Overcoming Adversity and Embracing Life with Sofia Chacon

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Interview Transcription

ADRIENNE:
Welcome back, and thanks for listening to the Team Lally Real Estate Show, home of the guaranteed sold program, or we’ll buy it. I’m Adrienne and I’m Attilio, and if you have any questions, just give us a call at 7999596, or check us out online at Team Lally. com. Our guest today

ATTILIO:
is a distinguished professional with an impressive educational background from Stanford UC Riverside and University of Phoenix. She is the first US born citizen in her family, where she was raised with strong values and. Exceptional work ethic. Her real

ADRIENNE:
estate career began in 2001 and she quickly became one of the top mortgage originators in the nation, and then as a full time realtor since 2011 she has sold over 300 million in real estate and launched multiple successful businesses. We’re excited to have her share her insights and experiences with us today. Please welcome our friend and guest, Sofia Chacon.

ATTILIO: 
Hello, Sophia. Hi

SOFIA: 
everyone. Hello,

ADRIENNE: 
welcome. Welcome to the show.

SOFIA: 
I’m so excited to be here. Thank you for the opportunity.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, good, good we have. You know, it’s amazing with this technology, because you’re all really we’re here in Hawaii and you’re all the way in the mainland. We have a great connection. A great connection. It’s like you’re sitting

SOFIA: 
right next to us. Yes, yes, I will be soon. Yeah,

ADRIENNE: 
yeah. So Sofia was actually on a so with Keller Williams, Honolulu, we do, like, a wealth building training. I think it’s like once a week that we do it. And Sofia was just recently on there, yeah. And she just has so so much value to share as well as such, like an inspiring story well, so I think that we’ve got to let

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, let’s have, as John Maxwell says, we impress people with all our success, but we truly connect with people when we share our challenges and how we have overcome them. So help us connect with our listeners. Sofias, and tell us. Tell us your story.

SOFIA: 
Oh, my God. Where do I begin? Yeah, where do I begin? Where do I begin? I think, when I think of my story, I think of, yeah, I think of all the like, peaks and valleys that life brings, and it’s just how we how we react, right? So that’s what when I think about it, and I think that my story is the same as everyone’s story. I think we all have experienced challenges in our life, some that in and I call them great awakening moments. For me, it was overcoming a heart attack, going through a divorce. You know, challenges is business, so all that people can relate to raising children, and all the things, all the things that we go through. And I think that, I think that part of my story that really has helped me connect with a lot of people is the fact that after I suffered my heart attack, I had an LAD heart attack at age 36 at that time, the doctors only gave me about one year to live because I have permanent heart damage, because I was misdiagnosed. So I think that just what people are inspired by is that, like, the mindset of, how do you wake up every day and give every day a great attitude, a great mindset and still pursue your goals with, like a limited time limit per day. So, yeah, well,

ATTILIO: 
I think that the what they say live every day as if it’s your last. And people, we say that, but to do but sometimes people just go through life just kind of wasting time. Yeah, and so you got a precious gift called a wake up call. And from that what? Yeah, God came to you and said, Hello,

ADRIENNE: 
you know what? Though she also got another precious gift. You know that? I think that this had happened like right after you joined Keller Williams as a brand new agent, yep, and Keller Williams has a nonprofit called KW Cares. And that KW Cares came in and yeah, so go ahead, talk about how that worked. How did, how did KW save your your life, help

