Meet Jeff Walton | Realtor and Property Manager

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

Hi Jeff, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Most decisions that I have made over my career regarding whether or not to take a job have been based on the potential work life balance. The second job that I held out of college was working as a Trauma Sales Consultant which entailed being on call 24/7 and ready at any moment to go into surgeries to consult on the orthopedic implants that were being used. Having this job when it was just me and my wife, Sarah, was manageable. However, as our family grew to a family of 6 throughout my 9 years with this job, the demands of being on call began to take a large toll on my work life balance and keeping my family as a priority.

Working with Orthopedic Doctors and nurses in the O.R. was an excellent job and no two days were the same. However, because trauma surgeries were rarely planned, I had to be ready to go to the hospital any time, day or night, regardless of whether it was a holiday, birthday, anniversary, or family emergency. At a moments notice, I had to drop what I was doing and get to the O.R. as quickly as possible. As our kids grew up, I saw the trajectory of this lifestyle, which was increasingly creating countless disappointments and my family couldn’t ever count on me being present. Even apart from the larger challenges, there were constant inconveniences, such as always needing to drive separate cars wherever we went in case I received a call and was needed immediately at the hospital.

It was these common occurrences that ended up driving me to leave the medical device industry and look for a job that would allow me to regain some of that balance in my life – for my sake, and my family’s. In each of my jobs that I have had since then, I have been very careful to not take a job that would place these types of demands on my work life balance and lead me to an unhealthy balance.

Being someone who puts a high value on hard work, discipline, and integrity, I want to be able to offer my best to those I work for. However, I have also learned that if I’m not careful, that good desire also has the potential to tip the scales of balance when it takes precedence over being the husband, father, and friend that I want to be to those around me. Work is important, but it’s not everything. I don’t want to turn around one day and realize that the success I gained was at the cost of those I care about the most. Because of that, I am just as committed to being a man of hard work, self-discipline, and character in all I do, but I strive to do so in all areas of life – including work, family, friendships, and serving those around me.

Not only have my circumstances and experiences taught me personally, but they’ve also provided my wife and I the opportunity to share what we’ve learned through this journey in the book we co-wrote, Together Through the Storms: Biblical Encouragements for your Marriage When Life Hurts. We’ve had the privilege of sharing through our writing and several radio interviews about how the trials we’ve faced have impacted our lives and marriage, but how God has helped us grow closer to him and each other through the process.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Most of my career has been spent in Healthcare Sales. A large part of that was in medical device sales which was very relational where I spent most of my time selling and consulting with Orthopedic Surgeons. When I left that industry and moved over to the Health Technology side of sales, I experienced the complete opposite of my days in medical device sales. For each of the companies that I worked for, I was selling to the hospital executives which from my experience were largely not as relationship based and the sales cycles were 12-18 months.

After a number of years spent in this type of sales job, I found myself unemployed after a start up company that I joined ended up laying off a large number of employees just months before they had to close their doors. Because of this unexpected turn of events, I started my search for a new job and this was right before Covid came on the scene and disrupted a lot of companies hiring processes. After a long season of searching, I finally opened up my search outside of the midwest and connected with an old college friend of mine who owns a Real Estate Brokerage out here in Colorado Springs. Long story short; what started as a phone call to network, turned out to be God leading me to a new career in a new state. Forty five days later from that call, my family was completely moved out from our home in Chicago suburbs and now we’re calling Colorado Springs our home.

With Countless Realtors and Property Managers To Choose From, What Makes One Stand Out From The Rest?

Personally, as a realtor among a plethora of other realtors in our area, I BELIEVE it’s someone who sees beyond a dollar sign or a checklist of wants, and truly seeks to know and understand the client as a person, each with their own unique story and set of circumstances.

I BELIEVE it’s someone who’s committed to integrity and honesty, giving the client peace of mind that every decision is made with their best in mind.

I BELIEVE it’s someone who has walked through a variety of their own challenges and circumstances, allowing them to truly empathize and understand the needs of people in many different seasons and walks of life.

I BELIEVE it’s someone who’s committed to being responsive and available to make the home buying, selling, or the renting process as seamless and stress-free as possible.

And lastly, I BELIEVE it’s someone who sees it as a privilege and joy to walk alongside others through these important life decisions.

This is the kind of realtor/property manager and person that I strive to be, and much of this drive has come through my own life experiences. My wife, Sarah, and I have been married for 17 years and we have four children, 14 years and under (along with a high-energy chocolate lab named Bella). I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and played multiple different sports, and to this day, still root for the Cleveland Browns, Cavs and Indians (much to my wife’s dismay as a Chicago Cubs fan)!

My previous work experience as a Trauma Consultant has trained me to work well under pressure, be confident in decision making, while always seeking to grow and learn, and to strive for the best outcome for the patient as if they were my own family. Not-surprisingly, it was an easy transition to take the skills and experience that I gained and apply it to my role as a Realtor. Life hasn’t always been easy, but God has used those challenges to grow me as a person, give me a greater drive to work hard and honor him, live with integrity, and serve others well.

Whatever your needs, goals, or desires may be, I would love to sit down with you to discuss how I can best serve you in order to make those a reality. Whether you choose to use me as your realtor or not, don’t hesitate to reach out and I would happy to be a resource to help you in any way that I can!

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.
There are countless places to explore and enjoy in and around Colorado Springs, so it’s difficult to narrow down. But we have loved exploring the well-known sites in the area, such as Garden of the Gods, Red Rock, the Paint Mines, a drive up Pikes Peak, and many others, while also being on the look out for less known places to explore and hike. I’ve enjoyed finding the countless unique coffee shops in the area when I meet with clients, such as Wayfinder, Loyal Coffee, Third Space Coffee, and many more. If we were coming to visit for a week, we’d take a drive through Garden of the Gods and stop at the historical Trading Post tucked near the back of the park, take a hike at seven bridges, go to an Air Force football game, and take a scenic drive into the mountains, where we’d stop and stroll through some small towns along the way. And of course, we’d make sure to soak in the beautiful sunsets behind the mountains from the top of Pulpit Rock and then enjoy a meal at the Rabbit Room or fondue at Mona Lisa in Manitou Springs. But whatever we’d choose to do, one thing is sure – we would enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and the warmth of the 300 days of Colorado sunshine, regardless of the season.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give two shoutouts. The first and foremost is to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because apart from him I would not have had any of the success that I have had throughout my career and I would certainly not be where I am today. I wouldn’t be the man, husband, or father that I am if it were not for his grace and sovereign control over my life – growing me in my dependence and faith in him throughout the ups and downs, the losses and gains, and all that life has brought.

The second person I would like to acknowledge is my wife Sarah. She has always been by my side and my biggest supporter and encourager throughout my career. When I was a trauma consultant, the demands were very great, and because of my highly inconsistent work schedule, it placed a lot on her plate to take care of the kids on her and to hold everything together at our house – despite her constant battle with chronic illness and other challenges we were facing. She has been such gift to me and I am so thankful for God’s grace to have her in my life and soon to celebrate 18 years of marriage. We have been through many long and difficult roads, two seasons of unemployment after stepping away from my work as a trauma consultant, and many long seasons of waiting for new opportunities and relief to the many challenges we faced.

Website: www.WaltonHomesRealEstate.com

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