Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Connie Stowers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Connie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Three years ago, I made the decision to detonate a bomb.

The target? My entire life.

I had carefully constructed a life based on the blueprint that society laid out for me. You know the one: go to school, get a degree, land a job, find a partner, buy a home, have a baby, and ride off into the sunset.

But no one tells you what happens after the glass slipper fits, do they? Turns out, you can lose yourself pretty quickly when none of the dreams you’re living are actually your own.

Back in 2009, I walked across that graduation stage, proudly clutching my $160K Communications degree, blissfully unaware that it was about as useful as a decorative paperweight. The harsh reality hit when I found myself jobless for months, eventually landing a gig as a Sales Supervisor at a jewelry store, earning a whopping $12 an hour—after commuting two hours each way.

This wasn’t the American Dream I’d been promised. It was survival.

One job led to another, and twelve years later, I was running high-volume retail stores, pulling in six figures. On paper, I had “made it.” But often, I’d find myself crying on the drive home, wondering, “Is this it? Is this really what I was made for?” Because deep down, I always knew I was meant for more.

In 2017, reality caught up. Retail was no longer the safe bet I thought it was. My store was closing, and panic set in. I had just bought my first home, and our Realtor casually mentioned, “You should get your real estate license.”

I took that as a sign.

For the next three years, I quietly built a real estate business while simultaneously juggling my biggest retail gigs yet. By 2019, I had checked more boxes: I got married, got promoted to the highest volume store in my company, and fast-tracked into a multi-unit manager role. It was the “dream”—the one society handed me, anyway.

And then 2020 hit, shattering everything.

Pregnant during a pandemic. Furloughed from my job. The safety net I thought I had unraveled overnight.

This was my moment. If I could make it in real estate without a full-time job to fall back on, then maybe—just maybe—I could rewrite my own story. So, I hustled. I broke my back and worked every angle. The housing market was booming, and I was closing deals even while I was in labor.

But after a six-month maternity leave, fear of financial insecurity sent me running back to retail in December 2020. I convinced myself I could manage both—run two businesses, be a new mom, and make it all work.

Spoiler alert: I couldn’t.

My marriage began to crumble, just like my mental health. I had gained 100 pounds between pregnancy and postpartum, and by spring 2021, it was clear: I had to choose.

The safe path? A salaried career making someone else rich. Or the risky one? Going all-in on myself.

I chose me. And that choice cost me everything.

By November 2021, I had left my 12-year career, my seven-year marriage, sold my house, and entered a 100% commission real estate business with a one-year-old child in tow. And, of course, in true cosmic irony, interest rates skyrocketed, wiping out 90% of potential buyers.

Fudge.

I had never lived alone, let alone raised a child solo when it was my time with her. And the real estate world I thought I knew? Turns out, everything I had done up until then was child’s play. This was the real deal. No steady paychecks, no safety nets. I watched my savings dwindle while navigating a brutal divorce and a new career.

Then, in the spring of 2022, I made a choice that would change everything. I quit drinking. The lonely nights of drowning my sorrows and swiping away on dating apps were leading me nowhere. I needed something else to fill the void.

Enter roller skating.

What started as a hobby to keep me busy turned into a passion that transformed my life. For the next year, I skated every chance I got while trying to stay afloat in a slow real estate market. My finances were a mess, but I kept going—ignoring the looming fear of going broke.

Healing is funny. You think you’re on the right path, only to find you’ve taken four left turns and ended up right where you started.

By spring 2023, my search for love led me straight into the arms of a man with more red flags than a bullfighting tournament in Pamplona. Five weeks later, I discovered he was a professional con artist—a real-life Tinder Swindler.

I was shattered. And almost broke.

With just $5,000 left in my bank account, I had a sobering realization: I had failed myself. The distractions, the lack of focus, the self-doubt—it all led me to that moment. And then, as if the Universe knew my plight, my phone rang with a job offer.

A six-figure retail position. Benefits. Safety. My old life calling, offering me an out.

But two roads diverged in a wood, and I had a choice to make.

I declined.

I gave myself 45 days to turn my dream of running my own business into a reality. It was do or die—pure hustle and grit or nothing. I devoured every book, listened to every podcast, and transformed my daily habits into those of the most successful people I knew.

Thirty days left until my mortgage was due.

Then it hit me: combine my passions. Real estate and roller skating. I became “The Real Eskater” and started advertising myself on social media. It clicked. My phone rang. People were asking me about the market. There was a flicker of hope.

On August 28th, with just $78.08 in my bank account, I cashed $12,000 in commission checks.

In the next six months, I closed $4.2 million in sales. By the following year, I established an S-Corp, hired an assistant, and closed deals that netted more than my old annual retail salary. I took control of my health and healing. After some deep dives into trauma therapy, I dropped 90 pounds and put my health and wellness first. I am coming up on 1000 days alcohol free this November.

Why did everything work out? Because I believed in myself. I took the risk. And the difference between a winner and a loser? The winner tries one more time.

I tried one more time, and it made all the difference.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Connie Stowers, and I’m a Realtor in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, dedicated to helping people find their dream homes and navigate life’s major transitions. I left a career in high-volume retail management because I knew I was meant for something bigger. Balancing both retail and real estate for four years was no small feat, but I fully committed to real estate at the height of the pandemic, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve always believed that if you feel stuck, it’s because you’re meant to do something greater.

