Life & Work with Rachel Shaw and Cody Mons

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Shaw & Cody Mons.

Hi Rachel & Cody, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I (Rachel) was very indecisive about what I wanted to do with my life. During my time in college, I changed my major twice. It wasn’t until I switched into Integrated Business that I finally felt happy with the major I was in. I met so many great friends, had amazing professors, and was able to join professional organizations that I learned so much from. One of the organizations I became very involved in was CEO Knights (UCF’s branch of Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization). I was in the club for over two years and was the fundraising director. Being so involved in this amazing group really sparked my interest in entrepreneurship. I knew that at some point in my life, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. After graduating with my Bachelor’s in Business Administration, I wanted to start a career in events and marketing at Universal Orlando resort where I worked in events until COVID-19 hit and shut down the parks. Realizing how easily all events can be shut down or canceled made me rethink my career choice. I thought about my interests and talked with many people. We both knew multiple people in the real estate field who were very successful and told us that we would be great in real estate. At that moment, it just all clicked, I grew watching HGTV constantly and spent my free time on real estate apps looking at houses for sale. I knew this was the right career path for us. With the theme parks shut down, it really gave us the opportunity to jump full force into this new field. We took our real estate classes, passed the state license exam and joined our brokerage. Now, we are working hard to constantly expand our network and help as many people as we possibly can with the biggest investment in their lives.

I (Cody) was working and going to school part-time when COVID-19 came through and shut down the world, which gave me the chance to think a lot about where I was headed in life. I’ve always played with the idea of getting into real estate but never set aside the time to pursue it until I had no excuse and the opportunity arose that I just couldn’t pass up. So after taking some classes and passing our exams; here we are, fledgling REALTORS’ ready to serve Central Florida.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, it has been a pretty smooth road for us. We set aside the time to study hard to pass our class and state licensing test on the first try. We also already knew which brokerage we wanted to join because we had connections with others in the field that we’re able to explain all the benefits that Keller William’s provided. I feel like our biggest struggle has been trying to gain clients. Neither of us grew up in Central Florida so we have less connections than if we were in our hometowns. Though we don’t look at that as a disadvantage, we just know we will have to work a little harder to find new and innovative ways to make new connections and expand our network with everyone that we possibly can.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are licensed Florida REALTORS’ located in Orlando but working all over Central Florida. Our brokerage is Keller Williams at The Parks located near Downtown Orlando. As real estate agents, we specialize in many different aspects of the real estate industry. We provide clients with beneficial guidance throughout the buying, selling or renting process. We work closely with Real Estate Brokers and other real estate professionals to get advice and learn about new listings and find commercial or residential properties that fit most or all of their clients’ needs. Most importantly though, we building lasting relationships with anyone who is in the market to invest, buy or sell their home. We make sure the home buying and selling experience is as smooth and stress-free as possible for all of our clients. We are most proud of taking the leap of faith to transition into this new career in a world filled with such uncertainty. What sets us apart is that we are both working together to help people in the home buying or selling process. You have two dedicated agents to help you and see things from multiple perspectives’. We are always able and willing to answer your phone call, text, or email at any time and any day of the week. We just want to help people. We know that this is one of the largest transactions in a person’s life and that it can be scary, so we want to be there for our clients to ease their worries.

What’s next?
Our plans for the future are to succeed in the real estate industry. It can be a hard field to get into, but it’s an even harder field to stay in. Over 87% of real estate agents drop out within the first five years. So our plan is to stick with it and persevere through the tough times to be able to prosper in the future. We look forward to continuing to grow and expand our business and network. Our goal is to thrive in both residential and commercial real estate. We also eventually want to acquire multiple investment properties to rent out and/or flip. We are looking forward to working hard and building our brand, and in the future being able to enjoy the fruits of our labors.

Contact Info:

• Email: rachelshaw@kw.com
• Website: rachelshaw.kw.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centralflrealtors/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralflrealtors
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/RIUHGSvgXjb
• Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMR7ceh4K

Image Credits:
Business Card Photo/Headshot – Edward Lian Photography Graduation Photo- Madison Schulz