ATTILIO: 
you? Yeah,

SOFIA: 
oh my gosh, yeah, they Yes. I think that saved my life is really what I give credit to, yeah. So I was, I was, I had, I started my real estate career in 2000 as in the mortgage side, and I did very, very well there. I rose up all through corporate to the corporate ladder, and was running like four banks for Wells Fargo, and then I was launching branches for Countrywide. And I did well on that side. Then I went through the market crash and unexpected divorce and found myself in the on the real estate side of the business, and after doing research, I decided to partner up with Keller Williams, just because their culture and values aligned with mine. So when I started, you know, I had a rough start. It took me four months to get my first transaction. So for those four months, it was by zero income coming in. It was challenging to stay motivated and expired. Well, at the end of that first year, the hard work did pay off, and I ended up like getting some transactions going. However, because the market was what it was, it was a default market. At that time in our county, 70% of homes on the market were taking, like, a year to close to their first though. So so at that time, yes, I had deals, but I wasn’t going to see a patient for a long, long time. Yeah, so I ended up having and, and I was also going through personally, custody battle, divorce, all this stuff. So I think all that paid a toll on my body. So I ended up having collapsed arteries and an L, A, D. Heart attack, and what that means is that only 10% of people survive that. So I feel really blessed to be with survivor. So what happened is that at the time, I didn’t have health coverage. I didn’t have I didn’t have health coverage I had I was at the time, I was getting covered with my ex husband. I wasn’t financially in a position to pay for insurance independently, and I was just going to go to the doctor and pay if I got sick. I felt pretty healthy at the time. I just didn’t do it because I didn’t have insurance when I ended up having this heart attack. The Lally, the law says that if you if you go through that, that they can deny you service. However, the law, at least in California, does not take you into the transfer patient. Yeah, so I laid in. I laid in the hospital for three days from December 5 to the eighth, and on the eighth day, they came in and just told me, you know, you have less than 1% chance of surviving the night. You know, get your affairs in order. Say goodbye. So they brought my parents and my siblings, my children to say goodbye to me, and then a group of Christian Good Samaritans came in and gave me a handbook, which I still have, that said, let go with Grace like surrender, release yourself to the Lord and just accept your faith. So I just couldn’t do that in my heart, my soul, I know, wasn’t done yet. So I eventually did, and what my kW family, what they did is that as as I finally the night came, it was really late at night, and I was like, okay, like, you know, I didn’t get the Panther I was waiting for. But that time I was I just, you know, called my leaders at KW to say, thank you. Thank you for for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself this last year. Yeah. And they’re like, Where were you? And I’m like, Oh, I’m gonna pass away tonight, you know? And then they let it so, yeah. So behind the scenes, they what they did, they pulled some strings, and kW cares ended up paying $154,000 medical bill. This is 12 and a half years ago, yeah, to get me that, to give me that surgery. So I’m here, and I’m really grateful because of it. I’m so grateful, and I, of course, I am the number one donor in my region. Yeah, I am a big advocate for kW care, because I definitely always pay, I probably have paid more than that already back to them, because I’m so grateful. Yeah, you know, so, yeah, that’s

ATTILIO: 
a great story, because for people like LAD, is is one of the largest arteries in your heart. The Nick what’s the nickname for that type of heart a heart attack? You said it before,

SOFIA: 
Widowmaker, yeah, widow maker.

ATTILIO: 
It’s called the widow maker. And people very rarely, like you just said, survive from that. But your mindset was like, I’m not ready to go yet. And so Amway guy, when Amway guy went knock on your your hospital door and the Grim Reaper, and you didn’t answer the call for either one of those, you’re like, I’m not answering that

SOFIA: 
door. I’m not done. I’m not done. I’m not done yet. Here, done yet. Yeah, I just didn’t feel it. Yeah,

ATTILIO: 
yeah. I think that’s one of the core values that Adrienne, I have been attracted to Keller Williams in that it’s more than just helping people buy and sell homes and commissions and real estate transactions. It’s the fact that, you know, the agents contribute to kW cares, which supports our agents in need. I know kW cares has worked. When there were hurricanes fires, the Lahaina fires, we’ve come to help because we’ve, we’ve had, that’s the culture, because that’s the culture. Come from contribution. All right, so thankful you’re here today and

ADRIENNE: 
you and you’ve been able to accomplish so much since you’ve recovered from that, that pivotal point there, yeah, life. So like, we’re so proud. It really is mindset, yeah, so mindset, mindset been the number one thing. And every time I talk to you, Sofia, you’re like doing some other kind of training, or personal development growth, getting some kind of certification. Yep.

