In this episode, we hear the unusual story of Irene Bacogiannis, who stumbled into the valuation profession after 20 years in the restaurant business.

Irene tells how she was burnt-out from 18-hour weekend shifts and endlessly catering to customers.

But that all changed when she found a college catalog promoting appraiser courses …

After initially being treated like a “bored housewife” out of her depth, we hear how Irene worked essentially for free for a year to stack her skills and knowledge.

Despite the challenges of no steady income, Irene believed building a strong foundation would ultimately pay off. 

Her persistence and hard work eventually led to a breakthrough and she began to receive referrals and landed her first big deal.

And those 20 years in the restaurant game weren’t wasted.

Managing staff is the same - whether they’re waiting tables or pricing a piece of land …

Above all, we learn how true growth comes from being comfortable with being uncomfortable, and embracing change.