Background

I was born and raised in Scottsdale, AZ, the 9th of 10 children and only one of two girls. Mom (pictured above on her 80th birthday) was married to my dad for almost 56 years and is quite the inspiration to me. We grew up knowing to count our blessings for what we had, and managed to all live in an 1800/sf house without too much drama. I was born into a family of entrepreneurs, and Dad raised us to work hard, work smart, listen to the customer and give 110% in order to get ahead.

Fast forward eighteen years, and I’m surrounded by over achieving brothers whose businesses are thriving; nine years later, I’m vice president of a company; two years later I’m married; eleven years after my marriage, I’m going through a divorce and trying to figure out what to do with my life.

I had enough stuff to fill all the rooms in the new condo I purchased; the car in the garage, although not new, was paid for and I didn’t have a single credit card with a balance. I had a newfound real estate career that I truly enjoyed and a passion for helping my clients. Strangely enough, I was unhappy and feeling sorry for myself when I heard my Mom’s “count your blessings” voice in my head and realized just how fortunate I was.

Along with remembering that good advice, an amazing business idea blossomed. A goose bump moment where I realized I could continue to sell real estate, a career that I had slowly fallen in love with, utilize my many years of experience in the sales and marketing world, PLUS I could make a difference while doing it. What I wasn’t prepared for is the personal transformation that would take place because of it.

Give Realty was born that day, and my life has never been the same. I earned my broker’s license and started Give Realty in July of 2008 with the goal of fostering philanthropy through real estate sales. This would be done by donating 25% of the gross commission to the charity of the client’s choice. Surely this would be a great differentiator in the real estate market, and growing the business would be the easy part. I wasn’t prepared for the national financial crisis that followed a mere two months later.

What surprised me even more was the great need in our community and the impact even a few dollars can have. Not just the big donations, but the little ones too. Unrestricted funds are hard to come by for many nonprofits. The donations Give Realty makes are filling a great need. Little did I know I had created a “social business” and was considered by some to be a “social entrepreneur”. But I understood I had to keep on doing this, regardless of the economy, because it is rewarding on so many levels.

Fast forward to today and money is no longer my main motivator, success has a whole new meaning and I’ve never been happier. It may sound a bit cliché, but the benefits of a socially responsible business are truly priceless. I get to work with committed clients, make the world a better place, and still get goose bumps every day!

Laurie Loew is active in the nonprofit and entrepreneur community in Austin and belongs to the following organizations:

Co-Lead – Bootstrap Austin – www.bootstrapaustin.org
Member – Austin Independent Business Alliance – www.ibuyaustin.org
Member – Austin Involved – www.austininvolved.org
Member – RISE:Women – www.riseglobal.org

Laurie also speaks on a regular basis to groups that are interested in learning more about creating a socially responsible business. If you would like her to speak at your event, please contact Amy at Amy@GiveRealty.com for more information.