We recently connected with Emily Burke and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Emily thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
I am a risk taker, and proudly so. In 2012, I made up my mind that a traditional lifestyle, shift work and spending all of my time in one place wasn’t for me. After a successful career as an Emergency Room nurse of 13 years, I began working in real estate marketing, but that simply wasn’t enough. In 2015, I became a licensed Realtor, and in 2018, I became a licensed real estate broker and grew a team of real estate agents. I’m an Alabama girl since birth, I love Alabama and always will. My roots are in this great state, but I wanted to experience more. A longtime love of the mountains, specifically the Grand Tetons, led me to my next leap of faith. I became a licensed broker in the State of Wyoming in 2020, purchased a home just outside of Jackson Hole in April of 2022 and got right to work in the Cowboy State. Additionally in 2022, my husband and I opened a Private Investigation firm in downtown Foley, Alabama and we look to expand this business into Wyoming as well. My life, both professionally and personally, allowed for limitless growth and opportunity once I embraced a lifestyle of risk taking, and freed myself from fear of failure. Failure is no longer an obstacle for me, or a reason for me to hold back on anything. When I fail, it is simply a message for me to reroute my map and try a different approach to my goal. I split my time running businesses in two very different parts of the country. I am able to live the beach life and mountain life and I will never return to a traditional lifestyle ever again. I forever want to be “the man in the arena” that President Theodore Roosevelt spoke of, and never find myself as simply a spectator. I have one life to live, and this life is not a dress rehearsal. You will not find me on the sidelines.
Emily , 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?
My Alabama real estate team just recently earned place of #1 CENTURY 21 team in Alabama YTD as of October 2022. We managed this by ensuring that each person on the team shared the same values and goals. The proper group working together is absolute key in success. One bad hire can change everything, so our hiring process involves several steps and numerous interviews. My team members all have varying “niches”, so we always have an expert for every need. I have agents experienced in resort area, second home market, primary residential, commercial and land. We have an agent that fits any and every need. We have a licensed agent in Florida as well, with expertise there for those that want to explore beach property in both states. Our service area is right on the Alabama/Florida state line. Our two admins are top notch at what they do and are the backbone that keeps our business structure and service consistent. There is always someone from The ER Group available to speak to when needed. Myself and my team are able to work with clients in Alabama, Florida and Wyoming. I look to expand my real estate licensure to Idaho as well before the end of 2022. Serving a coastal market in the south and a mountain market in the west, and doing so successfully, is unique and something I am incredibly proud to do. My Alabama real estate team is based from CENTURY 21 J. Carter & Company and my Wyoming team is based from CENTURY 21 Jackson Hole.
Meanwhile, our Private Investigations firm, Burke Investigations and Consulting, comes with over 27 years of investigative experience. My husband, Benjamin Burke and I, opened the business after his retirement from the local Sheriff’s Office as an investigator. Our services include criminal case review, process serving, witness location, corporate investigations, and domestic and marital investigations. A service that makes our company unique is that as a Registered Nurse of 20 years, I am able to offer medical chart reviews and expert witness testimony.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I specifically felt this when I branched into the Wyoming real estate market for several reasons. Firstly, it was unconventional. There aren’t many people starting their efforts to “branch” by going across the country. No one understood it, many people questioned it and nearly everyone doubted my ability to do so. Truthfully, it doesn’t bother me when that happens. I simply use it as a source of motivation. The more chatter there was questioning me, the more I dug my heels in and put in the work. Doubters are just steps on your ladder, use them to take yourself another level up, and then you can thank them. I was equipped with the experience and knowledge of the business and the area, but even with that, it’s important to recognize that I was the new kid in town. I didn’t know anyone in the Jackson Hole area outside of my brokers. I can go to any part of the state of Alabama and find someone I know, but this was certainly not the case in Wyoming. It has been told to me by several people, that it’s not easy to make connections in the Jackson Hole area. To a degree, I have found that to be true since beginning the journey there, but resiliency and commitment bring the reward, and I’m here for it. I’ve always had a strong work ethic and I brought that with me to Wyoming along with some Alabama hospitality. Don’t get me wrong, the Cowboy State is full of great folks with big hearts, I’m just want to contribute and be a part of that.
In the Alabama real estate business, it was necessary to ensure that my team members where the absolute best with the same work ethic. In order to split time in both Alabama and Wyoming, ensuring that there is more than capable boots on the ground when I am away is everything. The admin of the team had to be impeccable in order for this type of expansion of my real estate business to work. This goes back to the relentless selection process of hiring agents. That level of expectation when hiring has been what has made the team business run efficiently and provided our clients with the level of service they have come to expect from our group.
As for the Private Investigations Firm, as you can imagine, this is my husband’s main focus. A full time investigations firm in Alabama keeps him in the South, and has me living thousands of miles away in Wyoming part time. This has us living somewhat unconventionally, especially considering that we still have a young daughter at home (age 10). Our oldest daughter lives in Los Angeles (age 22) and our middle daughter attends Auburn University (age 18). My husband is the primary operator of the Investigation firm with me as support and co-owner, and he is the full time father when I am away in Wyoming. This requires emotional resilience. We use it as an opportunity for our family to embrace both lifestyles of Alabama and Wyoming. We take care to use it as a teaching moment for our children as well, setting an example that big dreams don’t always necessarily fit into a traditional box. Some people are judgmental about a mother spending part time away from a young child, and that requires mental resilience since some people still believe in the traditional lifestyle that society deemed as “normal” for so long. There are many times in which a father works away from his spouse and children, yet that doesn’t seem to carry as much scrutiny as when a mother does it. As I described before, our life is not conventional, and we are ok with that. Our children are loved, happy, well rounded, goal oriented and well traveled as a result of the examples we have set for them.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
In 2018 I attended a leadership development program called Master Graduate, it was held by Discover Leadership Training just outside of Houston Texas. Prior to attending, I had already recognized my restless personality was meant for more than a traditional clock in and clock out business/personal life. So that “risk taking” mentality was fairly new in the works. During the four day retreat, it was kicked into high gear, and I have never looked back. Since that time I have continued to attend other programs and classes hosted by Mike Jones, the owner and the Discover Leadership staff. A simple, yet profound takeaway from Discover Leadership was “TAKE ACTION NOW”. You will never find me on the sidelines of life again.
Contact Info:
- Website: beachandmountainbroker.com
- Instagram: beach_and_mountain_realtor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burkeinwyoming/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-burke-67970048/
- Twitter: @EmilyMcRN
- Other: Alabama Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/emilyburkec21broker/ Private Investigations website: burkeprivateinvestigations.com Private Investigations Facebook: Facebook.com/burkeprivateinvestigator
Image Credits
Headshot: Toni Riales Photography Exterior Home photo: 360 Blue Photography Beach photo with umbrella: James Avera Designs