Women have proved time and time again that we can have it all, a career, a home, a family, and a social life, all while putting on our capes and saving the soul of the country. That’s right, we juggle it all and make it look like a well-choreographed song and dance while we’re doing it! Women have so many priorities to balance, and because of that, more are diving into the world of entrepreneurship; some stumble across the opportunity via their talents, some are drawn to it because it makes sense for the needs of their family, and others are just driven dreamers who are motivated by the idea of hand delivering their vision to the world.
Entrepreneur, Trisha Dirks of Dirks Realty Group, is a NW Realtor who is invested in changing lives by making the dream of homeownership a reality. She spent over 17+ years in the hospitality industry before bravely jumping into real estate, and I think that we can all agree on the amount of courage that one must have to take the leap into something different and new, and since we can never soak up enough “free game” when it comes to welcoming change into our lives, I am thrilled to have Trisha Dirks doing a guest collab with us here at Fear Not the Journey. She will be sharing about her life-changing decision to flip the script and become an entrepreneur, how she manages work / life balance, and she will also share tips about homebuying, and the daily grind of being a Realtor. We are so excited for this collab, welcome Trisha!
Thank you, Fear Not the Journey, for having me. I am excited to talk about my personal journey and the changes that I called into my life. The decision to leave the hospitality industry and become an entrepreneur did not come easy for me, I feared leaving a 17+ year career, but also recall the many of days where I would sit and study my paychecks. I was at a crossroad, I had advanced as far as I wanted within the company, to the point where I began to grow bored, it was then that I realized I desired more for myself. Aiding in my unrest was the appointment of new management, who made it difficult to continue to show up every day and feel as though I love, or even like, my job. I came into the office one day and had an epiphany; this job was no longer aligning with where I was in life, and without another job lined up, and without running my decision by my husband, I went with my gut and I quit! You heard me right, I quit! I was terrified by the decision, I went from having a stable career to now being unemployed, but I held on to the one thing that I did have, my faith in myself; I knew that I could do anything I put my mind to. I had raised my children alone from the time they were babies, until marrying my husband, which gave me the (proven) strength and confidence to step into something new. My children were older and a bit more independent, so I felt as though it was as good of time as any for change. I spent many years taking care of the needs of others, and decided that I, in that moment, needed something for me. I had always desired to become an entrepreneur, but shied away, convincing myself that I needed something more stable in order to care for my children. That may have been true years ago, but I found myself standing firm and declaring NOW WAS MY TIME! I have not looked back since.
Part of the joy of becoming an entrepreneur is being able to connect the things that are important to me and my values. I have a heart of gold, I want to see everyone around me blossom and win, which is why I enjoy working in homebuying with clients ranging from experienced buyers to first time homebuyers; I take a lot of pride in helping people find that perfect place to call home. This work also allows me the space to educate, building wealth wasn’t something discussed enough as a young child within my family or within my culture. I came to learn the importance of generational wealth later in life and want to help put everyone that I can in a position to create generational wealth within their families through homebuying. This is a topic I am passionate about and I feel as though it should be on repeat within all of our homes and shouted from every rooftop within our communities, and I, through this work that I do, plan on doing just that every chance that I get!
I grew up in Northeast Portland and think back to when folks who weren’t from the area were scared to walk the streets. I jokingly remember people telling me they would never live, let alone buy, in those neighborhoods. This area has since grown into a neighborhood that I barely recognize, and unfortunately that growth priced out the folks that are / were native to the community. Don’t get me wrong, I love growth, but…I care more about the community, and the folks that lived there for years that consequently were displaced. My goal, now more than ever, is to educate our community on the value of what they have, and how to nurture, protect, and utilize it moving forward.
Example: I once ran into a family wanting to move out of the area and rent, they were excited in the new-found value of their long-time home, but they didn’t fully understand what they had. I took my time as I didn’t want to rush it to the market, I respectfully told them that I wanted to educate them first on how homeownership is part of what allows our families to establish and pass on generational wealth, and why it’s important. I wanted to make sure they understood before its gone, contributing to the trend of our old-neighborhoods losing the staples that held them together. The family ended up selling, but I found comfort in knowing that they did so being fully informed of the pros and cons of their decision. It is my privilege and my responsibility to educate clients prior to them making those big decisions.
I am often asked how I maintain work / life balance. I chuckle and think, “Balance? What is that?” This word balance is one that most budding entrepreneurs find hard when trying to start any business, as it’s always going to be a work in progress, some days I’m better at it than others. However, I am in luck in that I have a very supportive family, which helps in more ways than one, and I try to do my best to incorporate them in everything I do! It has essentially, in many ways, become a family business where everyone contributes in some way, shape, or form. It was by far easy, but over time, and through many of lessons, both successes and failures, we figured out the best way to make it work for our family. We also stay flexible in knowing that what works today, may not work tomorrow, but we can tweak as we go and grow.
The idea of creating change for others is easy, but creating change for yourself can feel paralyzing, so if I can give anyone reading this blog encouragement, I would say…Just jump! Have faith and know that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. Don’t talk yourself out of your own greatness. It will take hard work and dedication, and you will face challenges along the way, but it is all worth it. Find the courage to choose YOU!
- Trisha Dirks of Dirks Realty Group -
Fear Not the Journey asked Trisha to share a few fun facts and tips, and here is what she shared.
Q: What is a fun fact about the life of a Realtor?
A: Not fun, but it doesn’t cost to hire a realtor to represent you as a buyer!
Five tips that can relieve some of the fears of homebuying.
1. You do not need 20% down to buy a home.
2. Hire a professional – Do not go at it alone, (again) it’s free for buyers.
3. You should always start with contacting a lender first in order to determine your financial goals.
4. Make sure you find a house you can afford – you don’t have to use the entire approved value.
5. Determine your long-term goals upfront, rental, investment, etc.
Five tips to maintain the daily hustle and grind of entrepreneurship.
1. Trust the process.
2. Try to improve on something daily.
3. Never give up, the thing you want may be just around the corner.
4. Trust yourself.
5. Surround yourself with people with like goals.
You can find Trisha on the following platforms:
Instagram: @dirksrealtygroup
Facebook: @TrishaDirks
Website: www.dirksrealtygroup.com
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