Try this on for size... Stylish professional woman at the helm of a successful certified B-corp business. Sounds nice, right? Well, meet your mentor, Jenelle Isaacson of Living Room Realty.
Jenelle and I both grew our businesses within blocks of each other on Alberta Street in the late oughts, but it took nearly a decade before we would meet (at a private shopping party at Garnish). It didn't take but a minute to recognize a spark in her, a down to earth energy and optimism that I would be willing to wager has been a large key to her success. She is a true leader, evidenced not only by the countless awards, the speaking engagements, the mulitple offices across the state and multiple broker's under her umbrella, but especially by the fact that when you mention her name to those under her wing they alight with compliments about her and what it's like to be a part of her orbit.
I just recently found inspiration from Jenelle myself when I read her opening note in the Living Room newsletter that arrived at our house last month. It's no secret that Portland has been going through a rough patch and it can be hard to always keep our heads up, but Jenelle so eloquently reminded us to stay optimistic and remain curious about our amazing city. She encouraged us all to take a walk through our neighborhoods and "open our eyes to the beauty of the local businesses in your area - run by some of the world's most talented chefs, artisans, designers, and thinkers - you will likely find yourself swept up in the affection you have for your hometown." The article is beautiful, and personally it resonated with me in this moment. I invite you to read the article (page 3) and similarly get swept up in Jenelle's optimism... for Portland, for life. Thanks Jenelle!
To hear more from Jenelle on "Building Resilience in Leadership" check out her talk here Lessons from Punk Rock Business Strategies. To learn more about the amazing business she has built check out Living Room Realty. And here is more on Jenelle herself.
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