I spent five years building out my real estate team, so that I could service more clients than my own neurodivergent brain could handle & make a positive impact in the lives of my team, clients, & Community. I came completely out of selling and focused only on building the businesses, hearts, & minds of other real estate agents.
And then something awesome happened… I took a Summer and worked entirely from my happy place- the beach, where I felt most at home, accepted, understood, & at peace. I spent a lot of time on the beach throughout my whole life, but not since I was 18, was I able to spend the entire Summer on the beach.
I bought a hammock and tied it under the pier, and I watched my children surf and play in the very same waves that I grew up in with my grandparents, parents, aunt, uncles, cousins, and friends all Summer long. It changed and ignited something inside of my heart.
This is what I was meant for.
This was by far, the most beautiful and special thing I had ever done in my life, and each day, my heart was full of gratitude. My son, Grayson, met a friend who seemed to also be as obsessed with surfing as he was. Billy was out in the waves all day, just like Gray, often by himself. The two connected, and became Summer surf besties, even writing their names in surf wax on the pier.
Then one day, Gray & Billy connected with another little group of groms who were out in the water constantly. Grayson’s surf coach, Cassidy, introduced me to the moms of the surfers, and life suddenly became more beautiful than it ever was before.
This little group of surfers, Grom Moms, & Rad Dads were my people.
They lived the lifestyle I lived & loved and I found myself a part of the most awesome little surf Community. For the first time ever, I moved my chair a few streets down from my go-to spot to sit with our crew.
I began taking photos of the kids in their everyday life on the beach. Viewing the lifestyle we lived through the lens of captured moments lit my heart on fire. I knew how special the memories were that they were making every day. This would alter the course of their lives forever. I knew it.
Growing up on the same beach for 37 years felt/feels tribal. My kids surf in the same waves my cousins and I played in, fish on the pier I grew up under, get ice cream from the same Veteran ice cream men I bought mine from as a kid, get wisdom passed down from older surfers in the water (sometimes gently, sometimes not), and I spent every day working immersed in that environment and community. It was precious and it changed me.
Gray began competing in local surf competitions, where we were introduced to some ultra rad surf families. These were people who had the same lifestyle we had, who loved the ocean and the local beaches, and the culture. I felt at home.
At some point, I discovered the Law Family. This surf fam had an energy about them that was so authentic and kind and cool, and their son (who competed in Gray’s division) was an awesome, aggressive surfer constantly taking top spots at every competition.
The Laws, I came to learn, owned a board short company that they founded with their surf crew, called Leiki Board short Co. I invited them to sponsor a surf contest along with me, and our entire surf crew bought matching board shorts (the dads and kids).