Do Epic Shit

From Stay-at-Home Mom to Real Estate Powerhouse: Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Entrepreneurship

• Colleen Basinski & Kimberly Neill • Season 1 • Episode 1

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Welcome to the Do Epic Shit Podcast—where real talk meets real estate, business, and life. In this first episode, Colleen & Kim get raw and real about who they are, why they started this podcast, and what Doing Epic Shit truly means. From career-defining moments to hard-earned life lessons, we’re breaking down the mindset, the hustle, and the heart behind it all.

Picture this: transitioning from a stay-at-home mom to a powerhouse realtor, or bouncing back from a challenging divorce to become a thriving entrepreneur. That's the kind of transformative journey you'll hear about as Colleen Basinski and Kim Neill welcome you to the "Do Epic Shit" podcast. In this inaugural episode, we reveal the stories behind our successes and the hurdles we've faced in the real estate world, all while sharing a hearty dose of laughter and inspiration. Our discussion promises to offer invaluable insights for those daring to venture into real estate or entrepreneurship, helping to smooth out the inevitable bumps along the way.

Ever wondered what it takes to truly believe in yourself and take that leap of faith? We tackle these pivotal moments head-on, discussing the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and learning from both the triumphs and setbacks life throws your way. Join us as we unpack the raw and real aspects of our journeys, emphasizing the strength found in persistence, self-belief, and a supportive community. Guest speakers will soon add their diverse perspectives to the mix, aiming to both entertain and enlighten you with their unique experiences.

Real estate is no cakewalk, and we’re here to set the record straight. From the misconception that it's not a 'real job' to the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, we delve into it all. We’ll share our strategies for overcoming these challenges and highlight the empowering career path that real estate offers. Ready to embrace epic adventures in both business and life? Tune in each week as we guide you through the exciting rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, offering a wealth of lessons and a platform for a community eager to share and learn.

Expect unfiltered conversations, actionable insights, and stories that inspire you to level up in every area of life. This is just the beginning—hit subscribe and join us for the ride! 🚀🔥 #DoEpicShit

💡 Lessons we’ve learned about balancing it all—sometimes successfully, sometimes… not.

If you’re out here trying to do EPIC SH*T, this one’s for YOU. Hit play, tag a friend, and let’s do this thing together! 👇

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music & APPLE Podcasts!

🔗 Podcast: https://doepicshit.buzzsprout.com
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📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DoEpicShit.RealTalk

🎙️ Hosted by: Colleen Basinski & Kimberly Neill

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Colleen Basinski:

van. So welcome, right? So here we are at our first episode ever. I put my glasses on so I can see. Here we are for our Do Epic Shit podcast. Yes, so first I want to welcome everybody. Thank you for tuning in. We're so excited to have you here. We're super excited about this. So my name is Colleen Baczynski. Who am I? I've been a realtor, business owner, entrepreneur, mom and a grandma. I've been in real estate for 25 years. This is my 25th year. This year we should do a party for that 25th year in real estate. I've owned brokerages. I've sold as a solo agent, ran a team and had other businesses as well. And Kim, go ahead and introduce yourself.

Kimberly Neill:

I'm Kim Neal. I've been a realtor for 13 years. I'm a three, I don't know. My resume isn't as extensive as yours is.

Colleen Basinski:

I would disagree with that. You've been an investor.

Kimberly Neill:

I've done rentals, investors, flips. That's kind of my thing.

Colleen Basinski:

You've had a team, you've been solo, you've navigated ups and downs of all the different things of being a wife, a mom, a business owner a realtor that is true. Multiple properties, investment properties, yep, yeah, yeah, I guess so. You should just bring me around with you all the time, right.

Kimberly Neill:

Make me sound like a rock star.

Colleen Basinski:

So we're going to start by talking a little bit about why we're doing this, like what epic shit means to us and why we picked the name, and we're just going to talk a little bit about our background and share some things with you today. We'll share some inspiration on. You know why we decided to do this podcast and what it means to us and the meaning of epic shit. You know how it came to be and what you can expect when you tune in and listen forward, and we'll close it out with what you can expect on the next episode. So, Kim, what's your story? So your personal, professional story, like how'd you end up in real estate?

Kimberly Neill:

So well, I've been married for 25 years, married to a carpenter and actually the goal was it wasn't even to sell residential real estate, it actually was to buy and flip our own property. So what we did is we did one or two in Indiana. Then the kids I had small kids at the time and then after that I'm like you know, instead of paying a realtor I mean like anybody else instead of paying a realtor, it was like, well, why don't I just do that and do our own stuff, which makes sense? I think a lot of us have that idea. So that's exactly what I did. My kids were small six, eight and I went to real estate school.

Colleen Basinski:

And what about Donovan? He was a little guy. What was he? Yeah, he was three, two, three.

Kimberly Neill:

So mom, wife, stay-at-home mom, and then literally went to school, got my license and jumped right in and I think the first year, and I think it's forever, I mean everybody can you know attest to this that your first year, like, do I stay? I think I did three deals. Do I stay? Oh my gosh, it's costing me money. And then I was at a brokerage for a year and I think I did $7,000, which literally Not even barely enough to cover your dues and all your fees right.

