05:26 Tasha: Today we are with Mary Cooper. She was actually Somebody I met at a networking event and became a realtor. She’s now a friend and not only a realtor, she was our realtor and of course, has become a friend. Mary has been in real estate now for 12 years and before that has 20 years of marketing and advertising experience, which is tremendous And we are gonna talk all things entrepreneurship and maybe hint at a couple fun things that were working on as well, for future events for entrepreneurs. So Mary thanks for being here today and sharing all things real estate because I think there’s a lot of confusion with it right now. 

06:11 Mary: Oh, thanks for having me, I really appreciate it. So yeah. 

06:14 Tasha: Yeah, it’s exciting. So it was funny because you were a repeat person at the networking group, weren’t you that we were part of 

06:24 Mary: Yes. 

06:25 Tasha: So, a couple people that I made, I’ve turned into really good friends. Only came one time, But you and I were there repeatedly and I remember meeting I remember talking about swimming and I’m like once I’ve met a swimmer, we’re connected. 

06:40 Mary: Absolutely. Once a swimmer, always a swimmer. Yes. 

06:43 Tasha: That’s right. We’re kind of a different brand of people. 

06:47 Mary: Sure. I mean, who else would get up at You know, incredibly early morning hours, and get into cold water. And actually think that you enjoyed it,

06:58 Tasha: I know, I think I have a complex about being cold, I think we’ve talked about that, I really hate being cold and I think it’s because of all those laps being swimming, very cold water. 

07:11 Mary: Yep. 

07:14 Tasha: Oh my So I know that we had mentioned, you were in marketing and advertising for 20 years. Which is tremendous. What got you into real estate? 

07:26 Mary: well, interesting enough when I was at, I was working in a newspaper for some of those years, some of those 20 years and a lot of my clients were Realtors So I got to know them. and it wasn’t, it was just one of those things, you know, seeing them, we can we grabbing their ad, copy coming up brainstorming some ideas for their marketing, and I just in the back of my head, I said, What when I retire I think I want to get into real estate. 

08:03 Mary: and then the opportunity came and it was just at that point in time, it was a matter of Not finding the value. My I didn’t feel that my particular employer was finding my value, and I struggle with that. so, the day came that I needed to change things up, and so then I’m like, well, I’m gonna go talk to one of my real estate clients and see what the possibility is and ironically I had actually helped my daughter get into business first. 

08:40 Mary: Same client, same advertising client. She so she was about a year and a half ahead of me. And she was just, she was young and She was struggling trying to be a mom and punching time clock and, you know, similar things. And so, We got her going with this said Realtor. And then when my team time came around about a year and a half later Went to said Realtor and she’s like, you know, you do have a little bit of a problem I’m like, oh, Your daughter and you are gonna have the same clients, more, you know, your sphere of influence, everybody. You know, that’s your, you know, we all have our sphere of influence, and we’re like, Mmm. Yeah, that is she goes. Why you guys just become partners? 

09:28 Tasha: Smart. That’s very smart. 

09:30 Mary: Yeah, so that’s what we did and we worked as partners for for several years. Welcome home. Michiana. That’s where we kind of took our our group or our team together and that was what our team name is. So she’s no longer with me, she has moved on and is doing some other things and lives in another state right now. But but we still, you know, we still chat real estate. It never goes away. Yeah. 

09:57 Tasha: I love that and you represent Southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. 

10:03 Mary: Correct, correct. So I will go anywhere. Michigan up in Michigan, just south of the Kalamazoo area. I don’t necessarily serve Kalamazoo, but I have referral agents there, so St. Joe Benton Harbor, all along the lakeshore, Laporte into the Indiana itself as Lakeville Plymouth area and then as far east over to Elkhart and even popping up back up into Michigan even Union Michigan and sometimes three rivers so pretty broad area. 

10:43 Tasha: That’s a lot of ground to cover Mary. 

10:46 Mary: it is, it is 

10:48 Tasha: I love it well and I think this is going to be, hopefully a tip for all business people, as well as Realtors I had a few friends. When we were getting ready to sell our house, had a few friends who are Realtors And I thought, Which one am I going to pick? And it was a hard decision because I value friendship more than I do business. However, something that I appreciated about you Mary is that my business endeavors you have completely supported. A hundred percent. 

