Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Aprill Harmon.
Dr. Harmon, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my entrepreneurial journey as a beautician when I was 19. I opened my own salon when I was 20. As a hairstylist, I found myself informally counseling many of my clients and I saw a gap in services for their mental beauty. As a result, I decided to go back to college and pursue a degree in mental health.
While working as a stylist, I completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work and an MBA. I gave birth to my son a few months after graduating with my Bachelor’s degree. Things didn’t work out with his dad who’s been incarcerated since he was four years old, and the trials of single motherhood pushed me to continue my education. I recently finished my doctorate in Leadership Studies from Our Lady of the Lake University School of Business and Leadership. I drove back and forth to class from Dallas to Houston every other weekend for four years. It took me an additional two years to finish my research and dissertation.
Although I had put my dreams aside for a little while to focus on raising my son in a stable and safe environment, I opened my mobile Real Estate business and operate it part-time while continuing to work full-time in Social Work with the homeless and those in recovery from addiction. I believe in empowering the disempowered so I volunteer to work with men and women reentering society after incarceration as well as victims of human trafficking. I donate a percentage of my commission from each property that I sell to charity. One of my goals for the next fiscal year is to acquire property to set up recovery homes for human trafficking survivors and women in transition such as single mothers fleeing domestic violence. My vision for Harmon Realty Group is to not only empower others through homeownership but also beautify the community and restore broken homes.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. Social Entrepreneurship has it’s ups and downs. Capital is limited for startups and new businesses, I used my own savings to invest in my business ventures. I’ve had wins and losses but that’s a part of the journey. I reinvest most of the revenues that I make back into the business. Many businesses fail during the early years due to lack of capital to sustain growth and/or lack of faith. Although it can be challenging, I allow the challenges to ignite my creativity and operate a lean system. Most importantly, I rely on my faith in God to get me through the tough seasons and reach out to wise counselors as needed. I also learned to practice self-care which is important because entrepreneurship includes early mornings and late nights, eating on the go, and frequent travel and it’s easy to get so caught up in the grind that we burn out or neglect our loved ones, ourselves or our true purpose.
Please tell us about Harmon Realty Group.
My company, Harmon Realty Group specializes in residential real estate including investment and multi-family properties. We are also expanding into commercial real estate specializing in health and wellness properties.
I’m most proud that my company remains organic and authentic while continuing steady growth and expansion. Taking care of the whole person/client system is my core value and what sets us apart. We provide pro bono case management services for clients who need additional support to prevent losing their homes to foreclosure.
Having a background in mental health with specialized training in financial social work is an added value for my clients who are often experiencing a high degree of financial stress and anxiety throughout the real estate transaction. Many real estate professionals have a hard time dealing with client’s stressors and different personalities, but not Harmon Realty Group, we anticipate it and embrace the diversity of all of our clients. We empower our clients by educating them throughout the process and advocating and negotiating in their best interest and are known for creative problem-solving.
If you had to start over, what would you have done differently?
If I had to start over, rather than getting an MBA, I would have continued to work directly with the small business development center and other similar programs. They’ve been most helpful throughout my journey.
Also, many times I took the secure route rather than the creative route. I encourage other entrepreneurs to refrain from getting stuck, to venture outside of the box, and to continue reinventing themselves. Likewise, don’t be afraid to be a change agent in your industry, tap into your creative power and find your niche.
Contact Info:
- Website: harmonrealtygroup.com
- Phone: 469-843-0327
- Email: aharmon@harmonrealtygroup.com
- Instagram: @agentaprill
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agentaprill/
- Other: CoachAprill.com
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