Kimberly Neill:

Literally that's all it did. And then somebody came to me and said you know, before you leave out of the Because I was, I was leaving the business. I'm like this is too expensive. They bring me to another brokerage, and I think that's where I met you.

Colleen Basinski:

I think it was it was, and you were going to join us, and then you didn't and you joined another brokerage for a week, I did.

Kimberly Neill:

And then you came over For one week and you really, you know, I was thinking about this the other day you know what really got me to come there that I was like, oh, you gave me a book, it was a book. And I was like, oh, they gave me a book, it was a book. And I was like, oh, they gave me a book and it can help me. And all I have to do is read this and do what it says and literally, I think, probably no lie. And this is no lie. Eight weeks after I joined with, you started training and I had six deals under contract within eight weeks.

Colleen Basinski:

Dang.

Kimberly Neill:

And I had three little kids at home. Yeah, three little kids at home, six deals running. I was driving a minivan, but you know I'm pulling up to a minivan.

Colleen Basinski:

I mean, hey, I got you beat, though when I started I didn't have a car. Well, I tell you, I came from the depths of nothingness, like literally, I little kids had just gotten divorced. I don't even know if I was officially finally divorced yet, because my divorce to my, my first husband took probably like two years, Like he just. He thought, if he didn't show up to court that it would just go away.

Colleen Basinski:

So it just kept getting extended and extended. So don't regret it, because obviously I have my kids and they're awesome and wonderful. But I actually got into real estate because I was at a bottom place and I never finished college. I went to community college, got my associate's degree and then just stopped from there. And this is from the girl who was like, oh, she's going to go to college, she's in all honors classes, she's this, she's that High on the ACTs and just made some poor choices early on, like we all do right, absolutely.

Colleen Basinski:

And then, when I was divorcing my husband, I met my now wonderful husband, current husband, and he actually babysat my kids so that I could go to real estate school. Here he's like, dating this guy, she's got three kids right. And I'm like, oh, by the way, I'd like to get my real estate license. I don't have a car or anyone to watch my kids. Can you pick me up from the train station, from work? What did he say? He's a trooper, like he really is. People are like, you know, if they know Bart now they're like, oh yeah, he's got it made, but they don't know the shit. I put him through Holy cow, like it was crazy, crazy. But literally I remember wanting to do something with my life that I could make a difference for my kids and, like you know, I'm working two jobs, single mom, trying to figure out. I think it was like my youngest birthday and he wanted a Lego toy Like this. Legos are expensive too.

Kimberly Neill:

Absolutely Remember those.

Colleen Basinski:

Lego kits. They're even more expensive now. But back then, like we didn't have two nickels to scrape together and PJ wanted something. And I'm like, oh, I just got to get this for him. And I remember thinking, like, going through my closet, thinking like, do I have something with the tags on it? That was a gift that I could sell or give back or like whatever, so that I could get enough money to buy this kid, this birthday present.

Colleen Basinski:

And for me, that was the moment I decided like I want to control my destiny. It's not how much someone's going to pay me, it's not how much I'm going to do. I want to be able to make sure that my kids always have what they need and that they're always taken care of. And so that was the moment I decided real estate why not? I can do this fast, I can do it quick, I can get my license. I'm good at taking tests. The class was no problem. But yeah, bart, he had to pick me up from the train station because I took the train to work, because I was working downtown at the time. He would pick me up from the train station and then we'd get the kids from. I don't remember who was babysitting at the time while we were both at work, and then he would drop me off at real estate school and then he would watch my kids at night so that I could go to real estate school.

Kimberly Neill:

He is a trooper.

Colleen Basinski:

Right, so you had a minivan.

Kimberly Neill:

I didn't even have a car. I quickly got one after that, absolutely.

Colleen Basinski:

But I mean, it was rough, it was hard.

Kimberly Neill:

I always feel like, with real estate, we all come from. What can we do with our life? How can we make it better? How can we do better? How can we provide better?

Colleen Basinski:

Well, I feel like whether it's real estate or anything else like being your own business person and being an entrepreneur, and you know, you see a lot of kids these days. I say kids, but they're young adults, right? Because, like, the older I get, the more everyone looks like kids to me that are all figuring out different ways to start their own businesses, whether it's like Etsy businesses or Instagram or TikTok or any of these different things that they're doing. That's the way to really get themselves further, and not that there's anything wrong with college, don't get me wrong. Like, some of my kids went to college and they have degrees and they have great jobs or are on the pathway to great jobs. I think each person has to find their own path, though. Sure, so when you said it took you six months and you had $7,000. Yeah, so I had six months, had $0. Yeah, $0 after six months. So it was my first six months in the business, I had nothing.

