CAR leadership was everywhere – leading panels, presenting sessions and more – at NAR’s Leadership Summit in Chicago this August. Leadership Summit is a time for REALTOR® Association Executives and incoming board presidents to come together and prepare for the year ahead. Our own incoming president, Tommy Choi, led a session with Maren Brisson-Keuster from North Carolina REALTORS® titled “Your Role as Chief Storyteller,” where attendees from across the country were encouraged to “tell their story” and learned tactics to become a Chief Storyteller.
Through their session, one thing was emphasized: authenticity – the importance of being yourself and being relatable. I think that’s an important lesson for all of us in the industry. Real estate is so personal and so important. You’re helping people make life-long decisions and bringing your authentic self to the transaction makes it personal.
I was, of course, proud to see Tommy on stage, and bragged to some fellow AE’s that my association president wasn’t with me because he was presenting! But it wasn’t only pride that I walked away with – it was a drive to ensure I told my story, and a calling to share why this industry is important to me.
I didn’t grow up in a home we owned – homeownership came much later in life for some of my family. I purchased my first home when I turned 30, and it was a proud moment. It was important, too, because it helped set me on the path to CAR.
Real estate is an integral part of our lives – something as simple as having a place to live and a home to call your own is key to the American dream. I want all of you, our members, to have a place here at CAR and feel welcomed to tell your stories which are integral to being successful in your careers.
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, CAE Chief Executive Officer Chicago Association of REALTORS®