Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back - A Real Estate Podcast
Join Michael Litzner, Broker/Owner of Coldwell Banker American Homes, as he delves into the dynamic world of real estate. In each episode, Michael interviews industry experts to uncover insights, strategies, and trends shaping the business. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting, this podcast offers valuable knowledge and inspiration. Tune in to learn from the best in the business and discover how to work hard, play hard, and give back in the ever-evolving real estate industry.
Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back - A Real Estate Podcast
S2E2 - Marie Asher: From Nursing to Real Estate and Embracing the Company Culture of Giving Back
What does it take to turn a life-changing decision into a 20-year real estate career? This week on Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back – A Real Estate Podcast, we sit down with Marie Asher, a dedicated Real Estate professional who went from being a nurse to one of Massapequa Park’s most trusted realtors.
Marie shares:
✅ Her “aha” moment that helped her breakthrough in year two
✅ Why mentorship & continuous learning are crucial for success
✅ How building relationships over transactions makes a difference
✅ The company culture of giving back and her role in Heart of American Homes
This episode is full of real-world insights for anyone in real estate (or considering it). If you’re looking for inspiration, Marie’s journey is one to watch!
Thank you for listening
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Welcome to the Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back a real estate podcast. I'm Mike Litzner, broker owner of Coldwell Banker, and today I have my guest Maria Asher, realtor extraordinaire from Massapequa Park and surrounding areas. Welcome to the show, maria. Welcome to season two.
Speaker 2:Thank you for having me, Mike. I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1:Yes. So before we jump in, I just want to remind our audience to stick around to the end. We always have a drop the mic question. We always like to catch it. Oh, no, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, maria, how long have you been in real estate now?
Speaker 2:20 years 20 years.
Speaker 1:It's been quite a ride right, A beautiful ride. Good good, you built a remarkable career in real estate. Take us back to the beginning. What did it look like? What got Marie Asher into real estate?
Speaker 2:That's so funny, mike, because I was a nurse, I was an LPN and I went to college and got a degree in community health. But my grandmother got sick and I was 42 years old so that's 20 years ago and I decided I needed to do something, that I could take care of her. And I opened up the paper and it said make your own hours. I didn't know it was 24-7.
Speaker 2:So I went down to your Levittown office and the manager took me in. He's like okay, go to school. And I went home and I was like went home and I'm like I'm hired, I'm going to be a realtor.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I just I had to make it work and I worked hard. The first year was scary because nothing was happening. And then I thought about it and I said I'm going to see myself sell 20 houses in the next 12 months. I want to see it and I always I'm a big believer in if you see it, you'll be it. And that second year I did I sold 22 houses. Yeah, that's awesome. And I never looked back. I mean it's just been a great ride.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So what was the aha moment Like? When you finally get to year one and you know, I think there's a lot of people out there, by the way, and you and I probably have talked about this they see HGTV and there's a lot of real estate shows out there it's like, oh, this looks like a lot of fun. And like then they get a license to go oh, this seems like a lot of work, right, right, yes, so it's that getting your feet under you in the test, but it doesn't really teach you the fundamentals of running a business, and real estate is a business. So what was your biggest aha moment in, you know, at the end of year one, when you looked and said, okay, I have a new goal, I focus, you know what. What changed or switched on?
Speaker 2:I. There was an aha moment in the Levittown office. I was sitting in my cubby. I did not want to go home and tell my children I failed. I just couldn't fail, and I was lucky enough to become an assistant to a top producer. And it was the same thing. I said I'm going to do this. I saw it and all of my life since then, if I wanted to reach a goal, I see it, I affirm it and it happens.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, I just I remember crying in the Levittown office that day. It was that day and I said I'm not failing at this, I can't fail.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So that was my. That was really an aha moment, yeah yeah, Now you have two girls right?
Speaker 1:Yes, they're now a little more mature, married One's married, right.
