Exploring Life & Business with Lisa Paller of Working Moms Realty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Paller.

Hi Lisa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
We moved from Denver, CO to Chattanooga, TN on a whim 4 years ago. We had just finished a month-long road trip in our travel trailer, traveling from city to city to find one we liked. Chattanooga was our last stop and our favorite place along the route. It had everything we were wanting: a small-town vibe, outdoor activities, a family-oriented place, and a city that we could invest in.

We planned to move from city to city flipping houses and eventually settle down in a few years. When we got back to Denver to pack up our things, we found out we were expecting a baby, so we decided to plant roots in Chattanooga and stay a while. After a year of flipping houses, we saw the opportunity to start a construction company, Larossa Home Renovations. My husband put his heart and soul into this company while I stayed mostly behind the scenes, raising our daughter at home and helping as much as I could.

Once we saw the success of Larossa, we partnered with like-minded people in our community to start a handful of other companies. I didn’t feel like I had as much connection or involvement in our companies as I wanted. I was lonely at home all day for a 1-year-old. I understood my role as a mother came before anything else but I had this ambition to do something more for my family and myself. When I realized we were listing our flips with a random real estate agent, I found my opportunity.

The week I finished my real estate schooling was the week I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter and the same week the world shut down due to a global pandemic. My timing was incredible. And so I waited. I took my exam in August 2020, had a baby in November of 2020, then went back to work in January 2021. I signed on with a small brokerage because I wanted the flexibility to work and be home with my kids.

What I didn’t realize was the type of market I was entering into. With record-low inventory and flocks of families moving to Chattanooga, I saw the potential for my business to flourish. I started Working Moms Realty with moms and families in mind. My job is to help to relocate families acclimate to a new city with tips and resources I wish I had when I moved here 4 years ago.

I aim to be there for my clients before, during, and after their home purchase because moving to a new place, especially with kids, is overwhelming. And it’s personal. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions many people make in their lives and I want to make that process a little easier, whether that be with tips on schools & pediatricians or yoga & favorite date night locations.

Aside from relocating home buyers, a large part of my clientele is investors. Many of these investors are moms–I like to call them my “mom-vestors”–who are making their money work for them through the BRRRR method, fix & flips, rental properties, and more! My goal for Working Moms Realty is to eventually hire other agents, like myself, who have young children and want the flexibility to work while raising their families. I understand that being a working mom is a constant balance that can never be perfected.

I am often pulled from meetings to pick up a sick toddler and my heart drops every time my kids’ school calls. But I want to create an environment for working parents where it’s okay to step away when you are needed at home. And it’s okay to bring your kids with you when your sitter bails. My kids love coming to showings with me and they are experts at checking that every light switch works and every door opens.

We aren’t just a mom or just our careers or just any one thing – our identity consists of many different aspects. We are ambitious women raising ambitious children. I hope that my daughters gain some of their parents’ entrepreneurial spirit and use it to propel them forward in life. Everything I do, I do with them in mind. So why separate work and family; why not have some fun while the two collide?

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I think if it was a smooth road I would have gotten bored and moved on by now! What is life without the bumps along the way? There were so many bumps and struggles – my husband and I joke we should write a book about what goes right in business because it happens so rarely! We are joking, great things happen all the time, but the road is never smooth. I would describe it as curvy.

Starting and owning your own business takes more self-discipline than I think many people imagine – myself included. Before I started WMR, my husband was starting his companies here in Chattanooga. He would wake up every day at 4, work out, read a book, and be ready to start his day by 7. He waited outside gas stations and approached local subcontractors to get their information.

He conducted countless interviews and scouted out talent at restaurants, the gym, and anywhere he went. He worked at his business and on himself every single day. When he would come home exhausted and I just wanted a break from being home with the baby all day, I didn’t understand all that he was doing to push himself forward. I didn’t understand it until I was in the thick of it myself.

Now I wake up before my kids to prepare for the day before anyone needs my attention. Now I am cold calling, and running P&Ls to prepare for 2023, and reading books about business success. I’m taking new certification courses to further help my clients and working with a coach to better myself and my company. Owning a small business is absolutely hard work, and the self-discipline required can be exhausting.

What you don’t see is that every day you are working on your business and yourself matters. Every little bit will push you forward. And that’s something you have to keep in mind because there will be bumps and curves and setbacks along the way. Not everyone will support you or your cause. You will have bad days when you want to give up. But that part of you that refuses to give up–that fire that fuels you–is the voice you should listen to.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Working Moms Realty is here to help buyers before, during, and after their home-buying process. I work with young families relocating to Chattanooga not only to find the home they love but also to get acclimated to a new city with tips and resources I wish I’d had when I moved here 4 years ago. I also work with investors, many of them moms, who want to build their investment portfolio through real estate.

These women are badass (not sure if I can say that lol) but they are amazing! They know so much about real estate investments and have even taught me a few things along the way. How do I stand out in such a competitive field (there are 2000 other agents in the greater Chattanooga area)? Well, I am a small business owner so I only take on a certain number of clients because I want them to get my best.

I am with my clients from start to finish and beyond – I never hand my clients off to somebody else because the home-buying process can be stressful so I want to be there for any needed support. I’ve learned, unfortunately, the hard way, that people can be shady in the real estate business. I do not conduct business that way – we have an open communication policy and we strive for honesty and integrity for our clients, vendors, and company.

I am most proud of our people. I love seeing the look on someone’s face when they walk into their dream home and it becomes a reality. I work with a lot of families and I love it when the kids come and run up and down the stairs and open every door and mess with the lights – it just reminds me of my girls every time they enter a house, it’s hilarious because every kid does it. I’m also so proud of how far we’ve come and am excited to see what the coming years hold for WMR.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Well, I do love a good murder podcast, but I don’t recommend listening to those before meeting a new client in a house by yourself haha! I recently started listening to some stoicism podcasts – specifically The Stoic Path. Real estate can be draining because, in sales, you deal with rejection. This podcast helps create a sense of calm for me which I think is helpful in such a chaotic world.

I also highly recommend the book Traction – it has helped me narrow the focus of my business and spell out why I do what I do and who I do it for. For parenting, Love and Logic are the ones we enjoyed. Same with Far From the Tree. And if you and your kids haven’t read Jamberry yet, well you should go get yourself a copy – my kids are obsessed!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.workingmomsrealty.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingmomsrealty/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorkingMomsRealty/