We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Mount recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My dad. From the time I was very young he was always working and sweating, literally:) He usually had 2 jobs and was still able to be present for my family. He would include us in work from a young age. He made going to the local landfill (dump) fun! If we worked hard there was always a reward. He was great with money too. All of the lessons he taught me by his example have made me what I am today.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma in fact I have only lived in a 9 mile radius my entire life. Graduated from Northeastern State University with a degree in Business Education. I was a High School teacher when I was 22 for one semester, got asked for my hall pass more times than I care to count, quickly realized that was not the profession for me 😊
I had my son in 1990 and my daughter in 2000…figured one a decade would be perfect.
I value: my faith, family, health and career. In my free time I love to volunteer, help people get healthy and do most anything outside, especially run, bike and golf.
How did you get started in real estate/your business? What did you do before?
My neighbor, my friend/tenant/coworker and I were hanging out on my back porch like we did most Sunday nights.
I had one rent house and my primary residence at the time.
I had a goal to get to 10 rent houses and in order to be the best landlord possible I thought I should go to Real Estate School. They both thought it sounded fun so the 3 of us went together.
I had a wonderful job at the time, I have been blessed to always love what I have done. We started the company with 17 of us and grew to 750. I worked my way up in that company over 3 years to my dream position. My entire job was to make sure our employees liked their job. I ran incentive contests ect…2 weeks into RE school our “boss” came down from Dallas to tell us (upper management) they were closing our company. So, my husband at the time and our team had to lay off 550 employees then be unemployed ourselves with a 60 day notice so no severance. I found myself with 2 cars, 2 homes, 2 kids and no job. So, I went into Real Estate in survival mode, and survive I have 😊
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about investing my time and energy into things that are really important, in the long run…not just momentarily. My family is one of those things. The love and support of my parents has gotten me through the deepest valley possible. My daughter has developed a strength no one should have to develop, and yet she has and is. My niece and nephews give me joy any time I can be with them.
I am passionate about fitness and helping people achieve their fitness goals. My son and I had a dream and part of that, I felt, required me to get my fitness trainer license, which I did. That dream has taken a detour but it so rewarding. I get to coach people to get healthy. I love Running, Crossfit, my Ainsely’s Angels family and fitness in general…I love to see people dig deep and do hard things they never thought they could do, including myself. I love to serve people, Food on the Move, The Food Bank of NE OK, Crisis Pregnancy Outreach and Night Light Tulsa are some of the places I love to volunteer. My Legacy Family, they are giving me a new level of purpose I needed and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.
What makes you stand out in your industry?
I truly care about my clients. I want the best for them. It’s not just a transaction it is a life being transitioned and I love being a part of that. After 20 years of helping people buy sell and invest I decided….well God decided….I needed to open my own brokerage and help others design the career I have. Pour what I have learned into others.
Tell us more about who or what shaped you into the person you are today?
The honor of being a Mother is what has shaped me into the person I am today.
I had my son when I was 14. As you can imagine my life shifted. I went from a Christian school with 1 minority in my class to a school for pregnant and parenting girls where I took him with me, and I was the minority. That changed me. Now I was forever a party of 2. He became my purpose and focus. When I started college, he started kindergarten. When I got married, he walked down the aisle right before me. When I had my daughter he was right there so excited to be a big brother. So now we were a party of 3. When I started Real Estate Hadlee was 2 and Tyler was 12. He “farmed” for me and everyone in my office. I would door knock down one side of the street and he the other. We did our first half marathon together when he was in 8th grade. If you have ever trained for a half marathon with someone you know the bond you develop. Hadlee shared her brothers unconditional love for all people. We “took in” her friends through her High School and through that I have a 20 year old “bonus daughter, and in July…I will be a “honey” (that’s my grandma name.) My daughter is having a precious baby boy! These kids have taught me to love others unconditionally. They are the type of people that you could not spend time around and not come out a better person. Unfortunately, my son had an fatal accident 4.5 years ago and he is no longer with us.
And yet, here he still is, daily shaping us. I thought I was strong but since his death I have found skills I never knew I had. I have done things I never thought I could do. Without his life and his tragic death I would not be the person I am and who I am continuing to become. I have watched my daughters do the same. Every day we are still finding our new normal. We are finding a way to turn all of this pain into purpose and do exactly what he would want us to do if he were here. Love, serve, give, laugh, cry…everything we did together. The way he shaped me over his 29 years will continue to impact the world in a positive way, through me, until I am no longer here.
How do you define success for yourself
My definition of success has dramatically changed over the past 4 years. When you go through trauma you have perspective that you never had before. So now, success for me is more about experiences and relationships and less about homes sold and money earned. Success for me is to help as many people as possible achieve their goals. Whatever they may be. To lead by example, help people through my experience and to add value to every situation.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Courage, Determination and my faith
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
Navigating being a successful business owner, mom, grandma, coach and Realtor still in production has allowed me the opportunity to stretch myself and learn skills I never possessed. Practicing the pause, being fully present, stepping away then quickly stepping back in…these are all things I learn every day and will continue to refine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.JenniferMount.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmoblessed
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.b.mount
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-mount-03b0727/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
