We had the good fortune of connecting with Amy Rivas and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Amy, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Let’s talk about risk taking! It’s hard not to be a risk taker considering where I came from. That is all I have ever known; I was born into taking risks due to my upbringing. Both of my parents immigrated to this country at a very young age with not much more than the clothes on their backs. Despite the challenges they knew they would inevitably face; they made the journey to this country in pursuit of the American Dream. Ever since I can remember they have been taking risks in order to establish themselves in this country and provide the opportunity for a better future for my siblings and myself. They purchased their first home at 24, my mother learned English and attended and graduated from the University of Houston-Downtown and my father established a reputable company in his industry. After teaching for a few years my mother decided to take a leap of faith and dabble into the unknown. My parents used their life savings to invest in a new business venture, a daycare center. With all odds against them and two years after our country’s housing market crash, they pushed forward and began what is now The Little School Daycare. Today, the daycare is at full capacity and the plans of expansion are in the works, as for my father, he is busier than ever and has been in business for 20 years and counting. I have seen them take risks and bet on themselves time after time, and this mindset has built the platform for the way that I engage in business. As for myself, I always knew I wanted to own some kind of business. Despite having my parents example to follow, I was not fully aware of the amount of time and sacrifice it takes to be a business owner until I was faced with creating my own brand. After contemplating different industries and paths, I decided to join a highly competitive industry of Real Estate a semester prior to graduating from High School. Although I had no prior background in the field, I committed fully and enrolled in Real Estate school. Next thing I knew, I was starting college and was officially licensed. One of the biggest challenges I faced early on was balancing college while becoming licensed and working full time. I gave up endless weekends, afternoons and had to miss out on what a typical person my age experiences while in college, but I had a clear goal and I was going to do whatever it took to grow my business. During my “free” time I would host open houses, meet clients and worked on my marketing. I finished my degree in finance a year early meanwhile working full time and gaining loyal clientele. Shortly after graduation, I made the decision to quit my full time job and to focus solely on developing and establishing my brand. I am not going to lie, it was scary losing my main source of income, especially since I had just purchased my first home. Despite knowing I was taking a huge risk; I knew it was essential if I wanted to really see a growth in my brand. It is safe to say it was the best decision I could have made for myself and my career. I’ve gotten tons of experience and dabbled into some very risky business. For instance, I flipped my first home this year and it was the highest priced home in the neighborhood, and it sold in less than a week. It was an insane accomplishment! I credit this to my ability to bet on myself and take risks. With that being said, risk taking in business should be an educated decision. You need to do your research, know your market and be prepared to work hard.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am currently in the process of rebranding and growing my brand. The future of my brand and expansion of my name will be based on an environment that focuses on positivity. My brand represents the essence of being self-made, hardworking, go getter, motivational, problem solver and of course knowledgeable. I am extremely excited about this! My journey has not been easy but I am ready for the next challenge.You can overcome anything if you set your mind to it!
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?
Houston is one of the biggest cities in the world. You better believe there is so much to do here. Starting with the diversity of people and food! This is what my ideal itinerary would be like if my friends came to visit Houston. Monday- The Museum of Natural Science Tuesday – Go explore the Houston ZOO! Wednesday- A three mile hike around the beautiful Memorial Park followed by an outdoor movie at the Rooftop Cinema. Thursday- Bike ride around downtown Houston then snap some pictures and have a drink at Present Company. Friday- Enjoy a delicious dinner at Cuchara Restaurant in Montrose! Saturday- Give my amigas a Houston bar hopping experience on Main Street. Sunday- Dress up and take in the gorgeous chandeliers at our brunch location the Dunlavy.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout is most definitely to both of my parents. When I was in college and real estate school my mom worked with my college hours and real estate course schedule. She would let me take off if a showing came up and would let me step out of work to take any real estate related phone calls. She would send me home early so I can work on homework or study for any exam. I am very grateful for that. Not very many employers would give me this flexibility in my schedule to facilitate my life. Dad, thank you for supporting my career and believing in my crazy flipping adventure and all other business ventures. I wouldn’t have the experience if it wasn’t for him and I would have not joined real estate to begin with if it wasn’t for him planting the real estate seed and encouraging me to join. Thank you to mom and dad for putting myself and sisters through college to ensure our focus was primarily on school. I owe a lot of my success to you two. Gracias Papi Y Mami!
Website: https://www.amyrivas.com/
Instagram: Amy Rivas Realtor
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOhmsZr_giscAxk7kjJB4OA?view_as=subscriber
Image Credits
LOIS CAMPOS GOOD KARROT JOEL RIVAS