top of page
Keybox 3 Smart Lock Box, Large Key Safe w/Airbnb Sync (iOS/Android) – Remotely Generate Bluetooth-Keys & Pin Codes Without Internet
igloohome
View More Ads
FEATURED ARTICLE
The Holistic Entrepreneur
1/9/26, 11:26 PM
Photo Credit:
Real Estate Consultant
Jacqueline Valenzuela
The Holistic Mentor
eXp Realty Of California
Service Area
Los Angeles
theRealtormagazine
The Realtor Magazine is a digital publication dedicated to the people behind the transactions, spotlighting the real estate agents and brokers who shape the markets, neighborhoods, and communities we call home. Rather than focusing solely on listings or market headlines, The Realtor Magazine explores the stories behind your favorite professionals. Each article offers a closer look at how agents and brokers got started, what motivates their work, and what truly sets them apart when guiding clients through important decisions. These stories reveal the experience, values, and perspective that influence how they show up for buyers, sellers, investors, and families navigating change. Through thoughtful interviews and in-depth features, the magazine shares local insight, neighborhood knowledge, and personal journeys that go far beyond surface-level bios. Readers gain a deeper understanding of how real estate professionals think, how they approach complex situations, and how they help people move forward with confidence and clarity. Whether you’re researching who to work with, learning how great agents operate, or simply curious about the human side of real estate, The Realtor Magazine offers an authentic look at the people guiding one of life’s biggest decisions. Because real estate isn’t just about property — it’s about people.
Thanks for making time to chat. Let’s begin with an introduction—who are you, and what areas do you proudly represent as a realtor?
I’m Jackie V. I’ve been in real estate since 2005 and built my career in Los Angeles through multiple market cycles. From 2006 to 2019, I was a foreclosure listing broker, managing REO portfolios and closing hundreds of transactions through some of the most volatile years our industry has seen. I’ve been in the trenches. I understand contracts, negotiations, pressure, volume, and what it takes to survive when the market turns.
At the same time, I was raising two daughters as a single mom and navigating the relentless pace that real estate often rewards. That experience shaped how I see this business today.
After nearly two decades in active sales, I stepped back from production to focus on mentoring and educating agents at different stages of their careers. I work with newer agents who want a solid foundation, agents returning to the business, and high-performing agents who are ready to elevate without burning themselves out.
I work with agents nationally through eXp Realty, and my philosophy is simple. Business and personal life are not separate. They deeply affect each other. You can build a profitable, successful business and still honor your health, your relationships, and your capacity.
My work focuses on smarter systems, sustainable growth, nervous system awareness, and real business strategy. Not hustle for hustle’s sake, but clarity, structure, and balance that actually lasts.
I’m currently based in Tulum, Mexico, which reflects how I live and work now. Not because I left real estate, but because I’ve built a business that supports my life instead of consuming it.
Real estate gave me the education. Mentorship is where I help agents build something better.
Everyone has a reason behind the work they choose. What’s the ‘why’ behind your real estate career?
I didn’t come into real estate chasing titles or commissions. I came into it because I wanted a life that worked for my family.
At the time my oldest daughter was about to start middle school, and I was very aware of how important those after-school hours are. I wanted to be present for homework, dinner, and the everyday moments that shape a child. Real estate offered something I hadn’t seen modeled growing up. Ownership. Flexibility. The possibility of building something on my own terms.
The entrepreneurial side of the business really pulled me in. I didn’t have examples of women around me running their own companies, but I wanted to become that example for my daughters. I wanted to show them that you could create your own path instead of waiting to be given one.
What made me fall in love with real estate was the responsibility of it. You’re trusted with one of the most important decisions in someone’s life. You have to think strategically, stay grounded under pressure, and learn how to lead yourself. That combination still inspires me today.
Even now, what keeps me connected to this industry is the opportunity it gives people to build lives, not just careers. That’s always been the heart of it for me.
dosojossoundjourney.jpeg
naumCeremony.jpeg
workshop.jpeg
dosojossoundjourney.jpeg
1/7
Photo Credit:
From culture to community, there’s always something special about a market. What makes yours stand out?