11:28 Tasha: And you’ve given me referrals, you’ve made connections, you’ve bought my books, my network marketing company. You’ve used those products and even came to a meeting and shared some of your time. And I didn’t feel like it was just a simple business strategy. I mean, there is some strategy to that of supporting people because you know, what? It’s like to be in business. You want to support each other, but it didn’t feel slimy, right? 

11:51 Mary: Absolutely. Well, that’s good. 

11:55 Tasha: And so yeah and so when I thought about the three people that I know and care about, I thought Mary has been super supportive. Why would I not want to support your business? So, that’s why I picked you and I think that’s important. So how do you balance? 

12:12 Tasha: You can’t possibly buy everybody’s products and use everybody’s stuff and go to everybody’s things. So, how do you balance being supportive? And yes, having some business strategy, but also not being gross about it. 

12:28 Mary: Okay. Well, authenticity is absolutely key. Absolutely key. And there’s a lot of things with a lot of my clients. I mean, Down to the simplest is. You know, I’m on social media. It’s part of my marketing. Even being on market, you know, on the social media, there’s a lot of startups, even more. So now that I think that we’ve that we’ve ever had, so there’s a lot of folks that have their startups, so I will see their startup and their initiatives and we’ve all seen those posts. What does it take to support a small business? You know, like follow share. 

13:08 Mary: And so that’s that’s just so basic and you really can’t and and that, and then that’s part of it. And then sometimes You can just align with what they’re doing, and that’s where you and I we just aligned so well. And so when you’re able to do that and when you and it’s not just a matter of just aligning the products, but it’s aligning the mentality. So so I think that’s why our relationship has has grown as much as it has. 

13:38 Mary: but, Even even on those that. had been, you know, Past clients or or this, you know, you talk about the slimy. I have Facebook requests all the time. And I I don’t accept them all. I don’t, I might know them or they, I’m a friend of, you know, you know, 6 degrees of separation. But I will look at, I will go back and I will look at their posts on their page and when I see that there’s very little personal but they’re all promoting their product, their product and product. I’m like I don’t want to be spammed. I really don’t want to be spammed with that. So because that That’s not a relationship and that and that’s the thing. It’s about nurturing authentic relationships and the best way, that’s how you can help support, you know, other clients and you know, fellow fellow women and friends in the business and any business. 

14:34 Tasha: Yeah, and I think you’ve done that really beautifully in your career and in your life, just in general and when we started working together to sell my home and buy a new home and the whole thing, something that really impressed me was you really took the time to make sure you understood what we were wanting. What we didn’t want and that you were laying everything out and communicating something. That’s really complicated with lots of paperwork and all of that and simplifying it in a way that we could understand. And make sure that you were communicating, effectively you shared your strategy of how you wanted to go about it based on the market. So I think some of your superpowers as a realtor are clear communication and also staying up to date on everything. So how do you do all of that? 

15:33 Mary: Well, I think now I I operate from the sunset knowledge is power. So the more information that I can give you and, you know, and I always whenever I’m chatting, you know, with my clients I always apologize because I say I’m going to information overload on you, but it comes back to the same technique that knowledge is power. So the more information that I can give you in your situation, then you’re gonna make better decisions. 

16:00 Mary: I’m also especially with listing the house for sale is we can control our side of the transaction, Okay? You know me, I know you, I know your desires. I know you’re once I know your level of negotiation, you know, all those things, I know your fears, all of that. But we can’t do anything about the third party on the other side of the transaction. So with my strategy especially with listing is there’s a lot of things we do up front to make sure that the transaction is successful. And one of those, for instance is a pre home inspection. And that is so, so crucial. And those who don’t have that. 

16:48 Mary: Pre-home Inspection Once we get under contract and we’re working with a buyer all of a sudden, there’s a lot of surprises that many times comes up. and I have to, I really want to say, I told you so, but I can’t say that, but that’s, that’s what it is. So it’s a, but it’s a matter of being knowledgeable. Controlling everything on our side of the transaction that we can. 17:16 Tasha: There’s a lot of moving parts. 

17:17 Mary: so, There is there is but that’s what we do that. That’s the benefit of having hiring Realtor. I mean, we’re trained for the longest time I would I think at 10 years I finally started putting the tagline experienced Realtor Yeah before that and Every transaction is different. We’re learning every every transaction, you know, so we never stop learning, you know. And now I feel like I have enough enough. 

