Posts Tagged ‘Development’

Building intentional partnerships

I was hesitant on putting my past projects up here because I felt like what I’ve done in the past doesn’t align with what I’m looking to do with Legacy Collective going forward- but this is how my Legacy started so now I feel inclined to share it because it’s part of my journey. The point of me sharing this is so you can gain an understanding of my track record. Most properties that were purchased required building trust with a potential partner or investor. Going forward requires me to do much of the same- but I look to be more intentional on who I partner with.

Here’s a few highlights of deals I’ve closed over the years:
Track record

Pay attention to the numbers, which are circled in red. I share this because getting into real estate doesn’t mean you need to have deep pockets. Most developers aren’t using their own money to fund their projects, and even if they are, you need to know that it isn’t the only way. There are many things I love about real estate- the potential to impact lives with what is created, the ability to give me time to be with my family and being able to use it as a vehicle to build generational wealth- which for a lot of people, feels so far removed and not even a possible. But along with this, comes the possibility of creating financial freedom to spend time with those who matter most and do the things that make our lives more meaningful- AND you don’t need to be a landlord or rehabber to achieve any of this. People keep their careers and do all this without crunching numbers, managing contractors, etc.

– Have you thought of investing in real estate as an additional stream of income but don’t know how to get started? If you haven’t, have you thought of building an additional revenue stream but can’t because your time is committed to your job and you can’t possibly take on another thing to do?

– Would you call yourself a socially conscious consumer? Are you mindful about the brands you buy because their goals and mission align with yours? If so, have you thought that you could also be a socially conscious investor? That money that you invest (whether it’s in real estate, an investment fund or some other vehicle) can support socially conscious businesses, while you receive a return on your money?

I’d love to hear from you even if none of this relates to you or is on your radar. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or just want to connect!

“Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind” Bernard Baruch/Blogher18 Recap

My blogher18 tribe pic! @nerdinthecity @safia_alice @cffowler13

I wasn’t sure of what to expect from this conference since I’m not in the fashion, health or beauty industry. Honestly, I was finding a reason NOT to go. I think I’m a pretty good networker, but I can’t say that I have any interest in schmoozing with people overly obsessed with perfection and selfies! 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 I wasn’t sure if it’d be the best use of 2 days time. I mean seriously, I rarely get full days to myself so I was definitely able to think of plenty of things I could do instead of going to #blogher18.

How many of you have those moments when you signed up for something or about to do something and then you flake? I’m guilty of it. I think there are definitely times where you commit to something and make a decision whether or not something is worth your time. There are other times when you keep telling yourself that something else is a better use of your time, but deep down what’s really happening is that you’re not being open to something and are trying to avoid it. That was me. So I decided I was gonna go in and make good connections and look for the good in everything! And that’s what I did.

And I walked away with so much! I connected with some truly inspiring women doing really remarkable things- 20 somethings-50 somethings, moms, entrepreneurs, self-starters, leaders- jewelry makers, marathoners, authors, inventors, designers and most importantly… DOERS! Being in the same room with that type of energy can’t be replicated through a video or Facebook group- and is an experience that really needs to be on the priority of my to-do list for my own personal growth.

When I saw the list of names of people attending the event, it was quite overwhelming. But wow! There were names I’ve never heard of and people doing great things. People you need to know about because of what they are about so here’s my ramble in no particular order:

Dr. Alaa Murabit @alaamurabit (AND she’s down with TLC!) is a global policy leader who stressed at the importance of having women of color “at the table” when it comes to global policies and peace building. I can’t remember the exact stat she shared, but there’s a stark contrast in successful programs/policies when women of color are at the table helping to make those decisions.
Monserat Adebanjo @browngirlforthearts, founder of Brown Girl for the Arts-
Nekpen Osuan, founder of @womenwerk
Angie Thomas @angiethomas, author of “The Hate You Give” which inspired the movie of the same title (she has such a light to her and I seriously wanted to grab drinks or do karaoke with her)
Gabrielle Union… @gabunion #blessed #grateful
Denise Woodard, @partakefoods founder of Partake Foods and based in Jersey City, a mom of a toddler, she took it upon herself to create snacks that are free of the top 14 food-based allergens that are delicious!
Maria Menounos @mariamenounos, both her and her mom are brain cancer survivors- Maria had brain surgery last summer and shared the importance of making her happiness and health a priority
Maria Forlio @marieforlio, founder of The B School: “Life should not be compartmentalized”
Tiffany Dufu @tiffanydufu, founder of The Cru: “If you want something you’ve never had before you’ll have to do something you’ve never done before”
Clemantine Wamariya @clemantine1, refugee from Rwanda and author of “The Girl Who Smiled Beads” https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=112&v=kiWDY01KSAA
Donna Orender, author of Wowsdom
Tiffani Thiessen @tiffanithiessen, on sharing her approach on what she’s involved with/projects that she takes on:
It has to come from the heart
It has to have meaning
It has to be something that is great, so that my children can see that I’m great and so they can see themselves be great
I mean… RIGHT??? I totally identified with her last point which is extremely important to me.

