Meet Dr. Sheila Pope | Owner of Independent Pre-Owned Dealership & Realtor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Sheila Pope and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Sheila, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
For the last three years, my company The Resource Center provided an adult education program that offers GED classes. Unfortunately, my clients often quit the program before reaching their goals. More importantly, the price point of the classes was too low for me to sustain my lifestyle and make a profit.

When I decided to stop offering adult education classes, I made a necessary pivot. I decided I needed to offer a product that everyone needed, clients were willing to pay for, and it had to be accessible to everyone. The two products that came to my mind were automobiles and houses. People need transportation and a place to live. Every year people spend millions of dollars on rent, mortgages, and automobiles.

After conducting some research, I decided I could do both. I obtained my real estate license on May 26, 2024. I joined Keller Williams Houston Preferred Realty as an Agent on May 31, 2024. I started Dr. Sheila Pope Realty on June 18, 2024. It took me a year to complete the entire process. Then, I closed the Adult Education Program in May 2024 and in April 2024, I secured a lease at 8290 W. Bellfort Avenue Houston, TX 77071 to open my Independent Dealership, Pope’s Automotive, LLC.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am so proud that I opened an independent automobile dealership. Pope’s Automotive is set apart from other independent dealerships because it is female-owned. There are not many women who own independent or flagship dealerships. There is a small group of African American female dealership owners, and I am proud to be one of them. It has not been easy to open the dealership. The barriers to entry are steep. In Texas, you are expected to build the dealership and then apply for the license.

I secured the lease and paid for the office equipment. When I worked with Daniel, Rockwell Management Corp to select the flooring and paint for the dealership, I was overjoyed. He made the process smooth. I knew the colors that I wanted, but I was concerned because I could not envision the outcome. It was like building a custom home. The Resource Center was originally located inside of office space on Fondren Ave that Mr. Matt Evan, Commercial Leasing Director at Rockwell Management managed. Therefore, he made the process of securing the retail space an easy transition. They got everything ready for me to move in by June 2024. The dealership is in a retail space. Luckily, I was studying real estate while I was transitioning to retail space. I understood Capitalization Ratte (CAP). I learned how to secure my Occupancy Permit and two-year Bonding Insurance.

Paying for the external sign has been the most expensive and impactful part of the process so far. When I selected the letters and colors for the external sign, I felt like my vision was coming to life. When Texas Five Star Signs came to install the external sign, I was filled with excitement and hope. I was scared, but elated that I could see my name on a building! I could see generational wealth being created in Pope’s Automotive. I filmed everything and took pictures. I lived in the moment. I am bootstrapping all of the costs for the dealership. Every part of the process is expensive, but my faith has leveled up.

Pope’s Automotive will allow customers to purchase their automobiles and pay for them at the dealership. We will provide third-party financing. We plan to purchase and sell pre-owned automobiles wholesale. We will provide custom work on automobiles for customers too. I like the fact that I will be able to help customers with less-than-stellar credit purchase a dependable car. Things happen in life, and people, especially single mothers, need to be able to secure dependable automobiles that do not drain their monthly budgets.

I have learned a few lessons along the way. I am learning to be open to learning a new industry. I have been in the field of education for most of my career. Opening a dealership is new, but I have friends and family who have been in the car industry for years. I have resources to pull from, and I am extending my network. I am a risk-taker! I am planning on completing the NADA Academy so I can learn every aspect of the car industry from a credible source. I have selected the software for Inhouse financing. After the CDK incident, I am learning the importance of selecting the right technology and partnership to run the dealership.

Keller Williams Preferred has an awesome team and training program. I am a Dual Career Agent. I have so much to learn, but I came into the real estate industry at the right time. All of the forms and the way Agents conduct business have changed. Before I completed my real estate classes, I met Brynn Shorkey, Assistant Team Leader @Keller Williams Preferred. She checked on me via text during the last six months of my journey to become a realtor. She gave me access to the free Kaplan Real Estate classes. I decided to continue to pay for my classes at Champions School of Real Estate-Galleria Campus. I preferred Champions’ curriculum because their videos helped me so much. I felt comfortable moving forward with Keller Williams as my brokerage because of the way Brynn treated me during the six months. Our Team Meetings keep me motivated! I love that the founders of Keller Williams Preferred openly address faith in its business. My faith plays a huge role in how I conduct business and my life as an entrepreneur.

I am hiring a team for the dealership; however, I am nervous about it. I must hire people that want to make the dealership a success. I also understand that I am responsible for my team’s livelihood. I have the opportunity to help my team grow as individuals and to improve their economic standings. My children are watching me build the dealership and they are listening to me talk about real estate. I hear them repeating and pretending they have business meetings. I am glad my girls can see me work in a field that has been dominated by men. They are cheering me on as I grow as an entrepreneur.

I want the world to know it is vital to pivot when a business is not profitable. I want your readers to know it is never too late to build a business that can change your life, improve your customers’ lives, and provide generational wealth for your family. My vision and dream for Pope’s Automotive, LLC and Dr. Sheila Pope Realty require a TEAM and God’s help to be successful.

More importantly, it is important to keep a full-time job if you plan to bootstrap your business. For the last six years, I worked full-time as an entrepreneur and the stress was overwhelming. I learned I could trust God to provide, but I had to make a profit. When I realized I needed to earn more money, I went back to education. There is no shame in working while you build. I hope by 2025, the dealership will be able to make a profit. It will make money, but it needs to make a profit to sustain itself and my lifestyle. I expect to sell or lease several homes by the end of the year. However, without the right staff, neither of my businesses will grow or be successful. Therefore, in September hiring an Administrative Assistant is the first hire I plan to make. Once I secure cars for the dealership, I need to hire a salesperson. I look forward to working with a team to accomplish my goals and to breathe life into my vision.

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.
I love Galveston, TX. I would stay at the Tremont House. The rooftop is wonderful. I wrote my first book during my stay at that hotel. The rooms are fabulous. You can eat at different places in Galveston. I plan to sell a few beach houses in Galveston. It’s one of the best places to people-watch after 4 pm. I love driving my convertible Mustang down the Sea Wall in Galveston.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my best friend and number one investor: Dr. Raven Moore.
Dr. Moore has invested her time, money, and countless hours of encouragement to ensure that I did not quit when I decided to build an automobile dealership and secure my real estate license. When I decided to close the adult education program, she helped me to “see” why I needed to end the program immediately. She knew I did not want to pull the plug, but she pushed me to move forward without fear of judgment from my clients. She knew all about my three-year struggle to make a profit. When I told her I wanted to open the dealership, she never doubted my ability to accomplish my goals. She listened to me many nights go through the pros and cons of opening two new businesses. We both agreed I should keep my full-time job until I got the dealership up and running and making a profit. Her honesty and support helped me pivot quickly and her financial support throughout the process was unwavering.

Website: https://www.drsheilapoperealty.us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/popesautomotive1/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsheilapope/

Twitter: https://x.com/Drsheilapope

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

Image Credits
All photos were taken by Dr. Sheila Pope