What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career?
The hardest decision I had to make in my life was to leave my family business Loco Boutique and leave the bikini line I created (Kaimana Beachwear) in order to become a real estate agent. It was scary and the only job I ever had at the time, but I knew I would regret it if I never tried other careers in my life before I got older.
The next hardest decision was to leave my first brokerage where I was very comfortable to become one of the founding agents of Compass Hawaii.
No one knew about Compass at that time and they didn’t have anything set up in Hawai‘i, but I believed in the company, its vision, and technology, and took a leap of faith to help kickstart Compass in Hawai‘i. We had a say on who got to join our new agency and in our first year we sold over $2.2 billion in real estate statewide.
What’s one moment that reminded you why you love what you do?
I really enjoy working with first-time homebuyers. Their emotions are high and they are really nervous, but after they take that leap of faith and buy their first home, they send me photos after they move in. These new owners talk about how happy they are living there. Then I get to follow up with them years later and show them how much their property value has increased, and sometimes they make more money from just being a homeowner than they do in their jobs. Providing financial security and helping local people build wealth, equity, and appreciation through real estate is why I love what I do.
What’s a personal rule you follow in business?
I always conduct my business with honor and integrity and always tell the truth. I have my client’s best interest at heart and focus on making win-win deals.
Hawai‘i is a small town. Word travels fast and my reputation is everything so I try my hardest to protect that and do right by people no matter the situation. In turn, I have been rewarded with referrals and that’s how I’ve been able to scale my business so quickly.
How do you stay focused in a world filled with distractions?
I like to time block throughout my day and utilize technology to help me stay focused. I’m very organized and set up my iPhone focuses to minimize distractions. I do one task at a time instead of bouncing all over the place. I start my day with a massage, a 10-minute meditation, do my gratitude journal, push-ups and situps, and stretch while listening to The Daily Jay.
Then I try to do something family oriented before I start work or walk the dogs or play with my daughter. When I’m working, I focus on proactive activities that will further my business and try to win the day before noon. After noon, I respond to inquiries and do the other reactive busy work. I also try to exercise a lot, spend time with friends and family, and go to a lot of events to help balance out my life. I’m grateful for the life I’ve been given!
What excites you most about the future?
In the future, I hope to do more development to further my career. This could be property flipping, buy and holds, CPRs, and even getting more involved in the commercial side.
I’ve always wanted to build out my own strip mall, condominium, or entertainment space. There’s so much opportunity in real estate and I want to help create a nice landscape for us in Hawai‘i to enjoy.
Building a family has given me the most joy recently and I want to make sure they have a safe and vibrant place to grow up in. I’m so grateful to have been born and raised in Hawai‘i and blessed to have my children enjoy the same opportunities as I have been given.