Speaker 2:Okay, megan's married.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:She has three boys Right my Landon Harrison and Brady. Yeah, Allison's getting married in June. That's what it is. Yes, and both my children, through all of this, have received doctorates Awesome, I'm very proud of them. They really lift my head up. You know, we didn't have an easy road.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But it has been a great road.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So how do you balance like the whole single mom, take care of the kids, be that all supportive figure and then also balance real estate, which is this all-encompassing People think don't realize it's seven days a week sometimes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is so. How do you balance that? So in the beginning I took Allie to showings. I would say, Allie, come Just hang out with the family that we're showing houses to and don't open your mouth, Don't say anything. Don't say anything bad about the house.
Speaker 1:Don't say anything bad about the house, don't say anything good about that's just, we have to do this and um, did you ever get one of?
Speaker 2:those you know whoops moment where valley's like, look, mom, there's water leaking, you know, or anything? No, no one buyer said to me um, you're always showing us houses in levittown and you live in hicksville. Like, why are you, why do you, you know, keep showing us houses in levittown? I really fell in love with levittown and Allie, that was the one time she said, when I'm 18 years old, my mom's going to buy me a car and we're going to move to Levittown.
Speaker 2:And I was like Allie, but that was no, she was really good. My kids, they have been very, they've been great and like right now, like I go to work, I do some charity work. Like right now, like I go to work, I do some charity work. But you know, I go over to Megan's house in the evening and I play basketball with Landon and Sonic the Hedgehog with Harrison, so I make sure I balance it. I have time for my friends. I just figure it out.
Speaker 1:Like most really good agents, you make it work.
Speaker 2:I make it work. I make it work yeah Well, most really good agents. You make it work, I make it work.
Speaker 1:I make it work. Yeah Well, you know what's interesting. In preparation for this, we went on your own real estate website and what was super impressive was the extreme high number of testimonials you had from past clients.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:All right and they were impressive. You know anyone can go to your website. Your website is what Marie Asher. Marie Asher at cbamhomescom All right, perfect, and I know there was more than 70 of them on there. Yep, you know. So what do you do to set you apart from other real estate professionals?
Speaker 2:I think that it's really important to show that you care and really care about the people that you deal with, but I'm also not above or beyond cleaning the toilet or you know just people when they sell their houses, they need emotional support.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And I try to be there. You know, if someone calls, I try to pick up the phone right away. So if there's a worry, what's going to happen next? I try to prepare my people to what's the process, to make them feel comfortable about what's going to happen. So, yeah, I really. Actually I always say at my listening appointments listen, if I'm going to take care of your home, I'm going to take care of it like it's my own home or if it's one of my classmates that give me a referral and it's their parents' house.
Speaker 2:You know, I'm going to take care of your mother's house like it's my mother's house, and I think that that's you have to be emotionally connected to your sellers and your buyers and just be there for them. It's very simple, it's when you get it.
Speaker 1:So I don't think a lot of people understand is that the average person doesn't wake up and say, hey, honey, let's put the house on the market today. You know it's not just a knee jerk decision, you know, it's usually something is inspiring and it could be something good. Many times it could be bad, you know. Sometimes it's there's death, there's divorce on one side. On the other side there's surprise, we're having twins, we're outgrowing the house and it sounds good, but then you've got twins and you're trying to live your life and then real estate agents are showing up and you're going to keep the house or stage the house. So there's really a lot of emotional stress on the family to go through it. So the personal touch that you are referencing, I think, is so, so important and again it gets overlooked.
Speaker 1:One of the best teaching points. We always talk about this. I know you and I have had this conversation. People have said you know about sales and I never pictured us being in sales. I always said you know what? We get paid a lot of money to help people, right, right, if you help them with their problems, yes, we get paid, but at the end of the day it's a way different approach.
Speaker 2:Right, we're not saying anything bad about car salesmen. I mean they spend a day with you. We spend months, Spend months, Spend years with people and you know you have to be emotionally connected to them and care.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, hopefully you're not spending months upon months, but I think even that time from you know people don't realize from contract to closing, you're managing the transaction through the pipeline, so to speak, to get there, and there's a lot of handholding there, right, right? So, murray, you have a great reputation as someone who's always quick to jump in and help, and that's great with both Obviously part of our give back, where we have a culture of charity and community. But what I find also impressive is that you're one of the first people to jump in with a new agent.
