Meet Katiie Gardner | Realtor/Entrepeneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katiie Gardner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katiie, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Most of my work life for me consisted of anyone and everyone having access to me, with no boundaries. When asked to jump my response was how fast and how high? I did this with good intentions and wanted to please everyone else at the cost of me. However, this was not sustainable. Once I started to build a life that mattered to me, I realized I needed to start implementing no into my life. If I didn’t, I would burn out and one day wake up to realize, I was living a life someone else wanted for me.

Once I had this realization for myself, I started to dig deep and ask myself what was the life that I wanted to build and be proud of? Did I want my tombstone to read “Realtor”? I had to start digging deep and asking myself the hard questions.

I read a quote that had great impact on me. “It will take thousands of no’s to get to the few important yes’s” I needed to become a master of saying no. This is hard for someone who grew up being a people pleaser. However, as I started to envision and work towards a life I could be proud of, I started to implement strict and healthy boundaries. I realized that if someone didn’t like my boundaries and were not willing to respect them, I had probably allowed them too much of me and maybe that wasn’t a necessary and healthy relationship, (client and personal).

As I continue this pursuit of building a life that truly has meaning to me, I realize that every time I say yes, I am saying no to something else. I hold my yes’s accountable to this measurement and it helps me make tough decisions.

I truly believe that until we value our life and take the time to examine and decide what life it is we want to build, we will just be thrown around leading lives that acomodate others timelines and desires.

I understand there are seasons of life that this may not work perfectly. However, overall, I have learned most people respect and even admire someone who is intentional with their time.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a small business owner in the North Atlanta Suburbs. I have the privilege of leading a small Real Estate team called the Occasio Collective powered by Keller Williams. I work with 3 lovely servant hearted ladies.

I started as a single agent over 10 years ago. I was brand new to the area and had my mind set on one thing. I needed to make money and pay off a mountain of debt. As you can imagine, being a Realtor in a brand new city you know nothing about and knowing no one in the area can be a real challenge, to say the least! I was up for it. I was equipped with determination, a big why and faith in a God who would be with me through it all.

I got up early and went all in until I went to bed. Most days were 15-17 hour days. I gave each and every client 150% and ended up with more business than I could handle on my own. I finally got smart and hired an assistant. She came into my world and changed it forever. She had a different skill set than me and started to build out systems and fill holes I couldn’t see on my own. She helped me see I needed to hire my first buyers agent. That was a game changer and this was my first taste of leverage and ability to take a day off.

One motto that I have had with me since the beginning is, always do the right thing. This paid off throughout my career and our business has continued to organically grow because of the trust and support of our clients.

The thing I am most proud of is the impact we get to make in so many peoples lives on a daily basis. Not only do we get to work closely with families from all over the world and help make their dreams come true, we also get to impact so many businesses through the home transaction process by referring them when our clients need a local recommendation. For us this is so much more than just the next paycheck. The joy of making others dreams come true every day is one of our greatest joys. We do not take lightly the trust that families put in us, when they choose us to be their Realtor. Our clients are not just another number. They become part of the family and we are committed to creating the best possible experience for them from beginning to end.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would depend on what they like to do. Atlanta and surrounding areas have so much to offer. There are many great places to hike and bike. A day out on Lake Lanier would be a must! Maybe some kayaking down the Chattahoochee river as well.

The food scene is endless. We would definitely brunch at the Chastain and ride scooters along the belt line and picnic at piedmont park.

Ideally we would end the evenings in Alpharetta on the green under the stars. So many great restaurants, live music and ice cream shops. Also fantastic boutique shops for the avid shopper.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have had many mentors who have poured into me over my career. I have learned that the best position to hold is student. Staying curious, asking questions and not being the smartest person in the room.

I will forever be grateful to those who believed in me before I could believe in myself. No one succeeds alone.

Website: https://theoccasiocollective.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/occasiocollective/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemgardner4/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/occasiocollective

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA9cyJ0ex1FxUM7KJiFoVKg