What’s behind your passion? What inspired you to start your own business and why do you do what you do?
I am a real estate investor myself and could not find property management that could provide the professionalism and reliability I was looking for. So I managed my own properties for over 10 years. Then I started helping a few friends and family members find qualified tenants and deal with property issues. After that, it was a easy decision to incorporate and begin serving clients.

How did the help you got from BACD impact you and your business?
Teresa helped me fill in the gaps right at the start. She helped me identify my strengths & weaknesses and see what it was I couldn’t see. Her support gave me the confidence to take the plunge into full-time entrepreneurship.

How do you market your business and what works in spreading the word?
A big part of my business comes from referrals! I have a referral program so I reward those who send me business. I keep in touch with my audience online through social media and my newsletter. I have been featured on podcasts and vlogs that also increase my brand awareness. Most importantly, I attend the local real estate investment networking events religiously.

Have you had any unexpected challenges and how did you deal with them?
The biggest challenge is definitely the hours. It is not uncommon to work 14-16 hours a day. That takes a toll on my family relationships and my health.
I thought hiring a couple of staff members to help me would give me more work-life balance. But the work hasn’t let up yet!

What do you do to keep abreast of the changes in your business and in your industry?
I follow relevant organizations on social media and I regularly attend local real estate investing events. I am also connected with several local property managers and we share information and resources.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?
Plan thoroughly, visualize what success means to you, prioritize the people in your life (because you will lose some), and hold yourself accountable (don’t make excuses).

There will come a time when things are very stressful and you want to give up. Most of the time we are not afraid of the actual setback – we are afraid of the fear itself. When you come to this point, think about who you will become once you get through this. That will motivate you to keep going. One step at a time, one minute at a time. Get through it. And you will be the one to benefit in the end.

Any additional comments:
Starting a business is a lot of hard work. Most people don’t want to put in the effort and they make excuses why the business didn’t work. You’ve got to be brave enough to make the commitment and do the work!