Chicago and neighboring suburbs
What was your first job in the realty industry?
I started as a real estate broker for Futures Realty Group.

Who inspires you?
My inspiration comes from experiencing my achievements along with others that are around me. Nothing brings more joy in my life than when I am surrounded by hard work paying off.

What is your favorite free-time activity?
I really enjoy reading and teaching. Occasionally I get to visit other states, though not too far, as I have to get back to work.

How did you learn the business?
I kind of jumped into to the business through investment properties throughout the Chicagoland area. Some were winners and some were losers. I will never forget my first experience with a Realtor. I could never get in contact with him, he performed maybe one open house, he did not come to the closing and never kept in touch. After that experience, I decided to attend real estate school. Because of my hectic schedule, most of the course work was self study.

What was your most difficult sale, and how did you succeed?
I remember a client who had a townhouse for sale at a great price. His mother stated that she did not want anything to do with the property and that my client should receive all the money. Once she saw how great the home looked after remodeling and found out how high some of the offers were, she changed her mind. We originally thought the father quitclaimed the property to my client, but it was never recorded properly. Since the mother and father had gone through a bitter divorce, neither one wanted to speak to the other. I had to negotiate a deal with the father who was located in Atlanta and the mother who was located in Haiti. I remember being so exhausted from all the confusion, but I remained calm and finally got both parties to cooperate.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
I really enjoy performing the duties of a real estate broker. However, sometimes I run into unpleasant agents who do not have their clients’ best interests in mind.

What was your worst job, and what did you learn from it?
I worked for an inventory company that would hire high school students to work in the evenings. We were responsible for counting computer components, by hand. There were literally thousands of pieces. I learned to be thankful for what I do not have to do.

Architecturally speaking, what is your favorite building in Chicago?
Sears Tower

What kind of car do you drive?
Chevy Tahoe

BlackBerry, Palm or paper?
BlackBerry

What is your favorite city after Chicago?
Dallas and Miami

In 10 words or less, what is your advice for someone new to the industry?
Work hard, be honest and never give up.