has experienced several miscarriages, and just a few weeks after one of them, in 2019, her father passed away. Two months after that, her father-in-law passed away. After her father passed away, Leah needed a distraction, and that’s when she felt like life is too short to be unhappy in her career. One week later, Leah signed up for real estate school, and that action changed her life.
Leah graduated from JU with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, then she returned to school in 2015 at Northcentral University to earn a master’s degree in education, special izing in leadership in higher educa tion. She then worked with adults with developmental disabilities as a support coordinator for years.
After Leah had been through the homebuilding and buying process, she met with her agent to discuss what a career in real estate could look like. Leah was intrigued, so she obtained her license. Her agent then introduced her to the leaders at her brokerage. Leah began to work with a team while continuing her job as a support coordinator. “I realized I couldn’t give 100% to both jobs, so I had to decide between the two. It was undoubtedly real estate,” Leah smiles.
Leah loves “helping people and goal-setting,” and she knew real estate could give her a chance to become an “instrumental part” of others’ lives. With real estate, Leah can help ensure her clients’ dreams and goals are reached simply by remembering how she felt buying her first home. “It’s overwhelming and exciting,” Leah recalls.
Another reason Leah enjoys being a REALTOR® is it allows her to try and reach her No. 1 goal, becoming a mom. Her career has allowed her to do several rounds of IVF, surgeries and pro cedures, all paid out-of-pocket and all made possible by her hard work.
While Leah puts “100% into every single transaction,” she also believes in making her mental health a priority. “Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s necessary,” says Leah. She loves self-care days when she gets a massage or acupuncture to help her relax and be the best version of her self. She also enjoys heading to the beach with a good book and taking dance classes. Taking care of herself allows Leah to take better care of her clients.
Even after she has finished a transaction, Leah never stops building relationships with her clients. Every year, she holds an appreciation event for her neighbors and clients. “I am proud to be a part of a brokerage that gives back to first responders, teachers, crossing guards and veterans.”
Currently, Leah is building a house in St. Johns County and working to become a mom. She hopes to start a real estate team soon so she can mentor new agents and help even more people reach their real estate goals. Admittedly, Leah says she still has difficult days retaining a “healthy work/life balance,” but she loves her decision to enter the real estate industry and “wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Congratulations to Leah Maieski for being this month’s Rising Star. With her kind heart and work ethic, her goals are bound to be achieved.
Website: slate.realestate/my-team/leah-maieski
YOU CAN FAIL AT SOMETHING YOU DON’T LOVE, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL TAKE A CHANCE ON SOMETHING YOU DO LOVE.
In 2021, Brian Sacks, Josh Foster and Roger Harding teamed up to form Southern Latitude Group. Each founding member brings a unique background and a shared vision for the culture they want to create and the impact they want to make.
Brian started his real estate career in 2003, Josh in 2011, and Roger in 2017. The trio worked separately through part of 2021, when they formed Southern Latitude Group.
“One of us found a meme a while back that said, ‘Build a team so strong that no one knows who the boss is.’ And that is what we envision as a team,” Josh says.
“We’re a fun group to be in with,” Brian adds. “We work very hard and treat clients like gold. We have great energy with the whole team.”
“And have respect for each other,” Roger concludes. “There are things that each person is great at, and we focus on each person doing those things. We have people in the right seats.”
Southern Latitude Group is a relationship-based organization, not a transactional one. The team’s structure allows them to focus on serving their clients with the highest service. It also allows each team member to enjoy time away from the business with their family. That’s essential for Brian, Josh
Brian and his wife, Jennifer, have a daughter, Addie (9).
Brian was born and raised on a farm in Pennsylvania. He worked in construction before following a girl out to California. In 2003, he began his real estate career in new construction home sales for Pulte Homes.
When the Great Recession hit, Brian transitioned out of new construction sales and into real estate investing. He started an investment firm with his brother-in-law, which brought him to Florida. In 2014, he got his real estate license and began selling in Jacksonville.
Josh was born and raised in Indiana. Before starting his real estate career in 2011, he worked in horticultural sales.
Josh sold real estate successfully in Indiana through 2018, when he and his family relocated to Jacksonville. He’s now been selling real estate locally for over four years.
Roger is a Jacksonville native. He spent nearly 30 years in the car busi ness before beginning his real estate career.
