We were lucky to catch up with Chelsea Barraco recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Chelsea, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

I was introduced to a person who I believed could help my career and grow my skills in the field. My gut reaction to this person was unease, that something was off, but I believed that acquiring knowledge and experience in the field was more important than how I was feeling. Anytime I have not trusted my intuition, things have gone awry. The more time that went on, the worse I felt about the professional relationship, and the less trust I had in said person. I planned to sell my last listing and then change firms, and before that happened, the universe intervened, and things ended on poor terms. At the time, it was a really disheartening setback, but it wound up being the best thing that could happen- and how I ended up with the team I’m on now.

I learned from that experience, among many others, to always trust my intuition about people- in business and personally, and that I cannot work with people that do not have similar ethos and integrity to mine.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a former residential relator from New York State who relocated to Arizona for a relationship and also for business development. I found my way into commercial real estate and enjoy it even more than I did selling homes. I also found my way back to working with horses here in AZ where there are plentiful ranches, and I became a horse property specialist and a PATH certified equine specialist in mental health.

I am most proud of my contributions to my community in the way of volunteering, fundraising for charity, blood drives, self defense events for women, educational offerings to my referral partners, serving the special needs and at-risk populations with equine-assisted therapies, and anything that benefits others. I firmly believe that it is in giving that we receive, and the more I give of myself the more life rewards me. I believe fulfillment is the ultimate flex. Money can’t buy peace of mind, purpose, or fulfillment.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy of growing clientele for me is showing up and offering value. I go to lots of events, I network regularly, I volunteer weekly. The more face time I can get with new people the more my business and influence grows. I utilize social media to offer education about commercial real estate, I teach classes to my referral partners for free to grow my network of referral partners. And I connect people to each other that I think would enjoy each other’s company or grow each other’s businesses. The real magic of networking is not “what can this person bring me and my business?” but “how can I add value via my network to this person so that they remember me in the future?”

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Always showing up as my full authentic self. I am loud, I am blunt, I can be aggressive, but no one would ever call me dishonest, fake, or self-serving.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mhgcommercial.com
• Instagram: @tinydesertagent
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelsea.barraco/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseabarraco/