Can 10 years go this fast?
It occurred to me the other day that as of July, I will have been writing for Realty/Builder Connection for 10 years. That is a long time!
I remember the day my editor came to me and told me I was going to be the writer for R/B. I smiled and said “Sure” but inside I was freaking out. Real estate? What did I know about real estate? Nada!
But, what I found in my quest for new stories and interesting things to write about is that real estate is about relationships and networking. Both of which, as the outgoing person that I am, I’m pretty good at.
My first real estate profile was on Clark LaBlond of the Watson Ortega office. He met me at the Jacksonville Landing and we sat at a table inside to do the interview. I was a novice. I had no idea what I wanted to know about a Realtor, but he was so understanding and nice that we sat there for over an hour and chatted like friends. He answered all my questions graciously and we got to know each other well. We still greet each other with a hug today when we run into each other.
From then on, I tried to think of what other Realtors wanted to know about each other. So, I approach profiles as an introduction of the person to the real estate industry. Who they are, where they came from, why they are in real estate and what helps them continue in a job that has so many facets to it.
I decide which events to attend based on the speaker and how the information can help educate the real estate community.
Yes, I’ve learned a lot in the last 10 years. Sometimes I start discussing an issue at a Realtor event and I’m surprised by the amount of information I’ve absorbed over the years.
One thing that made my journey so memorable is the welcome I receive at all Realtor events and requests for interviews. Sometimes I feel like a celebrity because I’ll get recognized out at a restaurant with my family and someone will come up to me and say, “Are you Michele of Michele’s Page?” Or I’ll interview someone and they have researched me before I arrived and say that I’m somewhat of a celebrity in the real estate community. (I laugh it off. I’m just doing my really, really cool job.)
It’s not me who makes this paper great. It’s you. It’s the information we gather and the stories you share with us. As well as the graphics and editorial staff who put the paper together, of course!
Not to say there haven’t been a few exceptions. I once interviewed a woman who showed up to the interview with curlers in her hair, no makeup and proceeded to eat a bowl of cereal as I interviewed her. That was a trip. Also, sometimes people forget we’ve made an appointment or don’t call me back when I’ve called them. No biggie. I just remove them from the list and move on to the next. I’m not going to bug people to death who do not want a story written about them.
But, I’m doing what I love. I’m talking to people about who they are and what they think. I’m educating the real estate community about everything from selling a home to selling themselves, the community, the area, new laws, influential people and more.
Speaking of influential people, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing some really awesome people including W.W. Gay, Linda Sherrer, Delores Weaver, Charles Skinner, George Linville, Daniel Davis, Mayor John Delaney, Walter Williams and more. (There are many, many more and you know who you are!)
These people don’t play, either. They want their voice to be heard in our paper. I once called Linda Sherrer for a quote for a story. She called me back from out of state (she was preparing for her daughter’s wedding) within 10 minutes to answer my questions. Most of the time, the response time from the real estate community is pretty quick. Once they hear who I write for, they know the reputation the paper has and how influential it can be and they want to be a part of it.
Interviewing Tom Trout of Tom Trout, Inc. was one of my most memorable interviews. I was pregnant with my first son at the time and he was insistent that we were going to have lunch. So, we went next door to his office to this little diner, The Wedge, and he made me try the She Crab Soup with sherry on top. I was so worried that alcohol would affect the baby, but if you’ve ever met him, you just can’t tell him no. The soup was awesome and I have visited The Wedge many times after that.
Michele’s Page was born from an inability to stop coming back from all these Realtor events and chatting my boss’s ear off. I’d come back with “Did you know so and so rides motorcycles? Or “Did you know there is a Realtor name so and so?” Soon, he asked me to write about it, but it didn’t fit in with our “normal” criteria. He said “What? You want your own page?” I said “Sure.” And there has been a Michele’s Page every month since.
I love when people send me ideas or names of people they think should be featured. So, let me tell you what I am looking for. Michele’s Page subjects are out of the norm. Basically something that someone does in the real estate industry that does not directly pertain to real estate.
For instance, someone may race motorcycles or cars, visit China once a year, have 10 children, bake for every client, give a special gift to clients that is unique, participate in dog shows or something else that makes them stand out to you and through this page, to the entire real estate community.
Email suggestions to [email protected]. My email doesn’t usually come under scrutiny, but I use it because it defines who I am. I love to bake, though these days with two children and a job, the time is hard to find. But, either way I love it.
Thank you for your continued years of acceptance, sharing and mutual respect.