Community Highlights: Meet McKenna Mau of Live. Laugh. Denver. Real Estate Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to McKenna Mau.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I will never forget when in a college class we had a guest speaker discussing his career path and how he got to where he is today. Simply put he explained “It’s not about climbing a ladder up, but rather a rock climbing wall from side to side, sometimes you have to go down a peg to then make the correct move and start on a new pathway up to the top”. This has stuck with me ever since that day and made me realize that nobody gets to where they are by a cookie cutter route. We all have adversity and setbacks along the way that make us into the person we were created to be.

I, like many others, have experienced a variety of adversities in each stage of my young adult life. My first set back started with my college volleyball career at Metro State University of Denver. I got recruited my junior year of high school to play as an outside hitter at a collegiate level, my dream come true. I am from a small town in Colorado and being given the opportunity to play in a big city was a huge goal for me. Then senior year came and I got injured which inevitably lead to me needing to have shoulder surgery… not good for an outside hitter. But I was what they call a “utility player’ and was able to play in the back row so when I got to Metro they converted me to a defensive specialist and I was really happy in that role. Sadly my college volleyball career ended only after two short years due to a head injury on the court that was diagnosed as a basilar skull fracture and left me out of any physical activity or even the ability to be in a physical classroom, read, look at screens, and drive a car for 4 long months. This was such a low point for me and if you have ever had a head injury you know how hard it can be. To others, you appear to be healthy and injury free, there is no bandage or cast that shows you are injured. But what is happening inside of your head and to your nervous system would tell otherwise. It was during this time that I decided there was more to life than volleyball. I decided to leave the team, switch my major and study abroad. Fully change it all and roll the dice.

Shortly after my recovery I applied for a full ride academic scholarship that only a handful students are selected for each year. This scholarship would give me the ability to pay for school, housing, and the cost of living for the remainder of my college career. Ironically, the application required writing an essay on adversity, and as we know my experience with adversity was fresh. Through the essay, application, and multiple interview process to my surprise and delight I was named the newest Reisher Scholar. What an honor! This scholarship was so impactful in my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

Switching my major lead me into the Hospitality, Tourism and Events industry where I decided to become an event planner. I got to study abroad in Prague and I met some of my life long best friends on that trip that are still in my life to this day. Looking back, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity if I was still playing volleyball and I am so grateful for that time in my life. Fast forward through my internships and graduating college I landed a dream job fresh out of school that was a managerial role in sales/events. I was on cloud nine. But as time went on and I began to excel in my job other opportunities began to present themselves within the hospitality/events industry. Long story short I had 3 different jobs in 3 years. My 3rd job I was really happy with the work and tasks I was given each day, I had moved to be closer to work and everything seemed like it had fallen into place and I had a “work home” finally.

Then COVID-19 came and life as I knew it crumbled.

March 24th, 2020 is when I lost my job. That was one of the hardest days, filled with many emotions. Sadness, anger, confusion, bitterness, fear, dread… all of it just hitting me at once. “What was I supposed to do next? When would the office give me a call to come back? Or would they?” I have never felt more insecure in my life. A week after I got a glimmer of hope and had found a new purpose, I wanted to get my Real Estate License (Cue Eye-roll). What was I thinking? There were already over 15,000 real estate agents in the Denver Metro area, how would I even begin to measure up, get started, and make a name for myself? It seemed impossible right? Wrong. With God ALL things are possible. I put my head down and went to work. I started school to get my license online and what would normally take someone 6 months, I accomplished in 37 days. This was my backup plan and I had nothing to lose, all the time in the world due to being jobless in a pandemic, and everything to gain. I passed my state and national exams in the first try and boom, your newest realtor had entered into the market.

I joined the Live. Laugh. Denver Team and was gifted with an opportunity to be mentored by my good friend and seasoned agent, Emily Roussel. She has been such a gift to me and I am so grateful for her guidance, support, and coaching in this past year. She has been the catalyst to help my dream job come to fruition. I value her tremendously.

I am very grateful and impressed with the opportunities I have been given thus far. My friends, family and clients are the lifeblood of my business and I would be nowhere without them and their real estate goals. It has truly been an honor to serve them and be involved in a pivotal moment in their lives. This job is so rewarding because I get to be a part of big change and creating long term wealth through real estate. How cool is that?! Everyone earns their right to a piece of the real estate pie and I love being able to help them navigate and facilitate reaching their goals. Each day in this job is such a gift. And to top it all off I am so honored to have been selected in the top three for “Rising Stars” recognized in the Denver Metro Association of Realtors 2021 Excellence Awards and you better believe that I have my eye on earning “Rookie of the Year’ for the 2022 awards.

Keep dreaming, keep climbing, even if the path is not clear. You may have set backs, you may have trials, but you will find your way to your destiny and what you are created to do.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been smooth. In my story I spoke to many of my adversities from injuries, job hopping, and ultimately job loss and finding my way to new purpose during the pandemic.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My personal belief is that trust is the foundation of relationships and relationships create community.

My three words are: Empathy. Encouragement. Engagement.

The things that light me up in life and business are relationships, learning and helping people grow. With a background in hospitality and events management I come from a world of detail oriented work while providing the best customer service in the industry. Building trust comes from being present and engaging in every interaction and providing encouragement to home buyers/sellers through each step. I look forward to empowering you with the information you need, staying attentive to your needs, and fiercely committing to the result that will leave you feeling great about the home buying or selling process!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Emily Roussel (Mentor) and Lindsey Benton (Managing Broker) with Live. Laugh. Denver. Real Estate Group. And of course my friends who become clients and my clients who become friends! And last but not least my husband for supporting this dream even though it seemed scary and unsettling. He has been my biggest support system and cheerleader every step of the way.

Contact Info:

• Email: mckenna@livelaughdenver.com
• Website: https://www.livelaughdenver.com/agents/84701-mckenna-mau
• Instagram: @mckennalivelaughdenver
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McKenna.Mau.Realtor/

Image Credits
Alysabeth Heath, Poetic Nostalgia Photography & Bre Blake Photography