17:52 Mary: you know, background and experience that I’ve seen things some funny and some very horrid, and you just take all that information that you’ve gathered over 12 years and you just You just use it, you know, and 

18:08 Tasha: Yeah, I love that you’ve stayed the course because any entrepreneur if they’re honest is going to say, it’s really hard. It’s a hard journey but also having a boss can be hard or being an employee, you know, can be hard. So what do you feel like has helped you stay the course for 12 years. In a profession, that is challenging and stressful. 

18:34 Mary: Right. Right. When I’m a little addicted to my work, I would say that because I just love it, it’s just one of those things where the hard days are hard. They’re fewer than the other days. And, you know, every time when those hard days come you realize, you just have to talk to yourself. This is not the end of the world. This is this is this situation, and how are we going to make it through that situation? And usually, it’s transactional. Usually, sometimes it’s motivational, you know days. Like today. Oh my goodness. This is a struggle today because there’s no sun and it’s 

19:14 Mary: knowing and it’s glooming and it’s cold and all those things. And I have to go put um for sale sign out in a yard and I have to be out in it today and I’m just like But it’s just today and you know, tomorrow will be a sunny day. 

19:31 Tasha: Let’s hope please. 

19:32 Mary: But yeah, I know. so um getting back to your question is how do you balance the other thing that it’s really really important is protecting my time And I have this conversation with, with all my clients is, I’m I’m always available. However, eight o’clock at night, my phone goes to silent. 

19:57 Mary: And I might still have access, I might still be working. But if I’m not, it’s okay and there’s a couple reasons why I do that because sometimes I have clients that work, third, third shift and they’re looking at houses at 2 in the morning, three in the morning and for me to expect them to not send those to me. Would not would be ashamed. So I’m like, send send, send me the text, go ahead and call leave the night voicemail I will get it in the morning. 

20:25 Mary: And I do that for the sake of my family time, my peace of mind. And then I also, you know, craft my, my showing times and my calendar to make sure that I have plenty of family time, and rest time and, you know, it’s just, you know, we all talk, you know, we talk a lot lately in the last few years about work balance work family, life balance, and it’s hard when you’re getting started to find that, because you’re pouring so much, But now that I’m in the business and most of my clients are repeat, clients or referral. They already know how I operate. 

21:05 Mary: And explaining that, you know, even new clients explaining that to them. They never have an issue with they’re like, Oh yeah, that’s good. You know, fine. 

21:14 Tasha: One, I think because you’re up front about it. You know, you let them know. These are kind of the way I work and they can take it or leave it, right? And so I also think when we set those boundaries of when we’re available or how to communicate with us, I think it also gives other people permission to do the same thing. Because some realtors have a horrible reputation for working around the clock. 

21:40 Mary: Right. 

21:45 Tasha: They’re working themselves to death. And that’s not okay. I, I want somebody who’s gonna be mentally sharp, who’s gonna enjoy their job, and it’s gonna be able to find me a house, or sell my house or whatever versus working themselves to the bone. You know. 

22:03 Mary: Exactly. Yeah. It’s, um, you know, I laughed at my husband yesterday because we were just talking about schedules and things. I said, You know, I looked at my watch and, you know, it was about this time last night, 9:37. I’m like, well, this has been a good 12-hour day. 

22:21 Tasha: Yes. 

22:22 Mary: You know, and, and it’s just but not every day is our 12 hour days. So, you know, I’ll have three days that are like just absolutely insane or I’m just like, seven am out the door and you know, done right and contracts or whatever at 9 or 10 at night. And then, I’ll have three or four days. Where I don’t have any appointments today, I’m going to relish it and that’s when I have to work in my business instead about my business but to your point is setting expectations. And if we set the expectations up front, Again, no surprises. Everybody knows what to expect. It makes it a lot easier. 

23:03 Tasha: Yeah, there’s a couple things you said that I went on, I think, first of all, and I’m gonna keep saying this possibly on every episode but Success comes from hard work over time and entrepreneurs, even though we have flexibility, you still have to put in the hours. 

23:23 Mary: You do. 

23:23 Tasha: But but I like that, you’re not saying Oh I do 12 hour days, seven days a week because that’s not healthy. So there’s a, you know, you have to decide. When do you have to sprint? When can you walk? When can you rest, right? 

