What Friends Are For
Aubrey LaRue’s career was born from her willingness to take calculated risks. She obtained her real estate license while moving up the ranks at a small commercial development firm. ”I decided to quit my full-time job,” she says. “It was terrifying because, obviously, real estate is commission only”. She had also just relocated from her native Florida to Chattanooga, Tenn., and knew she would have to earn the trust of her new community. Her efforts worked. “I’ve found homes for dozens of friends, sometimes by knocking on random doors to see if people would sell, and for strangers who became neighbors.” Reflecting on how far she’s come, LaRue, 29, says, “I moved to Chattanooga without knowing a single person, and now I can’t go anywhere without seeing at least one person I know. Friends of mine joke that I got into real estate to make more friends.”