I never intended to run my own business. Growing up in an immigrant family, I bought into this mantra: go to school, get good grades, get a high-paying job, climb the corporate ladder, and you’ll be happy. I thought that having a good-paying job would provide me with stability. And, stability was the best I could hope for because it meant everything. It meant I wouldn’t have to struggle to make a living in the same way that others in my family had to. I expected what I did for a living would fulfill me in every way. I was wrong. It didn’t.You’ve got to understand that I don’t like change. The first position that I had after graduating college, I stayed for about 5 years. After that, I’d had settled into a career as an Accountant where I was well-paid and offered great perks. I looked around and thought my life was perfect. I was doing what I was trained for and I was climbing the ladder of career success. I dared not ask whether I was happy.So I made the move to DC. From there I moved from one office job to another but this time trying my hand at new things too. I began talking to many colleagues who were in various stages of their careers and weighed my options. I’d go for a run along Mt. Vernon Trail. Whenever I need to make a major decision, I need to be near the sea, a lake, or a river.I knew what I had to do. I had to start working for myself. I got the opportunity to own a property management company with over 100 properties in the portfolio. In preparing to take over the company, I had to get a real estate license to run it. But the purchase was not successful. I decided I’d pivot. I thought, why not use my newly minted realtor license to sell real estate? I joined Samson Properties as a Realtor. Using my investment background and banking experience, I gradually started helping more and more families find their new homes. I have two degrees in business from Penn State University. I’m also a Certified Divorce Specialist trained by the Residential Real Estate Council. Over the last several years, I’m grateful for the trust my clients place in me to get them the results that they want. I know what it’s like to think that you’ve got it all figured out. And, only to realize that you don’t and you have to make a major change. I’ve accepted that if something in my life is no longer serving me then I must try to change it. I’ve found that having a support system made me more comfortable with uncertainty. And, like The Phoenix, rising from the ashes, we renew our strength to live bold new lives.