Colleen Basinski:

And I remember another, like there's certain moments in your life that like they just stand out and you're like, oh, yes, and I remember that it was Memorial Day weekend, because I started um in January, so I got my license. Like January 1st, I started um and I actually had a job when I started and I I said this is too hard to do, both full time. So I had three little kids at home and I had a job and I quit my job three months ago. I'm dating my now husband and he's helping like, support me and like doing this. He goes you did what. I'm, like, I want to do this full time. I know I can do this. Just trust me. Just trust me. And oh, those next three months, like if we were able to make it through that and still get married, like we will be fine, no matter what throughout forever, right, so wait a minute.

Kimberly Neill:

You just said I'm quitting, yeah.

Colleen Basinski:

I said I was making I don't know like minuscule dollars. I was an administration, so I was doing accounts, payable, accounts, receivable work for a guy who was stealing from his partners and I'm the one keeping the books. And I'm like I don't want any part of this. I didn't feel good about it. He was in the middle of a lawsuit with his partners and I'm like this is not. I don't want to be in the circle of this. So I'm like I'm out of here. So, pj, at the time my youngest, who is on the autism spectrum, got kicked out of two daycares.

Kimberly Neill:

They didn't know.

Colleen Basinski:

I mean he's 27 next month, so they didn't know what autism was back then and how it was.

Colleen Basinski:

And so they're just like he's bad, he can't come here anymore. And I'm like great, now who's going to watch my kids? How am I going to do this? The guy I work for is a criminal Like this is enough, enough's enough. And so I just said I quit. And Bart's like what? And I'm like I quit, I'm going to sell real estate full time. So it took another three months before I had my first sale, though, so three months after that. But then the next three months I sold like just under $2 million in real estate, yeah, which nowadays doesn't seem like that much, but then was I mean, we're talking 25?

Kimberly Neill:

years ago. Yeah, so that was a lot a lot.

Colleen Basinski:

But I remember the first sale happened right after memorial this, how I know the timeline, because it was memorial day weekend and everybody has barbecues, memorial day weekend, right, it's like you want to go to the barbecue and you want to like hang out with your family or whatever, and bart's like, oh, we're gonna do this and we're dating and he's helping with my kid, had been helping with my kids and helping pay my bills and you know, like all this stuff, he had his own house. He was a single dad. I have my own house, I'm a single mom, like where he's supporting two households, working three jobs. He was in the union or like new in the union, had his own business, a landscaping business, and then he, um, oh, he bounced at the bars at night too. So he would, he like literally where it slept like two hours a week. So it's no wonder that he wants to sleep like 15 hours a day. Now, let's make it up for the years.

Colleen Basinski:

But I remember, um, it was memorial day weekend and he, um, he's like, oh, let's go barbecue. I'm like I can't, I gotta do open house and I have to show property to this buyer that I got on. Remember floor calls. I do so. I got a floor call buyer wanted to go out.

Colleen Basinski:

That buyer never bought with me, by the way, I don't think. I don't think they did, but, um, I'm like, I got to work all weekend and, uh, I don't know, are we allowed to swear on this? Yeah, so to to the exact quote. He looked at me straight in the eyes and he goes when you going to quit that stupid fucking real estate bullshit? He's like this is enough. I want to have a barbecue, we want to have, and I'm like no. So, like, I guess that's the first lesson that I learned is like you have to stand up for yourself in this business and you have to believe in yourself. And I said, no, I'm going to do this, I'm going to make it. And like, literally, my first closing was 30 days after that and then, like I said, $2 million worth of real estate.

Kimberly Neill:

Which is a lot of money. I mean I had a lot of back bills to pay.

Colleen Basinski:

I had a lot to make up for. I owed him a lot of money. I had my rent to pay, oh, and I was getting no child support from my ex-husband either. So, like it was, yeah, so there you go.

Kimberly Neill:

So that's my start. Isn't that great? Yeah, I don't even know. I think when I started that first year with seven and the next was right under two or three million somewhere around there, and then well, I think that throughout this um, this journey of, of this podcast with these folks, um, we're gonna have some cool stories to share.

Colleen Basinski:

Like I mean, obviously I know some of your stories and you know we spent a lot of time laughing about it and, uh, we're gonna have some cool stories to share. Like, I mean, obviously I know some of your stories and you know we spent a lot of time laughing about it and, uh, we're gonna have some cool stuff to share with each other.

Colleen Basinski:

So oh, for sure so I hope you subscribe and tune in, because we definitely, uh, we'll have some fun stuff to talk about. So what's one of the lessons you learned the hard way early on in business or life or whatever?

Kimberly Neill:

Like I shared a that I look back now and that I can you know that I've taken away is that I really have become a self-sufficient, stronger person. Because of this, because of this career choice you know, I was married or am married and was a stay-at-home mom for 12 years. It was always. Can I spend $10 on this? Can I spend $12? I wouldn't go anywhere without him.

Colleen Basinski:

I mean, you know, as far as like you know Well, I think you were always strong. I think you just this allowed you to show who you really are.

Kimberly Neill:

Absolutely Because who you are on the inside doesn't change. And that is true, but I think, for me anyways, this has allowed me to grow, to you know, in ways that I never thought that I could. Yeah, as far as like a person and a mom and a friend, and you know I can give back and help people and do things, do things for my children that I never thought I could do, and have fun along the way too. Well, we have a lot of fun, that's for sure.

