Maura Neill

By Maura Neill

One might say that I have an affinity for shoes…in the way that vampires have an affinity for blood.

At RETechSouth last week, I was on the Agent All-Stars Panel, and just before we started the panel, our moderator told us we’d be introducing ourselves by stating our name and a word or a phrase that describes us best. While the others on the panel described their business models or their use of technology to secure clients, obviously appropriate for {ahem} a technology conference, I said: “I’m Maura Neill with RE/MAX Greater Atlanta, and I am a shoe fanatic.” And then I gave the audience a peek at my raspberry suede Garbo platforms with the faux crocodile heel in dark chocolate brown (pictured below), designed by my friend Ann Roth of Ann Roth Shoes (shameless plug for a friend and fellow business owner: check her out at annrothshoes.com).

For the rest of the day not only did people notice my shoes (let’s face it, how can you not notice raspberry suede?) but they also remembered me. (It’s quite a rush to hear the words, “I just love your shoes!”)

Shoes are my “thing” – I use them to connect with others who have a similar passion. (be honest: those of you who read the first line of this post and said – perhaps aloud – “Me, too!” post a comment. I’m just curious…)

Of course, I have other, less materialistic passions (animal rights, music education in schools, veterans) but my shoes work for me, too. They’re conversation starters at networking events; they’re often a shared passion with clients and potential clients; they’re attention-grabbers and they set me apart. My shoes have gone from an infatuation to a business builder. Whether I’m wearing my casual courduroy paisley espadrilles, my flashy red suede heels with the butterfly on each heel, or my simple black Manolo Blahnik stilettos, they are usually the highlight of my outfit and something that gets me noticed and remembered.

What’s my point, other than cataloguing my shoe closet? My point is simply this: use your passion to drive your business. Every one of us has an interest, a passion, a hobby; those are what we should be using to drive our business. Finding a creative way to bring your passion to your daily work will only help you to build more business and improve your networking. And it may even make your work more fun and interesting to you!

Right now, I am slipping off my gray leather 5-inch heels with the black satin straps and bows after a great networking event and slipping on my slippers to e-mail the great contacts I made tonight. I have at least three warm leads to follow up on and I want to catch them before they forget about me.

After all, I need to keep myself in shoes!

Maura Neill, CRS, is a real estate practitioner in Atlanta. You can follow Maura on Twitter: @MauraNeill