We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Peterson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.
Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
To make a long story short, in 2014, my husband was offered a position in NorCal. At the time I couldn’t wait to get away from San Diego. I was struggling, mentally, and felt that if I moved away from San Diego, my problems would remain there. I was letting my ego lead and allowing myself to live in fear of scarcity. We bought a home and from the first day, I knew we had made a terrible mistake. We owned a condo in San Diego with a mortgage that was under $1K a month. We didn’t realize it at the time, but we were literally living the life so many dream of. Think about how many folks want to live and work in San Diego. On top of that, my husband is a college professor. College professors in San Diego do not leave their jobs very often, and it’s pretty obvious why. It took us six years to get back to San Diego. Yes, six long years! We didn’t give up, we persevered, and I am beyond grateful to be raising my child in San Diego with brand new, positive outlook on life. When people ask me why my handle is grateful in San Diego; it’s because I truly am grateful to be here.
Ashley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I first began my real estate career in 2008 as a listing and marketing manager. The lessons learned were invaluable. There is so much that goes into a real estate transaction and so much on the line; you can literally get sued if you’re not careful. To be able to learn from the bottom up gave me the confidence to finally break out on my own a few years later. I not only learned how to update and market a property to garner higher ROI’s, I also gained contract and disclosure knowledge, and every step of the escrow process. I think it was getting a grasp of SEO that really stepped up my game.
When you love your community, you want others to enjoy those same benefits of homeownership. For me, being a Realtor is not just buying and selling homes, and I know a lot of agents say that, but I prove it on the daily. It’s taking those extra steps that some pass on. If there’s tagging on a sign, I turn it in. If a community organization needs assistance, I’m the girl they call. I volunteer to help set up homes for refugees and the homeless, because I believe that every family deserves to have a home, no matter a persons circumstance. I am focused on housing equality being a part of helping folks bridge the gap. Helping first-time homebuyers leaves me with a good feeling. Helping a VA buyer win the house is an even better feeling. Always rooting for the underdog, my reputation and negotiation skills get deals done.
I have a few accomplishments that come to mind, not because they were major life events, more so due to the way they made me feel. It feels insanely grateful to be able to save a deal for a client. Their world comes crashing down and my job is finding a way to save the day. Sometimes it’s getting my buyer to a trusted lender when their original lender couldn’t get it done. Or like the time my friend wanted to just check out a house for fun and ended up falling in love with it. She said, “is it even possible”? I said, “anything is possible”. Then I gave her the list of events that would need to take place to get her prequalified, her home prepped, listed on market, and receive an offer, so she could then make an offer on her dream home. I made it happen, but I can’t take all of the credit. My buyer followed my instructions to a T and it took honest communication between agents. Both of us wanted the same thing for our clients and we made it work. It was beautiful and I remember that agent telling me to expect a call from his broker, which I did. Although I was flattered, I believe in the Sotheby’s brand and what I can accomplish for my clients with the brands support. At the end of the day, it’s all about integrity and my legacy.
Joining Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty in 2013 has allowed me to offer my clients unparalleled service with state of the art marketing. Built on centuries of tradition and dedicated to innovating the luxury real estate industry, Sotheby’s International Realty offers transformative experiences through our global network of exceptional agents.
By providing exceptional service, in-depth market knowledge, and unmatched marketing opportunities, we ensure our clients receive every advantage in the market. The direct affiliation with Sotheby’s auction house and Sotheby’s International Realty® offers Pacific Sotheby’s an unparalleled global reach allowing our clients the benefit of receiving prime exposure to a network of more than 24,000 associates in 75 countries and territories. I am proud that Sotheby’s has become the world’s premier luxury residential real estate brokerage, and through our vast global footprint, local expertise, and unequalled referral network, we ensure that the properties we represent receive the far-reaching and unparalleled exposure they deserve.
