Carissa Maxwell mobilizes women, changes financial outcomes for families.
“That year, we were living paycheck to paycheck, had a lot of debt to pay off, and we were struggling to make life happen every month,” she said. “I was clipping coupons with my ‘mom friends,’ riding the extreme coupon craze, becoming an extreme coupon-clipping brigade. We were organized and motivated, and we could mobilize to get the goods. I learned I am really good at activating and empowering people to improve their mindset and their lives.”
Maxwell says moving to a new town was the best thing for them. “I felt like we were starting over in a good way. We didn’t know anyone and leaned on each other. While my husband was working hard to get us back on our feet, I plugged into MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) through a Lutheran church in Prescott.”
MOPS, she learned, was the place to be for moms with small kids. “I met so many amazing, strong women who understood the value of supporting mothers and the positive impact it has on our community.”
For $5, the women would meet for the MOPS program, which included breakfast, two hours of childcare and a presentation by a speaker. It was here that Maxwell stepped into her calling as a leader.
Not long after, she gave birth to her third child, Mattison, started studying, and within a year, earned her real estate license. “I had a big motivation to change my circumstances. I wanted to change my life story and knew that it would only happen if I went back to work.”
Within two years of starting her real estate career, Maxwell hired the very same moms who she clipped coupons with to be on her real estate team. “I was pulling in women I knew I could go to war with, had the ability to manage a lot of projects, and eventually I also hired men who aligned with our principles, too. It changed the game for their families and what they thought was possible.”
Within a few years, Maxwell had a successful real estate team on both sides of Mingus Mountain and The Maxwell Group was kicking it into high gear. “I learned I could earn more and help more women by becoming a broker. I love contracts, and I love finding creative solutions that help my agents and clients win.”
In January 2022, Maxwell opened her own independent brokerage firm, Glow Realty, incorporating the same principles and mentorship that made The Maxwell Group successful. Today, 14 agents work at Glow Realty, a boutique brokerage in Central and Northern Arizona, focusing on relationship-based business and community involvement.
“We promote work-life balance with our agents, valuing their time both inside and outside of the office, making us an ideal environment for those seeking personal growth and sustainability in a real estate career and in life,” she said.
Maxwell is quick to note that Glow Realty is not a women-only business, but it is an organization that emphasizes women in business and leadership. “We are focused on helping women excel. What we are going for is a collaborative environment, a supportive workplace to create what we want to see in the world.”
Glow Realty is also the lead sponsor for the Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards, presented by Quad Cities Business News. “We’re investing in ATHENA because it is exactly on message with what we care about: Women in leadership in the Quad Cities, creating mentorship for women and encouraging women to create an intentional life.”
Meanwhile, Maxwell is also involved with The Launchpad Teen Center and The Boys and Girls Club of Central Arizona in the Prescott area. Her hope is to create a mentorship program locally for girls and young women, ages 13 to 23. “I see a need for more emphasis on helping girls navigate big decisions that will set a course for their life. We should encourage girls to think bigger and provide them with learning opportunities that can expand what they think is possible. That is the goal. I see these girls shadowing women business owners and community leaders, attending masterminds, building confidence to create, fail, learn from mistakes and grow, knowing they have strong women backing them up with support and experience.” QCBN
By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
Maxwell will be presenting the main award at the fourth annual Quad Cities ATHENA Awards, 3- 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 24 at Starting Point in the Prescott Gateway Mall. For tickets and more information, go to www.PrescottATHENA.com.
Photo Caption: Glow Realty founder and broker Carissa Maxwell created an organization that emphasizes women in business and leadership. “We are focused on helping women excel. What we’ve created is a very collaborative environment, a supportive place to solve problems,” she said.
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