Speaker 1:You know you tend to be the first person to offer the mentor, you know so where does that come? From.
Speaker 2:It's funny, I think, because I was mentored and people.
Speaker 2:You know it's not easy when you first start and I just I like helping people learn and you know, talk about my experiences and you know, like Yvette in my office, one time when she first came, we went to a house and there's a lock on certain doors that you have to pivot up the door handle and then you can lock it and people don't realize that these simple little things a new agent may not know.
Speaker 2:And she actually went and did a walkthrough for Stella and there was was that doorknob and she kept thanking me for it. And like when I first started and agents would take me out to broker open houses, I didn't know what an extension was, I didn't know what a dormer was and sometimes people when they first start, they're afraid to ask questions, they don't want to appear stupid. So I kind of like feel that it's important to share any knowledge that I have and, like I always look at the office as like a whole, Like I want to do well, but I want my office to do well. Yeah, so if people are helped along the way and I can help them build their business, I'm happy to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I always hear these comments. You know about you and your giving nature, which is great, so where does your work ethic and work philosophy come from?
Speaker 2:Well, my dad worked hard, my mom worked, they both worked hard.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And my father was an electrician and when I was 12, he would take me on jobs because I could sneak through an attic and snake the wire, so I never minded getting dirty, it was fine with me.
Speaker 1:No child labor laws there. I think he gave me $25 for the whole job. And.
Speaker 2:I worked. I started working when I was 12 years old to buy my own clothes because we were not well off and I'm not afraid to work. My children are afraid to work. We all have a good work ethic. I enjoyed my work, you know I enjoy it. Like if I have a day off and there's no appointments, I'll still buzz into the office a lot of times just to see what's up and see if I can help what can I do to help?
Speaker 1:They say if you love what you do, right, you never really worked the day in your life. It's true.
Speaker 2:Ever since I started real estate, I don't feel like, oh, I got to go to work or oh, this is awful. I don't ever feel that way because when I was a nurse and I worked in the naval daycares when I was younger, you know nursing's tough, it's hurtful and this is not hurtful. There's nothing hurtful about helping people buy a house.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you just gotta comfort them and be there for them, and it's easy.
Speaker 2:It's an easy job. I mean, I don't want to ever say that listen, it's work, it's work, but it's a different kind of work yeah, one of the things I always liked is just the interesting people you meet.
Speaker 1:We do get to meet people from all walks of life and different personalities, right?
Speaker 2:yes, I just had on one of my listings we just had I was fascinated by. We do get to meet people from all walks of life and different personalities, right? Yes, I just had one of my listings we just had. I was fascinated by what this guy did. He's a grave digger.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:And he was retiring, and I've met TSA workers, all kinds of people from all kinds of walks of life, and that is one of the interesting parts of our job. Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 1:So, marie, a piece of advice If someone is new starting out in the business today, what would, marie, I should tell them the biggest single thing to focus on.
Speaker 2:Well, when I first started I would go to the Levittown office every Wednesday night for classes and Tom Gallagher worked at an office back then and he would pop his head in and he said spear of influence, your spear of influence, tell them what you do. Do not be a secret agent. Talk to the people that you know. And for me, you know, there was a worry, like people would think oh, she's the nurse you know why, would she be a realtor? But I hooked up with someone that knew what he was doing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you know I was able to like if somebody was thinking about selling.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Because I talked about it. I would say listen, you know, I know I'm new, but I have someone that knows what he's doing. He's been doing it for a long time and I don't work by myself. So back then, american Homes always said you know, you should really bring somebody. And you know, I think you had to bring somebody like five times and it wasn't mandatory, but it was really like Encouraged. Encouraged Because you really you learn when you work with someone else and I think that you know, speaking to your sphere of influence, working with somebody that knows what they're doing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then you learn so much. And it's so surprising because after that second year I was like, wow, look what I know.
Speaker 1:I know what a dormer is.
Speaker 2:I know what extension is.
