A Dollar, A Dream, and A Career Switch | A Q&A with Tiesha Rena'

Feeling stuck in a career you no longer want to be in? Or perhaps it's time for a detour because you've found another calling? No matter your reason for your career switch...some of us face the same questions when faced with approaching a new professional change- "What am I doing?", "Will I be good at it?", "What will other people think?" Looking back, I now realize none of those questions REALLY matter. There are two things that do, though. Fear. And faith. I am continuously learning that the one thing we are most afraid to do...is the very thing we SHOULD do. And in that fear...when we don't know what we're doing, how we're going to get by, or if we'll even succeed....it's our faith that saves us. It's sure what has saved and kept Tiesha Rena', an up and coming...and RADIANT realtor in Atlanta, Georgia. This month is Women's History Month, and what other way to highlight women making herstory...than highlight women killing their careers, goals, and pursuit of their own happiness. Tiesha joins Dialosophy for a Q&A on her career switch, her story, and why it's OKAY to give yourself permission to make a change. Welcome, Tiesha.

Q: Tie!!! Girl hey! It's been so long! How are you? Okay so first, tell everyone a little bit about yourself- who you are, what you do,;etc. A: Hey, girl, hey!!! So, my name is Tiesha Rena' and I am a full-time realtor in Atlanta, GA! I'm originally from Hemingway, South Carolina. I attended Claflin University, where I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing & Communications. I've been living in Atlanta for a little over a year now! Q: Okay, so girl you are KILLIN it right now. After we graduated college, you worked in New York. You're now a realtor in Atlanta. I've been trying to mostly keep up with everybody on social media...but walk me through your career journey. You can even start back at college. What has brought Tiesha Rena' to where she is RIGHT now? What barriers and difficulties did you face switching to a career in realty...and how did you overcome them? A: Okay so this may take a while LOL when I graduated back in 2017, I relocated to NYC to participate in an 8-month program called AdFellows, which is sponsored by Verizon and targets minorities looking to break into the marketing and advertising industry. At the time, the program was brand new so I really didn't know what to expect but 8 months later, I was hired full-time as an Account Coordinator at one of the participating agencies. I worked there for a little over a year before relocating back down south. I had already been planning to move back to be closer to my family...but when my mother got in a terrible accident, that was the icing on the cake! I immediately started the process to take my next steps i.e applying for jobs, looking at places to stay, saving,etc. I actually quit my NY job and moved back to SC before I had even secured a position in Atlanta because FAITH. Even though I had already been applying for positions for like 6 months and had no luck, I just knew everything would work out for me. I prayed and continued to apply. Two weeks after being back in SC, I was offered a job in Atlanta at another marketing agency as an Account Executive. About two months into this role (and honestly throughout the majority of my career in advertising), I knew that I wasn't passionate about the work I was doing. I always felt like I needed to be doing something more impactful. Luckily (and I use this word very loosely), eight months later, I was placed on furlough due to COVID. Now, I know you're thinking why would I use the word luckily after basically being *almost* let go from a job but I took that as a sign that it was time for me to take my next step. It was time to stop playing it safe and go out to do what I had been contemplating about for the past 2 years, Real Estate! So, I enrolled into real estate school and got the process started. I had already been researching everything like schools, brokerages, etc. so I was already half way prepared. Of course, while being furloughed, I applied and interviewed for different positions within advertising but only for financial security reasons...not because I actually wanted the roles (which is probably why I didn't get any of them LOL). But fast forward five months later, I was done with school and had passed my state exam so I can now officially call myself a realtor (YAY!). I didn't come in thinking I'd be full-time. I thought I would get my job back and work a little until business picks up but God had bigger plans! I was officially laid off and made the decision to playing it safe and put my all into real estate! Q: I think everyone can agree that we leave our teenage years and enter our 20-somethings all bright eyed and bushy tailed with what seems like all our dreams and possibilities in our hands...just to find out...