Kimberly Neill:

So, yeah, so for me, I really feel like it allowed me to stand on my own two feet, yeah, where I never have to worry about you know.

Colleen Basinski:

Well, and I can see that, like I think this happens in a lot of relationships, wouldn't you agree that sometimes one person their independence or their personality or who they are gets kind of blended in to just being the wife and the mom and they never get to express all the great qualities they have? Uh-huh, and I think this will allow you to do that. Well, you said something just earlier.

Kimberly Neill:

I was like oh, you said like you know I didn't want to be. You know you were working admin and you didn't go to college. You know, as, either did I and you always kind of flounder what am I going to do? I really want to do something, but I have these kids and I didn't go to school and everybody else did, or what are they doing? And real estate really gives you an opportunity to grow and fit into something that suits you Well. For me it did. So. When I went to school and started going about five years in, I was like, oh, I'm good at this, I can do this. And again, the first couple years for me were rocky. And you know I don't. I mean, you were there and people were calling the office on me. You know she's doing this and this and I'm like, oh my God, you're not supposed to do that. I didn't know. You're just kind of A lot of it's trial and error.

Kimberly Neill:

Moving and shaking A lot of it's trial and error, yeah yeah, and Trial and error.

Colleen Basinski:

Moving and shaking A lot of trial and error, yeah, yeah, and also, though, I hope that by us sharing this, that the people out there that are watching the listeners can kind of shortcut some of the mistakes that we've made, instead of having all that trial and error for it to take Like. Hopefully, this will fast track some people or encourage them and keep them going.

Kimberly Neill:

I think that's what I hope to get out of it is to encourage people to keep going and not give up, and because if I mean you have to want it, I can't want it for them, you can't want it for them. But you know, in the beginning it's a little rough.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, why don't you quit?

Kimberly Neill:

I had it too.

Colleen Basinski:

Let's hear your story.

Kimberly Neill:

I had it too. So, dave, this stands out to me. So much, this one. So you know, I'm doing floor time, I'm coming in, I'm going to classes, I'm, you know, I'm on the phones, and you know, and course, nothing happens overnight. And I remember, going to remember MRED Palooza, oh yeah.

Colleen Basinski:

And I remember the MRED convention, or whatever.

Kimberly Neill:

And I was like well, I want to go. And everyone's like, no, I don't want to go, I'm not going up there. It was at Rosemont Horizon or something. And I'm like don't want to go, I'm not going up there. It was at Rosemont Horizon or something. And I'm like but I want to go.

Kimberly Neill:

And I remember walking around, walking around, and there was a table there and they said if you sign up with us, we can promise you such and such leads. And I thought, oh my God, we were on such a tight budget then that I was like, what I can't afford? $80 a month. It was 80. I'll never forget it because I literally started sweating bullets and I was like, and it was a great sales pitch and I was like, ok, but how long is the contract? What do you do? And he was like six months. I'm like eight times six is, oh my God, that's, you know, $500. Oh, and I'm like, well, you know what, I'm just going to do it If I fall, I fall. And so I'm like okay, let me sign up.

Kimberly Neill:

And I think I got one or two leads from them and that was it. And I closed those leads and I thought, oh, and I remember getting the bill. And Dave was like what are you spending $80 a month on? What is this? And I was like what are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about. He was like you're spending $80 a month for this. I was like I don't know what it is. He's like we better call the credit card people. I was like, okay, I'll call. And I thought, out of all months, he gets the bill, what? And it just went on from there. It was just a combination of you know doing that, coming in the office, following people around, and I was just, you know, I think gratitude and being grateful for people that you go in and see every day.

Kimberly Neill:

I mean, you don't know it then, but looking back on it now, I'm like well, that's why they say hindsight's 20-20, right 20-20, absolutely you look back and you're like oh, I mean, I look at things now and I hear people talk and I'm like what, what you know? Like I, literally, you know, stole from Peter to pay Paul. Yeah, you know, and I just kept thinking you tell a story that you told Bart. I'm just going to do this. I was one of those incognito spenders doers because I didn't want anybody to look at me and say, oh well, you did this and now you failed.

Kimberly Neill:

So I was like incognito but, I knew I was going to do it.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, I mean I wasn't married to him yet either.

Kimberly Neill:

so I could tell him that it was different right Once we were married it was a little different.

Colleen Basinski:

No, not much, but you know right.

Kimberly Neill:

You can't buy diapers this month because I spent $80.

Colleen Basinski:

Well, and I remember when you first joined I, scraping by, I had to borrow the money to pay my MLS. It's like when you join the association there was those fees and things like $1,000 for membership and initiation and fast track and you know all the things that you had.

Kimberly Neill:

Yeah, super keys or a central yeah, it all added up.

Colleen Basinski:

What inspired you me us, to start Do Epic Shit, and what do we hope that our listeners will take away from this?

