Our schedules were so demanding; we didn’t have a life anymore. Something needed to change, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.

We were at a New Year’s Eve party and had to leave early because my husband, Christain, had to work at four in the morning on New Year’s Day.

It wasn’t uncommon for us to leave fun parties early because of Christain’s demanding work schedule. Before we left, our friend approached me and said, “It’s like you guys have no life. How do you live like this?” Our friend’s concern was the wake-up call I needed. I didn’t realize things needed to change until someone with an outsider’s perspective noticed just how demanding Christain’s job was. We really couldn’t enjoy anything because his next shift was always looming, and it felt like we couldn’t get ahead financially.

Christain’s work schedule was seven days, 70 hours a week. It felt like he was always gone. I was grateful that he was willing to work that hard for our family, but it was a difficult life we were living. I worked part time and took care of our three kids, and little time was left over for us to enjoy anything as a family. I realized I would rather work and take some of the load off of my husband if it meant we could actually enjoy the fruits of our labor. We were just going through the motions – I wanted to live life to the fullest.

On New Year’s Day, 2019, I signed up for real estate classes. It was something I have always been interested in, but with three kids, I didn’t think I could make it work. Once I realized there was a better way to live life, I was motivated to do whatever it took to make it happen.

Our children, Trevor, Holden and Peyton, were all in school, so I had more time to commit to this new adventure. It certainly wasn’t easy, but I managed to achieve $16 million in sales in my first year. It was very empowering to set my mind to something and achieve it!

Part of my success was due to the fact that I had worked with Mary Kay several years prior. My neighbors and the people in my community already knew me. I went into their homes and enjoyed a nice time while teaching them about makeup and skincare. I made a lot of friends through that time in my life. The transition into real estate was natural because I had already developed relationships built on trust within my community.

One of my proudest achievements has been, during my second year, I made enough income to allow Christain to leave his job. He provided for us for many years. I wanted to give him the freedom to find his dream job, just as he has done for me. After taking some time off, he found a job as a quality inspector working with a property management company. He has a standard 9 to 5 job, and I can tell how much happier he is. We both have found more balance in life than we have ever had before.

Through this journey, I have learned a valuable lesson. It doesn’t matter how hard you work; if you can’t enjoy your life, then it’s not worth it. There is always another way, and I am grateful I took a chance and changed our lives.

Our kids are very active in sports, and we spend a lot of our free time traveling to different tournaments and games. A couple of my favorite things are traveling to new destinations, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with friends and family.

The success I achieved in my first year of real estate didn’t come easy. It took a lot of hard work, but my family was all the motivation I needed to push past any setbacks I faced.

I am very relationship driven and love forming connections. Most of my clients are friends, or if they aren’t my friend yet, they usually become one by the end of a transaction. I take my responsibility as a REALTOR® very seriously and am honored my clients trust me to guide them through such an important process.

In real estate, no two transactions are alike. I pride myself on being a creative, outside-the-box thinker who can solve any problems that may arise. When you work with me, your goals become mine. I will work hard on your behalf to find the perfect match that fits all your needs. Even after the transaction, I will continue supporting you as your REALTOR® for life.

Sincerely,

Brenda Souter
REALTOR®