(lol) we know nothing...and have nothing together. What would you go back and tell younger Tie right now...especially as it relates to having it all together and charting out the future? A: So, I'm the type of person where I'm always so hard on myself! I always feel like I don't have room to fail or make mistakes. As I continue to grow both personally and professionally, I'm learning that's 100% not the case. I absolutely may fail at some things, and I will make mistakes because no one is perfect! It's up to me to decide how I want to handle those situations though. I can either sit around and dwell on the situations or I can get up, learn from them, and do better next time. So, to my younger self...I would say, Take it easy! Trust the process. Life is all about learning. You're not going to know everything and you're not going to know how to do everything. You're not going to have it "all together". And that's okay! Continue to work as hard as you can, do the best that you can, and everything will fall into place. Q: What is the current vision you have for your life...let's say 10-15 years down the road? How do you see your career supporting that vision? A: In the next 10-15 years, I'm striving to be successful, happy, and at peace. I want to have a good balance between both my personal and professional life. Of course, I'd love to be married, with kids, settled into my forever home and preferably close to retirement lol. Career wise, I'm working to become one of the next top producing agents in the country! Yes, not only in Georgia but in the country! That's my big picture. I'm very confident that all the work I'm putting in now will lead me to my personal and career goals. Q: Let's talk about goals. As a realtor, what is goal setting like for you and how are you able to manage your different responsibilities? A: For me, I set my overall goals on a yearly basis...then I break them down on a weekly basis to work towards that big goal. What has really been helping me lately is setting a daily schedule for each day of the week. When I first got into the industry, everyone kept saying "You need to create a schedule and stick to it" and "Wake up early and run your business like it's a literal business." At first, I didn't listen. I just kept tackling each day with whatever came to mind but I recently took a class that was so good it changed my perspective and got me super motivated. Since then, I've been handling my responsibilities by creating a schedule and sticking to it. For example, every day I wake up at 6:30am and take 30min. to get my mental in a good place (praying, reading my daily devotional, listening to a podcast,;etc.). From 7am-9am, I'm expanding my knowledge and working and working through my educational courses. From 10am-12pm, I'm prospecting, trying to secure leads and following up with my clients. 12-1, take a lunch. From 1pm-3pm, study contracts, etc etc. Like literally, my days are planned from the time I wake up until I'm ready to call it night and everything I'm doing is helping me to meet my weekly/yearly goal. This has really helped me to be super productive and become the best agent I can be for my clients. Q: What was the preparation journey like for you in becoming a realtor? Was there any pre-planning you had to do before leaving your last job? What tips do you have to offer other women, especially those who may be switching to realty from another field? A: A lot of researching, a lot of reaching out to people who were already in the industry and learning about their personal experience and getting any advice I could on ways to be successful. I'm super thankful for those experienced agents who took time to talk to me and give me the advice I needed to make my move into the industry. Three tips that I currently live by: 1. SAVE SAVE SAVE! Becoming a realtor is truly an expense in the beginning. Create a budget and stick to it! 2. Be patient. Don't expect success to happen overnight. It takes a lot of work, planning, strategizing, and marketing to get where you want to be. Some people see success within a few months. For others, it may take a few years. Trust your journey because no two journeys are the same. 3. Never give up. Real estate has its ups and downs and it can be easy to lose sight of your goal when something doesn't work out exactly how you had hoped, which will happen! For example, you may expect to close a deal one day and the day before, the deal could not go through for reasons beyond your control and that's okay! Learn from it, grow from it, and keep on pushing! Q: What permissions do you think women need to give themselves in order to become who they want to be? A: Don't put any limits on your abilities. If you set your mind and heart to do something, create a plan and go out and do it! You only fail at 100% of the opportunities you don't try. I truly believe that if you put your 100% effort into everything you do, there's no way you can fail so give yourself permission to take risk and see it through to its' full potential. ​Q: I'm particularly curious to know...is there a gender gap in the realty field? And as a black woman...how do you currently and plan to navigate that to distinguish yourself? A: In my opinion and from what I've seen, I don't see much of a gender gap. There's sooooo many female realtors as well as male realtors. Women actually account for about 64% of the industry. Of course as a black woman, we have to work 10x harder and 10x smarter (which I plan to do) than our white counterparts to have half the success but that's a given in any industry. As a new realtor, it's kind of hard for me to speak from this perspective of a gender gap, since I haven't personally experienced it. Check back in a few years though. I'm sure I'll have something! Lol. But as a black woman, in addition to providing the best service and experience for anyone I work with or work for, I plan to be as knowledgeable as I can in all aspects or concern that may be thrown my way from clients or from other realtors. The more you know, the more you grow! Q: How important is building and accessing your support network now? What do you lean on when it's time to refill your cup? What role does self care play in your life currently? A: My support system is what motivated me to become a realtor in the first place. I'm so thankful to have friends and family who constantly support and push me to reach my full potential. I think an important part of building success in any journey is by staying close to people who feel like sunlight in your life, who love you and always support your dreams. