We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful JENA DENNIS. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with JENA below.
Hi JENA, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?
There are so many things I would love to change about our educational system. The lack of funding and how unimportant education has become to families is heartbreaking to me. It is hard raising my children, knowing that it is not an ideal system. I feel nutrition is a huge issue among our country and school system. I think taking processed foods and genetically modified “food” out of our children’s diets is a crucial step, not only for physical health but also mental health. There is scientific evidence that gut health plays a crucial role in mental clarity and emotional health. Too many children and young adults suffer from obesity, ADD/ADHD, developmental issues, anxiety, and depression. By improving our children’s gut health and putting them in an optimal position to function,we can then focus on teaching them more practical skills and common sense. Far too much focus is put on passing tests and we have lost the purpose of educating our children so that they grow to become actively contributing adults. I personally have learned to love and respect the Montessori method of teaching because of the importance they place on practical life skills, kindness, problem solving, and teaching others. Only through teaching others, can someone truly master a skill.
Additionally, I feel our school system in no way prepares our children adequately for finances or how to become an entrepreneur. Everything they learn in high school is about how to become a good employee. We don’t teach them how to start a business, how to market an idea, how to patent a creation, how to begin a start-up or anything helpful to help them grow from within the confines of working for some other corporation or 9 to 5 job. It is important to teach them how to collaborate with others, think outside the box, and feel confident to create something truly lasting or solve some world problem. It seems that 100 years ago we had so many more inventors, problem solvers, and true pioneers because they were forced to problem solve and be creative. We have gotten away from encouraging this creativity, but it is vital for our country and world to truly thrive.
In High School, we do not teach our children how to balance checkbooks, take out a mortgage or auto loan, how amortization or budgeting work, or how to invest in the stock market. If these children began investing even a small amount during high school into a Roth IRA, by the time they were ready to retire they would be millionaires. Yet, we don’t teach them this… or about mutual funds, IRA’s, whole life insurance, or anything that they can use as young adults to change their lives. We spend too much time distracting our kids with busy work and mundane tasks, so that many don’t feel challenged or engaged.
While I understand it is easy to point out what we are currently lacking in my opinion, I truly believe the hearts and souls these teachers are pouring into our children is incredible. It is just so tough to fix a system that has taken well over 30 years to become this way. The only thing I can do is try to teach my children, and others that I may influence, these things and ask others to do the same. Help us work together to make a difference, and show these kids that there is more available to them. We do not have to rely on the school systems to teach our children these important lessons. We must do this ourselves until the system can heal itself to fix these missing links over time.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I am a Jacksonville Florida Native and have lived in the Jacksonville & Saint Augustine area most of my life. In 2001, I graduated early at the age of 21 from Florida State University with 3 Bachelor’s Degrees in Marketing, International Business, & Cultural Anthropology. Shortly, thereafter, I began my first retail antique store which grew into an antique mall over the next few years.
After realizing the need for an Auction & Estate Company in our area, I began the Great Expectations Auction Company in 2007. In 2014, after meeting my husband Allyn, who was a Real Estate Broker, we combined our efforts and launched a new branch of our company specializing in packages for customers that combines Real Estate, personal property, vehicles, and other assets.
Currently, we own 3 companies that work together to meet all of our customer’s needs: Great Expectations Realty, Great Expectations Auction Company & Great Expectations Auto Brokerage. During this amazing adventure, we had three amazing children, Ayden, Collyn, & Ella May, who enjoy working with us as they grow.
I have served on many local boards in the community, as well as the state, previously including the Executive Director Position of the Florida Auctioneers Association. My motivation is helping my clientele realize the value of their assets and accomplish their lifelong goals in that process.
My passion right now is focused in restoring the Hastings, FL downtown area where we purchased the Historic Stanton Ford Dealership building as well as the old Tractor depot building, the 2 largest buildings on Main Street. We are hoping to help the community rebuild and turn it back into what was a once thriving downtown.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
In 2014 I was running my auction and estate company and at one of my sales, a man walked in, whom I noticed the moment he walked into the gallery because he had a head full of curly strawberry blonde hair. He appeared to be with his family, and we spoke briefly. A couple of weeks later he came to another sale, and apparently he had assumed that my brother, who auctions with me at the podium, was my husband. During that sale one of our customers informed him that it was in fact my brother, and he began talking to me with a different type of interest. Later that night, he asked me out, and we have been together since. He was a Real Estate Broker, so it made sense to combine forces and add real estate to our business model. Now, our primary business is the Real Estate Brokerage and we also handle the personal property for our amazing customers,
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
Oh my gosh, I felt like the first 10 years I was in business it was feast or famine weekly. Most months I had no idea how I was going to come up with rent. By the grace of God, I never made a single late payment. I always found some way to make it work or happen. I stayed incredibly determined to never fail, and didn’t give up, sometimes even when I probably should have. I can honestly say, I don’t regret any of it for a moment. I have grown so much, emotionally, mentally, and as a person. I always strived to never stop learning or growing. I was blessed to have an amazing family, support system, and staff. Ultimately refusing to not fail, I finally built the business into something that started to thrive. Then after I got married, we continued to pour our money back into the business to help it grow. Many people don’t know, but when I gave birth to our first son, we were living in a little apartment in our auction house. Continued hard work and sacrifices have finally paid off though. Now we own a beautiful home, as well as 7 Commercial investment properties. You just have to repeat the mantra, “Never give up”.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gerealty.us
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Image Credits
Photo Credit to Ed Taylor & Rick & Tina Casto – Open House Optics