After selling my flooring company in 2023, the two most frequent questions I got were: “Are you retiring?” and “What’s next?” My answers: no to retirement (more on that in a future post) and a transition into Commercial Real Estate (CRE)! The latter fills me with an excitement I hadn’t felt about my career in years—a renewed sense of purpose.

This new chapter is grounded in leveraging the key lessons I’ve gained throughout my career and applying them dynamically to the CRE industry. That word, dynamic, reflects a critical mindset shift I underwent starting in 2016: I became comfortable being uncomfortable. Downsized in 2018, I faced uncertainty with cautious optimism. Instead of returning to corporate life, I chose a bold path: small business ownership. With my family’s support, I launched a flooring franchise in 2019, just six months before the world changed.

The pandemic hit hard in 2020, but instead of panicking, I adapted. Commercial flooring became a surprising growth opportunity as offices closed and demand for services surged. We revamped our approach, embraced feedback, and pivoted our marketing strategy. By 2022, our franchise achieved its highest gross revenue despite the challenges. Along the way, I learned how small businesses—the backbone of our economy—survive and thrive through community connections and shared support.