Erin Brotherman

After going through divorce and becoming a full time single mom during the 2008 recession, I was dually focused on survival and preserving the peace at home with my 4 year old son. I started selling real estate in 2002 because I was absolutely obsessed with homes and wanted to grow a business.. I’d done quite well and by the age of 28, I owned 2 homes. But I also found myself drowning in debt. We had to foreclose on our homes to finalize the divorce and I was left flat broke, depressed, and overwhelmed.

I took refuge in simplicity and started an eco-friendly house cleaning company - initially doing all the cleaning myself. In short, I went from selling homes to cleaning the toilets in them. Needless to say, it was a pretty humbling experience!

Still, a persistent voice inside me kept saying “You’re made for more.” For a time, fear held me back. Staying small felt safe. I faced a dilemma: Do I stay safe by focusing on survival?. Or do I step out of my comfort zone and strive for more? I asked myself what sort of legacy I wanted to create for my son. And then - I allowed myself to dream again.

Later that year, I went back to school to study organizational management. I learned about effective communication, leadership styles, and how to build trust through empathy. My cleaning company had grown enough that I was able to hire people to clean while I worked on marketing, customer service, and admin tasks. This allowed me to spend a couple days a week studying at the library while my son was in school. My evenings were spent playing with him, helping him with homework, and cooking dinner - until bedtime. Then I was writing papers until I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

I was tired but I loved what I was learning and applying it in my business.The decision to dream big and go back to school took me from just surviving to actually thriving. In 2013, I sold my small business and in 2014, I accepted a role at Dell Technologies. I really wasn’t sure where I belonged in corporate America, but trusted friends and mentors helped me see how my background in entrepreneurship added value to the corporate workplace. Working in tech was a big stretch for me. I often felt like the dumbest person in the room, which was new and quite uncomfortable for me. But I leaned into the discomfort and found ways to add value quickly. I found fulfillment and success in Marketing at Dell and greatly enjoyed my teams and experiences.

And then it happened. A desire for something different. A feeling that I wasn’t living up to my full potential. I wondered…”What’s next for me?” I sought the help of a career coach and after several assessments and exercises, it was clear to both of us that I needed to get back into real estate. The idea excited me and also scared the heck out of me. I desperately wanted to be using my strengths in a client-facing consulting role. But I really loved my predictable paycheck from Dell.

Once again I had a choice to make:: stay safe and play small or take a risk and strive for more? Striving for more had already changed my life, so I decided to do it again!
Best. Decision. Ever.

Now I get to do what I love every day. I help you upgrade your home life the same way my coach helped me upgrade my career life. Together, we identify what you really want, what’s holding you back from getting it, and we make a plan to alleviate the risks and get you to where you want to be. Because where you want to be is where you belong.