ATTILIO: 
Talk about, you know, the we would guess that this is happening all across the country because of the the high interest rates, which have slowed down the number of transactions. And then you have the National Association of Realtors, big, you know, biggest lawsuit in probably 100 years. And so it’s, it’s, there’s a perception that it’s a perilous industry to be a part of. And what we’re seeing, do you know what the number one brokerage that agents in Hawaii are leaving for is out of the industry? Is out of the industry? What would be your advice to somebody right now, in today’s market as an agent, thinking about becoming an agent, what would be your number one piece of advice for them, or one or two or three things?

SOFIA: 
I think the main thing that’s really exciting for anyone new in the industry is the fact that the that the playing field is 100% even now, yeah, the advantage that someone had been in the business 1015, years. You people now, everyone has to learn a new way of conducting business, new contracts. So at this point. Think it’s a very exciting time for people to be attracted to the industry, because now they get to learn with all of us as we’re pivoting. And I think if someone is, you know, like, like, now I’m like, wow. Like, if you’re getting then, guess what, no one has an advantage over you. Everybody’s learning the same, new scripts, new methods, new new contracts, new things, right? So it’s exciting for so exciting to be new in the industry. And then for the people that have been here, what’s also exciting is the fact that the strong will survive, the people that are learning based and that pivot and and that really adjust and say, Look, there’s, there’s a need for our profession. And if I partner with a the right individuals, I still need them to accomplish whatever real estate goals I have. And the people that actually pivot and implement and are the early adopters and move quickly and not and not operate from fear, they operate from a solution based mindset and say, Okay, so the industry change, the rates are high. There’s still transactions happen every day. And the people that are ignoring the noise and going after it are still doing very, very well. Well, you

ATTILIO: 
know, the noise and create your own reality moving forward. Yeah, 100

SOFIA: 
100 I’m having, like, I run different businesses, and I personally have have sold 30 million in volume already this year, and that’s working really part time in my business, like, so I’m like, There’s because I just don’t pay attention. I’m like, Okay, I’m just gonna go do it, you know, just gonna do it. I’m not gonna allow negativity to penetrate me my mind. So people still need it, yeah, and there’s such a need for people like Adrienne Attilio And, you know, and people in the industry, they’re extremely professional, extremely knowledgeable, extremely learning based that fire, love and respect the both of you. There’s no one else I would recommend in Hawaii ever. Thank you. And that’s because of because of that. And the reason is because you stay ahead of the curve, you care about people, you serve them at a high level. So there’s still a need for our profession, and I believe that that we need to not ignore the fact that we do have challenges in the business, yeah, because that’s not smart either, but to learn how to work through them and around them and and move quickly. Yeah, yeah. And

ATTILIO: 
I think, you know, we’re all defined as independent contractors, but we’re anything but independent. And I think if we can check our egos at the door and lean into masterminding with other people, coming together to collaborate, having an abundant mindset that there’s tons of business out there and tons of people to go serve, and that if you, if you get the right coaching, training and support, you go be successful in this business if you choose it, right.

SOFIA: 
Yeah, if you choose it, 100% I’m so excited. And right now, personally, this is when I’m in escrow, buying more properties for the whole I’m like, this is such a good market. Right now

ADRIENNE: 
we are to that we’re out there, we’re out there shopping for homes. We’re

ATTILIO: 
looking at something in Vegas. We’re looking at we’re in escrow, and something in Alabama,

ADRIENNE: 
also looking for deals right here, right here in Hawaii, right on our islands.

ATTILIO: 
And we’re looking for partners. Come partner with us. Find us a deal and come partner with us.

