Meet Danielle Doty: Real Estate Agent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Doty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I’m convinced that there isn’t a balance. You must intentionally take inventory of what areas need attention and pour into it however you can. I think there is a work life juggle — and you have to know which balls are made of plastic and which balls are made of glass. A plastic ball will bounce if you drop it while a glass ball will break. I will say that, as a mom of young kids, I remind myself often that the golden years are fleeting. My career will always be there for me. It provides me with affirmation and a paycheck. Motherhood doesn’t; which can cause me to get a little too caught up in the hustle & grind some days. But my husband & I had a conversation early on in my career that I cling to often. We know that once all of our babies have moved out of our house, we won’t sit in their rooms and say, “Well… at least we have our money and accolades” We will just wish to go back and relive our moments with them all over.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began my career as a real estate agent in a tough season! I was a stay-at-home mom of five kids — one of them was my husband’s thirteen year old brother who we get to raise, and my babies were 4, 3, 1 and 6 months when I bought my online courses. My husband was on night shift working hard to support us. I was going to put real estate on the ‘back burner’ like most moms do with their dreams of a career. But I realized one day that because my husband was working a lot, he was also missing a lot at home. And he loves being a dad as much as I love being a mom, which didn’t feel fair. I stayed up after the kids went to bed and studied for my national & state exam. I was able to complete 180 hours in 2 months. I look back now and think ‘How did I do that?’ But everybody knows that moms find a way! Drive is a powerful force. I have many motivators at home to be successful, but I also love helping people. I have the ability to put myself in somebody else’s shoes. I have only bought two houses in my lifetime so far, but both times I was pregnant. To say it was stressful is an understatement. I enjoy working hard to ensure my clients are represented extremely well during their real estate transaction. The weight of my role is not lost on me. There is no transaction that trumps the relationship for me. I don’t care what price point or social circle or life phase a client is in, they are treated with the same respect and I work with the same grit. I feel like people either start as a friend and turn into a client, or start as a client and turn into a friend. I am fiercely loyal and forever in debt to the individuals who have allowed me to earn their business and trusted me with the process. I’m proud of the realtor, wife and mom I was able to be in 2020. It was a trying year for so many, but for me personally, I birthed my surprise/fifth/last baby in February, then there was a global pandemic, and then my family had to navigate through a major family emergency. I was writing contracts in labor. I was able to close millions in production while following Covid-19 protocols through the shutdowns. I was able to fully show up for my clients during a hard personal season. It felt like such a bright part of my day to be able to step away from that heavy reality for a few hours. I’m happy to report that my family is recovering and ready for the days to come! I’m excited for this upcoming year in my career for many reasons but mainly because my mom is retiring from education and joining my team!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Monday: We go to First Monday in Canton and buy things we love but don’t need for our house — because that’s what a week long trip what your best friend is for. We spend the night at the Airbnb in town called The Wilde House (my client owns this house… we closed in September!). We roast marshmallows by the fire and tell our husbands that we are camping, which is a lie because this is the cutest house you’ve ever seen… and it has hot water and AC… but we can see the stars in the sky and I’m pretty sure we could potentially see a spider. Tuesday: We stop by Pony Express for coffee on our way out of Canton. We go to Northpark in Dallas and shop for hours. Yes, there are boutiques all over Dallas but I’m not cool enough to know of any. I’m more of a Fort Worth girl anyway. Plus, I have five kids so a well-stocked Zara will hit the spot. We buy dresses for dinner at Nick & Sam’s and go to bed at The Stoneleigh by 10pm — 1) because it’s Tuesday, people, and 2) because we are moms. Wednesday: We start the day with coffee at Redefined. We get facials with Janae Samuel (Well Beyond Beauty) in Colleyville because we are going to try to find Post Malone in Grapevine all day. That’s his hometown, My best friend is ready to be my wing woman even though she was my maid of honor in my wedding and loves my husband dearly. Lucky for both of them, not so lucky for me, we never find him… the only thing that will make us feel better is an evening on the patio at Esparza’s because it just will — I don’t make the rules. Thursday: Woah. We’ve been eating a lot. This is normal but today we feel guilty. We take a class at Bar Method in Southlake and then walk around Grapevine Lake. No not to find Post Malone this time (well, maybe), but we really have eaten a lot. We end the day at the Gaylord in Grapevine because it’s spectacular (and I don’t have a guest bedroom). Friday: We hang around my hometown of Southlake all day. I take my friend to a game at Dragon Stadium that night. We aren’t huge football fans but everybody needs to experience Texas high school football in their lifetime at least once! Southlake wins, as always. Saturday: We head to Fort Worth! We get coffee at Brewed, check out the new John Wayne Exhibit (shoutout to another client), and eat at Double Eagle Steakhouse in downtown before our concert at Billy Bob’s. We watch a rodeo before the show and sit front row! Of course we wish it was Post Malone, but it’s the second best thing — Willie Nelson!! He sings all our favorites and we crash at the Omni downtown. Sunday: We go to breakfast at Seven Mile Cafe in Keller and head to Milestone Church. We love the pastor and the worship team… and we need our pants to fit for our first day back to work on Monday, which will take a miracle at this point.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I honestly can’t take much credit for my success, in my opinion, so I love this question! I have the world’s greatest parents. I was raised in a Christian household. Not the kind that makes you feel shame & self-righteousness, but the kind that makes you feel unconditionally loved and teaches you empathy. The kind where you’re more than you’re mistakes. And trust me, I’ve made plenty! I was never ‘successful’ academically. I have dyslexia & ADHD, so we were pretty happy with passing. I was never great at any sport or hobby, even though I tried them all. My parents were constantly supporting whatever I wanted to attempt even if I wasn’t very good. I went to three different universities before I finally graduated with my Bachelors degree. They never said a word about my transfers, just bought the t-shirts and kept encouraging me to finish! I grew up in an affluent area of DFW where everybody got a car the day they turned 16, for no real reason. I wasn’t allowed to have a car unless I had a job. They are extremely generous people, but never missed an opportunity to teach me a valuable life lesson. I’m very thankful for the strong confidence, work ethic, empathy and Christ-centered identity they both instilled in me. My husband, Josh, and I got married young. He took a job with Peterbilt in order for us to be able to afford to be married. To our surprise, God brought us a baby every year within the first 6 years of marriage. Josh worked countless hours for me to be able to stay home with our children. I randomly decided, on my 28th birthday, to get my real estate license. The course was a thousand dollars which felt like a million at the time. He didn’t hesitate and said, “You’re going to be amazing at this. I can’t wait to see what you do!” He worked overtime for a whole month to pay for the courses. I thought that nobody could support me more than my parents, but he has proven me wrong! He is my biggest cheerleader and never complains about being Superdad when I’m out working. I know it’s cheesy to still be using the term ‘Boss Babe’, but there’s no other way to describe my tribe of working women! Many of my clients are my closest working mom friends who could not wait to support my career. Moms do it all even when they are a stay-at-home parent. It is a full-time job in and of itself! Having a community around you that ‘gets it’ has been powerful to me. I’m not sure where I would be if they wouldn’t have helped me get rid of mom guilt. We constantly remind each other how lucky are kids are to have working moms! My babies awoken a new perspective that pushes me to be better every single day. I read this quote after my fourth baby was born and it sparked the start of my real estate career: “The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of the parents.” I also have to thank God for capturing my heart at a young age. I can’t even fathom where I would be without His grace. He has chased me down plenty of times to keep me on the right path.

Instagram: @danielledotyrealtor
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Image Credits
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