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

Hi Briana, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work life balance has changed significantly in the last two years. Before March 2020 I was a full time Dental Hygienist working 60 hours a week, an hour away from my home. I was miserable, exhausted and completely burned out! I had ZERO work life balance, it was just work-work-work. I realized I needed a change. I wanted to be in a career that was fulfilling but still allowed me to spend time with my family and focus on my spirituality/health and wellbeing. I started my career in Real Estate in November 2020! Since then I have had the flexibility in my life I have always wanted! I am able to set my own schedule and work when I want to! I am on my own clock. I am able to spend more quality time with my dear husband, family and friends.

What should our readers know about your business?
I work for Texas Apartment Experts in Houston! I am a licensed Texas real estate agent and I specialize in apartment locating in Houston & Dallas. The services I offer are completely FREE! As your apartment locator I can not only assist you with your apartment search, but I can also help with approval concerns such as low credit, broken leases, evictions and some criminal history! When you apply to the apartment I just ask that you add me as your referral source on your application. I have helped several clients over the past year to move and relocate to apartment homes in the Houston and Dallas area.

I am happy with the decision I made to transition to a career in Real Estate. However I did not take the decision lightly. Leaving a full time job to pursue a career as an entrepreneur is very daunting. In real estate you are paid based off of commissions. There is not a guaranteed income. Keeping this factor in mind has just pushed me to work harder to meet my goals and build my business. In the real estate business generating leads and clientele is one of the hardest components. I was able to build my client base and following with the help of social media and the mentorship I received from my mother. Since December 2020 I have been able to build about 26k followers on tik tok and 1.5 on IG. This has helped me bring in leads for my business.

Through this transition, I have learned to put myself and my family first. I truly believe that being happy in your career is important. If you are miserable at your job you will be miserable at home. Never settle for less!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
THE PERFECT HOUSTON EXPERIENCE!

Sunday:
Food: Turkey Leg Hut
Activity: Top Golf

Monday:
Food: Torchy’s tacos
Activity: Hermann Park

Tuesday:
Food: Taste Bar
Activity: Star Cinema Grill,

Wednesday:
Food: Rice Box
Activity: B Cycle

Thursday:
Food: Brett bbq in Katy
Activity: Houston Zoo

Friday:
Food: Killen’s Barbecue
Activity: Discovery Green

Saturday:
Food: The Breaskfast Klub
Activity: Pete Piano bar

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?
I would love to dedicate this shoutout to my Husband, Darius and my Mom, Kesia. Throughout my journey transitioning careers they have been my true supporters! My Mom is a Realtor/Apartment Locator herself and has been a great mentor. She has used her years of experience to help me grow and succeed as an Apartment Locator in Houston. My husband is my rock and the most important person in my life! He has been there to offer constant love, support and encouragement to me for the past 6 years.

Website: https://linktr.ee/leasingwithbri

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leasingwithbri

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leasingwithbri

Other: Tik Tok: @leasingwithbri

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.