Kimberly Neill:

So you know really, when, when we talked about this, I really wanted to breed a honest conversation. I wanted it to be honest. I wanted it to be epic um, because you don't hear a lot of honest, you know, think honest stories. When I walked into a crackhead, when I walked into a naked guy, like you don't hear, I never heard that it was, I think people are posturing a lot too.

Colleen Basinski:

They make it sound like it's so glamorous, like I always hear this thing, and I was talking to my son the other day too, and he was like you know, I see all these people and they feel like they seem like they have it all together and I'm like no, and I've heard this saying a bunch of times, it's don't compare your life to someone else's highlight reel.

Colleen Basinski:

And so I think we wanted to pull like the shades or the filter filter I guess is a better word the filter off the highlight reel so that we could show like really share. I mean, we have a lot of stories, we have a lot of good experiences, some good, some not so good some funny, some scary I mean yeah, I had a guy pull a gun on me.

Colleen Basinski:

I mean there, yeah, I mean a guy um, sick his pitbulls on me at the front door. I also swore in front of a little kid once because there was a loose pitbull and I love pitbulls, I have a pitbull. Right, I've had pitbulls, but like when it's a strange dog and it's coming at you in a vacant house, that's scary, yeah, yeah, I dropped an f-bomb in front of a little six-year-old just saying, yeah, you know, sometimes it just comes out. But I think, hearing those stories, I think you're right, like being honest and just taking the filter off and sharing, like bearing it all the shit, right that happens, that happens, yeah, absolutely.

Colleen Basinski:

And what about Epic? What about what makes it Epic?

Kimberly Neill:

We do.

Colleen Basinski:

Well, I mean, we've had to. We've gotten to do some pretty cool stuff though, haven't we? We?

Kimberly Neill:

we have Things I would have never done before. I mean, it really has opened up a lot of opportunities and a lot of doors for us.

Colleen Basinski:

I would say for sure I've got to go places I would have never been before. Travel Like, I think, especially being Midwesterners. Right, I think you know people in other parts of the country, maybe don't, and maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm just assuming and judging or whatever, but I feel like Midwesterners sometimes we just we stay in our own little bubble, we're in our box and you, you don't travel and you don't see the world and you, just you grow up in a blue collar, you know middle to low income, low to middle income family, and you just go and you do and you go to work and you just work hard and then that's it, and you don't see the world and you don't do different things and you don't. And I think real estate has, for me at least anyway, opened my eyes and my opportunities to see some epic things. We're going to do some epic things together this summer.

Colleen Basinski:

So we'll probably maybe we'll go on the road a little bit and share some on the road podcast with you. Oh my gosh, I'm laughing right now. Yeah, we have some already, and then we're going to have to bring like a camera crew with us For sure, for sure, for sure. Oh my gosh.

Kimberly Neill:

I'm excited.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, yeah.

Kimberly Neill:

I think it'll be. It'll be a good year this year.

Colleen Basinski:

And how about guest speakers? We're going to bring some guest speakers on.

Kimberly Neill:

Absolutely. I got some good ones in mind.

Colleen Basinski:

Oh, perfect, perfect, Perfect. So what do we hope our listeners take away from this?

Kimberly Neill:

I hope they come along for the ride for just an open, honest, fun, informative hour. Yeah.

Colleen Basinski:

I would agree. I want them to be entertained.

Kimberly Neill:

Absolutely.

Colleen Basinski:

But also I hope that we can inspire and motivate some people. Like you know, I've seen the bottom of the barrel a couple of times in my life and clawed my way back up, and if one or two of those little stories that I share of what happened and how that happened and who the people around me were, that helped me claw my way back up, if we can inspire someone else to do the same, either for themselves or for someone else to give someone else a hand up.

Colleen Basinski:

I would say that's it. Who or what has been your biggest influence or motivation along the way? Business, you think?

Kimberly Neill:

Or what do you Doesn't matter. So business-wise, I really believe, for me it's who you surround yourself with, and God knows I've been here, there, everywhere.

Colleen Basinski:

You've had a couple, two, three, four brokerages. Yep, yep.

Kimberly Neill:

Me too, especially lately.

Colleen Basinski:

But I think that's a lesson and we'll probably do a whole episode on that On not settling and not staying put just because you're there, like figure out, like who your tribe is and who you're supposed to be around. And you know we'll do a whole episode on that, I think, because I want to hear like all the ups and downs and what went in to make your decision process and the people that you listened to that maybe you shouldn't have and the ones that you did that you should, and kind of like how to learn from those right, there's lots of them, yeah.

Kimberly Neill:

So I think inspirational. I mean you for sure would be one of them, for sure. Thanks, I mean you for sure would be one of them, for sure. Who else do we have around, you know?

Colleen Basinski:

there, I mean there's a few and I think at each point in your journey there's different people that come into your life and it's for a season. They're there for a season or they're there for a reason and it just kind of they come and go and you know I know we got Kristen over there in the commanding, our controls for us and you know she's coming in and out of both of our lives.

Colleen Basinski:

Absolutely Over and over again and I feel like the circle is strong now, like we're in the right people in the right place at the right time.