23:34 Mary: Exactly. Absolutely absolutely. 

23:37 Tasha: So I because I think sometimes people think because I work from home that 23:38 Mary: Yeah. 

23:41 Tasha: everything just magically gets done and I’m not working. I don’t know. It’s the most bizarre thing people just think I’m always available and I don’t work or something. So even if you’re working from home or whatever you have flexibility, like you 

23:56 Tasha: have, you still have to work, right? 

23:58 Mary: Right. And even when, you know, I was out of town last weekend and I was working. You know, okay, I came down from the hotel room Friday morning and I was I wasn’t St. Louis and gorgeous hotel we were at but I came down and oh my gosh, there is probably 70 other people in this hotel in all these little different places working. And I’m like, Wow, I feel like I belong here. This is kind of cool. 

24:29 Tasha: They were your people. 

24:31 Mary: Yeah, so put my earbuds on and did my work and, you know, I had some phone calls to make but but that is the nice thing. I mean, physically, we’re out and about, but we are always, there’s always, you know, prospecting, there’s always educating training people. Yeah, it goes on and on. 

24:48 Tasha: Yeah. Well that kind of takes me to the second thing I wanted to talk about was 

24:49 Mary: Yeah. 

24:52 Tasha: you talked about working in your business and out of your business. Differentiate that for people especially if there’s like a new realtor listening, they may want to know, What do you mean by that and how do you Plan, your schedule around that. 

25:07 Mary: Perfect. So I’ll give you a scenario when I stopped working. Um, at my wasn’t necessarily eight to five job was a little longer than that, but when I stopped punching that time clock, And I got into real estate. I didn’t know what to do. I had the habit of getting up at 6:30 in the morning and going somewhere. And I literally went, Where am I going? What do I do? And I would sit in front of my computer, like, Don’t do well. Let’s see here. Oh look, there’s some houses available. Let’s go check, you know, It was just it was it was so different in the head. You know. 

25:48 Mary: So what I learned went to some phenomenal training, it’s called ninja training and it’s real estate geared, but I think anybody could learn from this and you can buy the book also. Anyway, Working in your business. So in the mornings, that’s when I schedule transactional time phone. Calls all that good stuff. Setting appointments, reaching out to clients, all that good stuff. My out of the business means showing houses doing a listing appointments, different things like that. I do in the afternoon or evening. 

26:28 Mary: So very rarely will I take a showing or listing appointment in the morning? Sometimes you have to I have one tomorrow morning at 9:30 because that’s what the client, that’s what works with the clients. So, you know, I can’t be hard set on that but because if we don’t spend the time in the business, 

26:47 Mary: Then we have nothing to do when we’re out, if that makes sense. So, you know, You know, I have a little note here, you know, five conversations a day. Is my goal picking up the phone, calling, You know, friends, family, you know, 

27:02 Mary: all those folks, whatever. But I do that in the morning because in the afternoon when I’m not focused I know myself well enough to know that the afternoon I’m not going to be as focused so that’s where in the afternoon all the appointments happen and that’s working out in the business. 

27:17 Tasha: Okay, so that’s great to hear the difference, which makes sense. But I always like to ask the questions to make sure I’m following you. So, what’s the name of the book you said Ninja with? 27:26 Mary: Absolutely. Ninja Ninja Selling.

27:34 Tasha: Ninja selling, okay? And then one book that I recommend to is the entrepreneur Roller coaster by Darren Hardy because switching from like the employee mindset of having a boss tell you what to do or a manager. Say These are the things that need to get done versus you determining as the employer, the entrepreneur of these are the things I have to do to produce results. It’s a huge mindset shift. 

28:03 Mary: Absolutely. 

28:03 Tasha: You know, yet to be self-motivated. Solution oriented, right. All of those things. And one of the things that you had mentioned is that Like you have a morning. Showing which you don’t normally do. So what are some of your hard fast rules? That are non-negotiable with you. And some that you’re like, okay I can this time I can adjust my schedule. So what are the, the hard fast knows, and the negotiable things. 

28:34 Mary: Mmm. Interesting, hard fast. Knows that’s a tough one. I, 

28:41 Tasha: And I didn’t one of yours that I noticed in you. And this is one of the reasons why I respect you so much. Is. when we were going through, All the buying selling stuff, you would say different things of sometimes. Realtors will do this, but that doesn’t align with my values. I don’t feel like that’s of integrity. 

