Source: Provided by Mia Daniela / Mia Daniela
As we gear up for Black History month, why not celebrate Black Women in our city that are making history and thriving. Covid was and still is a tough time to be in but, these success stories will show us all that it’s still possible to make your dreams happen during this time.
Meet Mia Daniela!
“My passion is to help others achieve their Real Estate goals! I started my real estate journey in 2013 when I was hired as an office administrator for a RE/MAX franchise. I was also introduced to wholesale Real Estate that same year. Since then my passion for the field has grown! Today, I’m a licensed REALTOR in Indiana and Owner of Austyn Avenue Real Estate, a full service Real Estate brokerage est. 2019. I’ve closed several transactions with home sellers and buyers plus investors both local and foreign! Whatever your goals are in Real Estate, I am your guide to achieving!”
How has quarantine been for you?
Thankfully quarantine hasn’t been too rough for me. The most difficult part is not having my grandparents wanting to be around the family for gatherings due to being high risk for the coronavirus.
What have you learned as a business owner?
I’ve learned that things take time. Starting a business is like having a baby. You have to nurture and literally raise the business, which like raising children, does not happen overnight. As a business owner you have to be able to make the ‘hard’ decisions. You are literally in charge of the success or failure of the business as the owner and I’ve learned there will be mistakes made but what is learned from the mistake can actually take the business to the next level.
How have you been able to adapt? Any hard lessons you had to face during Covid?
I have a roll with the punches outlook on things. Life is forever changing in one aspect or another in all of our lives. I roll with the punches and keep doing what’s best for my family, my business and myself. I adapt where needed at any given moment in my journey to ensure the welfare of the people around me. We all have to adapt and adjust at many points in our lives. Staying positive and working with genuine, honest, and transparent ways has allowed me to stay on track.To be honest, I didn’t really face any hard lessons due to Covid. Thankfully since the start of the pandemic my business has seen substantial growth!
Covid continues to impact Indy, through a global pandemic how have you been able to be impactful with your business?
Through this pandemic, I have still been able to help many families reach their real estate goals and help solve their real estate problems. My business has helped many renters become homeowners and increase the ownership numbers in the black and brown communities during Covid.
Social distancing, being away from friends and family, 6 feet or more has provided A LOT of time to self reflect. What is something you reflected on that actually has helped you grow?
Reflecting more on SELF CARE has helped me grow during this time of being away from the normal way of life. Zoning in on what makes ME happy and doing things for myself has allowed me to flourish not only in my personal life but in business as well. I’ve been able to reflect on the fact that self care is not selfish and you have to make time for yourself to be happy in order to create happiness around you in others.
We’ve seen business close without plans to reopen, and unfortunately ones that have hit rock bottom. How have you been able to stay afloat? And stay booked and busy?
My business has increased tremendously in lieu of other businesses sadly shutting down. In these crazy times I have been able to grow my business with the help of very low interest rates for home loans creating more buyers for me to work with. My sellers also benefit from this market with homes selling very quickly with right at and even above asking prices. I keep my buyers and sellers well informed and provide excellent service which has allowed my business to stay busy during a global pandemic.
Has social media been a tool during this time for you? or mentally draining?
Social media has definitely been a tool during this time. Social media is how I stay in front of people since everyone uses some type of social media platform on a daily basis. It can become mentally draining though for sure but it’s been a very strong marketing tool and I plan to continue using social media heavily to grow and promote my business.
Be honest, everyone has struggled during this time, what was hardest hurdle for you?
Taking on too many tasks for one person. My hardest hurdle would be me trying to wear all the hats. In 2021, my plan is to expand my team so I can focus on other areas to grow the business. It’s very difficult to grow and maintain a business at the same time with just one person doing the job.
When it comes to real estate in our communities, Black communities, what are the first steps to ownership?
The first step to owning your own home is usually to apply for a mortgage. This can be done with the bank you already use or I do have a network of lenders that I can refer. If the traditional way of buying with a mortgage does not work for you, there are other options as well to own a home such as RENT TO OWN or seller financing, which usually requires a larger down payment and different buying terms.
When it comes to representation… why was this field important for you to work in?
This field is important to me because it impacts lives in a MAJOR way. Housing will forever be needed as it’s a necessity to live. Being able to represent buyers, sellers and investors of real estate changes so many lives and I’m thankful to be a part of those journeys with my clients.
By being a Black Woman, with you own black business… How important is it for you to be able to tell our stories?
People need to know how far we have come. Blacks were actually slaves at one time and didn’t have a chance to own anything, let alone some land/property. I want to do my part to close the gap in black ownership and in the midst of the pandemic I’ve been blessed to help do that. It’s extremely important to tell our stories to inspire others of our kind to do things our ancestors never got the right to.
Make sure to follow her: IG- @mia.knows.homes and Facebook- Austyn Avenue Real Estate