SOFIA: 
I will do it. I’ll partner with you any day of the week. Yeah, especially, yeah. Let’s do it. Because there is, this is a market. This is a market that, you know, homes are, you know, today’s prices are, tomorrow sales, right? So it really is really, really what it is, you know, and what you said, something very important to tell you that I learned from me all the time is masterminding with other people, yes, and I recently been masterminding with an 89 year old, amazing professional at Stanford, yes, and he’s like, I consider him a mentor, and he taught me that. He said, When I bought my house in San Francisco, my friend said I was crazy because I paid $3,000 for it when the average price was 2000 it’s worth 4 million right now,

ATTILIO: 
who’s crazy now? Crazy

SOFIA: 
Rich? He’s really, yeah, he’s, he’s 89 years old and stuff. And he said that when he bought it, he said, Look, he literally him in his butt, and his wife bought and whatever, I don’t know the name of his whatever, elite community in San Francisco. He said that at the time, all they did for three years was they ignore everybody, and they ended up acquiring nine properties in that community. Wow, that’s amazing. They’re sitting really they’re sitting really pretty. But they said, he said, There is no high price in real estate. The price today that you think is super high and unattainable, yeah, in 20 years, like it’s tomorrow, sales price like, you know, we only get you have, is not buying it,

ATTILIO: 
and regardless of your super negative Debbie Downer neighbor, who thinks everything’s going on going and going to hell in a hand basket. Here’s the data we’ve done the research. If you go back 100 years on Oahu, the average single family home has doubled in price between 12 and 20 years

ADRIENNE: 
like even with the big like balloons and how would it. The 90s, all of it, it’s still averages out. It just continues to double, double, double. And I was talking

ATTILIO: 
about my Uncle Warren Buffet. I was talking about my uncle this morning. You know what he told me? He said Attilio, when everybody else is crazy and fearful, be exuberant. When everybody is is exuberant, uh, be conservative. Yes, yeah,

SOFIA: 
good advice. That

ATTILIO: 
was good advice from Uncle Warren Buffett. So

ADRIENNE: 
Sofia, we’ve got it. We have a few minutes left. I wanted to bring up one other thing that we all have in common, and that is, actually, you know, it’s pretty well known here in in Hawaii, and actually, you’re the one that had gotten me started with this particular kind of Growth Training, which is the PSI. PSI

ATTILIO: 
tell us about how, what is PSI, and how it’s changed your life.

SOFIA: 
PSI is a personal development company that’s been around for 50 years. There’s a bit of founding, you know, trailblazers in that, in that industry. Yeah, and it is, it is, it is a it is an organization that, how it really impacted me is that I act, I took the courses in 2015 and what I did is the courses help you really, really dig deeper within yourself to discover and bring out the best version of yourself, yes. And that really was so powerful to me. I came back and I I was able to really see some painful blind spots that I wasn’t it wasn’t in my radar, I wasn’t awareness, and I was able to make some changes, yeah, and and create, literally, my absolute dream life after that, my dream life was, I want to have perfect credit President covid, and did so I highly recommend. Psi is just amazing. I would throw away my college education in the track, yes, like, I got more value out of this than my degree. I really did. No, I was able to take action. I

ATTILIO: 
heard this PSI thing. It’s a cult.

SOFIA: 
You know what? Technically, everything’s a cult. There’s a group of people. They have the same beliefs occult. So, yeah, no, it’s you know.

ATTILIO: 
Actually gonna say what they’re gonna say, you know you know me. I’m gonna you know me. I’m gonna say this. I actually watched a documentary on a cult. And this is what a cult is, when you have when you do whatever the leader tells you, no matter what, if he tells you light your hair on fire and run off a cliff, you’re going to do it. So that’s the definition of a cult, and how psi and Keller Williams is not a cult, because we have great advice, and people don’t do it. They’re all over the damn place. They don’t follow the advice. Yeah, so it’s not 100% right? Yeah. I also heard it’s a scam. I heard psi is on scam. They just keep taking your money.

SOFIA: 
Definitely not a scam. You know, they should, they should charge 10 times more. Yeah, and I would have paid it like if I would have known the value. There’s there’s no it has no price tag. It’s wonderful. There’s

ATTILIO: 
only, Hello, folks. There’s only three classes you can take, and that’s it. You cannot, yeah, first

ADRIENNE: 
class, you can take it over and over and over, like, for free, yep, once, and then you can keep going back and auditing. Is many other

ATTILIO: 
tool for free if you go as on volunteer, because it’s your it’s that power of association, and being in that atmosphere with winners, not victims, winners, and you just grow more. And wouldn’t you want to have a whole circle of influence of that general contractor that’s got the right mindset, that plumber, that electrician, that therapist, the house painter, the realtors, the realtors.