29:01 Mary: Yes. 

29:03 Tasha: So for me that stands out as one of the reasons why I want to continue working with you and other things that will mention in a moment. But You have very strong values of what’s. Ethical? And not ethical. 

29:18 Mary: Absolutely absolutely. 

29:20 Tasha: That could be a whole other episode, and 

29:22 Mary: Yeah. Yeah, you know and it’s tough because There’s a lot of folks out there that oh I I’m honest that you can trustworthy, you know, all the you know, adjectives of such but actions speak louder than words. And at the end of the day and I’ve lost I have lost out on deals. I have had to put money out my out of my pocket because of a mistake that I made, because we’re human heirs happen, you know? But when it comes down to the bottom line is, I am accountable. 

29:59 Mary: For my business. I am accountable for what I do. And and, you know, I That. Yeah, that it just is huge for me and I don’t know if you know some see that maybe as a weakness but I feel it is as a strength. So that’s that is a hard no. I mean I will I will always do what’s right. And sometimes you really have to think about it because sometimes there is a fine line and it’s not like you’re looking to do the wrong, it’s not bad at all. It’s just, this is a, you know, A moment where you really have to think it through and and then make a decision and just to always choose, right? Always choose, right? and, you know, there is a part of my life growing up where I was a very just, you know, latchkey kid, I learned To be sneaky and manipulative and all those things. And it took many years for me to undo that I did not like that part of me. So I might have gone way over on the other side of that, but um, 

31:10 Tasha: But you know what, though? I had a mentor once, tell me because a network marketing, there’s a lot of gray areas, too. That you have to decide, is this ethical is, It’s not my number One thing was I do not people steal as what it’s called a network marketing. Right? That’s so 

31:24 Mary: Absolutely. Yeah. 

31:26 Tasha: unethical. Is it legal sure? Can it be compliant sometimes? Sure can I sleep at night? Nope, so he would tell me when I was learning the rules of the game, if you will. Which real estate, you know, has rules of the game. 

31:44 Mary: Absolutely. 

31:45 Tasha: And he would say, at the end of the night, You’ve got to put your head on your pillow and fall asleep. And you’re right, some of those things you have to think about. Well, it’s not totally unethical or all these other people are doing it, right? But if you don’t feel true to yourself, that’s not okay. So could you share maybe a couple of examples where maybe it’s a great area? And where? there’s kind of like the ethical versus unethical way of handling it so that people can be alert to I know I want an ethical 

32:23 Mary: Right. 

32:23 Tasha: Person to work with, right, so that it can kind of signal to people. Maybe I don’t want to work with this agent. 

32:30 Mary: So there’s a few one situation I’m involved in right now is I have a client that has been a friend for a long time. They sold their house but they didn’t use me. And I wasn’t. I was aware of it but I really, you know, I wasn’t that upset. I was like a bummer right, you know oh well for whatever they’re yeah. So whatever the reason 

32:50 Tasha: It’s the pointing. 

32:54 Mary: So now they’re buying a house. And we have had this conversation that the person who sold their house was also in the impression that they were going to use them to sell that and you know this other realtor and we’re we’re friends not best buddies or anything but we’ve had transactions together and you know respectful and all that good stuff. So when I meet with these clients, I asked them. Well, what about this other realtor? Do you? You know, did you sign? Because when you’re working with the Realtor, you have to sign a document. 

33:25 Mary: That’s been one of the changes lately and I’m not gonna go into that deep now, but it’s a little bit of a change in our industry in the last year. So you have to sign a document with said Realtor. Before you can enter a house. So I’d asked him, You know, several times, are you sure you haven’t signed anything? Are you sure you haven’t said anything and like no mayor. I we would have remembered. 

33:45 Mary: No, we we didn’t and she hasn’t been sending us anything or, you know, so I’m like, Okay, that’s fine. Um, but there are still this, it was kind of heavy, you know, just I don’t like taking business away from another realtor. so what we agreed was that we would The the buyer. Okay, would increase their commission to me a little bit. So that I can take that additional and send it over to that agent. So it’s like a referral, okay? Except the agent didn’t refer me the buyer, you know, the buyer’s referring and that way. It’s just, it keeps the peace, it keeps the integrity of the relationship. My buyers can move on in the direction that they want and feel confident. 