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed or start to doubt myself, I talk to God, I talk to my parents, my siblings, my boyfriend, my best friend, close friends, and line sisters. Having so many options of people I can call on and know they'll be there for me is truly a blessing. Self care is extremely important to me. I've always been the type to protect my sanity at all costs. Some ways that I practice self care is by getting enough sleep (I'm not pulling no all-nighter lol I'm sorry), pouring a glass of wine, reading a motivating book, working out, and just spending time with my family and friends. Anytime I'm doing anything that brings me peace, I call that self care! As long as my mind and body are in a good place, I can be the best version of me. Q: Okay...moving forward into some more technical questions. What advice do you have for potential first time home buyers about when it is the RIGHT time to buy a home? Do we need to have a certain amount in the bank? What do we need to know about mortgages, how can we best improve our financial health,;etc. Lay it on us girl. A: There's so much I can say for this, but that would literally take up three pages lol so I'll keep it short and to the point. It's important for first time homebuyers to 1) distinguish their goals, 2) research as much as they can, 3) save as much money that they can, and 4) talk to a professional. As a realtor, we're here to best guide and advise you on the best plan for your individual real estate needs. We are able to assess your situation and lead you in the best direction. Credit score not where you need it to be? No problem. Let me connect you with someone who can help. Not enough money saved? Let's create a plan to help you reach your goal. Not sure who to talk with about getting a loan? Let me connect you with a few trusted lenders! There's sooo much that goes into the homebuying process but with the help of a professional, we can make it a smooth and seamless transaction. Q: Is it better to rent or buy a home? How can someone decide what will work best for them? A: It honestly just depends on the person's financial abilities and long term goals. There are 3 important requirements you must have to qualify for a home loan: 1. Minimum of a 580 credit score but 620+ is preferred. 2. Low debt-to-income ratio. 3. A very healthy savings account for upfront costs like down payment, closing costs, etc. Although owning a home comes with more responsibility and it's more of a long term commitment, your monthly payments typically are about the same amount you pay in rent, sometimes less. I've seen a lot of young professionals invest in starter homes and later rent it out to others to have an additional income. I would always recommend this option to those who'd like to buy but are not ready to purchase their "dream home." All in all, there are many different scenarios which could make buying a home right or not right for someone. By scheduling a consultation with me, I'd be able to better advise. :) Q: Alright...last question girl. Thank you so much for doing this Q&A Tie. You are absolutely inspiring, and I love seeing "Townhouse Tuesday's" on your Instagram (@thereal_tiesharena). Give us the shameless plug. Who are you working with and for readers in the ATL area...How can my readers get in touch with you? A: Thank you so much Adia for thinking of me for this opportunity! I really enjoyed answering these questions. I can't wait to see all the greatness that comes from Dialosophy! Okkk so shameless plug lol I know sometimes people look at my profile and Townhouse Tuesday and think I only work with clients who are looking to purchase a townhome but that is false. I work with all clients, whether you're looking to buy a townhouse, condo, or single family home. Whether you're looking to sell your home, relocate, rent or invest, I can help! Feel free to follow me on IG @thereal_tiesharena. There's a link in my bio to schedule a free consultation to chat through your real estate needs. I can also be contacted via email at tbrayboy@normanliving.com. Also, I'll be dropping the T. Rena' Collection within the next month or so for all my female realtor and aspiring homeowners out there. Be sure to follow @thetrenacollection on IG for more details!

About Tiesha Rena'

Tiesha Rena’ Brayboy is currently a sales agent for Norman & Associates Real Estate Solutions in Atlanta, Georgia. Tiesha Rena' is a hard-working and driven young professional known for her expertise in Marketing & Advertising. Her entrepreneurial spirit, enthusiasm for helping others and passion for homes has led her to the world of real estate. Over the past few years, Tiesha has had the opportunity to work on many large-scale advertising campaigns, working with brands including Verizon, Audi and IHG Hotels & Resorts. Her career background has equipped her with the skills and expertise needed to provide outstanding client service, making client needs and satisfaction her top priority! Originally from the small town of Hemingway, South Carolina, Tiesha relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 2019. She is a 2017 graduate of Claflin University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing & Communications. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. When she isn’t making home ownership dreams come true for her clients, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and reading a good book! Contact Tiesha Rena’ today to help make all your home buying, selling and investing dreams a reality!