Living in the Northwest means that we’re integrated into a community, tight-knit and welcoming as ever. We all work together to make sure that we’re living in the best conditions we possibly can, and supporting local businesses and letting people get involved in what we want to do, and how we want to reach out to the people who live here, is important not only for the success of how business, but for the progression of the place we live, too. And that’s why locally owned business is truly the backbone of the Portland area, and why my guest this week is one of a kind with her small businesses that combines two things you wouldn’t normally bring together—yoga, and real estate!

Pam Blair is the owner and creator of Yoga Bug Real Estate—a company that she started after working in both the yoga field and the real estate field, for the past 7 years. Together, Pam and I talk about how her business got started, what sort of events you can catch her at next, and what aspects of yoga and real estate she enjoys the most, and how bringing them together helped her find a passion for her career like never before. Let’s get started!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

• How Pam got started! She’s one of the top producing realtors in the Portland area, and in 2011, Pam combined her two passions into one business! She started teaching yoga a few years prior, and though she had her feet in both worlds, she felt like she was being treated differently in her two lines of work. People would often express more interest in her yoga business as opposed to her real estate business, despite her enjoying both, so she decided to bring the two worlds together!
• Pam explains how she got started with Yoga Bug Real Estate, stating that planning events was the first thing to get them off the ground. They’re very involved with the community, and every other month, Pam produces what she calls as wellness series. These events are free to the public, and in turn, the people who come to them receive benefit from attendance through valuable information, and getting to know Pam as a business owner, too!
• Pam explains why she loves her business so much, calling it sustainable and exciting. It’s not only about being able to connect through real estate but also being able to use the community to connect like-minded people. The marketing involved with Yoga Bug Real Estate is always done by highlighting another business, or another entrepreneur, and it helps to bring people together (which, according to Pam, is what real estate is all about). They practice an organic way of marketing and an organic way of doing business, and that’s what distinguishes them in the world of real estate.
• Pam talks to us about a fun yoga event they have coming up, entitled the Dog Bone-Anza! It’s an event that features dog yoga, which lets you bring your dog onto the yoga mat and exercise with them! It’s extremely fun, Pam says, and the proceeds from this event go towards an amazing cause. You can keep up with this event, and other events that Pam plans for her business, through her Facebook page!
• Pam tells us which takes longer, organizing events or selling homes! She explains that selling homes usually takes more time—for the event planning she does, there’s a team behind her to help her get the job done. However, either way, Pam explains that when you’re passionate about what you do, it becomes effortless, and it happens either way. She’s incredibly grateful for choosing this path, and has an overflowing amount of enthusiasm to support her!
• Lastly, Pam talks to us about the difference in selling houses and listing houses, and what her perfect client would be like. When it comes to selling houses, she enjoys getting to know the people she’s working with, and watching how they light up when she helps them find the perfect home. She often refers to the process as a “treasure hunt”, and getting to know the people you’re working for is crucial in that field. When a seller is listing a home, however, it’s more like the end of an era in their lives, and it’s her job to make them feel excited about the next milestone in their lives, and to ensure them that she’s going to do the best possible job in the world to make this transition smooth.
• Overall, the best client for Pam are people who will let her do her job without anything being held back. As she explains, she’s someone that puts 150% of her energy into what she’s doing, and she doesn’t know how to work any other way. Therefore, getting to know the people she’s working with, and helping them to trust that she can do it on her own, and she will give them the best results, is her optimal scenario.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Yoga Bug Real Estate
• The Dog Bone-Anza
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Did Pam not get to answer a burning question on your mind? No problem! You can get ahold of Pam at this email, or through any of the social media listed above. It’s easy to see just how much Pam cares, not only about her business, but about the large community of Portland that she serves, and the amount of effort she puts into making sure that everyone around her is getting the most out of their experience with her company is simply inspiring!