Speaker 2:And it's just important to be around people that know what they're doing, the classes, the training that you guys have always had from 20 years ago. I left for about 18 months, smarty pants, going to go work, be a manager and a little mom and pop, and I came back with my tail between my legs because I realized that, working for a big company, you guys had the tools that I needed for my sellers, for myself, for the buyers yeah, things and the training, and it's just. If that was anything I would tell anybody just stay with our big company. This is the right place to be. It's a great place to be.
Speaker 1:One of the things that shocks me is that we do take great pride in our training programs, because it is way more difficult to be successful in real estate than the average person believes, right? So we've made a really robust program, as you've referenced, and Deb Asher is our Director of Business Development who runs that program for us. We have the ability to get the complete 22 and a half hours within that program of continuing education and, again, there's no cost. We believe that agents need to be or our agents need to be the most educated, to be the most professional, and we wanted to remove all excuses why they wouldn't be educated. And the one thing that surprises me is that an agent will pay to go to real estate school and get a license and then not show up for free training. So, to piggyback on what you're saying, if I'm a new agent going into this, show up every training. I think you said this earlier you went to every training.
Speaker 2:Five times over. But, I have experience. I've been doing this 20 years. I go to training, I go to training. I've been going to a lot of training lately and it's important because—.
Speaker 1:Everything changes, it changes.
Speaker 2:It changes and we've got to change with it.
Speaker 1:Yes, everything changes, it changes, it changes and we've got to change with it. Yes, whether it's been technology over the years, the way we communicate or just industry changes and this year has been a— A lot, a big, big pivot in the industry that we've seen right I would say 2024 was the biggest set of changes I've seen in any one short period of time. You know, outside of a COVID thing, but that's not really a change, it was really a condition.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was an industry thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, Something we had to navigate.
Speaker 2:But this company prepares us for the changes that I don't feel stressed out by it. I feel like it's the training's there. Yeah, I'm fine. Yeah, just take advantage of it, just take advantage of it, it's all good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, great of it, just take advantage of it. It's all good, yeah, great, great. So, murray, before we go on, I just want to remind our audience to, if you like what you're seeing and hearing, we'd love to have you like and subscribe our channel here at the Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back Real Estate Podcast. So one of our topic is play hard. We know there's a human side to realtors. Like sometimes the public gets to see the serious side, but there's a human side of it. So what's one thing you do personally that you know outside of real estate that recharges your batteries.
Speaker 2:It's definitely playing with my grandchildren. I mean, you know, 10 years ago it would have been something different. But you know, playing basketball with Landon and, like I said before, playing Sonic the Hedgehog with Harrison. You know, it's just a different life now and I love it, you know. Yeah, going to the white post farms to see the animals with the kids, it's really what makes me tick yeah, but your grandkids are close to you like yeah. Geographically yes they live in North Massapequa yeah and so you, they're at a great age.
Speaker 1:That's a blessing right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is. It's really wonderful. They're two, four and six.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The other thing that makes me happy is, you know, it's kind of work-related, but it's not Like every day in my office we have lunch together.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's like Sunday dinner every day.
Speaker 2:I can't even begin to explain how fun and important that is to me. I just love the people that I work with and it really like it's that old-fashioned Sunday dinner that nobody does anymore. Whoever's in the office it could be four people, it could be six people, it could be 12 people we kind of talk about life and then real estate too, too Like if we have problems, we talk it out. So you know, I don't know I have, I don't go out at night. I'm not a party animal. If that's what you're trying to find out, it's just I kind of have a minimalist life, a simple life, that's okay.
Speaker 1:That's all good.
Speaker 2:I have a chihuahua at home, my little Toby, yeah, and you know, I think it's just a simple life.
Speaker 1:That's okay. But what I like is that you said is and it gets overlooked is how important company culture is. Right, and it's. In some offices it can be hyper-competitive and that can come out negative and at the same time, you can have a positive culture and you know, I think there's such growth potentials individually, like we grow from interacting with other people and sharing their problems and brainstorming through it. So it seems, since COVID right, you know, everything's been more remote. We've gotten into Zoom, you know, or you know, video conferencing and, yes, it offers efficiency. But sometimes I feel like the office should be an anchor and it's something that's missing in a lot of places. But, yes, I noticed Massapequa Park has extremely strong culture, barbecues, right.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, oh, you're famous for your barbecues, yeah, what about the Massapequa Park? Is it street fairs? They have.
