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Life and Work with Janine Valentine

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Janine Valentine.

Janine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My current journey began with the ending of my marriage in 2014, and after taking some time to heal, I decided to consciously build the life I want to live. I was just 19 when I got married, so for my entire adult life, I had been part of a “we”. I began being curious about who I really was as just “me” and what I really wanted. Like many women, I had set pieces of myself aside to focus on raising our children and supporting my husband. What did I love to do? How did I want to express myself into the world? Which parts of myself were authentic – or as yet undiscovered – and what needed to be released? The answers came slowly. I had to learn not to judge or negate what my heart wanted, and to push through a lot of fear. Trusting myself was difficult at first – I had been used to having a partner to collaborate with, and I hadn’t really spread my wings as an independent woman. As I grew more into a true expression of myself, I fell head-over-heels in love with who I am – and the trust followed.

In 2017 I quit my day job (insurance) and started my own business in real estate transaction management. Starting a business is a scary move for anyone – and as a single woman, this was terrifying. I referred to it as “burning my ships” – I left no option to retreat; there was only forward. It created a commitment to my own success in a deeper way because the decision to leave my traditional job was proof that I believed in my own abilities enough to go all in. And it worked. It took a while to get up and running, but once it did, I had the wonderful “problem” of growing very quickly. Perhaps because I had come to this business from outside the industry, I had a fresh perspective. And because I had learned to trust myself, I was willing to do it differently than how it has traditionally been done. I have also been blessed with a truly amazing tribe of friends, family and coaches who have cheered me on, provided resources and growth opportunities, and held the vision for me when I couldn’t see it myself.

Now, almost three years later, my business continues to grow faster than I ever imagined; I have developed an excellent reputation and a strong referral business. My clients are part of a family we are creating – we are all about community and collaboration, helping one another rise.

I now have the ability to focus on more aspects of this life I am consciously creating for myself. I had dreamed of visiting Morocco and riding a camel through the Sahara Desert at sunset… so in 2019, I did exactly that!

I have always had a close group of friends in my life, and now that circle has grown. I enjoy paying it forward, encouraging others to be their best and highest selves, to dream bigger and then execute it step by step. We don’t need to be in competition with one another… there is more than enough out there for all of us. Everyone has their own unique way of doing things, and we need it all.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Easy in the sense that I am doing what I love, and am “in flow” when I’m working. Also, definitely challenging! I not only started my own business, I did so in an industry that was new to me (real estate). I had to learn what amounted to a new language, as well as the logistics of my specific role and processes. It took six months to sign my first client, and four more months before I began to get more clients. I lived on my savings and worked as a mobile notary and part-time help for friends’ businesses to keep afloat that first year. It paid off, but it took a lot of perseverance. Starting your own business is like intense therapy. It forces you to deal with your limiting beliefs, challenge your comfort zones, and not only face your fears but actually LOOK for them and use them as guideposts for what is probably next.

Growing fast has been an ongoing challenge for me. Sometimes I felt like my business was getting in front of me, before I had a plan in place for that next level. I would set aside my self care to work harder and try to get in front of it again. I realized that was a deeply ingrained habit – one that many women struggle with. We take care of ourselves when we have the time to do so – which is sometimes months away. This required me to do some serious work around my mindset and creating new habits. I have learned that taking care of myself first actually allows me to perform better and faster, think more clearly, and stay positive. Self-care is an investment that actually creates a sense of abundance around time rather than a deficit. I start almost every morning with Me Time – meditating, listening to my vinyl records while dancing or journaling, a cup of coffee while sky-gazing from my balcony, cuddling and playing with my dogs, and planning out my day. Then I take my “commute” down the hall to my home office and dive in!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Key TC Services, LLC – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Many of you are probably not familiar with transaction management. I work with busy real estate agents in Colorado to manage their transactions from contract through closing. Since Brokers spend so much of their time in their cars and with clients, having me available at my computer to handle emails, schedule appointments and monitor deadlines really frees them up both physically and mentally. I have one client that tells people that harps play in her head whenever I help her with something! This is a really smart piece of their business to out-source. Some of my clients use the time I save them to be with their children more. Others have doubled their business volume because they can now handle more without sacrificing service.

What I am most proud of is that my business is an authentic extension of who I am. As such, what I found myself naturally doing differently was personalizing my process for every client. This is their business, and I am here to support that. Whatever they need, according to their preferences and time frames, in their voice and style – because that is what I would want done for me if the roles were reversed. For this reason, I call myself a Transaction Concierge. I think of myself as merging the hospitality industry with the real estate industry. WHAT I do is transactional by nature, but HOW I do it is relational, and the combination is transformational for my clients’ businesses. I love what I do, the people I work with, and the community we are creating.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
I grew up in Oregon, living there until I was 16, at which time I was selected to be sponsored by the Rotary Club as an exchange student to Australia for my junior year of high school. During that year abroad, my dad got transferred to Colorado so my family moved while I was in Australia. I returned “home” for my senior year in Colorado. All of this taught me that I am strong and adaptable, and that being outside my comfort zone can lead to amazing experiences!

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Image Credit:
Tricia Turpenoff

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