Kimberly Neill:

That is the key. It's like a goose bump. Yeah, it's at the right time. What did you just say the other day, or even was it today? When the student is there, the teacher will show up.

Colleen Basinski:

When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Kimberly Neill:

Yeah, and I feel like that's how it's been lately. Yeah, I mean really, and I think you know we go through trials and tribulations through our career and life in general, and I think this was no different. But I think that this year we're going to come back bigger and stronger.

Kimberly Neill:

Oh, I agree, I agree, I think with the crowd or with the people we have around us this year, and all we can do is just add to it to make it better. You know, we have that core circle and then we just add more people and I'm really excited to see what we have.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, I feel like we're getting like. It's like getting the band back together.

Kimberly Neill:

It is, it really is, and it's the band that we choose. Yeah, and not just.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, we don't like that drummer. He doesn't have to come back, Absolutely he doesn't. You know when?

Kimberly Neill:

he tries out, he don't make the cut. Yep, and that's the. I think that's the beauty about what we have right now. You know, we can, you know, choose who comes in and who doesn't.

Colleen Basinski:

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Kimberly Neill:

You know, if it wasn't for the things that I went through, you know, or you know, I feel like everything when you're young kind of leads you to where you are now. So for me I wouldn't change anything that I did or who you know was in my life.

Colleen Basinski:

Well, maybe, but Well, but not to interrupt you or anything. But I also think that it's those things that make you who you are today.

Kimberly Neill:

Absolutely. I think I would have jumped in sooner, I think I would have went full in sooner, like start sooner, really, because I feel, like anything else, I liked my journey, not that it was always pleasant but, like you said, it made me who I am today and I kind of like who I am today.

Colleen Basinski:

I like who you are today too. Thanks, yeah.

Kimberly Neill:

Appreciate that.

Colleen Basinski:

That's why I like hanging out with you. For me, I would say believe in yourself more like stand up for yourself, believe in yourself, have the courage, have the confidence, because a lot of times, you know, I have a tendency to be a little bit of a perfectionist. Have you noticed?

Kimberly Neill:

that. No, I don't do well, but I think sometimes perfectionism have you noticed that?

Colleen Basinski:

No, well, but I think sometimes perfectionism will paralyze you, that you don't act as quickly on an opportunity or you don't go forward on something or you're trying to, you know, fix it and do it and get it ready, getting ready to get ready all the time. And I think there's an opportunity there. So I would definitely. The advice I would give my younger self is that you can do this, you're going to be okay, because hard work has never been. You know, I will. I'll, I'll outwork anyone anytime if I have to. Don't get me wrong, I like my time off and I like to have fun too. But when it comes down to it, if I got to work 14, 16, 18 hours, I don't care, I'll do it. So it's just, you'll get there. Just believe in yourself and also, don't worry about what people say so much.

Kimberly Neill:

That's a good. That's actually. That's spot on. Really Don't worry what everybody else says.

Colleen Basinski:

Usually and I think I heard Alex Hermosi say this the other day so you know, I watch all of his stuff and listen to some of his podcasts and some of his social media stuff and he said the people, the haters, that are talking shit about you usually are not the ones that are doing more than you are or doing something that you aspire to be. They're doing less than you or not someone who you aspire to be, so don't worry about it. Right? You're thinking of specific people, aren't you? I am, I know, you are, I know.

Kimberly Neill:

And that's why I'm laughing, because, yeah, I sure am. We're not going to call any names out right now, but I can think of a few, me too.

Colleen Basinski:

Me too, like, you may have more, that person may have more money, but their life is miserable, or that person may be whatever, but then you know they're trying to scrape by to get whatever they want. But you know, All right. So the meaning I think we talked about this a little bit the meaning of doing epic shit Like, what does do epic shit really mean to us? Like in terms of mindset, action, impact.

Kimberly Neill:

When I think epic shit, I think large, like larger than life, like let's do epic shit. And actually just while we're talking which could mean anything that we're doing now, building what we're building now I mean Christ almighty, who the hell drives to Florida, runs an RV and goes and sits in a horse farm? That's some epic shit, I mean who does that?

Colleen Basinski:

It was a 10-day vacation, wasn't it?

Kimberly Neill:

It was, it was, yeah, it was. I mean, there's just a lot of things. I mean look what we just did.

Colleen Basinski:

You hopped on a ferry and came over from across the Gulf of America.

Kimberly Neill:

If anybody could find it.

Colleen Basinski:

Because it wasn't the Gulf of America, then it was the Gulf of Mexico at the time, it was the Gulf, it was Took a ferry to come hang out with us and was nauseated.

Kimberly Neill:

Wasn't the tide like over the side of the-, over the side like the Titanic was coming? I was like taxi. I was scared. I was like, oh, I'm like bye, let me know when you get there, call us when you get home. I was like shh it was like who does that?