ADRIENNE: 
So I want to thank Sofia for introducing us and, you know, encouraging me to go and work, yeah. So, like, after I went, then it would just, you know, kind of spread, yeah. So we thank you for pushing for, you know,

ATTILIO: 
John Maxwell says we want different things in our lives, but we’re unwilling to start by changing ourselves. So if you ain’t gonna change yourself, you’re gonna have what you had last year. If you’re not willing to do something different, you always have what you always had.

SOFIA: 
Yep. Is that true? Yeah, you’re right. If nothing changes, nothing changes. Yeah, 100%

ATTILIO: 
and a lot of times, is you don’t know what you don’t know. So if you get around a people that have been teaching 1000s and 1000s of people for the last 50 years, this is what you want to do, and stop doing that. And 80% of it, you don’t even realize you’re doing it. And you need somebody outside yourself in an organization to help you with that, and have self awareness and have groups in organizations. Hawaii is one of the best organizations for this group. We do have big, huge non profit organization that helps with a lot of stuff in our community, and it’s all about coming coming from contribution. Last thing for you, Sophia, if this whole radio show blew up and all the information and all the podcasts. All your notes and all your journals, everything burned up and disappeared. If you could only share one piece of advice with our listeners right now in this moment, what would that be?

SOFIA: 
I would say and live every live every moment like, be be here now, be there later, be present in every moment. Yeah,

ADRIENNE: 
be present in every moment. Be

ATTILIO: 
present in every moment. Yeah, we’ll let that sink in with about two seconds of silence. Be present. Hello. You over there the back. Put the phone down. Be present. You know they’re there. We work hard, but I will tell you that what I do when I’m with my kids is phone goes down, attention goes up. There’s a new app that I’m rolling out. It’s going only to teenagers, and this app is called look up.

ADRIENNE: 
Sophia, thank you for being our guest and sharing some insight and wisdom. Yeah, and we really appreciate you taking your time with and then sharing your story.

ATTILIO: 
We have a question that we have we gave out at the beginning of the show for parents to ask their kids. So we’re gonna ask it of you, what’s one thing you’re grateful for? And this is how we’ll wrap it up. What’s one thing you’re grateful

SOFIA: 
for? I am extremely grateful for amazing people in my life, like the two of you really add so much value in light. And I am so so grateful, because I cannot even imagine my life without you to like Adrienne. I cannot even imagine the amazing people my life like where I would be, because you just elevate me, help me grow. So I’m so grateful for other human beings that are kind and are willing to bring people with them to higher levels of success. Okay, so grateful. Two

ATTILIO: 
more questions, what? What’s something you’ve learned?

SOFIA: 
I’ve learned that forgiving, forgiving and, and, and really give you the give you the biggest gift of peace. That’s priceless. Millionaire with trade pages, yeah, yeah.

ATTILIO: 
Go for it. Forgive somebody, get free. The last question, what’s something kind you’ve done recently? And what’s something kind that you’ve done recently?

SOFIA: 
Something kind of done recently? I think of just donating money to the orphanage, yeah, and helping with that. Yeah, yes. Just donating money to the orphanage, something kind of done. I think just giving back, yeah, and last thought is a hand that is not open to give is not open to receive. Yeah. And

ATTILIO: 
I will tell you, you come join our team, and one of the greatest gifts that Sofia gave us was an opportunity to go visit this orphanage. If you’re on our team, we’re going to go see the orphanage. We’re going to stop at Costco, load up all kind vehicles, and we’re gonna donate. Thank you so much for Sofia, for being on the show. It’s we are so appreciative of having you in our life. We love you so much, and we’ll

ADRIENNE: 
see you soon. Yes,

SOFIA: 
we love you next time.

ATTILIO: 
Wait to see you guys. Thank you, Sofia. Bye.

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