As summer winds down and cooler weather makes its way to Mid-Missouri, the real estate market enters a new season, too. Fall buyers are often thinking beyond summer curb appeal and backyard.
New Dawn
Dated: March 1 2023
Views: 927
March 1 is a day that will always be special to Dawn Daly, new owner of House of Brokers Realty. It’s the day she was hired, initially as the company’s receptionist, and one she remembers vividly. It’s the day she started on the path to realizing her dream.
Room to Grow
24 years ago, Dawn was a stay-at-home mom raising her 10-month-old son looking to re-enter the corporate world. She had a love for real estate and thought it would at the very least be a good opportunity to meet energetic and fun industry leaders. But she instantly knew she was going to love it.
“They were so nice and really wanted to get to know me. They would take me to lunch and ask about my family and hobbies,” Dawn says. “And you could tell it was very genuine and that they truly cared.”
Jerry Stone, Dawn and Gary Meyer sing karaoke at a company event early in her career.
Things moved quickly as Dawn continually searched for — and created — opportunities for professional growth. She learned and refined the MLS input process, developed and strengthened the brand through marketing activities, and created and implemented technological hardware and software. Throughout, she found time to host training on systems and services to set up agents and teams for success.
Over time, Dawn’s supervisory role continued to grow and was forced to pass off some of her other duties to staff members. It was a challenging part of her growth.
“It was really hard as so many areas were created and nurtured by me; I felt like I was giving up a part of me,” Dawn says. “Thankfully we were able to find great people to fill those roles and continue to improve the company overall.”
Dawn prepares to sell donuts outside the House of Brokers office on Chapel Hill.
Leadership Foundations
As time progressed, Dawn continued to dive further into the operations and brokerage side of the company with Lola Carey, the Office Manager.
“We worked hand-in-hand on so many things as she taught me about this business,” Dawn says. “She was a great inspiration and a large part of the reason my interest in a leadership role with the company grew.”
Lola, as she had previously discussed, retired in 2015, creating a potential opportunity for Dawn. The owners interviewed several candidates for the position but couldn’t seem to find the right one. So Dawn asked to be considered and pitched them an eight-page proposal outlining how she’d restructure the company, its department and staffing. Her nerves peaked as the owners read the plan, but it soon gave way to mutual excitement.
Photo by Anthony Jinson/COMO Magazine
“I knew from a young age that leadership is where I was destined to be. I have a deep passion for helping others grow and succeed. Seeing their excitement and celebrating accomplishments makes it all so worth it,” Dawn says. “I don't need a lot of accolades from others — I keep my motivation by internalizing my accomplishments. I enjoy being humble. When I reflect on the past 24 years, there’s quite a bit of personal pride in literally working my way up through most areas of the company. I worked hard not knowing what the outcome would be or expecting anything in return. I want to do good for others and help where I can.”
Carrying the Legacy
House of Brokers Realty was founded in September 1981 by seven businesswomen joining forces to unite many top producers and experienced agents. The tradition of strong female leadership has been a hallmark of the company and a torch carried forward by women through nearly 42 years of operation.
House of Brokers agents, all lifetime members of the Million Dollar Club, from left: Carol Denninghoff, Marie McLard, Ginny Starr, Wanda Northway, Lou Ashley, Jane Sadler, and Harriet Padget. Photo by Keith McMillin from the Columbia Daily Tribune published Oct. 9, 1981.
Bev Curtis, who previously served as co-owner and became sole owner in 2021 while continuing as an agent, was the latest in this proud tradition as Dawn served as Director of Operations. Bev asked Dawn a few times if she would be interested in buying the company, but Dawn never took her very seriously. Dawn knew that Bev had expressed that her true passion was in real estate sales, and she wanted to focus on her ‘one thing’ which was her clients and team.
But as demands on time grew and personal tragedy struck the Curtis family, the conversations turned serious throughout the fall of 2022. They both talked with their spouses about the sale of the company, and things just felt so right that they decided to move forward. Dawn would become the sole owner effective Jan. 1, 2023. The news was unveiled at a surprise celebratory event at Harpo’s at the end of that month.
Bev reaches out to hug Dawn after making the leadership transition announcement.
“The female ownership has always been inspiring to me, but it is especially so because they had the tenacity to try it a different way, to go against the norm, and form what is now nearing a 42-year-old company. They made such progress for women professionals in an industry that was mostly male-dominated,” Dawn says.
“I am very excited and beyond proud to continue that legacy. I hope when my chapter is complete, another female or group of females can lead this company into another era with the same dream of being a long-standing community pillar for many more years to come. My hope would be that House of Brokers becomes and exceeds all of the expectations those seven ladies had when they set out to do this.”
The Next Chapter
While considering legacy is important to Dawn, so too is looking forward to what comes next. It’s always possible to add on to legacy, just as chapters are added to a book. There are considerations about growth when she discusses goals for the company, following an extremely calculated and meticulously crafted plan.
“I feel like the House of Brokers brand should be shared in many communities, keeping intact our service, our quality, and our professionalism. It’s imperative to our brand and our growth,” Dawn says. “I want to grow with a strategic plan as well as with experienced and knowledgeable professionals ready to serve that community.”
HOB agents and staff gathered for the announcement on Jan. 31.
Additionally, the House of Brokers offices will also be moving from its current location on Chapel Hill to 2005 W. Broadway in Columbia (the northeast corner of the Broadway and Stadium intersection) later this year. It will provide an even more collaborative and sharing environment for our industry-leading professionals, offering the same great service in a more convenient location.
While parts of the work, like spaces and technology, continue to evolve over time, the excitement and joy of it is the same for her as it was on her first day 24 years ago.
HOB takes a team photo at a community gathering.
“I look forward to coming into that office every single day, being surrounded by professionals who love their careers, who love what they do, who get to help others with one of the most important aspects of life: homeownership.”
Alana Nyhart
I serve as the Director of Marketing for Weichert, Realtors® – House of Brokers, where I lead our brand strategy, agent marketing, company events, and community engagement efforts. My passio....
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Heart Of Missouri Board Of REALTORS® All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The data relating
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The data relating
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The data relating