34:38 Mary: And yet the agent, the other agent who has already been, if benefited from the sale. But then they don’t feel like You know, they lost a client for because I stole them or something like that. It really wasn’t that at all that they had come to me. So that’s one of the things where, you know, I don’t have to, I don’t have to, I owe her nothing, but that’s the right thing to do. So, 

35:01 Tasha: Yeah, one. I’m sure if the tables were turned, that’s what you would want, 

35:02 Mary: Yeah. 

35:05 Tasha: right? So if you can create a win-win and put yourself in the other person’s shoes and say, Well, what would make me feel okay about it and not feel like I don’t want to work with this person anymore. you know, is that kind of what I’m hearing as you think of win-win solutions and 

35:19 Mary: Yeah. 

35:22 Tasha: what you would want on to you, the Golden Rule, 

35:25 Mary: Absolutely. The Golden Rule? Yes. Always still tried and true. Absolutely. 

35:32 Tasha: Yeah, so what are some things people should look for when picking an agent to 

35:33 Mary: oh, 

35:39 Tasha: work with? 

35:43 Mary: Obviously integrity is huge. When? So I I have as I noted earlier, education. It’s not just a matter of opening doors. And there’s a lot of there’s a lot of thought, especially now because it’s, you know, our industries changing by new laws and so forth and so on. You’re looking for an agent that is going to educate, you explain the process. Listen to you and what your needs wants and desires are and it doesn’t mean that they’re going to be able to meet all of those. Okay? If they’re, you know, if there’s some things that just aren’t going to work, you don’t just say, Okay, okay, walk on, you’re like, well, wait a minute, let’s see, you know, I hear what you’re saying. 

36:35 Mary: but, This might be the better way to do that. So so that I think that’s huge experience is important. 

36:46 Mary: What I’m saying now is a lot of But young buyers in particular because there’s so many resources out there for for homes and I’m you know, it and If you click on the zillows, the trulia is the all of those online. Many times when you see those agents on the side they’re paying for your lead. So as soon as you click and you say I want that, you know, I want to schedule a showing well then that phone rings to about 10 different realtors and whoever picks the phone up. First gets that lead. 

37:24 Tasha: Hey, I could understand if you’re moving to an area where, you know, nobody maybe. But oh I don’t like that. 

37:30 Mary: Maybe. well, and I can tell and I can tell you and I’m I’ll come back to this, but I can tell you anybody, if you’re in Texas, if you’re in any type of the world and if you have a realtor that sold, you your home that realtor go to them and say, Find me a realtor where I’m relocating to 

37:50 Tasha: Oh, that’s great, that’s great information. 

37:52 Mary: Yes, that is the best way because they’re gonna, they’re gonna do the researcher. They’re gonna find someone who is in their referral network and many times they operate under the same business model, but at least it’s it’s a softer handoff rather than getting somebody on the other line who you don’t know. And once you, you know, and now I’m back to the Zillow call. Once you call that person, you are committed to them. 

38:25 Mary: And usually. And that’s 

38:26 Tasha: Even if you haven’t signed anything, you’re already committed to that person. 

38:29 Mary: You can well and that’s where you have to pay attention to the form that you’re signing at that point in time. 

38:37 Tasha: wow, that 

38:38 Mary: Yes, it wasn’t always like that until until last August. 

38:41 Tasha: Okay, that’s a tricky game to play. 

38:43 Mary: It is a very tricky game to play. Yes. And that’s why I I do buyer counsels. So if you want to see a house that’s fine. But we’re um, when I give that form, I only commit for that house until we’ve had that buyer counsel. Because we have to have a relationship. If I don’t like you or if you don’t like me, we don’t want to be stuck together for six months because we’re both gonna be miserable. 

39:11 Tasha: That’s awful. 

39:12 Mary: Okay, but it happens, you know. So the form is tricky and it’s by law. It’s something we have to do. And it’s very, it’s very scary to buyers. Very, very scary to buyers. But it takes a little time that when you explain it to them and put them in a non Oh, put them in an easy situation and that’s why I say when I do the form, it’s for that showing only there’s no commission or anything. It’s just this is our council. This is your introduction. So we might meet at the house, if it’s a vacant house and we will have our council right there at that showing and then we will determine whether we want to meet together again or not from there. And then the next time we get together then we’ll start the more formal form. 

