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Member Profiles
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I began life as a robust 11 lb 9 oz baby girl, was yellow as a gourd with long, thick black hair. Have you ever heard a mother say "I don't think this is my baby"? But I was born at home, so she couldn't deny that I was hers.
I married in September following my graduation from high school and had my first of four sons exactly one year later. Other than that I have always been what I like to think of as "a late bloomer".
My husband was a farmer. We farmed 1100 irrigated acres and raised wheat, corn and milo. I was my husbands main truck driver and had a beautiful, big, white tandem truck to drive. I helped with the irrigation and sometimes drove a tractor. When my husband bought an airplane, I was scared to death. I have always had a fear of heights that I just couldn't conquer. So, white knuckles and all I learned to fly that plane and was soon taking my boys and flying around the countryside.
During this time I had a burning desire to learn about investing and the stock market. So I went to the library and checked out a couple of dozen books and over a couple of years, I taught myself enough and had saved up enough money that I began investing in the stock market. To my complete amazement I was pretty good. I soon joined one investment club and helped the ladies at the bank start another investment club. That was a good experience because when I moved to Colorado and wanted to join an investment club, nobody would let me in. I was forced to start my own investment club and soon started a second one. So now I currently belong to two.
Once I discovered I was reasonably intelligent there was no longer any limits on my desire to do everything. I started working as a bookkeeper for a grain elevator when my youngest son was in the fourth grade ( Dr. Spock said it was okay). I worked there for ten years and was the manager when I quit. I took a five year hiatus at my husband's request but I hated retirement. During my five year retirement I agreed to take over as president of the Women's Council at my church to try to revive it from its moribund state. And revive it I did. It was a group to be reconded with when I resigned five years later to start attending college. I still didn't realize I was smart then and so with fear and trepidation I started college as a business major. I graduated Magna Cum Laude. Probably the most gratifying milestone in my life, even above getting my pilot's license.
The summer after I started college I got my real estate license. I liked to say, "I'm a full time student, full time Realtor and an occasional wife". Two years later I opened my own real estate office and one year after that I went to Denver, took the securities test and got my securities license. I hung out my shingle as a Financial Planner also. I always hoped and planned to get the CFP designation but unfortunately life interfered and I never acheived that goal. I was making plans to get my certificate as a travel agent and open a travel agency in my office. I always wanted to do everything. But once again life intervened and I ended up closing my office and moving to Colorado.
Once in Colorado I spent a year and a half helping my husband get the Mountain Man business going. We bought four territories and used those four territories to bring my sons and their families to Colorado.
After our Mountain Man business was going and my sons had all moved to Colorado I started my real estate business in Colorado. It was rough for awhile but I worked hard and have done okay. I started working at RE/MAX All Stars in 1994 and was making good progress when I broke my leg, (compound fracture, all alone, up in the mountains, bleeding,crawling through the snow) and then two years later I broke the other leg. Not quite as dramatic as the first. The doctors said "What is wrong with this woman? Is she a natural born klutz or what"? I was diagnosed with Parkingson's Disease. That was a day to remember.
I now have a Team. Jennifer Lane and Rachelle Staker are two brand new agents that I have trained and now work with me. I moved from Woodland Park to Colorado Springs to be closer to the office These are some of the concessions I've had to make to Mr. Parkinson.
My latest venture is to start a BNI group and to be it's first president. We are the Powers Partners and we are the fastest growning, sharpest and the best. I have also started a new business as a Prepaid Legal associate and have acheived the rank of director.
So what's next? I don't know, but I think I'm up to it.