Speaker 2:Yes, so we all got it. You know we're very, very tight and they're family to me. Yeah, all of them, and you can't put a price on that. Like work, culture is so important If you love going to work and the people around you and you feel safe with them. I mean, there's no competitiveness, like we all like want to see each other do well.
Speaker 1:You root each other on.
Speaker 2:We root each other on and every Wednesday we have a round table at four o'clock where the agents just sit around and we go back and forth about problems that we're having or even talking about all the changes that we just have been through as realtors.
Speaker 1:Are there changes in real estate? Oh yes, there is.
Speaker 2:And you know we got, we're getting through it together. Yeah, you know we like we'll be sitting in the office and someone will shout out hey, you know the new matrix, how do you do this? And then we'll gather together and try to figure it out. And it's a great office.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, you got a good ringmaster over there, tom.
Speaker 2:Murtaugh yes. He keeps us going. He's very, very good. You know, I always said I I never want to work for a manager that knows less than me. Right, and I have that in him. Yes, I have to admit it. He knows more than I do and I'm happy to be there with him. It's just it's.
Speaker 1:Is it okay if he sees this episode and now knows?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, his head might get better. It's all right, we can handle him.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:He's good yes.
Speaker 1:So, murray, how about you share a story, something from your youth, something that people wouldn't really know or expect out of you? Someone's always got a funny story right.
Speaker 2:I have a funny story, yes, okay. So when I was in high school a senior in high school I was on the Honor Society. I was a geek.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a goody two-shoe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was a goody two-shoe and I had a bunch of friends that were goody two-shoes. So one night in 1980, Hicksville put in a beautiful fountain in the middle of Hicksville.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you did something to the fountain.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we went and got laundry detergent and put it, and the bubbles just flew over into the Broadway and all over the place, and that was, like probably one of the great things that I did, so that's where your nickname Bubbles came from. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I do actually have somebody call me that.
Speaker 2:Bubbles yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that's you know. I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you something else, but you know that's as serious as it got yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so all right.
Speaker 2:So we, we, we know real estate's pretty encompassing, but tell, tell us about any type of hobby or interest of yours that's outside of real estate. What's something that might surprise people?
Speaker 1:I don't know, I'm not a pole dancer, mike I don't know.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I'm trying to think what is different about Marie Asher? I don't have a good answer for that. I wish I did.
Speaker 1:You know why I ask? Because, having more than 1,000 agents tied to the American Homes family, there are a lot of unique personalities and sometimes we have our game face on too much. But at the end of the day we're regular people. We laugh, we cry, we work hard, we give back. So I know giving back is a passion of yours, which evidenced by this past weekend. Didn't you tell me on Saturday where were you?
Speaker 2:The Ronald McDonald House.
Speaker 1:Yeah, why don't you share with our audience a little bit about that experience? How did that come together in the first place?
Speaker 2:Well, I have to tell you. So I was really like this is out of my comfort zone to get in front of a camera, but I was hoping we'd lead into some kind of talk about the charity work that I get involved with Because, as you know, the heart of American Homes is very important to me. Well, I know we're going to talk about that. I hope, because that's why I'm here, Otherwise I would never do this.
Speaker 1:We will. It's a passion of yours, and ours.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm so grateful. My children have the same passion that I do for charitable work and my Megan, with a bunch of people from Northwell, went to the Ronald McDonald House to serve brunch. As soon as she left there that day, she called me up and she said Mom, this is right up your alley and right up your company's alley. So she gave me the contact information and it took a while to get a date because I wanted a Saturday. So some of the people that work full-time, that are in our office, that are part-time realtors I knew that they would want to do something like this and I have to tell you it's one of the best things that I've ever been involved with the Ronald McDonald House. What we did was we purchased the food.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:We brought the food to the home. You know 9, 15 in the morning.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And it's local, here on Long Island, right New High Park, right next to Cohen's Children's Hospital, yeah, good. And we prepared the food. Tom Rattau was a chef, maria Holm was a chef, willie Sanfilippo was the chef.
