"Own Every Opportunity!" ~ Jon Cheplak
I'm a day late for blog day, but for good reason.
I've just returned home from Savannah with a full heart, a re-lit fire, and a crap ton of laundry (because one must look super cute when spending five days with 500 beautiful women).
Coming home from a Girls with Grit conference is intense - I'm still riding the high (also, the caffeine wave because catching up on life and work is NO joke). Five days surrounded by some of the most driven, hilarious, brilliant, real-deal women in the business, hell in ANY business! These are the kind of women who build empires by day and pass you the wine and wisdom at night. I mean it when I say, If you don't have a community like this, build one, find one, join mine - just don't go it alone!
This crew fills my cup in ways I can't quite explain. And that's saying something because, well, we all know I'm rarely short on words. The bond, the sisterhood, the support that isn't fake or performative but deeply rooted in mutual respect and shared hustle - totally next level! That level of connection isn't simply "nice to have." It is absolutely essential when you're navigating the wild terrain of entrepreneurship, especially in a business as emotionally charged and fast-paced as real estate.
From what I could tell, we pulled off a conference with 500 women and NO DRAMA! Seriously - no drama (well maybe just a little on the plane on the way home). There was, however, an insane amount of insight, laughter, hugs, and yes - wine. We learned, shared, cheered each other on, and nobody tried to one-up anybody. It's like the Real Housewives of Real Estate, minus the backstabbing and with way better spreadsheets!
All the speakers were good - like, really good - but I want to talk about BONUS DAY for a second. Because that's the day that really brought the fire! If you went to Live and skipped bonus day, girl, NEVER make that mistake again. The actionable takeaways came flying at us fast, and I was scribbling notes like my life depended on it. No fluff, all fire! The kind of stuff you bring home and actually execute, not just highlight in your notebook and forget about within a couple busy weeks.
Last year was my first GWG conference in Nashville, and it blew my mind! This year, the takeaways weren't quite as tactical-until Bonus Day. But even beyond the content, what I needed most this time was the reminder that I'm part of something much bigger. That even when the inbox is overflowing, the market is acting like a crazy and unpredictable ex, and the personal life is throwing curveballs left and right, I've got a team behind me, and they're always happy to help in any way possible.
Huge, massive, shout-it-from-the-rooftops gratitude to Brad, who held down the fort while I got to reset, refocus, trust that everything was under control at home. With four properties under contract, a handful of listings about to launch, and some very active buyers doing, it wasn't exactly a slow week. That being said, stepping away to focus on other parts of the business was 100% necessary because sometimes we are so deep IN the business that we forget to work ON it and on ourselves (our business' greatest assets).
And now I'm back, exhausted and still buzzing with energy, scribbled notes, and a ton of new ideas - some big, some small, all exciting. Keep an eye out because some of my favorite real estate besties (and badass referral partners) will be popping up in some of our upcoming marketing pieces. If we're going to grow, it's going to be together! No one said entrepreneurship has to mean isolation. Quite the opposite. Having a TRIBE - a real one, not just the Instagrammable version - is the only reason I haven't launched my laptop into a field on more than one occasion.
If you're reading this and thinking, "I don't have that," let this be your nudge. Get in the rooms! Show up at the events. Join the groups. DM the people who inspire you! Connect with folks who get it. Whatever your industry, I promise you - it's easier, more fun, and a hell of a lot more sustainable when you stop trying to lone-wolf it.
To my gritty girls: You keep me sane in this (sometimes) unhinged industry. You remind me of why I love what I do, and how powerful it is when women support women. You're brilliant, generous, and you make all the chaos 100% worth it. Until our next event: All my love - and then some!
