Today we’d like to introduce you to Meredith and Clay Smiley.
Meredith and Clay, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
M: At the time I was working for a US Congressman in Washington, DC. My uncle who used to own his own real estate brokerage in Miami came to visit and asked me why I wasn’t in real estate — “You’re so good with people, you would love it.” After two years working on the Hill, I decided to become a residential Realtor and haven’t looked back since.
C: I never expected that I would get into residential real estate. I have an engineering degree from Texas A&M and initially worked in consulting in DC. I moved my family back to our hometown in Dallas where I worked for a small start-up in health care. I reached a point in my career where I wanted to run my own business. Over the years, I’ve seen Meredith excel in real estate and seen how much she loved it. I couldn’t help but join her.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
M: Getting started in DC was tough. It’s a very transient city. I was 24 when I got my license and most of my friends weren’t looking to buy. It is an expensive place to live and we were all getting started in our careers. Still, I put all my energy into learning the real estate process and understanding my neighborhood, Capitol Hill. That gave me the confidence to ask strangers and friends of friends for business because I knew what I was doing. From there, my business took off. In 2015, my husband had a job opportunity to work in Dallas. We made the move, and I had to start all over again. That was tough.
C: As with anything worth doing, there are challenges and opportunities to grow. Transitioning from working for a business to running our own business has been a shift in mindset. I’ve learned so much about strategy, time management, and responsibility during the process. There has been trial and error working with my spouse and finding the best rhythms to work best as a team. I’m fortunate to have a partner who is patient, an excellent communicator, and someone I trust.
Please tell us about The Smiley Team at Compass Real Estate.
We are real estate agents for Compass Real Estate here in Dallas, TX. We help people buy and sell their homes, but our work goes beyond that with our clients. Our mission is to help our clients with all real estate related decisions. We understand that a real estate purchase goes beyond a closing, so we see ourselves as advisors in many ways. We help our clients make renovation decisions, keep them updated on the market, help them find properties they may not even be looking to buy, and the list goes on! We are there for our clients regardless of their present needs and that is a significant reason why we are able to grow our business based on referrals.
What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.?
M: I was a very confident kid with lots of energy. I loved exploring, trying new things, watching comedies, and making friends. Thankfully my family encouraged me in my interests. I went to various summer camps, took art classes, played sports, studied U.S. history, learned the guitar, traveled the US, and explored foreign countries. From it all, I’ve learned that people have always been my main interest. They motivate me to be better and grow. Real estate has been a great fit because, at the heart of it, it is a relationship business.
C: Growing up, I loved legos as a kid and would spend hours creating new worlds. I was always a hard worker and did well in school. As I got older, I spent more time playing sports and in high school, I played basketball in countries around the world like Lithuania, Croatia, Germany, and China which sparked my interest in travel. I have always loved technology and read almost any tech article I can get my hands on. I’ve became the go-to person in my family and with friends for any tech recommendations.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5960 Berkshire Ln, Suite 700, Dallas, Texas 75225
- Website: https://www.compass.com/agents/dallas/the-smiley-team/
- Phone: 469-878-1000
- Email: thesmileyteam@compass.com
Image Credit:
MaryBeth Koeth and Max Kutz
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