Speaker 1:He really was a chef back in the day. He was really a chef and he let us know it too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we all had our own jobs and we were seamlessly perfect at being there. And then they gave us a tour, and the tour was very emotional for all of us. It's truly the house that love builds. And when we all left, every agent that went had the same question when can we go back?
Speaker 1:So hope to do a barbecue during the summer.
Speaker 2:But I have to say the agents that went, there's agents in our office that throughout the year at our office meetings we contribute money for our charitable things that we're going to do. So you know, everybody in the office had a part in going to the Ronald McDonald.
Speaker 1:House Fantastic For our audience that doesn't necessarily know what Ronald McDonald House really does. Can you share their mission?
Speaker 2:Just give us insight. So people that have children that are being treated at Cohen's right here in New High Park, there's Ronald McDonald houses all throughout the country.
Speaker 2:But, this one in particular that we went to is associated with the Cohen's Children's Hospital in New High Park and some people come from all over the place and they need some place to stay overnight or they just might walk over from the hospital to take a shower, to be fed. There were siblings running around of you know the sick children and you know they were doing crafts with the children. There's lots of volunteers there. It's just a place for people that have children that are ill, that there's someplace where a haven that they can go to. And I have to tell you it just was a beautiful, loving atmosphere.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It was really a gift to be able to do what we did this past Saturday. That is awesome.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I know you're deeply involved with the foundation, the Heart of American Homes. That's our company's own in-house internal foundation and I would just say you're not only involved and again, we have agents and people all across the company that are involved but you personally are chairman of the Family Services Committee of the Heart of American Homes. Can you talk about what the committee does and how they determine what cases to assist in.
Speaker 2:So the Heart of American Homes is a foundation that you and Tom opened in 2017. And it's really about helping people that need help in a crisis situation.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So from word of mouth, from the agents in the company, we'll get cases and the cases I vet them, I interview them and I get documentation. Sometimes I visit homes and then I go back to my committee Sheila Olson, joe Rico and Tom Gallagher and we kind of decide like what would be appropriate help for this family. So we're not like a multimillion-dollar foundation, you know, so it could be. You know they're not big grants but it's enough to help a family that might be in need. So once we determine the amount that we think is good and a good recommendation, we go out to the board and we email them and say do you agree with this, are you okay with this? And if they agree, then we distribute the money. We distributed money to funeral homes, cemeteries recently.
Speaker 2:You know people in trouble that you know like people have house fires and the homeowners will cover the house, you know, and things in the contents of the house. But that week, that first week, when they're trying to get meals on the run, and you know the kid one kid lost his computer and he was going back to college. I mean, it's just things that come up. And you know, last year we had a case where it was. We had a. The mama was a hairdresser. Dad had a really good job. The child had cancer. Mom couldn't work anymore, so but there's no help for people like that. Because dad has a good job, so they don't. They're over the threshold of income for social services to step in and help them with some day-to-day stuff, and mom's lost her entire income.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the impact on the family. It goes beyond the emotional. You know, dealing with the actual illness. Right, you know it impacts them financially on multiple levels.
Speaker 2:A lot and we've had close to 200 missions that we've helped.
Speaker 2:We're very lucky because the realtors at Coal Banker American Homes contribute money out of their commission checks to help this foundation keep growing and have money available if we need it for somebody, because recently and you know about this case a single mom lost her five-year-old. Nobody has a bank account prepared to bury their child and you know the mother had reached out to other foundations in December and they were saying we're out of money. We've been blessed because of you and Tom Gallagher and these agents and attorneys that are involved with us, always donating to us. We run the fundraisers.
Speaker 1:Our mortgage guys have made some significant contributions. Mortgage guys have been incredibly wonderful. Yeah.
Speaker 2:We have money, a little, you know, not a lot of money. I just want everybody to know. I wish it was a multimillion-dollar foundation, but it's not. Yes, yes, but we're local, yeah, we're local.
