Episode #44
She Almost Became a Poet Instead of a Realtor — Here's Why She Didn't | Connie Yoshimura & Lottie Michael - 044
A few weeks ago, Lottie let me ask the questions about her story. This time, she turned it around on me. This episode is mine, in my own words. We covered where I come from, how a trained poet ended up building homes in Alaska, and why, at 81, I'm still not ready to stop. Episode Breakdown: Growing Up as an Outsider Shaped How I Built My Career I'm 81 years old, born in 1945, and I come from a Japanese American family. My father was born in the United States, which makes him Nisei and makes me Sansei, third generation. I was raised by my Caucasian grandparents in Iowa, the only minority child in my grade school and high school. I'm also an only child, so I never had the built-in network that team sports or a big family can give you. I still carry those feelings of being an outsider today, but I've come to see it as part of what pushed me to work harder. From an Award-Winning Poet to a Career in Real Estate I trained as a poet at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and was one of ten young writers nationally to win a scholarship through the College English Association and the Book of the Month Club. I wrote under a pseudonym at the time. In the early 1960s, female poets and writers faced real prejudice, and I didn't want to be poor or, frankly, miserable chasing a career where most writers never make a living. Real estate found me by accident after that. I loved residential real estate right away, because people come to you at the most important moments of their lives: marriage, birth, death, divorce, and job changes. I feel honored to hear those stories. Why I Cried the Whole Way to Alaska I moved to Alaska with my boyfriend at the time, driving up the Alcan Highway. I cried the entire way and knew absolutely no one when we arrived. Since I didn't have a network, I started doing open houses just to meet people. That's how I built my start in this business. Why I Fell in Love with New Construction My family's history had a real impact on this. During World War II, my family, like thousands of other Japanese American families, lost nearly everything they owned except what could fit in a single suitcase. I think that history is part of why building new homes, creating something rather than just holding onto what's left, has always meant so much to me. Why I Moved From Working With Builders to Land Development I worked with a variety of builders early on, but the relationship is one-sided. You help them, guide them, and build their name, and once they're successful, they often feel like they don't need you anymore. So I moved into residential land development instead. If I control the lots, builders have to come to me. I still don't do vertical construction. A single building has about 6,000 parts to it, and I'd rather deal with land and trees than tenants calling in the middle of the night. What Keeps Me Comfortable in Alaska There are 156 different languages spoken in the Anchorage school system. Growing up as the only minority child in a small Iowa town, that diversity is part of why Alaska feels like home to me. I've also seen firsthand that women haven't fully caught up in commercial lending, even with more female CEOs than ever. I credit a lot of my own opportunities to a longtime relationship with a female lender. Why I'm Still Working at 81 Between Palmer and the Municipality of Anchorage, I currently have more than 100 acres of residential development. I still have home sites to fill. I take my health seriously to keep up with it: physical therapy, tracking my steps daily, and regular weekend walks with Lottie and a longtime friend. My Advice for Anyone Starting or Changing Careers in Real Estate Only join a group or take on an activity if you truly love it. Showing up to a chamber lunch you don't care about won't build your business, but serving on a committee for something you're passionate about will. Knowledge is your most valuable asset. CPAs tend to do well in commercial real estate because of their financial background. Engineers are often the hardest professionals to train into this business. Not everyone will share your exact goals, and that's fine. What matters most is honesty and knowledge, starting with being honest with yourself. "You have to be honest with yourself first before you can be honest in regards to your career." — Connie Yoshimura Resources Iowa Writers' Workshop, University of Iowa: writersworkshop.uiowa.edu Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alaska Realty: bhhsalaska.com If you have questions or just want to chat, feel free to email us at podcast@bhhsalaska.com Connie Yoshimura number: 907-229-2703 Lottie Michael number: 907-242-7603 Credits ©2025 Alaska Real Estate. All rights reserved.