Colleen Basinski:

No, but that's the kind of like you only live once. Like I know they say oh, yolo, but like you really YOLO. Like do the stuff you can. And that's what it means to me, I think Right. Like, not only like physically doing, but like thinking in terms of your mindset, like believe in yourself that anything is possible. Like go out and do the thing, do the thing right, have the time, explore the opportunity and, just you know, take the action. And I would also say I want to add one other thing to that. I said impact, impact. I want to impact other people on an epic level, like because we could just have our fun and do this, but like putting this out there to the world, I think, to impact other people.

Colleen Basinski:

I know what it's like to be a single mom. I know what it's like to be in an abusive relationship. I know what it's like to lose a child. Like I know what it's like to lose a child. Like I know what it's like to not know where your groceries are going to come from from one week to the next. Like I know what it's like. You know, believe it or not, I had a conversation with my dad. I know what it's like to be homeless, like I wasn't living in a cardboard box. But, like you know, homeless comes in different ways. So, like all of those things, if I can share those and make a difference to someone who's in that position, that to me is an epic impact Me too.

Kimberly Neill:

I agree with you there. I really want people to know that they can do it with a little bit of hard work and determination. Determination, I say it when we're all together, like if you want it, it's there, Like I would love to see people take advantage of that and do epic shit Really.

Colleen Basinski:

So let's share the stories, let's share the experiences, let's give people something to be motivated about. At the end of the day, they're going to have to take it and do with it what they want. But I will say, like going back to the beginning, one of the ways that I learned a lot of the things I learned is I was like I was determined I was going to read. I'm a computer nerd. You'll learn from me Like I was one of those kids that had I mean they were hand-me-down computers, because I did not have my parents, did not have a lot of money, but my cousins would like hand me down their like leftover computers and I would like I'm an internet junkie, like I'm on the internet looking for stuff. So, literally, when I got into real estate, I was like I got to look up how to do this, look up this, and everybody was an expert, but everybody wasn't really an expert.

Colleen Basinski:

And so you learn from trial and error by trying all these things that the experts told you to do. So I would say, how do we personally live out this idea of do epic shit daily in our lives, like what are we doing on the day? I think you talked about that, like the adventures were going on and the conversations we're having and people were helping.

Kimberly Neill:

And I just want to add to that kind of, I feel like Like work hard, play hard, Mm-hmm, you know.

Colleen Basinski:

I love that one Work hard, play harder.

Kimberly Neill:

Yeah, like I feel like if we work hard, it allows us to do epic shit, it allows us to live a bigger life, it allows us to help more people.

Colleen Basinski:

I'm excited about our vacation this summer.

Kimberly Neill:

I'm so excited you have no fucking idea I kind of do my boyfriend's going to be there. I'm just excited about our vacation this summer.

Colleen Basinski:

I'm so excited. You have no idea. I kind of do my boyfriend's going to be there.

Kimberly Neill:

I'm just excited about that. I'm just happy.

Colleen Basinski:

Do you want to share with our audience who your boyfriend is, or not yet?

Kimberly Neill:

Kid Rock and if you're listening, call me.

Colleen Basinski:

Yes, we know.

Kimberly Neill:

I'm waiting.

Colleen Basinski:

Almost killed you last year at his concert. We'll talk about that later. Oh, you want to share it now?

Kimberly Neill:

Well, I'll share one part. Colleen was like oh my God, there's Kid Rock for you, Kim, as we're buffaloing our way through the crowd up front.

Colleen Basinski:

It was, yeah, it was like 103 in the middle of a horse farm In Florida in.

Kimberly Neill:

June, june, a hundred and three. Well, we knew, every day it was 107. It was 108 one day because we had Tom Skilling, the weatherman, with us.

Colleen Basinski:

You know it's 108 out here.

Kimberly Neill:

How would I know we were half schnockered every day? So that's, true so, um, yeah, um, hopefully we won't die this year so what can our listeners please tune in, subscribe, um, expect moving forward?

Colleen Basinski:

what kind of things are we going to talk about in terms of the vibe? What's the format going to be of future episodes? I mean, it's going to be real. It's going to be real. It's going to be raw, like. I mean you've heard us a little bit like I'm. I'm the kind of person that the more I talk and the more comfortable I get with you the more you hear and the more you learn and the more that it all comes off so you're going to see us get more and more open and more real and more raw.

Colleen Basinski:

So it it's going to be real talk, no fluff and actionable insights. I would say.

Kimberly Neill:

For sure, for sure, you know how do you do this. What I'm trying, what I would like people to take away, is you know you can. You can have a successful career and have a successful business and play too. And how do you combine them both to make it work? And, I think, being real and raw and ups and downs, and how do you learn?

Colleen Basinski:

Well, topics we're going to talk about are going to be business. I've had businesses that have been wildly successful and I've had businesses that have been wildly successful and I've had businesses that have been massive failures Some my fault, some not my fault. You know who you get into business with matters, who you trust, who you bring in your circle. What's the circle look like?

Kimberly Neill:

I got a lot to say about that.

Colleen Basinski:

What was that? I can't hear you. You got a lot to say about that. I do have a lot to say about that. I will say business Leadership. Leadership is a big topic. There's a shortage of leadership in the world and how you show up as a leader, the lessons that we've learned in leadership, how we can influence and impact others. So we're going to talk about leadership Real estate, of course.