Speaker 1:You know what Just a characterization and framework for our audience is that I don't want them to think it's $10 either. Literally we're talking about thousands of dollars going around just because it's not tens or hundreds. But the foundation does raise $100,000, plus a year, yes. So we just try to spread it out and help as many people as possible. Yeah, and it's a testament. I wanted to make sure our audience understood, because the agents really they step up.
Speaker 1:Step up yeah, exactly, and make it happen. So, and I think it's extremely important, the committee run from my vantage point, because what is the need and you know, we want to make sure it's a real need, legitimate and, again, understanding what's the appropriate amount so that, again, we protect the assets of the foundation, so that we can help more people, but we also make sure that we bring something impactful to the table. So, having had a front row seat and watching it, it's like, yeah, it's a beautiful thing. So I commend you for putting the extra time in.
Speaker 2:I'm honored to be part of it. Yeah Well, you play an extremely important role in so much. And I just want to say one other thing about the foundation that is very, very important to me. I know a lot of people donate to other charities and there are great charities. No one gets paid the board, they're all volunteer, the chairman volunteer, everybody. Nobody gets paid. There's no salary.
Speaker 1:Well, one of the things I always look for when we donate to any type of charity is what percentage goes back to help. And yes, we're a localized organization or charitable organization, but 100% of the money goes back out. 100%. There's no employees, right? Right, it's housed within our offices, rent-free.
Speaker 2:Right, thank you very much.
Speaker 1:Yes, there you go, but even our accountant, I think, does the books reconciliations as a courtesy.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:So there's, you know, whatever fundraisers we're running, you know obviously the cost of the fundraiser, but the net money is 100% of that money goes back in the community and I think that's something that's really impactful and it's a beautiful thing to see, you know, from a front row seat. So one of the things I want to call out to our audience about is you know, every year we have, you know, with over 1,000 agents. Right, we have our award ceremony and you were picked as the humanitarian of the year. I think it was 2018.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Yes, so it was one person out of the entire organization and stuff. So how did it feel to be, you know, acknowledged for that?
Speaker 2:I have to tell you that night I was shocked and Barbara Mullaney was up there with you and she leaned over and she hugged me and she said enjoy this. This is really, really important and I have to tell you I've gotten a lot of real estate awards but there's nothing compared to being recognized as a humanitarian. But I want to say that being a humanitarian is not a one-woman show or one-man show. It's not.
Speaker 2:You know, when I first came to the company we'd do blood drives and you know the offices the office I was in was very helpful Rosalie that's in our Hicksville office, the admin. She kept things in order and helped me get what I wanted to do with the blood drives. When we did the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk my office. You know they're all in with all of this and the admins Josephine Amerik, maria Holm, kathy Maestrick they jump in. They will do stuff after hours. When you know, just to help me, help us all be humanitarians. I mean, I've been lucky enough to go around to a lot of the offices and talk about the part of American homes and this company is full of humanitarians.
Speaker 2:Thank you, it's just it comes from the top down, I know it. It's like walking into the Disney store and everybody's happy. Yeah, it's just you and Tom attract good. Happy, it's just you and Tom attract good. And so I'm humbled by the Humanitarian Award. But there's a lot of people behind me and Tom Murtaugh. When I came up with the Ronald McDonald House, he's always like all right, how can I help?
Speaker 1:And I'm like you got some money, Exactly. But that's actually just touched on something and I really wanted to make sure our audience understood that. So when you have a Humanitarian of the Year award, there's a lot of people who qualify, who contribute, who step up. So when you're acknowledged the people who win that award each year they're standing out from a crowded field. So it should be something I know, I'm proud of.
Speaker 2:I'm so proud of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's an awesome accomplishment and we love the work that you do and the example you set for the company. It's fantastic. So how can others get involved in the foundation or any of the work? What's your advice to them?
Speaker 2:Well, it's every office, you know, because I've said, I've gone to a lot of offices talking about the foundation and every office does have a thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know. So it's just to reach out to the people that started because they need help. I definitely I could not do what we do without the Massapequa Park office.
