We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Bland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, how do you think about risk?
I think that risks are a necessary part of life. I’ve found that when I’m too concerned with staying in my comfort zone, I lose. I’m originally from Los Angeles, California and when I lived there, I was working multiple jobs I wasn’t fond of and still struggling to make ends meet. I did this for years and hated it but I was comfortable even though I was barely making it financially. I was the epitome of living paycheck to paycheck but I was semi-happy because I was in a familiar environment. When I couldn’t secure a new position after college graduation, I thought it might be wise to change my location. I moved to Houston and within months, my life improved tremendously. Within a few years, I had practically doubled my salary while living in a city with a less expensive cost of living. Now, over eight years later, I work full-time in the field my degrees are in and have the time and resources to pursue my passion projects. None of this was possible for me back home, or at least not at the time I needed it to be. It was risky leaving all my family and friends to start my career but I’m grateful that I did. Taking risks is what helped me become who I am today and not being afraid to take them is what’s going to get me where I want to go.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a REALTOR®, Writer, and Communications Professional. I’m most proud of the fact that I have found a way to do all the things I’m passionate about to create a unique career path for myself. I love being able to allocate my time to tasks that I, not only, enjoy but ones that enable me to help others.

As a real estate agent, I’m most excited about the opportunity to help first-time homebuyers find a place to call home and start their journey toward generating long term wealth. My client-centered approach helps make the home hunting process as fun as it is rewarding. As a communications professional and writer, I get to express my creativity and help grow my institution’s brand. I learn new things every day and I love that I’m able to continuously grow professionally. It’s not easy wearing multiple hats but one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is that what you focus on will expand. I prioritize and work hard to properly plan my days so that I can make the most of each of them. The essence of me is in my favorite Will Smith quote, “I want to do good, I want the world to be better because I was here.” I want my work to reflect the joy in my spirit and to empower others. I usually hate to consider myself an influencer or a person with a “brand” but the truth is we all have influence and are representatives of our own personal brands. With this as the case, I plan to continue working hard to make sure everyone I work with has a positive experience.

I’ve overcome many challenges in my career by simply adopting the motto “this too shall pass” when I encounter struggles. A major lesson I’ve learned over the years is that relationships are often our most valuable currency. The saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” couldn’t be more true. I’ve learned to step out of my comfort zone and strive to make connections because, oftentimes, it’s the people you know who will link you to the opportunities that can take you to the next level.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First things first, I’m a homebody so it’s extremely difficult for me to answer this question. I guess the reason why I’m never the person asking people to come visit me in Houston is because I’d be horrible at setting up things for them to do. I know for a fact that eating would be a priority. Houston is known for its restaurant scene so I’m putting food at the forefront of our plans. I’d want us to go to Whiskey Cake in Stafford to enjoy lunch and a slice of their famous whiskey cake for dessert. I’d take them to Rudy’s for barbeque and see what other types of food they’re in the mood for. Whether it’s seafood (Pappadeaux or a crawfish pickup from Crawfish Cafe) or vegan (Houston Sauce Kitchen), I’ll have my bases covered. I’d keep my itinerary simple and since I’m currently quarantining, everything I suggest will require minimal contact with people. I love to help my friends create memories so I’d coordinate a touristy photoshoot and them to visit some of our landmarks and parks. I’d take them to Memorial or Hermann Park along with some cool downtown graffiti spots that would make cool backdrops. I love taking photos so this will be fun for both of us.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to anyone who’s ever believed in me. I’m talking elementary and middle school teachers like Ms. Glenn, Ms. Hailey, and Ms. McCoy who made me feel special in class when I lacked confidence in who I was. I also want to recognize the people who purchased copies of either one of my books along with those who may not have been able to purchase but chose to share photos on their social media platform to help promote. Your support doesn’t go unnoticed and I love and appreciate you more than you can imagine.

Website: www.whatalexwrites.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/houstonhomehunt
Twitter: www.twitter.com/houstonhomehunt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoustonHomeHunt/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=jbX8rtN6Jdy0b8DtxfO8Vw&utm_source=ishare

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