Today we’d like to introduce you to Shay Denise.
Hi Shay, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. It’s been bred in me that if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere attitude. It’s been ingrained in me that street smarts will take you where book smarts can’t. I was a banker in NY, enrolled in school, driving a Mercedes and still living at home with my parents. Something in my head just could not adjust to that. How is that I have what is considered to be a ‘Career” and pretty decent credit but can’t afford to move out of my parent’s home at 24. Meanwhile moving out was merely the baseline for all of the goals on my list. I’ve never been too full of myself to not ask questions. While I worked in the bank, I would ask successful individuals how did they accomplish their goals and most would say, “I moved from my hometown”. So I researched day after day places to move where millenials were advancing and Atlanta, Dallas and Fort Lauderdale were top 3. However, Atlanta’s culture won me over. Seeing people that looked just like me taking entrepreneurship by the reigns inspired me beyond belief. So, once I made a year at my job and was eligible for a transfer, I booked a flight to Atlanta and couldn’t have been happier with my decision.
I came to Atlanta and I worked, saved my money, improved my credit and networked! Networking is the major key especially in a place like Atlanta. The city is full of movers and shakers and you never know who you will stumble upon and their potential influence on your next steps in your career. Success has no particular look in Atlanta and I really love that about this city.
Alright, 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?
Things have not always been smooth but I can look back and appreciate all of those lessons that were taught during those trials. One obstacle I dealt with was trying to work full time and be an entrepreneur which was extremely challenging and exhausting. It’s like theirs never enough hours in the day. Also working at the bank there were so many rules that kept me from really exploring opportunities that I felt would have been beneficial. It’s tough because on one end, it’s like I need this job because I need money and benefits but it’s also like hey what if this is what God has in store for me. It also never seems like you have enough money and those things will continue to hinder you. One thing about God if it’s for you, God will make a way and those money issues will dispurse. But to date one of my biggest obstacles was when I contracted Covid last year and after the initial 14 days, I developed something called Long Covid and amongst many other symptoms, I suffered from terrible anxiety, panic attacks and depression. While dealing with this, I was also in the midst of new construction and rehab project. That was one of the darkest, traumatic and lowest times of my life. You know people see the real estate projects and the businesses or what they view as a stamp of success but theirs a whole lot of things that people deal with on a day to day behind the scenes. However, these obstacles mold us into the person that we need to be and into the vision that God has set forth for us. I use my obstacles as a time to reevaluate and ask myself “what can I learn from this?” and I just want people to know that nothing is happening to us but for us and when you truly understand that it takes a great load off of your shoulders.
As you know, we’re big fans of The McRae Partners. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The McRae Partners specializes in investing, developing and rehabing real estate throughout the Georgia area. I purchase land and properties in need of TLC and work alongside my partners and investors to come up with plans for the project and how best to execute it. Taking in account profit margin, budget and city ordinances. What separates us is the fact that we are a black woman millenial owned real estate developing company that genuinely cares about the work that we do. Growing up in Brooklyn, I watched how every race other than my own came in and developed the neighborhood that they had never even visited before. They weren’t familiar with the community, nor did they respect it. It made what I am currently doing seem almost unattainable. I am most proud of the fact that I am able to represent other young black woman that wants to enter the industry but do not know how. It is quite difficult to fathom certain goals when you’ve never seen someone that looks like you accomplishing them.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Success is all about taking risks. One of the major reasons I left Brookyn is because I had a mentor of mine that constantly reminded me “There’s no reward in life without risk”. Success looks different to everyone but to me success signifies freedom, being able to create opportunities for others and building generational wealth. You have to be willing to take risks and put in the time and effort that others aren’t willing to do to ensure that success. A leader is a risk taker and I have been that since I was a child. God blessed me with those leaderships qualities and I believe that it is my divine responsibility to leave this world in a better than of which I found it in.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@themcraepartners.com
- Instagram: @THEMCRAEPARTNERS
- Facebook: @mcraepartners
