Title:Associate Broker
Company:West + Main Homes

emilysummitrealtor.com

2023 Individual Sales Volume: $12.9 million
2023 Individual Transaction Sides: 15

Navigating Uncertainty to Achieve Greatness

Emily Lawless was originally scheduled to take her real estate license test in March 2020, but a global pandemic got in the way. It might have been easy to take it as a sign when COVID-19 caused multiple exam postponements. Lawless had some concerns about whether she had chosen the right career at the wrong time. The future suddenly seemed uncertain.

But Lawless stayed resolute despite those early doubts. Once the country settled into a new routine after the pandemic’s onslaught, people started flooding to destinations like her home base of Breckenridge, Colo.

“It was scary at first, but once the market started booming, it was really cool to watch and get that experience,” says Lawless, 29. “I love being busy, and I actually think I perform better when I’m busy.”

Lawless says her previous career as an event planner helped prepare her for the fast pace and long hours. But her introduction to real estate goes back to her days as a child, running around her uncles’ real estate office in Kansas City, Mo. She remembers the candy and snacks they had on hand but also the connection they had to their community. People would come into the office to thank them for their contributions to one cause or another. That’s something she hopes to build in Breckenridge, where she can go to any event and expect to know half the room. Those connections can be critical for an agent, whether she’s working with newcomers to the area or people who have lived and worked there all their lives.

“Being such a small town, you have to get to know the people,” she says. “One of my biggest sources of business is my partner’s restaurant. I’m helping the employees there find housing.”