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Self-made.

I think that is a misnomer for servant leaders.

First in your family or community to do something? Sure. But “self-made,” implying that one’s leadership journey has been within a vacuum, is hard to find in a people-based, service-oriented industry like real estate.

Instead, it is fitting to pay homage to those that have helped us, even if it were just a kind word of “you’ve got this!” 

Life is the input of everyone who touched your life and every experience that entered it. We are all a part of one another. —Yuri Kochiyama

In this video, the historic 2022 president of the Atlanta Realtors Association, Karen Hatcher, does just that, sharing just some of the organizations and individuals that have sharpened her to become this local association’s first president who is simultaneously:

  • A millennial
  • A boutique realty brokerage owner
  • A married mom with three children (with the oldest just completing third grade)
  • A real estate developer and investor
  • A Black woman

Her dedication as a “guardian of the real estate galaxy” shines through thanks to those who have helped her along her association service journey.

Lee Davenport is a licensed real estate broker, trainer and coach. Follow her on YouTube, or visit her website.