2020 HAAR President Sha Jarboe was sworn into her new leadership position Saturday, January 11 at our annual REALTOR Gala and Installation Banquet. Along with our new 12-person Board of Directors and the rest of the Leadership Team, Jarboe delivered a thrilling message that set the tone for our association in 2020: Made To Thrive. Sha’s full remarks can be found below.
Thank you to everyone for joining us tonight to celebrate what we’ve accomplished in years past, and where we are headed – together – as an association. Your time and support of HAAR strengthen our industry and the quality of life for our clients each day and help our community to THRIVE.
Growing vigorously. Prospering. Progressing toward a goal. Living with optimism and enthusiasm, no matter the circumstances. These are a few definitions of the word THRIVE. To me, to THRIVE is to undergo a cycle of reconstruction, being under construction, changing, growing, evolving. To THRIVE is to understand that, whether you’ve just won or lost your last battle, the next one is just right around the corner and that’s another opportunity to grow and improve.
Over the past several years, HAAR has gone through reconstruction to adapt to a changing industry and great success that requires us to remain nimble and ready if we want to continue to THRIVE. Under steady leadership, we have seen our influence grow, our companies become more successful and our clients happier and ensured that they can put their absolute trust in their Realtor.
Just as HAAR has gone through remodeling, so have most of us. We are always under construction: building, tweaking, attempting to perfect what we are or what we have to offer. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that, even in our imperfect state or scenario, we can THRIVE.
Maya Angelou has said “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to THRIVE.” I think it’s a wonderful goal to have and something we should all work to attain.
Working to THRIVE, and not merely survive, means putting forth an example that you’re ready to go the next mile to not make only your life better, but the lives of those around you. If we want people to fully engage, feel a part and participate, we have to be vigilant to create a THRIVING culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard and respected.
The Bible is filled with the importance of THRIVING. Specifically, it’s mentioned 13 times. It reminds us that we were made by a creator who wants us to flourish and wants the best for us in any circumstance.
As I planned for this evening, I had a mental list of things I was looking forward to. Life doesn’t always go as planned. It’s proof God has a sense of humor! As some of you know I have fought breast cancer and been going through the reconstruction process for two years now.
The timeline, the plan, the goal or hope was for my last surgery to be complete before tonight and this journey be behind me. God had other plans!
Through unexpected hurdles the timeline to complete things was extended. I stand here today somewhat disappointed that the perfect picture in my head didn’t play out. It didn’t happen in my timeline, by my vision.
As a matter of fact, cancer and leadership were not plans that I had in my life, and especially at the same time. But it taught me that even in the hardest and most inopportune of circumstances, there is purpose and a perfect plan. That despite my circumstances being less than perfect, that didn’t mean I couldn’t do more than survive. I could absolutely THRIVE in my current, imperfect situation.
We must remember we are more than Realtors. We are more than dollars earned, transaction sides or rankings. We are more than our title, our past or our current circumstances. Our situation can be imperfect yet still we can help others. We can absolutely THRIVE in ANY circumstance.
Leadership is more than a title. You each are leaders in your homes, places of worship, community, companies. This is not about the handful of people on HAAR’s Leadership Team. I and our Officers and Directors are simply the ones you have entrusted to keep our ship on course.
2020 is about you, the HAAR member. It’s a year we jump into some new direction. Changes that were made to allow you as a Realtor, Broker, or Company Owner to work easier and provide resources and situations that help you keep money in your business and serve your clients even better.
I’m excited you chose to spend your evening with us celebrating all that we accomplished in 2019 and to kick off all the great thing to come in 2020! It’s because of the hard work of so many who came before us, and many new faces passionate to learn to support this great organization that it stands as strong as it does today.
I want to take just a little more time to say some specific thank you’s. These are people who without them, what we do would not be possible.
First, a big thank you to this past year’s officers and directors as well as all the committee chairs, co-chairs, committee members, and those who have served on task forces and work groups. Your time commitment and passion has kept us at the forefront of the industry.