I am currently work with buyers and sellers in north county San Diego and am always excited to chat about real estate. My office is located in beautiful Solana Beach in the heart of the Design District on Cedros Ave. Stop by the next time you’re out for a roll or stroll.
*(Not sure if you want to include) Just for fun, I have a special blanket that always appears in any listings I stage myself. I always send a photo of the blanket to the friend that gave it to me.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media is the future of real estate marketing or any type of marketing, for that matter. 10, 20 , even 30 years ago, agents were all about door-knocking and dialing, but now you can get in front of potential buyers and sellers on Facebook or Instagram without having a door slam shut in your face. Social media has been an excellent approach in cultivating my community of followers, where I am able to bring value while entertaining.
When I moved back to San Diego in December 2020, I believe I had about 250 followers on my IG. Remember, at that time, we were on lockdown down due to the pandemic, agents couldn’t hold open houses, and much of our typical day to day activities were restricted. That’s when I decided to dedicate my time and energy, focusing on my social media following.
There are many social media companies that advertise on said platforms and I happened to come across one that resonated with me. I spent some money and learned a thing or two. I then found course specifically geared towards real estate agents. I believe that ran me around $1500. After I completed the course, I continued on to the next level of that program at $167 a month. That does not include the other cost needed to run efficient social media campaigns, so keep that in mind.
Since I began, I had 250 followers on Instagram and I now have close to 1400. For those new to social media, I suggest following the people, community, businesses, etc. that you like and respect. Then, build from there. Don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t follow you back, always lead with value, and always respond to comments and messages as soon as possible. Additionally, reels and stories are super important so being comfortable on camera is critical. As I mentioned above, there are many social media courses out there, but if money is tight, it is possible to create your own templates, etc. without the additional cost. Be present, stay top of mind, offer value, entertain, and post consistently.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
A few years ago I came across a book that has confirmed my view on selling real estate and time management. It’s called, “Ninja Selling” by Larry Kendall, and it’s a fascinating read. Essentially, out with the old methods of selling, and thank goodness, because the old ways were the wrong way.
This book resonated with me as an empathic person, emphasizing the need to just be present, listen to my clients, and ask the right questions. It’s not about selling; it’s about solving problems. Not only that, it provides an easy to follow management flow schedule which has not only improved my quality of life, but that of my family and clients. It’s all about attraction and the energy we put out to the world, which is a segue into my favorite book of late, “The Inner Work” by Mathew Micheletti and Ashley Cottrell.
Reading through the Inner Work was an opportunity to get to know myself on a deeper level, leading to a much more fulfilling and enjoyable life. It talks about our shadow selves, the role of our ego mind, and the levels of consciousness that one is currently in. If you are not looking for a total transformation, you shouldn’t touch this book with a ten-foot pole. If you are looking to free yourself from your ego mind, this is the book for you.
It was interesting to learn that the trauma so many of us have experienced has allowed our ego’s to take over and we end up believing those thoughts as our own. The biggest takeaway from The Inner Work was the fact that most of the random, negative thoughts in our heads are not our thoughts, but those of our ego mind in an attempt to keep us safe. This blew my mind and has brought more self-awareness to my life and the way I react. If something triggers me, like getting cut off in traffic, instead of losing my cool, I am able to pause and say, “that’s just my ego,”not taking it personally. The Inner Work was insightful and a great reminder to pause, and consider things with curiosity versus judgement. At our very core, we are all love and one with the universe.
Of course, I can’t leave out the amazing Breńe Brown. I’ve read all of her books and watched her TED talks. If you haven’t read anything by her, get ready to have your butt handed to you, but in the very best way. She speaks truth and what it takes to have courage, showing the world our authentic selves, and making a daily choice to do the right thing. She also talks a lot about shame and how it keeps us from living our best lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gratefulinsandiego.com
- Instagram: @gratefulinsandiego
- Facebook: @gratefulinsandiego
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gratefulinsandiego/
- Twitter: @gratefulinsandiego
- Youtube: @gratefulinsandiego