We love introducing you to the amazing women entrepreneurs you’ll find inside the Hatch Tribe Collective. Today we’re excited to introduce you to Tricia Peterson of Island House Real Estate in Daniel Island, SC.

Tell us about your business & how it came to be! 

I opened Island House Real Estate, a boutique real estate firm, in December of 2018 after making the decision that working for myself and opening my company would be the best thing for my family. I realized that I was putting a lot of effort into growing someone else’s company and I wanted to put that effort into growing my own. One of my main goals was to allow my husband to retire from his job which he did and now is an integral part of the company.

What do you love about being an entrepreneur?

I love being creative with advertising, photography, and doing things a little differently than the norm. I have always been an overachiever so I feel like the more time I put in, the more it pays off.

How do you balance your personal life with your business? 

That has taken some adjustments and challenges but basically the answer is, right now - I don’t have a grasp on that! The real estate market thankfully has been very busy so I have opted to pull my family in to help me. Especially with them being off of school for so long this year, it was the perfect opportunity to teach some office skills. Having them be part of the business helps me not feel like I am always being pulled away from them. Being available to my clients on evenings and weekends is part of what I do. Luckily, I have a very supportive and helpful family that realizes what I am doing is also important and beneficial to our family, and them going to college! I make time whenever I can to have quality time with friends and family, even if it's a happy hour bike ride.

How do you hold yourself accountable? 

I have a lot of work that tends to be never ending which I am sure is how all business owners feel, so having so much to do keeps me accountable! I don’t have anyone else to blame if it doesn’t get done! I thrive in an environment of being busy and getting things done. Sometimes, I need to force myself to just sit and take a break.

How do you handle those moments of self-doubt and fear? 

Every situation is different but I think having a goal to focus on is so important. I definitely became scared at the start of the pandemic. My company was our only source of income and the Realtor Board was sending out notices to consider filing for unemployment. So I had a brief moment of “What did I do?”. But it was very brief. My initial response was to pool my resources, our own Airbnb properties and vacant properties of clients and friends. I made phone calls and set up a network of free housing for medical workers. My husband and I worked in the medical field for several years and our instincts are to help people whenever we can. By focusing on that, I felt like I was able to offer something and that helped me not focus on being scared of what was to come with the economy, the Real Estate market and the health concerns. I did what I could to make a difference and things turned around pretty quickly.

What is your favorite quote? 

“I am not an ostrich.” by Rio. We need to remind ourselves that we can do things even when we believe we can’t.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received as a business owner? 

Don’t grow too quickly and be selective in who you bring into your company.

What are you working on now in your business?

We are working with our clients on listings and finding homes, we just launched a new website which allows me to be more hands-on. We have been working on new advertising & marketing campaigns and I am finishing up a relocation and buyer specialist certification.

What are your biggest hopes & dreams for your business? 

That my company is known for beautiful branding, hard working ladies that are honest and dedicated, and that we are happily successful.

Connect with Tricia Peterson inside the Hatch Tribe Collective, our member exclusive community for women entrepreneurs on the rise! Have yet joined us, learn more right here.

You can also connect with Tricia at islandhouserealestate.com.