“In the car busi ness, I spent a lot of hours working,” Roger reflects. “When my daughter was born, it became clear that I wasn’t going to be there much. I was not going to be able to be the father I wanted to be and work 70 to 80 hours a week. It was impossible. I needed to make a change and find a job that I enjoyed and had flexible hours. I work with the most amazing people now, and I am able to attend school events and coach little league baseball.”
Roger and his wife, Tonya, are high school sweethearts. They have two children, Chloe (13) and Blake (10).
As family men, Brian, Josh and Roger are grateful for the flexibility their career offers, and their team model is what allows them to truly realize the benefits of that flexibility.
The trio shares a love for the outdoors, whether it’s fishing, hunting or a round of golf. And they all share a dedication to family life, whether coaching their kids’ teams or sharing daily tasks with their wives. Family time is at the center of their worlds.
“It’s hard to find working partners who you trust and that value the same goals and visions. We have done that with this team. On top of that, our spouses all get along and support each other, so that is huge,” Josh says.
Real estate is important to Brian, Josh and Roger, but business success isn’t necessarily their primary goal in life. Rather, it’s to use real estate as a means to leave a legacy.
“For me, it goes back to my kids,” Roger says. “Just being a good husband and father.”
“Same,” Brian adds. “Being a good person and being able to live with the choices you made and trying to get better.”
And for Josh, “Just trying to be the best at what I do while having fun and creating relationships.”
Brian was the college mascot — a grizzly bear — at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. Josh lived the ski bum lifestyle in Breckenridge for two years before returning home to Indiana.
Roger was a state law enforcement officer for four years after graduating high school.
WE WORK VERY HARD AND TREAT CLIENTS LIKE GOLD. WE HAVE GREAT ENERGY WITH THE WHOLE TEAM.Josh and his wife, Michelle, have four children, Lorelei (17), Luke (15), Teagan (11) and Michael (9).
My favorite moment from 2022 is when I learned Cici and I made the Business Journal’s list of Top Small Real Estate Teams.
SHELLY WILLIFORD, Marsh Landing Country Club Realty
Winning multiple offers, meeting Tarek El Moussa, and fun networking events starting back up (since stopping in 2020).
My favorite memory of 2022 was on August 11th. We were able to be there to see my nephew score his first NFL touchdown for the Baltimore Ravens in the preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
Sponsoring the K9s for Warriors Golf Tournament at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. We are grateful to be able to leverage our real estate busi ness to support local organizations to make an impact in our community. Our buyers and sellers are wonderful and love that they can be a part of changing lives alongside us!
My favorite memory or moment from 2022 has been opening our two newest shop locations in Ponte Vedra Beach and San Marco to give us six in Northeast Florida!
My favorite moment of 2022 was the birth of my granddaughter Isla Ann Vaz, on May 13, 2022. She is grand kid No. 10!
My favorite memory of 2022 was watching my mother’s dream become a reality! Over the last year, I have watched her put so much time, blood, sweat and tears into this mission. Watching her open and to see the difference this place is making in the community makes my heart happy!
My dad having a successful heart transplant surgery. And still doing so well!
My favorite moment from 2022 was hosting my first solo client apprecia tion party. I had a great turnout, and my clients enjoyed the raffles and ice cream I provided for the event.
The Pou Team
After going through the pandemic of COVID-19 and our hectic real estate schedule for the last two years, my husband and I were able to plan a trip to our favorite spot in Italy — Lake Como, in Northern Italy. I was able to enjoy this special place with my best friend, partner and husband. Along with our amazing friends that came along with us on this much-needed and awaited trip. It was on my bucket list to do a private boat ride on Lake Como from Bellagio and enjoy a special visit to Villa Del Balbianello, a spot where multiple movies have been taped, like 007 Casino Royale A spectacular villa, an amazing boat ride and best friends with me make this the highlight of 2022.
The moment Sandbar Realty got the opportunity to be a part of something big in our Northeast Florida area! I am excited to announce that in 2023 we will be selling the FIRST-EVER Barndominium Gated Community located in Callahan!
My favorite memory of 2022 is the most recent one. We took a short trip to London, U.K. And while exploring the city, we stumbled onto a cafe named by my first name — Anya Cafe. It became a highlight of our trip for me. Felt like a gift from the Lord to discover this.
I’d say my favorite moment work-wise this year was full circle. I use to wait tables at Salt Water Cowboys in St. Augustine from 1998-2005, and a cus tomer that came in all the time suggested
I become a REALTOR®. This was 20 years ago. Well, this year, I closed on my biggest transaction to date, which was a campground that a customer owned who told me to get into real estate. A $15-mil lion deal. It was even sweeter because it was to the guys that own Embassy Suites in St. Augustine Beach. Full circle there is they called me on a property that I use to wash dishes at when I was 15 and I followed up with them for five-plus years and was able to close the deal! We closed Feb. 2, 2022!
