Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Schmidt Beitel.
Hi Jamie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Hi! My name is Jamie! I was born in Montana, but like all people who have landed foot in Texas for any length of time, I consider myself a Texan (my husband still thinks otherwise). I lived in Texas for the vast majority of my life and met my first (and current) husband while living in Austin. He is active-duty military, which landed us in this beautiful state of North Carolina.
A little history about myself: I went to college in San Marcos, Texas, just outside of Austin. I initially majored in Business because I thought it was the most “marketable” at the time. I hated it; I hated math, and I was struggling to get by. My passion was criminal law, and it had been for a very long time. While in college, I worked for a locally owned Mexican Restaurant and was dating a coworker at the time. Trust me, this is relevant! My then-boyfriend was serving an older gentleman who said something along the lines of “You can’t get this type of food in Montana.” Of course, I had to go introduce myself. This man was named JD Elshoff. We got to chatting, and inevitably college came into the conversation. JD was an attorney and a criminal justice professor at Texas State University. He was previously an attorney in Missoula, very close to where I lived. I had to explain how I had always had a passion for Criminal Justice, but I decided to go the business route. Professor Elshoff stated that I needed to take his Criminal Justice class as an elective, and he could guarantee that I’d want to be an attorney again. Obviously, I’m not an attorney, but at this moment, my life changed directions. The next semester I was able to sign up for classes. I signed up for Professor Elshoff’s class and ultimately changed my major to Criminal Justice. I’m still forever grateful for this amazing human. He is truly one of a kind.
After graduating from Texas State, I started my professional journey as an investigator for Child Protective Services in Austin, Texas. If you didn’t know, Austin is HUGE; and we didn’t just cover the city; we served the entire county. I saw some of the absolute most crazy things! Working with people who were at the lowest points in the lives, child deaths, family separation, drugs, sexual abuse, you name it. However, I also was able to help teenagers escape a terrible home life; I was able to experience the joys of families being reunited. I made the best of friends who embraced and leaned on each other during the hard times of this job, times that most people will never have any experiences with, thankfully so. We truly leaned into the chaos.
In the middle of this suck, I met my husband, Aaron. No, he wasn’t the parent of a CPS case; he was just a Marine Corps Recruiter who had an equally awful schedule. We bonded on the fact that we both worked terrible hours and most days didn’t have the emotional or mental capacity to deal with another human being. Most people didn’t understand that I didn’t have an 8 to 5. I had an 8 to whenever I got off of work, and if that meant placing a child into a foster home, sometimes I’d get done at 6 am the next day. I’m still thankful for that understanding that most people lack. That being said, we saw each other when we could, we made time for each other, and the rest of that relationship is history. He asked me to marry him, and then we received orders to Cherry Point, MCAS in Havelock, NC.
After arrival to North Carolina, I started working for the Department of Social Services as a Foster Care Social Worker. That only lasted a little under two years, as opposed to my seven years at CPS in Texas. I was so unhappy with my job that I thought Graduate school would be the answer. So, naturally, I received my master’s in emergency management and Homeland Security. Surely, I’d get a job in a state that is no stranger to natural or manmade disasters, right?!? To my surprise also, this was not the case. I didn’t know the right people to get a job in this field. I was a woman with tattoos, in the bible belt, drowning in the “good ‘ole boy” system. This was and honestly is still so frustrating to me. I poured a lot of money, time, and energy into my education, expecting a different outcome. I mean, I had to take MORE math classes for this. I was always looking for the next best thing. I call this the “if I, then I.” If I go to school, then I’ll be happy. If I get a new job, then I’ll be happy. If I make more money, then I’ll be happy. What really happens is that you continue to chase the ifs while never really feeling fulfilled.
I was, however, desperate to get out of DSS. I applied to a county job that was 98 miles away from my home….98 miles! This job was as an urban planner. The good news, I landed the job due to my GIS experience that was gained during my master’s program. The bad news? It was 98 miles one way! I didn’t care – I took this job and stayed there for almost two years. I loved working in Johnston County. It was amazing, the people were amazing, it really was incredible aside from the drive. I did end up leaving this position because I got pregnant with our first, and so far, only child, Gentry. I knew that if my husband was deployed and couldn’t take our son to daycare close to home, having him in the car for three hours a day wasn’t fair to a small newborn, so I left my job for one closer to home.