40:02 Mary: Absolutely. 

40:02 Tasha: I like that because it’s a softer point of entry. Like a test run. All right. 

40:08 Mary: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. 

40:11 Tasha: okay, so I love also because I know you so well, now that you’re taking all this experience and knowledge and now you’re coaching people 

40:21 Mary: I am. Yes. So I’ve been cooked. 

40:23 Tasha: That’s exciting. 

40:25 Mary: It is, it is, I’m again learning with that. So I’m with workman’s success systems. I started out being coached by them, which helped, you know. Also. Hi very, very high integrity. I’m just amazed by the whole, by the whole team. So my goal for that is so 

40:53 Mary: Once I decide, I don’t want to sell houses or list houses anymore to stay on as a master coach, right now. I’m just a certified coach. So I’m like a level one out of three. And so, I’ve been coaching now for not quite Not quite two years. Almost two years now and and I love it. Do it. Oh, you know somewhere in the what we’re doing here over zoom and Meeting coaches where they are and helping them get to better places in their business, to help them if they want to grow a team, if they just need better systems because they just don’t know what to do. It’s so much fun. My goal is once I’m out of the business. 

41:39 Mary: To keep coaching and that that’s kind of gonna be, you know, my true retirement 

41:44 Mary: job. As I thought I was doing 12 years ago, is to be able to do that because I 

41:46 Tasha: Yeah. 

41:50 Mary: can do that anywhere. Anyway. 

41:52 Tasha: And you’re still in something that you’re passionate about and it always feels 

41:55 Mary: Yes. 

41:56 Tasha: good to help people, like that’s just fun. 

41:58 Mary: Absolutely. And the thing is, is they challenge me as well. That’s what I, you know, that’s what I love about it is, I’m giving, you know, because every time I’m meeting with them, I mean I have to do some research, um, what their goals and what they’re trying to do, and much of it is within our coaching parameters, but sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper, um, and help find tools, you know, tools and suggestions and ideas to get them where they want to get where they want to be. So, and sometimes in doing that, I’m like, I learned something new, too. 

42:32 Mary: so and you know, you always have to walk the walk, the talk 

42:33 Tasha: Exactly. I feel like that’s Leadership 101. That’s like pretty much relationship 

42:37 Mary: You know, so if I’m saying you need to do this, you know, there’s three fingers, coming back to me, am I doing it? 

42:49 Tasha: Building 101, right? 

42:51 Mary: Yeah, exactly. 

42:52 Tasha: So I got to give a little plug to something that we’re working on, and it’s so 

42:53 Mary: Yeah. 

42:57 Tasha: early stages, I’m really excited about it. Mary. And we’ll do another episode specifically about it, but it’s going to be September 2026. We’re doing an event specifically for entrepreneurs. And I cannot wait to. I know we’re meeting again soon to go over more details and keep planning it. 

43:22 Mary: I’m excited. Yeah, it’s good. It’s gonna be awesome. I can’t wait. 

43:26 Tasha: Yeah, when you were talking about you know coaching and wanting to give back, I’m like that’s kind of one of the things we want to do for other entrepreneurs because it can be a tough gig but it’s so rewarding. 

43:36 Mary: Absolutely. Yes, it is. 

43:39 Tasha: Yeah. So we’ll do another episode and dive into that a little bit more, but any entrepreneurs you could block off all September since we haven’t exact date. 

43:44 Mary: Perfect. Stay tuned. Right. 

43:52 Tasha: Oh my, so how can people get in touch with you Mary? Whether it’s as an agent or needing referrals or even for coaching? 

44:02 Mary: Store. Sure, probably the best would be to either go through my Facebook, welcome home, actually, No, I changed it. It’s a Mary Cooper with Coldwell banker realty. Or if you just look up, Mary Cooper, you’re gonna find me my Facebook profiles pretty open or the other would be very easy to remember. Welcome Home Michiana.com is my website and so all my contact information is on there. That’s probably the easiest way, WelcomeHomeMichiana.com. 

44:32 Tasha: Wonderful. I’ll put that in the show notes so that way people can get in touch 

44:35 Mary: Wonderful. 

44:35 Tasha: with you. Thank you so much Mary for being here today and for your friendship as well. I appreciate you. 

44:41 Mary: Thank you, I appreciate it very much.