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

Hi Alisha, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Only recently have I finally surrendered to the fact that I don’t believe you are ever 100% in balance. Life will always pull you in a million directions, that part is inevitable. When I first became I mom I thought there was a way I could be 100% focused on my family and 100% focused on my job simultaneously but it left me feeling strained on both ends. Over time I have found that I find the most joy and fulfillment when I am fully focused on my family or on work, not both at the same time. That means setting some serious boundaries. Putting my phone on silent, establishing “working hours” with my clients to make sure that I am present with my family. Keller Williams has always used the analogy of balance and counterbalance. There will be times when I am slammed at work or have a family emergency come up and that balance will shift. In those moments I find peace in acknowledging the imbalance, knowing it is temporary and working to re-establish what balance looks like for me. In some seasons of life, especially as a new mom, that meant 90% mom 10% real estate agent, in others it has meant creating leverage in my business to still keep those priorities in check. Gary Keller says out of all the balls we juggle in life, most are rubber, if we drop them they will bounce back, but family is a glass ball. If you drop that one it can shatter. Once you have that priority at the forefront it fuels the motivation for work, and creating leverage to ensure that glass ball will never drop. If I am going to miss out on a listing because I am walking my daughter to Kindergarten, I have made peace with the fact that that client probably isn’t the right fit for me. Trying to be everything to everyone is what creates a feeling of being out of balance. When you truly know your priorities and create white space to evaluate each of them regularly, balance will feel a lot less like an unattainable goal.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I got my real estate license in 2015 on the heels of being an HR director for a local big box store and needed a change. I wanted a career where I didn’t have a ceiling and be present raising my children. I always enjoyed real estate, but a lot of my early career felt like I couldn’t get my feet under me. I was having successes and still ranking in the top 20% of agents in my area, but it felt like a slog. I didn’t have the tools I needed to really create the level of service for my clients I was looking to bring. In October of 2020 I started Embyrn in partnership with Keller Williams Colorado West Realty and everything changed. I had considered going out on my own, but once I started to met Branden Lowder, our Team Leader, I realized I could have both the autonomy I was looking for along with the support to grow my business into whatever I wanted it to be.

The vision I had for Embryn was a company that married a desire to serve, with a commitment to excellence. That is reflected in everything from our tagline: Advocate. Give. Serve. to our commitment to give back 10% of all profits to charity. The name Embryn comes from my daughter’s names, Emmy and Brynn. They are at the core of my why. I want them to grow up with the belief that they can do anything they set their mind to. They can be at every one of their kid’s soccer games, and also run a BIG business.

Almost 2 years in we have had a few bumps along the way, but we are stronger than ever. Our current team consists of my incredible buyer specialist, Sabina Schiopu, a full time assistant, and myself. We are constantly refining our systems and working to authentically reflect the mission of Embryn in every interaction we have.

Looking back I am most proud of myself for asking for help. There are so many people around me who have been successful that I can learn from. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, only to humble myself and ask for help. The surprising part is 9 times out of 10 they’re willing to share their tips and tricks on how they’ve found success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things about living in Western Colorado is the proximity to so many incredible places. To avoid any delays I would recommend they fly into Grand Junction in early October and we start the trip wine tasting in Palisade. Day 2 we jump on our mountain bikes and explore the New Castle Trail system, Stairway to Heaven, Faye’s Fury, Lakota Lookout and East Colorow are a few favorite trails. After we have earned our breakfast we head to Burning Mountain Pizza and Subs in Silt for Brunch and Mimosas. That afternoon we head into Glenwood Springs for some downtown shopping, dinner at Brava (the Charcuterie board is not to be missed) and to Iron Mountain Hot Springs to cap off the night. Day 3 we would head up to Marble to see the spectacular fall colors. Hike up to the Crystal Mill and grab a late lunch at Slow Groovin BBQ and then mill around Redstone and grab some ice cream at the general store on the way home. Day 4 Breakfast at the Village Smithy in Carbondale catch at yoga class at True Nature Healing Arts and lunch at the Goat Kitchen and Bar. Head to first Friday downtown to hear the live music and mill around local vendors. Dinner at Izakaya and a night cap from Marble Distilling Company. Day 5 we head to the Viceroy in Snowmass for a full spa day and time by the pool, happy hour at Venga Venga and dinner at Tempranillo in Basalt. On the last day in town we would head up to the Maroon Bells in the morning for a little hike. Head to Aspen farmers market and then mill around downtown shopping. Lunch at Clark’s Oyster Bar followed by a drive up Independence Pass. Take the Gondala at Aspen Mountain to the Sun Deck for Happy hour and dinner at Matsuhisa followed by drinks at J-Bar at the Hotel Jermone.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Joining Keller Williams has been a complete game changer for my mindset. At 6 years into the real estate industry, it felt like I was constantly competing without enough to go around and running myself ragged. Joining KW felt like a breath of fresh air. During my first introduction to the organization, Mega Camp, one of the top teams in the nation shared their listing presentation with anyone who wanted it. I was in complete shock. I was so used to guarding all my secrets to success and here they were just giving them away. The focus on family first and creating the life you want to live has been transformational. I am so grateful for the incredible people I have met along the way and their focus on my success both in life and in business.

Website: http://embrynkw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alishariddile/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alishariddile/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alishariddile

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQZACn6U16Vi13i–4U5UbA

Image Credits
Anne Laho Branden Ruckman

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