The job close to home was also a county planner, but it was awful. I have never worked for a worse group of people, truly and honestly. I only stayed there for five months; the stress, terrible bosses (because I can’t call them leaders) mixed with being a “geriatric, high-risk pregnancy” was a hard no for me. Naturally, my next move was real estate. While still working, I took real estate classes on the weekend. At this time, I had a newborn, and it seemed like every daily function took an act of Congress, but I passed! My first year of real estate didn’t start until I joined a team that I enjoyed with Keller Williams. I sold 26 homes in my first year, while most people sell six. I was so glad that I finally had a job where I could meet amazing people, network, help other military couples move and not feel taken advantage of, and also have the flexibility to be a mom. I didn’t actually realize how well I was doing at the time. I recall April 1, 2022, I received an email that said, “Congrats on being in the Top 20%.” Naturally, I told the sender of that email that this was a super cruel April Fool’s joke. To my surprise, it wasn’t a joke, just awful timing on their part. In the last two years, I have continued to not only grow my business but my name, my friendships, and my goals.
I’ve started a team, and I have an amazing partner who went all in with me. We are both military spouses whose husbands have or will have served 20+ years in the Marine Corps. We are both mothers, passionate, caring, and really pour into those that we work with and for. Our goal is to be the realtor you didn’t know existed; you didn’t know you needed. If you need a drink because you’ve had a rough day? We are there. Do you need help packing and moving? We’ve got you! Do you need lawn care?!? We know a guy. Speed dating hype-girl?! We are it! We aren’t just here for a transaction; we are here for as long as you’ll have us.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course not! It never is! While I feel like real estate has come easy, all of the other steps getting here, have been nothing but!
After moving to NC in 2017, I really struggled…for years. I struggled mentally, emotionally, and physically. I’m not the normal military spouse; I met my husband at 29, and we married at 31. Our first child was born when we were both 35. When I moved, I had already established a career in Austin. I had my own place, friends, habits, family, state retirement; you name it. While I was so ready to leave Austin, I didn’t realize the struggles that I’d have after our move. Depression is a real thing. Being homesick and away from my family and friends really hit me hard. I didn’t find anyone here to bond with, to invest in, to have a friendship with. I couldn’t relate to the vast majority of the military spouses as we were “the old guys.” I was resentful to my husband for years. I honestly still really miss Austin and the family and friends that I made there. I know they say Keep Austin Weird, but never in my life have I met more incredible, honest, and faithful friends than I did there. I still long for those relationships here that I have yet to find.
Post-Partum Depression is real, and that added to my struggle. I didn’t always have this burning desire to be a mother. I was okay if we had a child and okay if we didn’t. I didn’t bond with him in the womb-like most mothers talk about. I don’t feel like I started to form a bond until he was three months old, if not a little older…and that’s okay! These are all normal feelings that people don’t talk about.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Myself and my business partner Jessica Tuck started Bravo Tango Property Group. We both were on a team that we had outgrown, and we didn’t have the support that we needed. Jessica left first, and I gave them a few more months to make improvements that were needed. These improvements never came, so I left about six months later.
While we initially hadn’t ever discussed joining forces, Jessica and I knew that we needed the support of each other. Another person to have go on a listing appointment with us, another person to show a home, another person to be a resource if one of us was busy, etc.
We met one day for lunch, and I casually mentioned to her that if she ever wanted to join forces, I was game! We met a few weeks later to discuss expectations, and then we hit the ground running! The name of our property group pays homage to our military roots. Jessica’s husband served 25 years, while my husband is currently in year 17. We struggled SO much to come up with a name that we both liked until Jessica had an epiphany one night. Let’s use the phonetic alphabet to honor the military roots that brought us to New Bern and the first letters of our last names. B (Bravo) for Beitel and T (Tango) for Tuck. Thus, BTPG was born.
We help people buy and sell properties in Eastern North Carolina. We hold a special spot in our heart for our fellow military families, but we truly love to help everyone. We aren’t just a real estate group. We are friends; our clients become family, we truly help out however we can. We give back, volunteer, go above and beyond, and continue the relationship with our clients long after the transaction is finished so we want to make sure you love us. Having a terrible realtor when we moved here, I wanted to make sure no one else ever felt unheard in their real estate journey. Like I’ve said before, you name it, we are here for you, whatever you need…as long as it’s legal, of course.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Honestly, I love Raleigh and have every intention of moving there when my husband retires. I miss the city and the conveniences it offers. I’d do some shady stuff for a close Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and an amazing margarita. I love the architecture, the trees, the land, the downtown area, and the people. Raleigh has such an incredible energy that is felt in my core in the city’s center. The food, bars, and museums remind me of home. Every time my best friend flies in from Austin, we hit up Sheetz and then Salt & Lime Cabo Grill for a drink at their bar with Matt; he’s always there.
My least favorite thing would be property prices! Ironic as I’m a realtor, but I’m dying to have our dream home built there, but I know it is going to cost me two million or more! That’s the dream, the end goal. I’d love a place for my family to grow. I want to be the house that all of my son’s kids want to spend time in. Let’s be honest, CPS has skewed my perception of people, so I want to be the best house on the block that my kid never wants to leave.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bravotangopg.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jm3lynn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamie.l.schmidt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-schmidt-beitel/
Image Credits
Lauren Rose Photography