These days, my market isn’t defined by a zip code as much as it’s defined by community.
After years of working in very specific geographic markets, my work has expanded nationally and internationally. I support agents, investors, and entrepreneurs across different cities and countries, so what I pay attention to now is lifestyle, sustainability, and how people actually want to live and work.
What I love most about this kind of market is the shared mindset. These are people who value flexibility, quality of life, and long-term thinking. They care about where they live, but even more about how they live. They’re asking better questions about balance, financial freedom, and designing businesses that don’t require constant urgency.
From an investment and career perspective, that means looking beyond numbers alone. Livability matters. Community matters. Nervous-system-friendly environments matter. Places and business models that support health, creativity, and connection tend to hold value in deeper, more durable ways.
So while I’m no longer anchored to one neighborhood, I work within a global, intentional community. That, to me, is where real estate is heading.
What do you believe is your biggest differentiator when it comes to serving buyers and sellers?
What sets me apart is that I see real estate as both a business transaction and a human experience. I don’t separate the emotional, mental, and practical sides of the process, because they’re always happening at the same time.
My approach is holistic in the truest sense. I understand contracts, negotiations, and market dynamics deeply, but I’m also attuned to what’s happening beneath the surface. Stress, fear, pressure, and urgency all affect decision-making. When those aren’t acknowledged, people make choices they later regret.
Clients and agents I work with often say they feel calmer and more clear after working with me. I help people slow down just enough to make aligned decisions without losing momentum. That balance between grounded strategy and emotional intelligence is where I do my best work.
I also bring a spiritual depth that’s practical. It shows up as presence, discernment, and the ability to hold space when things feel uncertain. In an industry that often rewards speed and volume, I prioritize clarity and trust.
That combination is what makes the experience different.
Vinyl PVC Real Estate Sign Post 6ft. Tall (4"x 4"x 72")
KD Garden
Real Estate Office Window Hanging Acrylic Poster Frame Crystal Led Light Box Sign Display Holder
HKSIGN
View More Ads
Tell us about your niche or core expertise—what aspect of real estate do you love helping people with?
My work today is a direct extension of everything I lived through in real estate.
I built my career in high-pressure environments, including over a decade managing foreclosure portfolios, while raising two daughters and running a business that demanded constant availability. I learned a lot the hard way. What worked. What scaled. What slowly eroded my health and sense of self.
My mentorship is built around teaching everything I’ve learned and continue to learn, through four core pillars: vision, systems, self-management, and database and network management. Those pillars came from experience. When any one of them is missing, the business eventually cracks.
What makes my approach unique is that I teach real estate as a conscious business. Strategy and structure matter, but so does emotional intelligence. Boundaries. Nervous system awareness. Integrity in how you relate to clients, colleagues, and yourself.
The people who work with me understand that growth isn’t just professional, it’s personal. When they regulate themselves, clarify their values, and build cleaner systems, everyone benefits. Their clients feel safer. Their families get more of them. Their businesses become more stable and ethical.
They’re not just trying to make more money. They’re trying to become better leaders, partners, parents, and humans while building something that lasts. That’s the kind of real estate professional I love supporting.
Can you take us behind the curtain a bit? Share how you bring your strategies to life for your clients.
Behind the scenes, I’m doing a lot more listening than talking.
I bring nearly twenty years of real estate and business experience, and then I bring a very different lens. After two decades in high-pressure environments, I somehow found myself in jungles, sitting with shamans, learning how to slow down, breathe, and stop white-knuckling my way through life. Not exactly a standard continuing education course, but incredibly effective.
I’m a Reiki Master, I’ve studied Ayurveda, and I use astrology as a blueprint. Not in a crystal ball way, more in a “oh, this is why you keep trying to do everything yourself” way. I use these tools like diagnostics. If someone is exhausted, scattered, or running on adrenaline, there’s usually a very good reason.
