Life and Work with Tamara Green

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Green.

Tamara, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am from a very small town in Florida known as Walnuthill. If you’re familiar with the Florida Panhandle, it is near Pensacola, Florida. I basically went to school with the same people from kindergarten up until high school. By the time I was in high school, I knew I was ready for a change. Due to my dad’s service in the military, I had the opportunity to go to school at any university in Alabama completely free. I didn’t know much about Alabama except the areas that I grew up around such as Atmore. I knew there were a lot of great universities in Alabama to choose from and I wanted to have the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds. I remember my senior year of high school, different people telling me that I shouldn’t attend The University of Alabama because of its racist background or it was “too” big. However, I’ve always been the type of person to not let others negative opinions affect my decisions. I had never been near Tuscaloosa growing up, but I decided to give The University of Alabama a chance. From the moment I stepped on campus, I knew that this was the school for me. I had a great three and a half years there and met some of my closest friends.

I was one of the first people in my family to attend college and leave home. For that, I will always be forever grateful. My degree wasn’t just for me but for my family and my community. I always want to encourage others around me, especially those back home, that if I can do it, you can do it too! All it takes is courage and having the faith to do something that isn’t always “comfortable.”

After graduating from college, I worked in banking for about a year and a half in Birmingham, AL. During this time, I started to realize my passion to pursue real estate. Growing up, I would always make my mom drive me through different neighborhoods to look at the big houses. Real Estate is something that has always been in my heart, but I didn’t really realize my true passion for it until after I graduated and started working full time. Once I set my mind to really pursue real estate is when I decided to start the process of signing up for a class and studying to pass the exam. It was not an easy process but by the grace of God, I finally passed the exam, for Alabama.

Right after passing, I was offered an opportunity to intern at a Fortune 50 company here in Atlanta doing Marketing and Communications which is what I went to school for. By this time, I was ready to leave the banking industry and I knew that I wanted to be in Atlanta long term; however, I had to make a difficult decision to leave my full-time job for an internship. I didn’t know for sure if this internship would turn into a full-time job or if I was making a mistake. I decided to take the internship and it was by far one of the best decisions I made. In just three months, I got offered a full-time position. I was also able to get a reciprocal real estate license in Georgia in just one month of being here. I am very grateful to be in the place that I am in right now. I have the opportunity to pursue my dual career in Marketing/Communications while also running my business as a real estate professional here in Atlanta. I am enjoying the journey and I can’t wait to see what God has for me next.

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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. When I first got my job after college, I really felt like I was on top of the world. I got my first apartment by myself at only 21 and I was happy to be able to take care of myself financially. After about a year of being there, I knew I was ready for something different. I had a desire to be working in my career field and I just felt stuck. Finding a job is not easy, and post-grad depression is real. I truly believe that sometimes God only has us in a place for a season. Being in my past job really has made me appreciate the job that I have now. I work for a great company with people who truly care about their employees on a professional and personal level. You don’t get that everywhere you go.

Real estate was also a struggle. Trying to study for the test while also being in school and working a full-time schedule was hard. I also had to take the test THREE times. There were many days that I felt like giving up, but I knew what I wanted. That’s what kept me motivated to keep going.

My advice to young women is to never give up on your dreams! Go after what you want and don’t let anyone come in the way of that. The road is definitely not going to be easy, but all of your hard work will pay off in the end.

Don’t ever live a life full of regrets or wishing that you would have done something. The time is NOW!

Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I have a dual career as a Realtor while also working in Marketing and Communications for a Fortune 50 company here in Atlanta, Georgia. I am licensed with Keller Williams First Atlanta in Sandy Springs. I have a passion for helping others and I am always going to put my client’s first. My strong work ethic, determination, and drive to succeed are what set me apart from others. I specialize in working with first-time homebuyers, rentals, investors, and sellers and buyers. I chose real estate because I have always had a passion for helping others and buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that you make in life. My goal is to help my clients find their dream home and be there along their journey!

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
You don’t see a lot of women in top executive positions. This is for a lot of reasons such as women having to balance having a career while also having family responsibilities. I also feel like it’s easier for men to get positions that they aren’t really qualified for compared to women. Women earn almost 60% of undergraduate degrees and master’s degrees. Women work just as hard, if not harder than man and it’s time for us to see more of them represented in leadership positions.

Contact Info:

• Address: 200 Glenridge Point Pkwy
  Suite 100
  Atlanta, Georgia 30342
• Website: tamaragreen.kw.com
• Email: tamaragreen@kw.com
• Instagram: tamara_mariee

Image Credit:
Tedric Davenport, @cirdet

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