Speaker 1:Yes, but it's like ringleaders you got to have a ringleader, all right.
Speaker 2:So when I was younger I didn't have a lot of money and I would take Megan she was seven years old and I would go to give blood and I'd make her stand in the room and say, listen, we don't have money but we can help.
Speaker 2:We can give blood, we can save lives. So you don't have to have money. You could just jump in and help, because in every office, like the East Meadow office, those ladies it's time to adopt a family. They are shopping and if you don't want to shop, give them some money to shop.
Speaker 2:But there's something to do, you know, in every single office and you just have to find the ringleader or talk to the manager, because you know like the foundation turns over board members and if you're interested in something like that, talk to your manager because he knows who to talk to.
Speaker 1:What about some of the fundraisers?
Speaker 2:Okay. So the fundraisers? Okay, the fundraisers are great. We do raffle tickets and do a lottery tree, and then people buy tickets to try to win the lottery tree. We have night at the races. There's different things that we do, and that's the blessing in this company is that we always get a packed house. It's helping. You're part of it.
Speaker 1:You know what's amazing to me it's like being get a packed house. It's helping. Yeah, you're part of it. You know what's amazing to me? It's like, uh, being at one of these fundraising you. You're there with several hundred people having a fantastic time, right, laughing your ass off right, and it's like, oh, by having a great time, we actually did something good, right. So it's it's, you know, it's it's work, but at the same time, it doesn't have to be heavy lifting, so to speak. Right, it's true, so, yeah, so what would you say? The advice is that come have a good time with us.
Speaker 2:Come have a good time.
Speaker 1:With us.
Speaker 2:Get involved.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, let's do good together, right.
Speaker 2:Because the money you're spending it's going to a family that's in need. Yeah exactly All right.
Speaker 1:Marie, it's time for our Drop the Mic question.
Speaker 2:All right, so you ready.
Speaker 1:If you could try any career for a day, just for a day, just for fun, what would it be and why?
Speaker 2:That's a good question, mike, I think. I think I would like to be a singer. A singer and you can ask Marie at home in my office, because I sing all day in the office and she.
Speaker 1:Can you hold a tune really?
Speaker 2:Well, I was in chorus when I was younger. Okay, so it doesn't mean anything. But, I think I'm average.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:But I'm not a singer-singer, but if I could just be a real singer and it was beautiful and that would be wonderful. But yeah, I've been caught singing Jingle Bells in August and it's just. I guess I would like to be a singer.
Speaker 1:I'm going to have to check with Maria Holmes on this.
Speaker 2:I think you better she don't like it.
Speaker 1:See how close you are to that dream. They don't like it, they don't like it. So, maria, give us a couple of lines of Jingle Bells for our audience.
Speaker 2:Okay, this is for Marie at home, dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh. All the fields we go laughing all the way, wait, wait.
Speaker 1:Ma-ha-ha-ha was not laughing, I swear he's not laughing.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, that's great, that's great, that's great.
Speaker 1:So, Marie, if anyone wants to reach out and do business with or reach Marie Asher, how do they find you?
Speaker 2:Definitely call me myself phone number 516-353-2177. Or you can email me at masher at cbamhomescom. Okay, can they visit your website? Yes, go to marieasher at cbamM homescom.
Speaker 1:Okay, can they visit your website?
Speaker 2:Yes, go to Marie Asher at CBAM homescom.
Speaker 1:Well, marie, thank you for joining the work hard, play hard and give back real estate podcast. You've been a lovely guest and I thank you for sharing all your personal feedback and insights. You know, I think there's a lot of people in our audience that can get a lot of value of what you had to share. I think there's a lot of people in our audience that can get a lot of value of what you had to share, and thank you for all your work and giving back, especially Thanks for having me, mike.
Speaker 2:You're an inspiration. Well, I love you. And Tom, just thank you for everything.
Speaker 1:Okay, so thank you for joining the. Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back a real estate podcast. And just remember we'll be back here in two weeks for our next episode. We'll look forward to.