Kimberly Neill:

Absolutely my favorite.

Colleen Basinski:

So I think, from the real estate perspective, we'll talk about how to build a real estate business. We'll talk about what clients can use to be more successful in buying or selling. So, it won't be just for other real estate people, but it'll be. You know, any consumer, I think, can take tidbits and pointers out of what we've learned. There'll be some scary stories in there too, because we all have the naked guy story.

Kimberly Neill:

I'm sure, but also investing.

Colleen Basinski:

So you know, investing in real estate, flipping, holding Airbnb, short term, I was going to say, yeah, airbnb, we work with a lot of investors. We have cash offer investors, we have hold investors, we have flip investors. We have hold investors, we have flip investors. We have that experience. Both of our husbands have been in the trades and construction, so there's that whole aspect, and now your boys are in it too, in a different leg of it. Kristen can attest to that as well. So I think real estate, probably from every different angle I don't think there's one. I mean, we've had title business. We've done I personally haven't done mortgages, but we're going to bring some special guests on to talk about the finance side of things, mortgage, end of things, investing. Maybe I can get my son to come on. I don't know, we'll see. He's just graduated or about to graduate with a tax law specialization.

Kimberly Neill:

Oh, for sure he can give us some tax pointers?

Colleen Basinski:

I don't know if he'll tell us how to avoid paying taxes, but maybe Spent a whole year just studying tax law Bad idea.

Colleen Basinski:

But everything real estate related, whether it's how to pay less in taxes to invest. I've had the pleasure of learning from Tom Wheelwright on a couple of occasions actually a couple of occasions actually who is a you know great, great mind when it comes to tax and real estate and how to use investments to lower your tax bracket and taxable income, etc. So I'll share what I learned. I mean, I'm not the expert, but at least I can share what I've done how to get yourself out of trouble. When you've got into trouble with the IRS a few times, I will say that I've had that happen too.

Kimberly Neill:

Yeah.

Colleen Basinski:

You know, you'd think I was 100 years old with all the shit.

Kimberly Neill:

I've been through. When you say something, it goes right to my eye and I think, oh, oh, oh.

Colleen Basinski:

I mean, there's a lot. No matter where you are in your life, we probably have an experience, either personally or indirectly, that we can relate to and talk about. So also you know, email us, follow us online, send us your questions, your topics. We're happy to talk about those as well. After real estate, obviously, life lessons. We've got a lot of life lessons.

Kimberly Neill:

Yeah, that's for sure.

Colleen Basinski:

We got over 100 years between the two of us. I won't say who's got more.

Kimberly Neill:

Or somebody would have showed me a few, yeah right.

Colleen Basinski:

And then, of course, it goes without saying, epic stories, right.

Kimberly Neill:

For sure, I don't want to share them all today.

Colleen Basinski:

No, I'm laughing because they're all running through my mind Like there's some good ones, Some really good ones.

Kimberly Neill:

There are some really good ones.

Colleen Basinski:

So I would just encourage everyone to subscribe, share and join the conversation we're excited to take you on this journey, doing some epic shit with us. Any final words of motivation that you have for our listeners?

Kimberly Neill:

I would like to tell if anybody has. If you're listening and anybody has any topics or questions that they want to, you know, give us or I'm. I'm all ears for sure. Yeah, yeah, I'd like, I'd love to hear from people.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, I think so too. I think the more that we can hear from our audience and from all of you out there, the better this is going to be, because we want it to be real, we want it to be raw, we want it to be epic, and the way that that's going to happen is by you getting into the conversation with us.

Colleen Basinski:

So I'm excited about opening that up to everybody. So we've got some incredible episodes coming up that we know will resonate with many of you. Next week we're diving into how to start a business while raising kids, sharing real stories, lessons learned.

Kimberly Neill:

Kristen, this will be good for you too.

Colleen Basinski:

Tips for juggling entrepreneurship with motherhood without losing your sanity.

Kimberly Neill:

Oh, I don't know.

Colleen Basinski:

I'm still trying to find my there's a few songs I can think of. That kind of portray my life in that regard pretty easily. And then we're also going to tackle some of the things over the first couple weeks is protecting your time and saying no, how to set boundaries, prioritizing what truly matters and deal with family and outside influences. That don't always get it. Why don't you get a real job.

Colleen Basinski:

Or how about when they call you all day long, every day, can you go run and do this, and can you run and do that? Because you're just in real estate, you don't actually have to work. So we'll talk about that. We're going to get into that a bit. Of course, we're going to get real about managing the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, because, let's be honest, this journey is a roller coaster.

Kimberly Neill:

Oh yeah, but it's worth it.

Colleen Basinski:

Yeah, and we're going to help you navigate the ups and downs with confidence, absolutely. I think confidence is going to be a key part of that. So we're excited. Make sure you're subscribed, share this with someone who needs to hear it and get ready to do epic shit with us every week. Peace out.