How Athena Brownson Went From Professional Skier to Successful Agent-Investor

One of the hardest things about real estate investing is taking the initial step. Risk and failure can scare a lot of us, and we often talk ourselves in and out of taking the leap. But with so many resources at our disposal, various investment options available, and the ability to seek out mentors, there are a multitude of ways to make it less scary. In this episode, former professional skier turned real estate agent and investor, Athena Brownson, shares her journey into real estate and the importance of lessons learned from taking risks, thinking outside the box, and seeking out mentors for ultimate success.   The biggest key to any sort of investing is the necessity to fall on your face here and there in order to learn the biggest lessons and skill sets you’ll use in the future. -Athena Brownson   Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode   Why failure is often inevitable and a part of everyone’s path to successWhat skill sets and lessons can we learn from our failures to make better decisions in the future? The importance of coaches and mentorsCan coaches and mentors make the path to success shorter and less treacherous? Why we need to look outside our sphere for new opportunitiesHow do we find opportunities outside of our sphere of influence?   Guest Bio Athena Brownson is a Realtor and former professional skier. She is also the daughter of a real estate developer and an interior designer. Initially she was drawn to the interior design business, Athena found herself getting her real estate license and was able to take her passion for interior design and put it to work in a meaningful way. Her eye for aesthetics quickly gave her a leg up in her ability to get client’s homes sold and helped build her reputation.   4 years ago, while recovering from a disc replacement surgery in her cervical spine, an injury incurred while skiing professionally, Athena was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme disease and Co-Infections. Unfortunately, the disease quickly overtook her immune system leaving her with countless autoimmune diseases and a long journey ahead when it came to treatment. At that point, Athena had already been in Real Estate for four years and had a thriving business and the skills necessary to succeed. Athena was determined to not let the diagnoses stop her, despite being told that many in her position would be on long term bed rest.   Today, despite the numerous health challenges she faces, Athena’s business continues to grow year over year. She prides herself on being one of the most active and accessible agents in the Denver area, despite battling chronic fatigue and on-going treatment. Additionally, Athena has ventured into flipping and new construction real estate investing.   For more information, follow @athenabrownsonrealtor on Instagram, Facebook and  Youtube.