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I used to work for a University and I loved what I did.  It was not  too demanding, the hours were great pay was decent and the students were wonderful to work with.  It worked for my life as a mother of 3.

I could see the shift happening throughout the entire company.  People moving to other areas and departments getting closed down.  I decided that’s it, I’m done.  I’m going to make a change.  But part of that decision came because I felt the worst case scenario was I felt confident enough in myself to know I could get work elsewhere doing something.  I knew I would never be out of work.  It may not be what I wanted right away, but I could pay the bills until I did.  So I dusted off my resume and ironed my dress up clothes and off to interviews I went.  I loved teaching so I arranged to sit in some elementary school classrooms to be a helper to see if I would like that type of job.  Then one day as I was sitting in an elementary school classroom thinking I wanted to work with children, I found myself reading the UBC Real Estate Manual while the children were out at recess.   I had the UBC book in by purse as I was thinking of studying to get my license again.  It’s what I used to do was sell Real Estate for 15 years, so It seemed logical to go back to what I know, or so I thought.  I sat there and had an Uh HUH moment as Oprah would say, and said to myself what are you doing Sandy?  You are sitting here inside reading the UBC Real Estate Manual while you should be outside playing with the children!  That was the exact moment I found my passion!  It’s ok to try things and not like it.  Getting things wrong is how we determine how to do them right.  I was so excited I couldn’t wait for the school day to end.  Ironically enough just being in that classroom that day, where one goes to learn, I actually learned what I wanted in life.  Go figure!  Teachers Rule!

As life would have it, I started getting phone calls from companies I had applied to and really wanted to work for.  I couldn’t believe myself when I actually turned the offers down as I had decided right then and there at that school sitting in that classroom, that I would create the BEST Real Estate course available to anyone in BC.  I knew exactly how I wanted it to look like.   No shorts cuts, great valuable material, with all the “how to” answers.  I wanted to rip apart the UBC math and make it so easy that the person who  hates math will love it.

So I went to work and wrote the Real Smart Workbook, created visual aids and wrote the material the way I wanted to learn, which is what I believe how most people want to learn.   I started out in the basement of my home with a few people tutoring one on one, that led to a small class, which from word of mouth led to more classes.  I started hiring one instructor at a time and personally taught them the way I wanted the class to be taught.  With respect, kindness, understanding, compassion but with directions and focus.  Which eventually led to me purchasing a location for our Training Centre. Now we have several classes and several Instructors all of which have come through the Real Smart program themselves.  I don’t hire out, I hire within.  Our Instructors are paid very well and they perform extremely well.  Their upgrading educational courses are paid for by Real Smart so we can ensure our students have the happiest and best trained Instructors.

Owing a company in today’s world is somewhat like being on a roller coaster.  It has its ups and downs, but it’s how you handle each one individually.  What do they say, it’s not what happens in life that matters, and it’s how you react to it.   So true.  Now,  what I do is run the company from another perspective.  I’m always asking myself, ok, this is working, so how can I make it better and what can I do to make their learning easier, faster and still fun.  So I introduced the entire course on a Online Interactive Video course.  Now that this is up and running successfully, we are working on future ideas.

I often get asked “Aren’t you afraid of your Competitors stealing your ideas”?

You see when you create something new that works well, because you are working extremely hard behind the scenes to make it work well, others see this model working and often think that looks easy, they can do it too and start copying you.   Competition, they say it’s flattering to watch others take your great ideas and use them as your own. I think that must have been said by someone who never had a single idea in his life!  Well, one can sit back and sulk that others area basically stealing your ideas, copying your words that you write or one can realize that is life and just continue to be the best.  I’ve e always stayed 5 steps ahead of the competition.  Like Toyota who invited their competitors into their plant to look and learn from it.  People thought they were crazy!  Well they are always 5 steps ahead of their competition too.  By the time our competitors get caught up, we are again miles ahead with new, better more innovative things.  I keep the competition close at hand, but my focus and energy is on our students and providing the best quality course.  I love the rush of new ideas.  The creative process that leads to discovering a great new innovative idea that my students will love.  I was there, behind the books studying trying to understand the Real Estate course and having a hard time in my early 20’s when I first started.  There was no good training available and I found it so frustrating.  So in my 40’s I started up Real Smart Inc.

My #1 reason for starting up Real Smart Inc. and what keeps me going is and  was to raise the bar of the Real Estate industries education to one that will be very highly respected and regarded.   To provide my students a faster, easier and more convenient way to learn the Real Estate or Mortgage Brokers course.