This week's guest is Brenda Meyer.
She is a Broker in the San Bernardino Mountains, member of the CRMLS Board of Directors, and 2020 C.A.R. Scholarship & Education Foundation Chair.
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Empowered Women Empower Others Q+A with Brenda Meyer
Q1: What was the first business you started/owned?
Dance Studio/ Instructor
Q2: What was your first leadership role?
In Real Estate, AOR Board Director, many volunteer leadership roles years prior...
Q3: Tell us about the journey to your current role as a brokerage owner or leader?
I met the man who became my husband when he bought the house next door to me. A Realtor along with several neighbors, helped us meet and everything fell into place.
He stood by me when I decided to get my license in 2005 and got his license a year later. He was there to support me when I was faced with buying my brokerage or get out in 2007 and was my biggest cheerleader when I started our brokerage and worked to get my broker's license later that same year. I started at that time to get involved with my local AOR on MLS committees and agent tour meetings. By 2011, I was a director on my AOR board and my company was thriving and continued to grow.
So, in May of 2011, when I received a call from my doctor during a Realtor planning meeting, I listened to him say I had breast cancer and went back and finished my meeting. The shock eventually turned into anger that was short-lived when I stopped asking why me and started asking, why not me?
I decided to keep this secret to myself for a few months while I went through test after test to confirm what I already knew.
I finally told my husband and he held my hand the next two years through 7 surgeries. During the next 7 years after my diagnosis, I consoled and attended many doctor appointments for others going down the cancer path.
I continued to build my brokerage and advanced to President in my AOR in 2014 and have continued as state director for CAR for many of those years. I advanced to director for CRMLS in 2016. But it was at the 2018 winter meetings in Monterey when I noticed a change in my husband's health. We went to emergency on Monday after returning from Monterey and he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. He died just four short months later.
My world would change with each challenge I faced over the years and I learned to reevaluate what was important and discover my new normal. As difficult as it was to let go of the experience of married life that I knew for 23yrs, I was faced what it meant to be truly brave.
My first steps turned into miles walked then to running 1/2 marathons. I completed 13 half marathons between September 2018-2019.
In 2019, I was the 2019 Vice Chair for CRMLS and continue to advance at CAR. I am determined that my role in life is to be a leader and example for others. My agents joined my office because of the mentorship I provide.
Truly an inspiration, Brenda is also the 2020 C.A.R. Scholarship & Education Foundation Chair. If you or someone you know needs a scholarship to attend our virtual event, please visit https://www.car.org/difference/educationfoundation/WomanUP-Scholarship-Application
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