A major turning point in my life came in March of 2022 when I went alcohol-free during my divorce. This decision was life-changing and led me to a new passion: roller skating. At 35 years old, I strapped on a pair of skates, and it unlocked a new chapter of joy and freedom for me. Now, I travel the world with my skates, showing others that you are never too old to pursue a dream or a passion. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of, and it has become a symbol of my personal journey toward resilience and self-discovery.

What sets me apart in real estate is my authenticity. I’m not just an agent—I’m a person who shares the real and raw aspects of my life. From my journey through sobriety and solo parenting to my roller-skating adventures, I’ve built a strong connection with my audience through transparency. People told me I was crazy for putting my life online, but being vulnerable resonated with people. I’ve realized that clients want to work with someone they trust—someone who’s real and relatable.

I work with a wide range of clients, from first-time homebuyers to older generations downsizing. Real estate is about so much more than transactions—it’s about helping people through major life changes, whether that’s growing a family, navigating a divorce, or entering a new chapter in their lives. I’m tenacious, genuine, and not afraid of tough conversations. I aim to build lasting relationships with my clients, guiding them through what is often the biggest financial decision of their lives.

I’m also here to show my daughter—and everyone else—that you can achieve anything if you put your heart and soul into it. Whether it’s in real estate or finding a new passion later in life like I did with skating, it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One defining moment of resilience in my journey happened on a random night when I made a choice that completely altered my life. I had been struggling with my weight, stress, and the aftermath of my divorce. One night, I found myself faced with two options: I could head to a bar, as I usually did, or I could try something new and go to a local roller-skating rink. I chose the rink, and that choice set the stage for a remarkable journey.

When I began skating, I weighed close to 300 pounds and was in the worst physical shape of my life. I had no experience on skates and, truthfully, I had no idea what I was doing. I fell constantly. But instead of giving up, I kept getting back up. I had no shortage of skeptics. Friends and family thought I was crazy for starting something so physically demanding at 35, especially since injuries were inevitable. And they were right—my fears of getting hurt came true more than once. I sprained my ankle and couldn’t carry my daughter up the three flights of stairs to our condo. I hit my head a few times, which made others question why I kept returning. But I had something to prove—not to them, but to myself.

Skating became more than just a hobby. It was a metaphor for how I was reclaiming my life, step by step—or, in this case, fall by fall. Even when it hurt, even when I felt embarrassed or defeated, I refused to quit. Slowly, as I kept showing up, I began to see changes. A year into it, I was still falling constantly, but I could see myself getting a little better each time. I began focusing on my health and wellness alongside skating, changing my eating habits, and building a routine that made me stronger.

After two years, I had not only lost 90 pounds but had transformed myself into a proficient skater. I went from being in the worst shape of my life to the best shape of my life, proving to myself that persistence, consistency, and showing up—even when everyone else thinks it’s crazy—are what resilience is all about.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building my social media following was a journey of persistence, authenticity, and learning to adapt. In the beginning, I put myself out there fully—sharing everything from my journey to sobriety, my experiences as a single mother, to my newfound love for roller skating at 35. I didn’t hold back and gave people a real, raw view of my life. At first, it was a battle between being an artist and navigating the algorithm. For a couple of years, I created the content I wanted to create, but I wasn’t seeing much traction. I realized I had to shift my mindset and treat social media as a tool for my business, which meant focusing on the data, not just my creativity.

For two years, I posted consistently, but I felt stuck. In December 2023, I hit a wall at 1,900 followers. I was frustrated and questioned whether all the effort was worth it. That night, at a Christmas party, several people came up to me, unprompted, and told me how much they loved what I was doing. That encouragement kept me going. Just two months later, one of my videos exploded, reaching millions of views and bringing in thousands of new followers.

After that, I began studying the statistics behind my content more seriously. I shifted my approach from posting what I wanted to what my audience engaged with most. I analyzed the top-performing posts and, after a few months of consistent growth, I decided to take it a step further. I committed to 30 days of posting content that followed the patterns of my most successful videos. The results were incredible—I went from 2,000 to 75,000 followers in just eight months.

My advice for anyone starting to build their social media presence is to stay authentic but also be strategic. Study your audience, learn what resonates with them, and use the data to inform your content. Consistency is key, and even when it feels like you’re not gaining any traction, don’t give up. Sometimes, it takes just one breakthrough moment to change everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://constancestowers.hereinri.com/seller/valuation/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFhiKdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVrG3-uytZRUZ3nHihLBWL0k6-8aC3uWnPefPslJ6JZ2zPlSuQKsJRr2Qg_aem_7nqL7qLcOs5Yu24-FXJMAQ
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealeskater/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFhiMRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTlyLs9I0jzrRL5VWIqMLTG1eM7jZ07An09Xf_yK5jJuVT-NR83ZpfREPg_aem_k2iWW7UR8vkaJOzCKIy3-A
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connie.stowers.3
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/constancestowers/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thereclaimpod?si=V61iJUoIvRR3YHDq

Image Credits

@Whimsyandbokeh