Meet Jeannette Pawula of Real Estate Agent @Properties and Avanse Org

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeannette Pawula.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jeannette. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I guess a special talent I have is to get into some of the countries poorest and most dangerous slums – areas where most street children come from but people are too afraid to work due to the danger and violence of the areas. (the story is super long to type but absolutely incredible from how it started to where we are now and where we are going in 2018.)

I am the founder of Avanse Org., an international nonprofit whose mission is to advance the lives of street children in Latin America and the Caribbean. I started in 2008 organically never anticipating how large the organization would grow. Over Thanksgiving of 2008 I wanted to give my time back and make a positive contribution, I connected with an orphanage in Guatemala and wanted to volunteer my time and some resources over the Thanksgiving holiday.

It was a whirlwind trip – I did research and everything came up to be careful security wise because there are lots of street kids that mug people. The van that left before my was hijacked and people were killed, I was stopped in a town riot where people made handmade bombs, police were tear gassing the crowd, individuals were drinking and celebrating a wedding in the midst of the chaos.

I had drinks with the first democratic president’s son, an escort, and founder of the Westin who bragged about their wealth and corruption and murdering people. I was obsessed and wanted to understand each country from every perspective – the humanitarians, the wealthy, the corrupt, the violent. I call it organized chaos and in order to want to do work in these areas you have to understand all of the politics of each area.

When I made it to the orphanage we had lunch outside and a small boy made his way up from the hill asking for food. He was about 6 years old and with no shoes and holes in his shirt and they ushered him away. I asked why they did not help him and they said he was a street child and he would harm their children. I was in shock. The orphanage as I found out later had their own issues and questionability of legitimacy… The trip made me want to learn more about these street children and why people were not helping them.

After the trip I started to fly to countries over the weekends to meet with people friends connected me that were doing outreach for street children. I started a networking group in Chicago to help fund these organizations that were doing the work for street children. I was shocked to learn about how many street kids there were, how they were stigmatized and how few there were organizations helping these children that came from so much victimization living on the streets.

As our networking grew so did our funding we decided to file for nonprofit in 2010 and from there kept growing as there was so much more we could do for these kids internationally. It was never enough. Just one story of abuse and what these children went through was enough for me to know that their cause was my mission. No one in the states were talking about this crisis of the millions of children starving and struggling to survive on the streets. In 2015 we had grown so large I wanted to have more control over our organization and made it a goal to open our own programs to assist rather be just an intermediary funder.

In 2016 we launched our first project in Bucaramanga Colombia to aid street children who were growing up in brothels from a really dangerous slum that has a lot of prostitution and and drug dealings. We also raised capital to rent a center in Haiti to help street children from Cite Soleil Haiti – the western hemispheres poorest and most dangerous slums controlled by local gang bosses that rivaled with one another.

I had worked in real estate for 8 years on commercial development and personally set new goals and moved into the residential real estate market in 2017. I left commercial real estate in 2015 and had no job for two years to grow the nonprofit which took so much sacrifice and money. I was going broke and started to realize I could only give back if I could give back to myself. Becoming a residential agent was a life calling and the perfect balance between earning a personal income while still having the time to give back to Avanse a cause I had devoted my life to over the last 8 year.

Now, I am considered one of Chicago’s top up and coming agents I entered the sphere with a bang – my spare of influence and love for people quickly connected me to my clients and made a boom in the luxury market. A lot of my commissions are donated back to Avanse as a way to give back personally apart from all the work, outreach and operations I do.

I am obsessed with real estate, working with buyers and sellers and interior design and it has been the perfect balance that allows me to give back to myself and others in a separate fashion apart from nonprofit work. I was able to reclaim independence and confidence and now only do even better with the charity! I am so happy in my life and happy for the work-life balance

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No! The Nonprofit: My philosophy has been just do it and figure it out later. Sometimes you have to throw yourself into the chaos and learn along the way. As we grew we were able to assess our strengths and weaknesses and grow our operations and nonprofit as a professional business.

Working in countries like Haiti have been a big challenge – the majority of business comes from NGO’s and there are many people who want to financially take advantage of foreigners. Finding trustworthy staff, good prices and setting up base grassroots is a full process from working wells, electricity, solar panels, treated water, food and furniture and international regulations and dealing with violence and corruption.

Personally giving everything to the charity instead of myself took a toll from going broke and lacking self esteem from that, struggling to find donors and people to support our cause – its been such a journey but we fought sooo hard for these children and now the organization is thriving with even bigger growth in 2018 with a new facility and even more expansion! But I knew the lives of these children was my no. 1 priority – when I felt bad I compared myself to what they didn’t have and thought.. okay maybe it’s not so bad… this too will pass…

We have to struggle and sacrifice sometimes.. and it really all did pay off!

Real estate ebbs and flows and you have to learn as an independent contractor to put systems in place so you are not complacent. Learning your market, reading people and staying on top of trends is super important to be a top agent.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Real Estate Agent at @Properties and Avanse Org – what should we know?
Nonprofit – My passion. I think my love and dedication to helping children in third world countries really show and people naturally want to follow. I have a talent for working in the slums with very dangerous people. People always ask… how did you get in there?

Drivers won’t even drive into those areas because they are so afraid. That is so crazy. Many people wouldn’t dream to work in the areas we do. But you have to understand the slums and soon you fall in love with them – the bad people aren’t that bad… It’s a robin hood complex when it comes to poverty – and we have to realize that we are all the same.

Real Estate – I am known for my large sphere and influence and networking abilities. I am a relationship person and really pride myself on trust. I started residential in 2017 and have been called a top up and coming agent because I hit the ground running with sales and marketing. I really believe when you have clients they are you no. one and you are at their beck and call. A good agent works extremely hard for their clients and understands their needs.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I love the balance in my life – I’m kind of like this glam girl luxury market real estate agent powerhouse that’s one of the most humble and simple persons who works in third world countries in flip flops, showers from buckets from our well and works with some of the most dangerous gang leaders in order to help children. I come home stinking and covered in dirt too tired to shower then the next day wear a business suit and am off to sell houses!

I think it shows a beautiful balance and duality in my life on how you can use success to give back – my children are my life as well as my career in real estate. I love the balance and how real estate can enable me to contribute so much more in life.

Passion, honesty, and humility. As a leader and influencer, it’s easy for people to always see how perfect you look on paper and I like to point out that I am just a normal woman who has the same challenges and fears of others. For a long time, I had nothing… I gave everything to everyone else and didn’t give back to myself. It’s easy to look at someone’s growth and accomplishments and think… she’s unapproachable – but the reality is I am so loving and caring and my relationships are the most important thing to me. I am so sympathetic to entrepreneurs first starting to work on what they believe in – you cant give up no matter how tough it gets.

You need to inspire and be approachable in order to have a following and lead teams who jump in to support your cause. You have to always keep reaching new levels of success – A goal is a dream with an action plan. We hit one goal and it’s immediately working on the next goal – growth is key! Maybe the Virgo in me says its never good enough – but I have also learned if I look back on where I started to know you deserve pats on the back and some self-love as well.

But my biggest lesson at 34 is to always give back to yourself – if you are not it reflects in your work!

Contact Info:

• Address: 548 W. Webster Avenue Chicago, IL
  332 S. Michigan Avenue Ste 1032-C295 Chicago, IL 60604
• Website: jeannettepawula.com; avanse.org
• Phone: 8477129623;
• Email: jeannette@atproperties.com; jeannette@avanse.org
• Instagram: Jeannette.Pawula; AvanseOrg
• Facebook: jeannette pawula – real estate ; avanseorg

Image Credit:
Dean Paul Photography

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