And how about the people that weren’t speakers but are women who are doing their thing and striving for greatness? I immediately connected with @nerdinthecity @cffowler13 and @safia_alice who are amazing women (because they are intelligent, gorgeous, fun and positive!) in the featured pic for this post and I am so grateful I did.

I know, I can go on and on… but what I took away was that life is too short to worry about the small shit and how much my success is influenced by those who have values that are in line with my own. There will always be things/people that get in our way. But it’s my choice on who/what deserves my time. Many times our excuse is lack of money/lack of time but it’s because we want things without doing the grind to get there. It is on me to decide what I want for my life, and live with purpose and intention to achieve that and share my light. And forget about everyone else who doesn’t uplift me in making that happen. And I need to remember to not forget to give that same support to others as well! That I’m doing a disservice to my ancestors, our loved ones and God by not being great!

Some quick quotes/notes:
Find a “joy buddy”: someone you partner with to ensure that you’re both doing things that make you joyful regularly
“Don’t compare your inside self with their outside self”
Gabrielle Union shared her thoughts on how women are 80% more likely than men to post the hashtag “#grateful” or “#blessed” This was bothersome because it implies that the women posting those hashtags didn’t earn her way to get to where they are, where as men rarely ever say that because they typically own where they are/are confident in how they achieved the success in their lives.
Become disciplined in making yourself matter
Alison Lewis, JNJ’s First Female CMO, on the work/life blend: “You can’t have it all. Having it all is a marketing ploy. Decide what your priorities are and be at peace with that.”

So what’s on your mind? How can you be great or find joy??!! Don’t be greedy with knowledge that you have that can empower others. Please share!

Change is A Comin’!

So I have an announcement!

Some of you who know me know that I started my career in real estate over 10 years ago. It started off as a side-hustle to my full time job, which eventually replaced my full-time job. Cisco getting laid off from his “cushy/secure” job just 3 months before we got married is what motivated us to start seeking additional streams of income outside of our jobs. I was living in NY and I just wrapped up a consulting gig before making the move back to Philly. Granted, he ended up securing a new position within the same company within weeks. But it was just the push we needed to realize that could happen to either of us at any given time and we needed to have more control over our financial destiny.

You know those “flip houses with no money” real estate commercials? Yup, that’s how I got started. Now, I’m not going to go into the details of what I did, or what we learned during that time. Much of what is taught is true, but it’s definitely not as easy as it is portrayed. This was before kids, and Cisco and I were so enthusiastic about building a lifestyle that allowed us some flexibility with our schedules. It was a time in our lives where our mindset shifted and we wanted to create an income that wouldn’t require both of us to be at a job.

So anyhow, to cut a long story somewhat short, we went through lots of real estate training and had lots of mentors, which we are extremely grateful for. After doing a number of deals, I left my job and we got into residential house flipping. Cisco stayed at his job while I focused on earning my income through real estate. Without kids, totally manageable. The big mistake I made was not setting our systems up so that the time required for me to be in the business was minimal. I knew that being “self-employed” according to Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, was not what I wanted to be. But that’s what I created. I created the marketing for the sellers and buyers. I did cold calls and walk-throughs. I raised the money- meaning, I put the numbers together for everything and met with investors. I created the marketing when the house went up on the market. I mean, everything. There was a point where I did get help using an answering service to screen phone calls, virtual assistant to help with some administrative tasks, and used contractors to do my walk throughs. But I can’t say that even those processes were seamless. So yes, doing that without kids is totally manageable. Doing all that with kids, without systems in place, was exhausting.

So I decided a couple of years ago to take a break from house flipping and focus my efforts on being an agent. There’s only so much I felt I could manage in terms of running my own business and my thinking was that being an agent was less risky and had the potential to also be set up as a business, which I liked. But my heart wasn’t in the actions I needed to take in order to help me become successful as an agent.

A trip to the Philippines last year helped me find meaning in why I have a career in real estate, in the first place. Seeing with my own eyes, what my great grandfather created for his family made me realize that what I truly wanted for myself and my family was bigger than what I was doing or what I already knew. I knew that I personally could not be satisfied by fixing/selling individual houses or being a real estate agent. Going through the streets of Talisay in the Philippines, and seeing that what he created so many years ago are proud landmarks of that town, was inspiring. He probably grew up without mental limits that were imposed by his family, his peers or were self-created, which I’m totally guilty of doing. I realized that I limited myself to being a wholesaler/house flipper/ real estate agent because I thought that doing larger projects were beyond my reach. But that’s not true.

So although I’ll still have my license as an agent, my plan is to re-focus my efforts to eventually do larger development projects. My experience has been in single-family residential houses. I plan to continue doing my own development projects, but I will no longer be working to help investors find properties. Going forward, my intent is to pursue development projects that are meaningful to me, on a scale that is much larger than what I am used to. I have the experience, supportive network, partners and passion to create what I want that will allow me to do that. I have been spending the past year connecting with visionaries who truly care for the development of Philadelphia and surrounding areas and being a part of conversations that matter to me, and it’s really exciting.

I haven’t been chatting much on my blog, so I hope this gives post and the pics below give some insight into why. I’ll be posting updates as I can, but feel free to connect with me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter- to follow me on my journey!