There’s often a moment when a client laughs and says, “Oh… that explains a lot.” That’s my favorite part. Because once people understand how they’re wired and where they’ve been pushing against themselves, the business side gets a lot easier.
So behind the curtain, I’m helping people stop working against their own nervous system. Less force. Better timing. Cleaner boundaries. More trust in themselves.
So after twenty years in business and some very unconventional classrooms, I bring a grounded, intuitive, and deeply practical approach. And honestly, it makes the work more effective, more fun, it makes the whole process a lot more human.
vesicasoundbath.jpg
vesicasoundbath.jpg
1/1
Photo Credit:
Based on your experience, what advice or outlook would you share to help people make smarter decisions?
If I were mentoring an agent one-on-one, I’d start here. Mindset is everything. Not the inspirational kind, but how you think when deals fall apart, clients disappear, or the market shifts overnight. That inner dialogue determines whether you adapt or burn out.
One of the biggest myths agents buy into is that success comes from doing more. More hours. More leads. More urgency. In reality, the agents who last are the ones who learn how to think clearly under pressure and stop reacting to every external signal.
One pro tip I wish more people took seriously is this. Regulation matters. When you’re stressed, rushed, or afraid, you don’t negotiate well. You oversell, undersell, or you agree to things you later regret. Slowing down enough to think clearly is not a weakness. It’s a competitive advantage
Looking ahead, the agents who will thrive are the ones who build strong internal foundations alongside solid systems. Clear boundaries. Clean databases. Intentional networks. And a mindset rooted in discernment instead of fear.
If there’s one insight I’d want agents to remember, it’s this. Real estate rewards discernment far more than hustle. Agents who learn how to think clearly, regulate their reactions, and lead themselves well tend to outperform over time, especially when the market shifts.
That inner leadership is what keeps you in the game, and sane, for the long haul.
Before you run off, could you give us your go-to advice for readers—and let everyone know the best way to connect with you.
If I could leave readers with a few insider tips, it would be this.
Build your business like you want to live inside it. Don’t wait until you’re exhausted or resentful to start setting boundaries, cleaning up your systems, or getting honest about what’s actually working. The earlier you learn how to lead yourself, the easier everything else becomes.
Invest in mindset as seriously as you invest in strategy. Learn how you respond to pressure. Learn how you make decisions when things feel uncertain. That self-awareness will save you more time, money, and energy than any script ever will.
And finally, don’t do this alone. Real estate can be isolating, especially at higher levels. Having the right mentorship and community makes all the difference.
For those who want to learn more or explore working together, I share most of my work through my mentorship platform and writing. You can find me through The Holistic Mentor across social media, where I talk openly about real estate, mindset, building sustainable businesses, and intuitive tools like tarot that support clarity and self-leadership. That’s always the best place to start.
This industry can be incredibly rewarding when it’s built with intention. That’s the work I’m committed to.
Real Estate Consultant
Jacqueline Valenzuela
The Holistic Mentor
eXp Realty Of California
Service Area
Los Angeles
Bio
After two decades in LA and surviving multiple market crashes as a single mother, she stepped back from sales to mentor agents nationally through eXp Realty. Now based in Tulum, Mexico, she teaches nervous system regulation and sustainable business models for agents hearing the call to elevate without burnout. Her work integrates practical strategy and spiritual depth. Helping agents build location-independent businesses that honor their cycles, protect their energy, and create freedom.
Views
Comment
Send
More Articles Like This...
The Holistic Entrepreneur
Featuring: Jacqueline Valenzuela of The Holistic Mentor
Straight Talk Real Estate with Lauren Diaz
Featuring: Lauren Diaz of Lauren Diaz Realtor
Real Estate Without Shortcuts: Experience, Discipline, and Doing It Right
Featuring: Joe Homs of Pellego
Expert Spotlight: Navigating the Puget Sound Real Estate Market with Cheryl Dillon
Featuring: Cheryl Dillon of Cheryl Dillon Real Estate
bottom of page