Meet Nancy Blanchard | Brand/Marketing Executive turned Real Estate Agent

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

Hi Nancy, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I LOVE this subject…. the idea of work/life balance is one that is discussed, debated, debunked and overplayed almost every day. I can’t count how many articles I’ve seen that aim to provide solid working principles that will for once, allow you to have the balance in your life that we all strive for. There are articles in lifestyle magazines and reputable publications like Harvard Business Review – people can not get enough of this subject. For me, work/life balance is really just LIFE balance. I think about what I need to be happy, feel fulfilled, reduce stress – and I carve out time for it all. Easier said than done, especially for us working mamas. I once had a CEO of a large company ask me what a “working mom” was and almost fell off the chair I was sitting on in disbelief. After working for mysogynistic men and women on a power trips, I realized that no one will take care of me except for…. wait for it.. me. I am the one in charge of my life balance. And, I get to define what balance means to me. Admittedly, I think achieving what many believe is work/life balance might be absolutely impossible for most. Life takes over and gets in the way sometimes (working 2 jobs to keep food on the table, dealing with a daughter’s concussion for 6 weeks, having an ill parent, etc). So, I need to adjust my filters and expectations about finding balance based on the minute, day, week, year. I used to mentor young moms and help them “find balance”. At one point I realized that as much as I loved discussing the subject over coffee or wine, ironically, I needed to stop helping others and focus on myself. I’ve learned to say no, carve out time for myself, ask for help and stay focused on my goals – but it took a long time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I spent 25 years in branding and marketing, which was not an easy experience. Most of my experience was with consumer products companies and I thrived for the first half of my career. Then, I moved to Brussels with my husband and ultimately quit my global consulting position when my daughter was born there. Once kids came along, it proved to be a challenge to keep my identity as a professional. As we moved back to the states, I continued working, had my son, and a few years later suffered from a very significant emotional trauma that still haunts me. My marketing experience continued to grow, however, until I was promoted to run a multi-million dollar brand (Otterbox). In a management turnover, I was let go with most of the other top colleagues in the organization. From there, I ended up working in more roles that were sucking the life out of me, and ultimately decided to make a career change. I am now in real estate and LOVE it. It fits my lifestyle, my skill set and is more rewarding than any corporate position I’ve had – ever. I’ve learned to maintain integrity throughout my career. Even when others are not ethical, I will always do what I say and say what I do. Working with others who didn’t have integrity ultimately was a challenge I didn’t want anymore. I’ve also learned to be resilient and to have thick skin. For me, this meant always being professional in times of high emotion. I once had a superior throw a jar of pens across a table in anger during a meeting, which was only one example of the fits this particular CEO would throw. I never raised my voice, matched the emotion, or walked away. I DID remain calm, stay focused on the business at hand and not give in to his silly antics.

Ultimately, my personal brand is one that can see through other people’s b.s, is authentic, transparent, hard-working and efficient on the professional side, with a touch of humility and grit on the personal side.

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.
Well – I love where I live, so hosting a friend in Boulder, CO would be amazing! I love the outdoors, so hiking would be at the top of the list. Beautiful Chautauqua might be a place to hike during the week because it’s too busy on the weekend. For an outdoor adventure on the weekend I would suggest driving to Brainard Lake or Eldorado – close by but you don’t have the crazy crowds from Boulder. Most of my friends like to eat – as do I! Tea/lunch at the Dushanbe Tea House is a must, and a dinner at Flagstaff (with the views!!!) is hard to beat. A few local favorites also include Wonder Juice Bar, Mateo, Santo, Chautauqua Dining Hall, Oak and a farm dinner at Black Cat. A farm dinner is perhaps an experience we would want to have twice during a week’s trip! Eating freshly picked and exquisitely prepared food in the outdoors is one of my favorite experiences. On one night, we might grab a night cap at Bitter Bar. I would see if the Boulder Ballet had a show for us to see and would also look into local concerts at Red Rocks or the Boulder Theatre.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I MUST give a shout-out to my friend Jennifer Smith – a colleague that I met 10 years ago and who has proven to be quite an inspiration to me as a working mom, marketer, and all-around wonderful human being. Upon on separation in the work environment, she gave me the book Thrive by Ariana Huffington. This book was a game-changer for me, as I realized that I needed to make some small tweaks to my life in order to bring my best self to every day. Also, as cliche as it might sound, my husband was there to support me as I made a mid-life career change. There is never an easy time to take a risk with your family’s finances, but I did it with the encouragement of my husband Dana.

Website: www.nancyblanchard.com

Instagram: @nancyblanchardrealestate

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyblanchard1/

Facebook: @nancybhomes