Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Pierce.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Danielle. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I obtained an Accounting degree and, like many people, had visions of climbing the corporate ladder. At the beginning, I actually wanted to make Partner at a Big 5 accounting firm! However, I knew within 90 days of corporate life that it wasn’t the lifestyle I wanted. As luck and God would have it, I was laid off in 2007. I took that as a cue to follow my dreams and become a real estate millionaire!
Unfortunately, I knew nothing about entrepreneurship, business building, business credit or even networking. I fumbled for several years before finally getting serious about becoming a real entrepreneur. I thought passing out a few cards every now and then and attending random networking events was sufficient to make my business successful.
A major turning point happened in June 2009 when my income for the entire month was only $348! I knew then that I had to stop straddling the fence and either commit 100% to entrepreneurship or take my butt back to corporate.
By 2011, 4 years after being laid off, I finally exceeded my corporate income. Ironically, this was also the year that I gave birth to my first child. For many women, becoming a mother is a huge motivating factor and I was no exception.
By 2013, company revenues were over $300k and they’ve remained there every year since then.
I’ve tried a lot of different things within the real estate industry over the past 11 years as a full time entrepreneur. To date, nothing has been as profitable as property preservation and tax lien investing.
I have had some difficult times over the years, especially in the beginning. However, none of those times were bad enough to make me regret owning my own businesses.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nope.
*lack of vision
*lack of faith in my abilities. I worked well in corporate but it took me a while to transfer those skills to my own business
*limiting personal and social networks. I simply didn’t know any other entrepreneurs. Everyone I knew worked a 9 to 5 and lived check to check
*lack of a business plan.
*broke mindset and money habits. It’s so ironic even thinking about this because I do have an accounting degree from U of I. Yet, it wasn’t enough to counteract a mindset that had evolved from years of struggle and lack as a child.
*trying to do everything myself (i.e. Superwoman complex).
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I own a real estate company that specializes in the repair and maintenance of foreclosed properties. Additionally, I’ve created a consulting company that shows women how to get into the business and duplicates my success.
I am most proud of being able to offer thousands of women the opportunity to get started in the real estate industry in ways that don’t involve working as a buyer or seller’s agent.
I believe the #1 thing that sets me apart is that I actually work in the business that I teach others about. Many experts, especially in the Internet age, work from a place of book knowledge and theory. They lack real-world experience and often haven’t been successful in the very thing they are teaching. My company took just over 3 years to hit $1 million in revenues. I have a proven track record of success.
What were you like growing up?
I was quiet and reserved. I loved to read (still do).
When I was 10 years old, I made a vow to read 100 books that summer. I was successful at doing so and I remember even writing down a short summary of each book on a notecard.
I was the “fixer” in the family both financially and otherwise. This “fixer” mentality would later prove to be very detrimental as I became an adult.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3011 183rd Street
Suite 180
Homewood, IL 60430 - Website: www.daniellepierce.com
- Phone: 773-349-2879
- Email: info@daniellepierce.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/danielle_pierce_
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/danipierce
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/_daniellepierce
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