JOY DOYLE, Hover
That’s an easy one! When I was told I was cancer free!
KATHLEEN
Getting my new puppy, a springerdoodle, on May 14. Riley will be a year old on Christmas day.
Breaking $20 million in sales for the first and probably last time in my career.
Fresh out of high school, owner and broker Emily Lloyd of Team Lloyd Realty thought nursing was the right path for her. She changed her mind, though, after finishing many of the core science classes. So, in 2004, Emily began a career in the insurance industry instead, working with Florida Family Insurance as a claims processor. Then she moved on to State Farm, where she completed her 440 and 215 licenses. But when given the opportunity to own her own Florida Farm Bureau Insurance agency in Jacksonville, she jumped in and spent the next six years building a successful agency.
Today, Emily credits her experience owning and managing an insurance agency with preparing her for her role with Team Lloyd Realty. “The 14 years I spent in insurance taught me a lot about how to run a business and helped me realize how much I love working with people,” she shares. Her agency role also came with a lot of stress that, over time, began to impact Emily mentally and physically. “I was fed up and stressed to the max,” Emily says.
When her husband, Brad, got his real estate license, Emily wanted to work alongside him. “I took every opportu nity to tag along on showings, listing
appointments, etc., and I quickly real ized real estate was a career I would really enjoy. I have always loved look ing at homes, and having the oppor tunity to continue to help people was right up my alley,” she shares.
Emily knew she needed to make a change and wanted a more flexible schedule, so in 2016 she left the only career she had known to make the jump to real estate. Then, in 2018, she and her husband, Brad, opened Team Lloyd. “Being in the insurance industry for so long,” Emily says, “helped prepare me to own a real estate brokerage.” Their family-style brokerage is tight knit. The 22 (and
IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE TRANSACTION FOR US. IT'S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES AND THE RELATIONSHIPS WE MAKE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND OTHER AGENTS.
growing) Team Lloyd REALTORS® are always there for one another. “We grow from word of mouth,” Emily says.
Now, Emily is relishing her role as broker. She says being a leader to her agents is the most rewarding part of her career. “I love helping them take a step back and truly see the potential they each possess within themselves,” she says. “They all come from dif ferent walks of life, and each one of them brings a different perspective, fresh new ideas and life experiences to our brokerage with a plethora of other things that make our broker age so fun and unique. Teaching and encouraging them to succeed is truly a passion of mine, and being able to watch their careers develop and lives change by their successes is so incredibly rewarding.”
Emily also enjoys helping her customers and their families with “what often is one of the most stressful processes they will encounter,” she says. “Being able to help ease some of that stress allows for a smoother process for all. I love the rela tionships that this business has brought into my life and the lifelong friends with not only my agents but with my custom ers and other agents as well.”
When asked what sets her brokerage apart, Emily quickly responds, “I don’t consider it MY brokerage; it’s OUR team’s brokerage. When Brad and I decided to open our doors, we knew we weren’t going to be a typical brokerage. We wanted to make our agents the focus, not ourselves. Our heart was then and is now to teach others to be successful. By doing this, we, in turn, are successful.
“We are friends, teachers, leaders, and always just a phone call away from our agents, even if it’s just to vent. We have done our best to cre ate a culture in which we treat each other like family and give that same kind of service to our customers. It’s never about the transaction for us. It’s about the experiences and the relationships we make with our customers and other agents.”
Emily is a native Floridian; she was born in Orange Park and grew up there. She and her husband, Brad, were high school sweethearts. “I met him when I was a junior,” she says. Brad graduated and left for Army boot camp, while Emily stayed behind to finish high school. But during the summer of her junior
year, she visited Brad in Germany. While there, sitting on a bench by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Brad proposed.
The two married three weeks after Emily graduated. “Everyone thought we were crazy for getting married so young,” Emily shares. “But I knew God placed him in my life for a rea son. We celebrated our 20th anniver sary this June.”
The two have three daughters: Haylee (17), Miley (14) and Addisyn (9). “Raising girls isn’t easy,” Emily con fides, “but they are what inspire me. When we are not at a softball game, volleyball tournament or gymnastics class, we enjoy being on our boat, snow skiing and just hanging out around the house watching movies and enjoying the downtime.”