To Cindi, Zelda, Isaac and Valerie, I am so thankful for the opportunity to work so closely with you all this past year, to learn with you, laugh with you, even celebrate and sometimes cry with you. I am thankful for everything I learned from each of you and for the opportunity to get to know you better.
To our CEO Josh McFall and our incredible staff: I can’t imagine a stronger more knowledgeable, hardworking and supportive group! The time you give, the energy you bring and the heart you put into what you do is astounding. You pursue the craft over the applause, and we could not do all we do without you!
Next, I want to thank those we often forget to thank. It’s those supporting us so we can do this work. It’s our families, and our friends who are like family, and our work family!
First my family: Tonight, I am thankful to have with me my Mom and Dad (Sherry & Bill), my husband Jeff, our 3 girls (oldest to youngest) Hannah (and her husband Cody), Anna and Grace.
Mom and Dad, thank you for all the opportunities you gave me growing up. It all gave me the ability to be who I am and do what I am doing today.
Mom thank you for your guidance and teaching when I came into the industry. Thank you both for loving and supporting me through this journey and helping with the girls so I can do what I do and love. And a huge thank you for all your help and support through my cancer journey. I love you!
To my husband Jeff: Thank you for loving me through my busiest, messiest and craziest of times. 2018 and 2019 threw a lot of hard things our way, I mean as if cancer wasn’t enough, right? But I was reminded of these 2 things recently.
First, Isiah 43:18-19 says in summary, forget former things, don’t dwell on the past, I am doing a new thing, I am making a way.
Second, an arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it’s going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming.
So I’m claiming great things for 2020 and beyond! I love you!
Hannah and Cody, I want to be like you when I grow up! In all seriousness, I am super proud of you two for SO many reasons. You have accomplished so many great things and should be very proud of yourselves. Thank you for loving on Anna and Grace so much (especially you Cody, as if our normal crazy life wasn’t enough you hung with us through one of the hardest, my cancer journey, and I love and appreciate you). Did I mention they are homeowners and they used a Realtor?!?!
To my girls Hannah, Anna & Gracie: I kind of feel like maybe I should apologize rather than say thank you! I don’t think any of you remember a time in your life when you weren’t being drug into this crazy Realtor’s kid life. I just want you to know how proud I am of you, how much I love you, and how much I appreciate what you give up allowing me to do what I do. Thank you!
With a son-in-law we also got to add his amazing family to a list of those we love so I am thankful to have Cody’s parents, Chris & Michelle Brady here tonight. I want to say a thank you to you both for working in and understanding the importance of our industry, but most of all for loving my daughter like she is one of your own!
We have been blessed in life with friends who are like family, and tonight they are able to join us and that’s Brian, Holly, Sloan & Sydney Stafford.
Brian and Holly, thank you for your friendship and laughter and loving my Anna like one of your own. Sydney thank you for being such a great friend to Anna and have such a beautiful heart and I am so glad God brought you in to Anna’s life when she needed a friend the most. Sloan, thank you for putting up with these two teenage girls so much, and occasionally even my youngest. You are an amazing young man that I have no doubt has a great future ahead of him.
Now, I would like to thank my work family. I knew when I started with @ Homes Realty I was with a special group. I could have never imagined then what an amazing group you are. From our fearless leader to our newest members, your love for others is astounding and I can’t thank you each enough for your support without hesitation over the years and here tonight. I love my Homies!!
Last, I want to say thank you to all of those who have given advice and support through my career as a Realtor and those who prayed and cheered me on during this crazy cancer journey. Prayer, support and mentorship of a colleague is so amazingly powerful.
As I finish my remarks tonight and we head into the last part of our program I just want to say again how excited I am to be able to work alongside an amazing group this year. Remember the year ahead is about you – the HAAR member.
My prayer for you in the coming year is for growth, prosperity optimism and enthusiasm, no matter your current circumstance, because we are MADE TO THRIVE in 2020!
